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Thread: Welsh 1000s Race

  1. #411
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    Brilliant account Richard...!

    I was still having cramps in my fingers/hands yesterday.

    The descent down Snowdon afterwards was also very tough. I'd drank a litre of water at PyP, and had another litre with me for the climb, but knew i needed to ration for the walk off.

    The marshals had a limited supply of water at the finish, but really only for people who were completely out, so i was honest and told them i'd make my way down with the 300ml or so that i had left.... that was gone before Clogwyn, and it was a soul-destroying walk down from there (i usually jog down but could not manage more than a walk on saturday).

    Straight in the shop in Llanberis, necked a litre of water and a can of cherry coke which made me feel incredibly queasy.

    I'm just thankful i took a long-sleeved layer in my kit, so i could at least escape a bit of sun exposure on the walk down.

  2. #412
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    Decided to play to my strengths this year and go for the short race... with two big climbs and just the one descent, surely i could pick up a good result here....?

    Made a rapid start (as planned) and found myself in 4th place behind young superstar Harry Bolton of Keswick, and a Dark Peak and Eryri vest.... managed to hang onto their tails, but completely lost touch with them on the Gribyn ridge... i found myself having to climb down a couple of times after ending up on exposed/steep rock, and by the time i'd came out on the Glyder plateau, my 2min+ cushion on those behind had evaporated to about 30secs.

    Despite the clear weather i again made a meal of the long descent to Pen Y Pass... it really is quite confusing at times, even in good visibility.... on reaching PyP i was back to 6th and didn't even stop for water, as could see what i thought was 4th/5th heading up the first bit of the Pyg Track... so charged straight across the road and gave chase.

    As expected i reeled them in within about 10mins and quickly pulled away.... but then to my shock i spotted another guy who must've sneaked past... he was actually in 4th and not me... this fella was moving well and we were closing in on the final long zig-zags up to the Finger Stone before i got on his shoulder... on the steep zigzags i had a slight edge, and on the out-and-back to Carnedd Ugain i could see i had a 60-90secs cushion to see me up Snowdon.... however on the 5min final climb up Snowdon i could see he was still running everything so i couldn't let off at all.

    Finally dibbed at Snowdon summit in 2hrs07 for 4th place and 1st v40.

    That guy really made me work for it and thanks to him for some great racing. We really made each other suffer and that's what its all about, i reckon we pushed each other's time on by at least a couple of minutes.

    Had a look back through the old results and there's only been one year since 2007 where my time wouldn't have been in the top 4 or 5, so was a worthy result. However i appreciate that conditions were good, and really i think to go from a "decent" time to an "impressive" one, i really need to look to push that under 2hrs...

    Whether i can do that is another matter... would need favourable conditions again, and to actually get the Pen Y Pass descent nailed, and still pick up a couple more minutes.

    Will see what i can do next year!

    Pete
    Last edited by Travs; 29-05-2022 at 02:36 PM.

  3. #413
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    Quote Originally Posted by Travs View Post
    Decided to play to my strengths this year and go for the short race... with two big climbs and just the one descent, surely i could pick up a good result here....?

    Made a rapid start (as planned) and found myself in 4th place behind young superstar Harry Bolton of Keswick, and a Dark Peak and Eryri vest.... managed to hang onto their tails, but completely lost touch with them on the Gribyn ridge... i found myself having to climb down a couple of times after ending up on exposed/steep rock, and by the time i'd came out on the Glyder plateau, my 2min+ cushion on those behind had evaporated to about 30secs.

    Despite the clear weather i again made a meal of the long descent to Pen Y Pass... it really is quite confusing at times, even in good visibility.... on reaching PyP i was back to 6th and didn't even stop for water, as could see what i thought was 4th/5th heading up the first bit of the Pyg Track... so charged straight across the road and gave chase.

    As expected i reeled them in within about 10mins and quickly pulled away.... but then to my shock i spotted another guy who must've sneaked past... he was actually in 4th and not me... this fella was moving well and we were closing in on the final long zig-zags up to the Finger Stone before i got on his shoulder... on the steep zigzags i had a slight edge, and on the out-and-back to Carnedd Ugain i could see i had a 60-90secs cushion to see me up Snowdon.... however on the 5min final climb up Snowdon i could see he was still running everything so i couldn't let off at all.

    Finally dibbed at Snowdon summit in 2hrs07 for 4th place and 1st v40.

    That guy really made me work for it and thanks to him for some great racing. We really made each other suffer and that's what its all about, i reckon we pushed each other's time on by at least a couple of minutes.

    Had a look back through the old results and there's only been one year since 2007 where my time wouldn't have been in the top 4 or 5, so was a worthy result. However i appreciate that conditions were good, and really i think to go from a "decent" time to an "impressive" one, i really need to look to push that under 2hrs...

    Whether i can do that is another matter... would need favourable conditions again, and to actually get the Pen Y Pass descent nailed, and still pick up a couple more minutes.

    Will see what i can do next year!

    Pete
    Well done Pete.

    With respect to the grade 1 scramble section, I thought it was meant to be "way marked"? Not very effectively by the sound of it.

  4. #414
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike T View Post
    Well done Pete.

    With respect to the grade 1 scramble section, I thought it was meant to be "way marked"? Not very effectively by the sound of it.
    It was not waymarked, and they did inform us of that at the start.

