Holyhead Mountain

I made the trip over to Anglesey/Holy Island today to take on the Holyhead Mountain Race.

About 6.5-7 miles and around 1300ft.... a fantastically varied course... the first 3/4 mile is dead flat down a track and then onto a road, before crossing a pebble beach then heading into the cliff top paths.... round to North Stack and then over to South Stack, before traversing round for a climb (and subsequent descent) of Holyhead Mountain.

With the exception of the final climb/descent of the “mountain” there are no real sustained climbs or descents, but I was surprised at the technicality of some parts of the course, the steepness of some of the climbs, and the final descent was absolutely fantastic... it’s a tough, fast race...

Once the road section was over and we had begun to climb onto the coast paths, the race began to settle down, and I found myself in a battle for 8th/9th, whilst being chased hard by 3 or 4 behind as well...

I was still fancying my chances of securing 8th place until the final climb began, and last night’s efforts at Snowdon began to make their effects known... on an admittedly steep and hot climb, I’d still usually be looking to put in a big effort and push home an advantage, but there was nothing there, and instead I was caught by the chasing group... this spurred me on and (by my own meagre standards) I flew down the steep descent, “only” losing two places.... if I’d had anything left at all, I’d have been able to take those places back in the final half mile, as they weren’t doing anything much in front of me, but I was shot, and relieved to collapse over the line in 11th... 1hr03....

Math Roberts smashed the record and won by about 7 minutes.... in a small field of 37 I thought the general standard was fairly decent... it was reasonably tight all the way back to about 23rd place (with the exception of the winner), then a gap of about 7 minutes before the rest started to come in.

Glad to see a bigger turnout than last year... I believe there were only 14 last year... it’s certainly worth a look, and if you can get your eyes off the terrain at your feet, the sea views are stunning...

It also makes a good “double” with the Snowdon Uphill.... I really hope they are on the same weekend again next year, it’s one of the best weekends racing I’ve ever had (i suspect the weather helped this, even if I was cursing it at the time!).

Well done and thank you to Cybi Striders.

Pete

Went back to Holyhead today to do the "double" with Snowdon Uphill.

I wasn't the only one with a similar idea... Hello to BritNick's clubmate Chris Jackson of Glossopdale Harriers who was also unduly punishing himself again today.

The start is nearly a km down a straight road... i hit this at 6min/mile at worst... the two leaders were well away even at this pace and everyone else was fighting for 3rd.

When it settled down, i found myself spending most of the race in a pitched battle for 3rd/4th/5th, but in a mirror-image of 2019 i slipped a couple of places at the death and finished 7th... 3rd v40 (i think... it may have been 4th)

A bit of a disappointment to drop a few places, i was 4th at the final summit... but after yesterday i again just didn't have the usual charge in my legs up the final climb, and with people behind me on the descent it was always going to be a struggle to hold them off.

But still, a pb by 3-4mins, so shouldn't be too despondent.

For a race which is mainly round the coast path, it is surprisingly tough and technical.

I usually run this race about 18hrs after the Snowdon Uphill race on the friday night... the whole aim this year was to turn up to it and have a real go on fresh legs, knock time off my pb, etc, etc...

Obviously thing are never quite that simple... having been injured/recovering for approx 6 weeks, i wondered just how fit/sharp i would actually be.

The usual rapid start down a straight track and road.... i ran the first km just about bang on 5:30/mile pace and was still only in about 5th or 6th, and probably 15 seconds behind Math Roberts and Sion Edwards.

a mile or so later once we'd got onto the "fell" (actually steep, undulating and technical coast path), found myself a few places back, and 15mins in when the race had properly settled down, was at the back of a group containing 9th-12th, with a couple more not so far behind... it was to remain so for the entire race.

Was gaining ground on the climbs slowly, but not really making anything more up on the flats and descents.... but position was a little irrelevant today, it was more about how i compared to last year's pb.

Having been up and down the final descent prior to the race (1 mile exactly and approx 700ft, but with a couple of scrambling sections which really eat up the time), i'd estimated i probably needed 10mins to get down.... i reached the summit with just 7mins45 left until my pb ticked over...

Actually got down in not much over 8mins... Ended up only 150 metres (and 35seconds) from the finish when my pb came and went.

12th place, 1hr30secs.

Not sure entirely how to feel... on one hand i felt generally good, and despite the oppresive humidity and temperture, was only 35secs off last year... and this time last year i was running probably as well as i ever have.

But on the other hand, last year i'd ran up Snowdon in 53mins just the evening before, so i was hoping that this year might prove a little quicker even while not on top form/fitness.

I suppose it just about evens out, and can't read too much into different circumstances. It was certainly promising and i can go into the next few weeks with positvity.

It was certainly a stronger field this year.... my time this year would've been good enough for 7th a year ago.

Really friendly race, well organised (it was also the final round of the Welsh Junior Champs).... the organisers genuinely grateful i'd turned up "all the way from Coventry".... a well marked race, but difficult underfoot for a predominantly coast path race.