Dragons Back underway, if anyone wants a bit of "dot watching".
Forecast was potentially grim yesterday with thunderstorms, but changed and not so bad today - might miss them. Long way to go and Simon Roberts trying for a second win.
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Dragons Back underway, if anyone wants a bit of "dot watching".
Forecast was potentially grim yesterday with thunderstorms, but changed and not so bad today - might miss them. Long way to go and Simon Roberts trying for a second win.
The leader, Chris Cope, has just finished Leg 1. That was quick.
I'm watching an old friend from Llani, Lenny Hughes 115. He's ticking along nicely about to reach Pen-y-Pass.
Planning to have a wander up Plynlimon on Wednesday to watch them come through.
I,ve met Lenny sometime in the past, hope he goes well.
If it's not 30degC on the Glyders I'm not interested ;)
Yesterday evening I had a walk up to Plynlimon from Eisteddfa Gurig. I set of at 1730 and during the hour walk I met around 40 runners coming in the opposite direction, although there was not much running going on. They were around 3-4 miles from the end of Day 3.
I gave all that passed a "well done" and a little clap. Some of them were quite chirpy and appreciative but, not surprisingly, many looked out on their feet. When you looked in their eyes there was nothing there!
I had to wait for nearly 2 hrs for Lenny (115) to appear from the gloom at 2015. He looked OK and was his usual self but said that he had had a few bad hours in the middle of the day when he lacked energy which had put him behind his planned schedule. I bollocked him for making me wait and get cold then followed him down the ridge in the moonlight until he turned for Ponterwyd and I dropped back to Eisteddfa.
He must have had a final spurt and finished well before the 2200 cut off time and before I got to The Angel for a pint. Truly Inspirational.
As I write this he is not far off tonight's finish.
Moley, I note that tonight's camp is just outside your village. Are you checking it out, or maybe even volunteering?
I see Lenny has made it again tonight. For the first time we've not been up there tonight and left them to it, we usually go and have a pint with friends that are helping - but I had an hour up the river fishing instead!!
Called on site yesterday and chatted as first helpers arrived on field, just hope they can get the vans out tomorrow after the rain today, think I will keep a low profile before I'm asked to organize tractors, winches and tows.
A low profile is probably a good idea.
Yes, Lenny is in safely again. At 67 he really is an inspiration. I do hope he finishes.
I do know that one of his gripes about these events, he did Cape Wrath last year, is that the food at the camps is vegan/vegetarian. He has to take up part of his weight allowance of forwarded kit, with tins of tuna and tinned meat, so that he has something solid to put in with his lentil stew!
I see they've had to change the finish in Cardiff slightly... presumably because Cardiff Castle no longer available due to recent events...
DB is incredibly well planned with contingencies coming out of their ears, but I wonder whether there were any in place for death of the monarch - it's not something you think about in general day-to-day life (unless you're the army/church/politics/broadcasters and have been practicing Operation London Bridge for 20 years) I imagine a stressful few hours for the RO team, and probably some things still to iron out.
In the race, after 3 wins by Chris Cope, on day 4 Simon Roberts (2021 winner) took 30 mins out of him. Be interesting to see how it plays out today and tomorrow - I can say from experience that D4 I felt pretty good but lost time, then D5 and D6 quickly turned into death marches.
My diet is mostly vegetarian (I don't eat meat at home but may have it when eating out) so thought I was generally fairly well prepared. I believe the menus are well planned to be nutritionally balanced, but there wasn't as much cheese as I normally consume, and maybe I could have prepared my stomach with more lentils/beans in the run up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
There was one day when we were getting a 'lightly spiced chili' which was a bit hotter than expected. Stomach wasn't too happy about that on top of the general distress it was being put under.
Not a great start today.... Caz (old friend) on the marshals team has just come reversing up the drive to see us in the hire van, straight into the telegraph pole. Pole leaning right over and been trying to sort the van door with club hammer and cable ties. Best report it to electric company, not the first time but I was watching him do it thinking "he's going to stop, oh s***"!
Apparently Chris Cope is a very fast marathon runner, but not a hill runner, also running bare topped he now has sores on his back from the rucksack. Certainly possible for Simon to take it as today is a bit of a brute on the Beacons - if you are already tired.
