Long Mynd Valleys

Very pleased with 2:26:48 which was my second fastest in seven years of doing this race. Even more pleased to be in the top 100 of record (I think) 205 finishers. I carried on up the valley and then went straight up on the last climb but I think it was slower than the diagonal route, although agree with Fly that there's not much in it. Lost time on the descent when I cramped badly and came to a halt - very grateful to the chap who stopped to help. My somewhat worn Walshes coped pretty well with all but the most eroded descents. Visibility (or rather lack of) and temperature ensured this race was as challenging as ever.

not as much fun as last year in the snow and ice, but much quicker, and a tad tougher with all the deep mud about

fog made it quite novel with people wandering all over the shop like headless chickens

saw one chap, in road shoes ?!? perhaps it was just not a tough enough course for him......maybe flip flops next year ?

whilst another was in those barefoot vibram affairs :eek: i meant to see how he went, but never caught up with him...good effort !

2:19 for me ( in my fat suit):D

The "vibram" guy was my mate . He ended up running all the way round with me . He didn't have as many traction problems as I thought he would .

i was pretty worried for him when I saw him on the start line in those minimal feet covers...what with all the sharp bare rock, precipitous gradients, gorse bushes etc involved...it's no trail race !

how did he find it ? I'm amazed by his endeavour:)

He's been using vibrams for a while now and I think he's got used to them . He ran the half Peris in a pair with almost no grip in September and was slipping all over the place . His new ones (Treks I think they are) have more grip and appart from the real muddy stuff he seemed to be able to adjust his style to cope . He wil be bloging about his experience by the end of this week

http://trainnowlivelater.blogspot.com/

I promised at the start, to put a link up to a selection of the video I took with my videocam. This was with the tiny cam I wore around the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlCAEXoPu8

I wondered what it was in your head when I looked at Alistairs photos . It all makes sense now .:)
Cheers

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Originally Posted by nightingale

I wondered what it was in your head when I looked at Alistairs photos . It all makes sense now .:)
Cheers

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Yes, a lot of folk asked me about it before the start, one thought it was a torch, and how long did I intend being out there.:eek:

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Originally Posted by tarren

I promised at the start, to put a link up to a selection of the video I took with my videocam. This was with the tiny cam I wore around the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlCAEXoPu8

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nice vid, well done :D Strangely, I was finding your "breathing " soundtrack was both rhythmic and atmospheric...Until you coughed !!:D

Glad you liked it alan, the heavy breathing and especially the coughing comes with age.:(

Tarren matey - I've got nothing but admiration for anyone who can do video AND fell-running at the same time. I'm so inept at fell running, I find standing up a problem most of the time. A camera, even a head cam would over-stretch my feeble ability far too much..Cough on!! :)

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Originally Posted by tarren

I promised at the start, to put a link up to a selection of the video I took with my videocam. This was with the tiny cam I wore around the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlCAEXoPu8

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Thanks for sharing that Tarren, and well done for running with a camera on your head !

It helped bring back the misery ;) of the early part of the race, and gave my family a glimpse of what I put myself through (actually it just convinced them even more that I am indeed mad :rolleyes:)

Did you get any footage of the latter sections of the race when the fog lifted ?

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Originally Posted by FarFromTheFells

Thanks for sharing that Tarren, and well done for running with a camera on your head !

It helped bring back the misery ;) of the early part of the race, and gave my family a glimpse of what I put myself through (actually it just convinced them even more that I am indeed mad :rolleyes:)

Did you get any footage of the latter sections of the race when the fog lifted ?

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Unfortunetly no, the battery only lasts approx 70 minutes, I had another two available for a quick change over but because of the clag decided not to bother carrying them. Excuse me while I bend over and boot myself up the backside. Won't happen again. :( But as you say, it's great for reliving\rerunning the race again. You've just got to put up with the strange looks you get from runners and spectators.

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Originally Posted by tarren

Unfortunetly no, the battery only lasts approx 70 minutes, I had another two available for a quick change over but because of the clag decided not to bother carrying them. Excuse me while I bend over and boot myself up the backside. Won't happen again. :( But as you say, it's great for reliving\rerunning the race again. You've just got to put up with the strange looks you get from runners and spectators.

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I imagine it must be quite offputting to try & change batteries part-way through a race anyway :)

Just watched your other clip of the start of the race - I'm in it at the very beginning, so I can show the kids that I was actually there ;)

Nice one.

"I imagine it must be quite offputting to try & change batteries part-way through a race anyway"

Glad your enjoying but actually, you don't change the batteries, just carry extra cams to record, just need to remove one and change. At £13 a throw they're cheap enough.

Just put this on, if the picture falters blame it on youtube the cam records seamlessly without a pause.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsT92sJDHic

Brilliant ! Just watched part 1 and my backside features for a few minutes of the first climb :eek: I seem to remember heavy breathing behind me then . Although to be fair I think everyone was heavy breathing at that stage :)

Watching it has inspired me to do another race this weekend . Thanks Tarren

Nice one Tarren. I was running yards in front of you for much of the race but didn't twig that was a camera on your head! I'm the bloke in black with the enormous yellow bumbag - seriously that bumbag is going on a diet.
Terrific race - I must confess to not having a clue where I was - perhaps it was the clag but those valleys all looked the same (steep!!). I got round in 2'25 and was pretty chuffed as I've barely run since summer.
Agree with comments about max grip fell shoes - I was in trail shoes and wish i had the Mudclaws. Hence all the flapping of arms.
I overheard at least a dozen runners wandering out loud what on earth they were doing back again - those final climbs were hellish!! See you all next year!

Pete Douglas now has photos on his site

http://www.prdouglas.co.uk/

So what exactly was the headcam? Can you provide a link Tarren?

