Snowdon Race

Could you help me?



I will be doing the snowdon race (hopefully without mountain rescue) in July 08. I live in plymouth and often run on Dartmoor (which you lot will laugh at I know...), but I need a very big ascent to do endurance training on? As an expat northerner used to gadding about crib goch, great gable and the like, I can state categorically that theres nothing worth running up in the south west, except a tab in the pub.

My nearest hills are the brecons, I think. Can anyone tell me a good hill to practice for snowdon on that is nearest to plymouth? Pen y fan is highest, but car park is at 1500ft allegedly!

God its flat down here.............

Thanking you

andymag

Well, it needs to be something you can get to regularly but Snowdon is not a massively testing target (it's not like trying to train up for Wasdale or something).

I would think that there are some modest hills in the Dartmoor area that you could do reps on (say 5 times up and down a 500' climb). For Snowdon training I'd concentrate on runnable climbs. If you can get to the Brecons, Pen-y-Fan would make a good training hill. Perhaps someone who knows them better than me can suggest a few good climbs in the Black Mountains/Brecons.

Good luck!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trundler

I would think that there are some modest hills in the Dartmoor area that you could do reps on (say 5 times up and down a 500' climb).

---

On the north moor it's quite easy to find some runnable 1,000' climbs as well, and it's fairly straightforward to put together some routes of say 14 miles / 5,000'.

Failing that, try this.

Better than spending all your time on the M5...

Barry, who used to post on here as The Cat On The Mat, used to live in London and did most of his hill training on a treadmill. I remember snickering to myself when he told my this. He then finished 14th in the Tour of Pendle, putting most of us locals in our places.

I think many of us lucky enough to have hills on our doorsteps take it for granted, and just go out jogging, whereas many in the flatlands put in real thought and effort and do commensurately better.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ANDYMAG

Could you help me?



I will be doing the snowdon race (hopefully without mountain rescue) in July 08. I live in plymouth and often run on Dartmoor (which you lot will laugh at I know...), but I need a very big ascent to do endurance training on? As an expat northerner used to gadding about crib goch, great gable and the like, I can state categorically that theres nothing worth running up in the south west, except a tab in the pub.

My nearest hills are the brecons, I think. Can anyone tell me a good hill to practice for snowdon on that is nearest to plymouth? Pen y fan is highest, but car park is at 1500ft allegedly!

God its flat down here.............

Thanking you

andymag

---

ANDYMAG,

I used to live in Lympstone, near Exmouth just up the coast from you and recall that there were quite few hills (almost everywhere) so I wouldnt have called the area 'flat', but perhaps rather undulating. I'm sure you could put together some good coastal routes with some good climbing. Could be worse, you could live in Cheshire!

I know what you mean about Dartmoor which is high but not very hilly. I know it's not a replacement for Lakeland Fells or Pennine hills and valleys but good luck

With regards

Gaz

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pudgy

Barry, who used to post on here as The Cat On The Mat, used to live in London.

---

Now known as sideburns on the summit, I believe.

The main thing about trying to train for Snowdon is finding a long, rough descent. Ascent training is quite easy really as you can do reps. The problem with South Wales is very little is on naked rock. Having said that, The man made tracks up and down Pen Y fan from Storey Arms are probably the closest you will get to replicating the Snowdon experience.

Hello all

Sage advice....

Informative AND supportive! Nice !

Now looking more closely at Dartmoor OS and planning a pen y fan run in spring!

cheers

andy

Andy, the Brecon Fans race weekend could be the ideal warm-up for Snowdon. It's the previous weekend and consists of the Pen-y-Fan race on Sat and Fan-y-Big on the Sun. Details on www.wfra.org.uk

Start at the small intake works in the Okement Valley above Meldon Res.(haven't got map handy so can't give GR but you'll find it)

Then go up to Yes Tor, then back across valley to Branscombes loaf, then back to High Willhays, then back to Stenga Tor......etc with the added bonus of a near swim every time you cross over if you want to stop for a drink.