Also hoping Lenny makes it, hell of an achievement at that age, just keep plodding and avoid the cut offs 👍
For a Marathon/trail ultra runner, his performances on day 1 and 2 were impressive!
My thoughts too, just what Caz said and apparently looking online at comments from his mates he is type 1 diabetic, which again shows what is possible.
He may make ground on the early road sections today and then see what happens. Been hammering down just now so expect the beacons could be grim!
Dot watching, looks like Simon R. has made up a massive amount of ground on Chris Cope this morning (presuming dots are correct place) and Simon has the horrible Gyhirych behind him!
Oh no, Simon has a made a massive lead and now he's headed off in completely the wrong direction, coming up to fan y big cp he's headed directly south down the valley!
He'll kick himself when he realizes, which hopefully is very soon.
Unfortunately something has gone awry for SR as he is now shown as DNF for the day.
Lenny is dragging himself up Corn Du. Three and a half hours to complete the last 14K. Hope he makes it.
Has to be injury/illness? Looking at results it's a bit of carnage today. Hope Lenny has it, a steady plod to the end and he should be ok - come on the OAPs 💪💪💪
I read somewhere that its a calf/achilles injury/tear/strain....
Lenny still going at the back, in the bag now so long as he doesn't fall foul of any cut-off times. He's through Merthyr so that should perk him up!!
Indeed. He's now through todays first cut off, and has got 4 hrs to get through to the next, and last one, in 12 miles. Then its down the Taff Trail to the finish.
He's not at the rear any longer and I know that as he passes fellow runners he'll be geeing them up, as that's the sort of bloke he is.
He's going to make it!
Nearly there Lenny, final few hundred metres and bound to receive loads of applause. He'll remember this as the longest final 10k of his life.
Brilliant effort, time for a beer and some sleep.
Never mind about a new Prince of Wales, we've got a new king, King Lenny.
An awesome achievement and inspirational for us oldies. He's just messaged me and we are having a beer in Llani next weekend.
Fantastic.
That is impressive. They were l-o-n-g days in the hills. Well done Lenny.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
The race director's report, with interesting sections about the bad weather on day 1 and the death of the Queen. https://www.dragonsbackrace.com/news...7245-110731629
2023:
Day 3 ending and 4 women runners in the top 10, good running from them. These days I don’t know any of the competitors names, so don’t follow anyone but look in out of interest, results look like it is quite attritional , due to conditions I guess.
Tomorrow evening they are in the village here, so I’m hoping to catch up with a few mates in the pub, they are volunteering as usual, but I guess a few runners may be tempted by a cold pint after a swim in the river!
I am not 100% sure but I think runner 161 is BillJ of this parish. A Calder Valley member who ran the Fantasy Fellrunning.
If it is you, all the best Bill.
Great couple of hours in the pub last night catching up with old friends, loads of nostalgia!
The volunteers were thirsty and enjoyed a few pints. My mate Paul (another ex Llani boy) on the first day carted 12.5K litres of water to the campsite, fetched it all in bowsers from a hydrant. That's 12.5 tons of water for everyone, gives an idea of the logistics involved in one simple thing.
Hard graft for the runners and no let up in the heat before Cardiff.
Thanks Llani Boy, it was indeed me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
The heat was attritional - trying to cope with that while exerting enough to get through the cutoffs was key.
I'm impressed with the thought that has gone into planning the route - they could easily have taken the race on a lot of roads but instead found seldom-used paths and small back lanes for much of it.
Congratulations on finishing Bill, 18th overall and 1st M55.Quote:
Originally Posted by BillJ
You slayed the Dragon :cool:
For anyone interested in such things, I penned a few lines (a lot of lines actually) on my Dragons Back race experience...
https://medium.com/@billjohnson_3064...3-c53a0e4052ab
A great read Bill and once again well done and a fantastic achievement.
I agree that Drygarn Fawr is a trudge, even if only doing it as a single hill, never mind with 3 long days in your legs. Its remoteness and summit cairn make it one of my favourite hills.
You can of course tell me to mind my own business but I am wondering about your reasoning for not having Caffeine for two to three weeks prior to a big event but then carry Caffeine Gum as part of your food/nutrition?
Cutting it out for a while beforehand is so that it gives me more of a boost when I take it on the event.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
At least that's my unscientific theory. It seems to work.
Enjoyed reading that Bill - well done!Quote:
Originally Posted by BillJ