    My issue is, the very first year i did it, i was too far left and had some very unnerving exposure to my left at one point (made a bit worse by the swirling mist accompanying it)..... so i've always tend to hang a bit too far right since, and end up on steeper ground which takes a couple of attempts to find a comfortable route up (i'm pretty sure that yesterday i had to reverse out at exactly the same place i encountered last year as well!))

  5. #415
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    Quote Originally Posted by Travs View Post
    It was not waymarked, and they did inform us of that at the start.

    My issue is, the very first year i did it, i was too far left and had some very unnerving exposure to my left at one point (made a bit worse by the swirling mist accompanying it)..... so i've always tend to hang a bit too far right since, and end up on steeper ground which takes a couple of attempts to find a comfortable route up (i'm pretty sure that yesterday i had to reverse out at exactly the same place i encountered last year as well!))
    From the event website:

    "Whilst the race organisers take all reasonable measures to ensure your safety, you must only enter this race with a full knowledge and understanding of the risks involved. All courses ascend the Gribin Ridge in the Ogwen Valley. Ascending this part of the route requires a head for heights and use of hands for support, it includes a grade 1 (the easiest grade) scramble and is waymarked."

    Being in a hurry on a grade 1 scramble - not my idea of fun. Again - well done!

  6. #416
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike T View Post
    From the event website:

    "Whilst the race organisers take all reasonable measures to ensure your safety, you must only enter this race with a full knowledge and understanding of the risks involved. All courses ascend the Gribin Ridge in the Ogwen Valley. Ascending this part of the route requires a head for heights and use of hands for support, it includes a grade 1 (the easiest grade) scramble and is waymarked."

    Being in a hurry on a grade 1 scramble - not my idea of fun. Again - well done!
    Then logically you don`t enter simple really, plus it makes for a better event for those that have the ability and skills
    Last edited by JohnK; 29-05-2022 at 10:04 PM.
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  7. #417
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    I have only been up the Gribin ridge once, and that was walking, but in wet, claggy weather. I didn't find it difficult to find a route, but I'm fairly sure that my route was far from optimal.

    Travs, you have spent rather more time on Snowdonia's mountains than I have, so I find it reassuring to read that you also find the descent from Glyder Fawr to Pen y Pass confusing (as I did on the Half Peris), even in good visibility. The red dots painted on rocks are very little use, and the buildings at Pen y Pass are not visible for most of the descent; and in any case, the real problem is finding some decently runnable terrain rather than ending up looking down a crag or in front of a yucky bog.
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  8. #418
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnK View Post
    Then logically you don`t enter simple really, plus it makes for a better event for those that have the ability and skills
    The solution for me - don't enter - is so simple even I could see it. The potential for others to come unstuck on such terrain, particularly when in a hurry, does concern me.

  9. #419
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    The optimum route seems to be a closely guarded secret.

    The first section it is important to not be in too much of a hurry to take a beeline towards the distant Pen Y Pass, and there is a bit of a path here...

    My strategy is to continue to maintain the gentle descent, and not get pulled too far east and into the basin containing the Llyn. This does pick up a number of trods but it is undulating and still confusing. But it (eventually) gets you down to the pass.

    I was being chased down by Jackie Lee of Eryri who is both local and a good descender. She actually shouted to me that i was going "too far" and she disappeared in more of a beeline in the direction of the Llyn... perhaps i should have taken the opportunity to follow her and learn the local's best route.... but i'm pretty sure it would have been steep, and i'm not sure i'd have been able to keep with her down it, so stuck to my guns.

    She got down in 20mins and was moaning after the race that it had been a "slow" descent for her.... i took 24mins. Really i need to getting that to around 20mins.

  10. #420
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    Quote Originally Posted by anthonykay View Post
    I have only been up the Gribin ridge once, and that was walking, but in wet, claggy weather. I didn't find it difficult to find a route, but I'm fairly sure that my route was far from optimal.

    Travs, you have spent rather more time on Snowdonia's mountains than I have, so I find it reassuring to read that you also find the descent from Glyder Fawr to Pen y Pass confusing (as I did on the Half Peris), even in good visibility. The red dots painted on rocks are very little use, and the buildings at Pen y Pass are not visible for most of the descent; and in any case, the real problem is finding some decently runnable terrain rather than ending up looking down a crag or in front of a yucky bog.
    The optimum route seems to be a closely guarded secret.

    The first section it is important to not be in too much of a hurry to take a beeline towards the distant Pen Y Pass, and there is a bit of a path here...

    My strategy is to continue to maintain the gentle descent, and not get pulled too far east and into the basin containing the Llyn. This does pick up a number of trods but it is undulating and still confusing. But it (eventually) gets you down to the pass.

    I was being chased down by Jackie Lee of Eryri who is both local and a good descender. She actually shouted to me that i was going "too far" and she disappeared in more of a beeline in the direction of the Llyn... perhaps i should have taken the opportunity to follow her and learn the local's best route.... but i'm pretty sure it would have been steep, and i'm not sure i'd have been able to keep with her down it, so stuck to my guns.

    She got down in 20mins and was moaning after the race that it had been a "slow" descent for her.... i took 24mins. Really i need to getting that to around 20mins.

    I noticed that we converged on Pen Y Pass from different directions... my final approach was more of a traverse from the NW with steep ground below and to my right. Whereas Jackie approached the pass buildings a lot more perpendicular to the road, almost from in the direction of the Llyn.
    Last edited by Travs; 30-05-2022 at 08:10 AM.

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