Didn't seem to bother Higginbottom yesterday!Originally Posted by Usually at the back
Didn't seem to bother Higginbottom yesterday!
Weather forecast (admittedly distant) from MWIS:
"Temperature levels will be higher than recently, but still freeze thaw cycles across Highland Scotland, and confined to
higher summits elsewhere.
Although rainfall will accumulate, particularly on western mountains of Scotland, the focus generally will be on only
'occasional' rain, with extensive dry weather."
...Looking OK for the race to go ahead this year. Woo hoo!
the forecast for mild weather tomorrow should get rid of the bit of snow that is still up there
Aye, doubtless there will be weather on the day, and it's guaranteed that folk will be wearing shoes.
Cracking race yesterday, Martin, though my thighs are a touch sore today. Great weather (Mark said there'd be some and he were right) and great turnout. Looking forward to next year already.
How can you possible guarantee that?
Wasn't a bad day for it was it! Results are already at http://www.wfra.me.uk/indexnew.htm
Glad you were able to help out with locating Sue's whereabouts - I was just about to call NEWSAR!
And Marvin - I can assure you that everyone wore shoes!
Well, let's put it another way - I'd be willing to put money on it. Conversely, I would never put money on a weather forecast being right.
Anyway, a great race - well worth the drive over, though it does need a few more loose rocks and slippery boulders.
Glad you enjoyed it Mark - you could have come down the Stony Gulley to the West of the summit! Alternatively Mike Blake's Tryfan Downhill race might suit you over in Snowdonia. (I hope I got your age right in the results - you had a very good run!)
A few years ago, a group of us journeyed to North Wales to do the Llangynhafal Loop a great little race on the Clwydian Hills. Whilst there, the organiser, Martin Cortvriend, told us of a downhill race he organises - the Jubilee Plunge - from the summit of Moel Fammau to the back of the Golden Lion Inn in Llangynhafal every Boxing Day and I resolved to make the trip there "one year". Unfortunately, the race was cancelled in both 2009 and 2010 due to snow and ice so this year was my first opportunity to have a go at what looked like a great course.
I was staying in Sheffield over Christmas, so doing the Plunge involved a 200 mile round trip but, now armed with an unbelievably economical car (a SEAT Ibiza TDI), I was undaunted by the fuel cost. The Ibiza is also a very capable long-disatance car so I didn't even envisage a tiring drive. Plans were laid.
On Christmas Day I did a run along the gritstone edges of Froggatt, Curbar and Baslow (great running on firm gritty paths) in very windy conditions and felt ready for the Plunge. Gill and Karen (our Sheffield host over Christmas) planned a run from Ringinglow back to Sheffield on Boxing day and I thus dropped them off outside the Norfolk Arms pub and then continued via Snake Pass and the M60/M56 to Llangynhafal, a drive of just over 2 hours.
After registering in the car park, I joined the procession for the 50 minute walk to the summit. The course is quoted as 2 miles and 1500ft but I think it's a bit longer than that. The men's record was 11.55 and I'm sure the holder must have been faster than 6 minute mile-ing. The course starts with a short stretch of level ridge path, followed by a short rocky descent, then an undulating section with a couple of little ascents - all of this on the broad ridge path. The route then turns off the ridge to make a gradually descending traverse on a narrow path through heather before a brilliantly fast section of green turf path through gorse bushes. A fast plunging descent on short grass (the final descent of the Llangynhafal Loop) then leads onto a downhill section of road (booo!) but you soon turn off into fields. Four fields, all downhill and quite firm, then take you to the back garden of the pub and the finish.
I reckon about 50 runners were huddled in the shelter of the ruined Jubilee Tower on the Summit awaiting the off, three of them in fancy dress including Santa (of course), Batman, and Wonder Woman. I clambered onto the top of the tower for a look, almost getting blown off my feet in the process, then returned to the shelter of the lee side as the 2pm start approached. Martin appeared with his clipboard and marshalled us to the start, shouted a few words of guidance/encouragement then counted us down to the start - 3, 2, 1, GO!
The initial dash was mad, as you'd expect, and I soon lost touch with the leading bunch but on the first bit of technical descent some of them came back to me (aha!) and I was then in a little group battling it out along the undulating section. Jumping across a pool of water my leading foot slipped, almost causing me to do the splits but I recovered and thought no more about it until lower down. On the narrow traverse there were two in front of me who were going fast enough to not be holding me up, which was just as well as overtaking would be difficult on this bit. However, I did gain a bit of recovery and as soon as the path opened out I passed one of those ahead. The second one then decided to help me out by falling over (on nice soft mossy turf) and I then had open fell in front of me. I stretched out to max plunging speed but then felt a worrying twinge in my left hamstring, causing me to shorten my stride somewhat. Someone in red (thankfully it wasn't Santa) then passed me but apart from this I held onto my position down to the road despite consciously keeping my stride short.
The pain didn't return and I kept going across the final fields fairly well. There was a young lad close behind at one of the stiles but he was making horrible noises and was obviously having a hard time of it. I was almost home and dry but a big bunch were bearing down on me and they caught me at the stile into the final field. Throwing caution to the wind I launched into a final effort for the finish but the hamstring then went 'twang' quite emphatically and I ended up limping to the line, losing 3 places in the last field. D'ohh! Still, as I sat massaging my hamstring I was relieved to see that I had beaten Batman AND Wonder Woman.... Santa however had won the race in a new record time of 10.24! My time was 15.37 and I was 28th out of 52. If it wasn't for the hamstring I would have been in the top half of the field for the first time in AGES!
I had a slight concern that the hamstring might make driving back difficult but once changed, refuelled on chicken and stuffing butties and ensconsed in the driving seat I had a perfectly comfortable drive back to Sheffield to complete a grand day out (despite the injury!).
AW
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