If you go here I believe they're still available. You'll also require a microSDHC 8GB Card class 6.

Marvin, I also suggest you visit here lots of info and discussion.

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Originally Posted by tarren

Marvin, I also suggest you visit here lots of info and discussion.

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Thanks Tarren

Please note: This race is close to the entry limit. No entries will be accepted after Friday 15th January 2011.

Can't believe i missed out on this great race, kept putting off applying just due to laziness and now gutted that entries closed just before my application arrived. Hopefully i'm somewhere near the top of the reserve list. Don't forget to let the organisers know if you can't make it:wink:
If i don't get a place i'm thinking of running it early morning, then after breakfast watching the race.

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Originally Posted by Pauline Richards

Please note: This race is close to the entry limit. No entries will be accepted after Friday 15th January 2011.

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Going to recce it Sunday if anyone fancies it. 10am in car park near finish?

I will be running the Gill Harris challenge (see here) on Sunday morning. This crosses some of the same ground so I may see some folks out doing recces. I'll be the slow one with too much kit, going the "wrong" way, possibly in a Mercia top.

Enjoy your recces, don't forget to save a bit for the end. Most of the useful route choices are in the final third, starting with where you cross the shoulder of Minton Hill from Callow Hollow into Minton Batch. I'll be going the other way there at around 10 am. If your going at 10 I'll be more likely to see you over near the road section a bit later...

Cheers
Jim

Went round long mynd valleys-never been so wet on a run. 2 & half hours of solid rain-might have seen you somewhere Jim!! It was worth it with the coffee and soup in the cafe after! Loads of runners out everywhere too!

Saw someone and waved (I was wearing the red cag and going the "wrong" way!) near the road at about 10:55. Saw another couple of runners (one in a very bright yellow top) further off but they were on the LMV route at about 11:10. I agree on the weather. The rain started about 09:30 and I was absolutely soaked to the skin by the time I finished just before one. It was grim up there for a while yesterday. I'm just thankful it was relatively warm.

Hopefully you got an idea of how entertaining the valleys section will be if it's wet and the clag's down.

Jim

Route GPX and MMO Files

I have plotted the "popular route" shown on the race web page in Memory Map and exported it as .mmo and .gpx below. Have a nice "Long" day.

GPX here (right click and use "save link as"). MMO here.

what a top day...nice addition of the race with a its championship status adding to the event and bringing some sun for once....not sure who won though ?

lloyd won Chris Steel 2nd
And for the girls
Vic Wilkinson won Helen Fines 2nd

Thats all I know.

Results here:

http://www.merciafellrunners.org.uk/node/1698

Vicky Wilkinson a slight lead over the Women (and most men) !!

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Originally Posted by Tussockface

Results here:

http://www.merciafellrunners.org.uk/node/1698

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.....but still need a bit of attention to some of the times/places

Great race, cracking course, good conditions.

I arrived at the start at 10.25 to discover that I was the only one there for the 10.30 start option. Fortunately, 5 more early appeared before the off, including Nightingale.

3 of us battled for the gold, silver and bronze until the Big Boys came storming past after Callow.
One of the reasons I like having an early start is that it's a great chance to see the top runners in action at close quarters. It was particularly exciting as there were about 10 guys bunched together very tightly; it looked like it had the makings of a classic race. Tim Davies was narrowly in front at that stage.

Sorry not to see you at the end Nightingale - I had to dash off.

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Originally Posted by Tussockface

Great race, cracking course, good conditions.

I arrived at the start at 10.25 to discover that I was the only one there for the 10.30 start option. Fortunately, 5 more early appeared before the off, including Nightingale.

3 of us battled for the gold, silver and bronze until the Big Boys came storming past after Callow.
One of the reasons I like having an early start is that it's a great chance to see the top runners in action at close quarters. It was particularly exciting as there were about 10 guys bunched together very tightly; it looked like it had the makings of a classic race. Tim Davies was narrowly in front at that stage.

Sorry not to see you at the end Nightingale - I had to dash off.

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Looks ont results like Mercia man Timmy Davies burnt out.. Very close between Lloyd ,Chris , Rob Jebb and Rob hope

I was sick a lot, shit a lot and cramped up a lot but unfortunately I didn't run a lot :p.........but what a reet good do

I was 5 mins faster than last year, suffered on last climb badly, almost ground to a complete halt until the jelly babies kicked in. Ran down well to the finish before nose diving into the stream at the finish whilst trying to nick a couple of places. well, they do say an ice bath helps muscle recovery, may wait until after the finish next time though.
Thankyou to organisers and marshalls for a great event.

I was surprised at the amount on DNS on the race. I think there was around 480 entries and only 390 ran the race. I had my 3rd only DNF since I started racing about 17 years ago. I tripped over a stone and went ar*e over t*t. Badley bashed up by it's my pride in not finishing that is more dented. I don't do DNFs!!! Fantastic day though. Well done to everyone who got round this toughie and to my team Helen for such a fine ladies 2nd place.

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Originally Posted by Tussockface

Great race, cracking course, good conditions.

I arrived at the start at 10.25 to discover that I was the only one there for the 10.30 start option. Fortunately, 5 more early appeared before the off, including Nightingale.

3 of us battled for the gold, silver and bronze until the Big Boys came storming past after Callow.
One of the reasons I like having an early start is that it's a great chance to see the top runners in action at close quarters. It was particularly exciting as there were about 10 guys bunched together very tightly; it looked like it had the makings of a classic race. Tim Davies was narrowly in front at that stage.

Sorry not to see you at the end Nightingale - I had to dash off.

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Agree with Tussockface. It was great to see such a bunch of top class runners going for it. They were all really fast.

Good to see you again Tussockface. I catch up with you again later in the sesson.