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Thread: So... 2016 then?

  1. #61
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    2019 then.... mixed year for me...

    Highs: looking back at my aims, I wanted to break into the top 5 or 6 in a couple of races, and I managed a 4th and a 6th in a couple of the South Wales champs (my three scoring races in the SW champs were 4th, 6th, 8th, which gave me 6th overall but no official placing as not in the WFRA sadly...

    Also managing to expand over the usual races and do some different ones... Fairfield, TWA, Snowdon Uphill, Nine Standards, a number of Welsh races, plus several track races.

    Thirdly, consistent training which has undoubtedly made me a stronger performer, and another year of experience, meaning I rarely get overawed on the start line anymore, as I finally feel I can compete.

    Spending a week in Skye was also a huge highlight... three long runs in particular stand out... Trotternish... Red Cullin... Coruisk/Bad Step/Camusanary... all in biblical weather... didn’t always get the views, but a stunning and wild place.... definitely felt awed by the scenery and force of the weather at times...

    I was also rather happy with our team 20th in the Lee Mill Relays. I have utmost respect for all the club members who put large squads together for relays in all running formats... I only had one full team (and another incomplete) and it was a flipping nightmare...

    Lows: Long distance plans fell apart yet again. Entered 4 ultras, and due to a combination of injury, illness and personal trouble, only managed to finish one.... two others were dnf’d (one due to injury, the other illness), and one didn’t even start. Also DNF at the Trigger (a sensible decision as I was so cold), and a DNF at the LDMT (simply unable to find one of the more obscure checkpoints).

    Also personal/family issues obliterated much of my plans for the second half of the year, and I just raced as and when I could.

    Best race: Four Fans... best position ever (4th) but paced it well, descended well, attacked when necessary, just a pleasing performance. Hitting the top of Fan Fawr and realising I was only a mile from the finish with no chance of being caught was perhaps the most satisfying single moment of the year... and certainly justified the pain and hard work of the previous couple of hours...! Especially after standing on the start line and looking round at everybody looking lean, mean and fit, and thinking there weren’t many people here who I’m going to be able to beat...

    Hardest race: I thought the LDMT was incredibly tough this year and I didn’t even finish. Also the TWA and the Snowdon Uphill, both in extreme heat, were very hard. However the single most painful race was actually a track mile on a hot summers evening.

    Plans for 2020: Dropping the ultra long distance stuff almost entirely, and concentrating on a three-pronged attack on Wales... Welsh, North Wales and South Wales Champs. This will bring a great combination of old favourite races, and some nice looking new ones... also a selection of the fantastic English/British Champs races (Ennerdale and Glenshee to name a couple...)

    Could I even dream of a top 3 finish in a fell race somewhere...?!?

    Would like to see my Parkrun/5km time down below 18mins but it will be hard work (May need a track attempt to get there).

    Anyone else had fun this year...???
    Last edited by Travs; 28-12-2019 at 09:25 AM.

  2. #62
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Travs View Post
    2019

    Anyone else had fun this year...???
    Yes I had fun 👍

  3. #63
    Master Wheeze's Avatar
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    I found it very challenging. The desire to race has not dimmed. Having to stop when you feel perfectly well and able means that you don't have an easy mental 'prop'....such as "ah well, my knee is knackered so I cant race".
    I have tried a few races just bimbling along at the back. Its nice to see people and be in the hills but its also very frustrating. I know that I will find a way through and eventually be reconciled to finding other ways to contribute to the sport. But at the moment I would find it very hard to stand there as a marshal when I'm itching to race! Its also really annoying to deliberately blunt an edge that has taken a lifetime to maintain!
    BUT....I'm well, able to jog, happy in most other things, so please dont see this as a negative post! How I miss racing though!
    Simon Blease
    Monmouth

  4. #64
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Well 2020 obviously didn't exactly pan out as planned for everybody...

    Looking back at my aims for the year...

    Welsh/S.Wales/N.Wales Champs: Think i managed two races before the season was curtailed.

    Top 3 fell race finish: Well i managed to be "1st" at the Four Fans by a large margin, and whilst that was my aim on the day, that very fact probably tells you all you need to know about the competition level on the day... i expect the staggered starts and world circumstances put most of the faster guys off.

    Improve 5km time: This didn't happen... mainly due to lack of race/parkrun activities, but did set a decent PB in the 3000mtrs, and my training has became more consistent and i'm definitely stronger.

    But there were some other good times had.... finished off the Wainwrights... an aborted attempt on the Welsh 3000ers... a respectable time on the Gill Harris Shropshire Round.

    Hardest race: Well the above-mentioned Four Fans in a heatwave was very tough, being the only race i've ever ran topless. But i think the award goes to Conwy Mountain during that Storm Ciara... That was really tough, and the route was unexpectedly technical and difficult in places.

    Best race: Taking a competitive team over to the Cardingmill Canter for a Welsh Champs race, and the club picking up overall and U23 winners.


    Plans for 2021: We ll like everyone else i'd just hope for an eventual return to some kind of normality and being able to race and train properly once again... am rather loathe to make too many concrete plans due to world circumstances, not to mention my hopeful move northwards...

    But i'd like to do the following...

    - take a competitive Warwickshire team to the inter-counties fell.
    - score enough counters to feature in the Lakeland Classics Trophy.
    - 50th Welsh 1000 metres.
    - Improve my standing amongst those rivals i see in races (would like to try and give Tindersticks a run for
    his money in one or two, although that is probably stretching it!!)

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