Ras Yr Aran

[Ria]

Is anyone doing this?
Sat March 19. £5 on the day. 10 miles.

http://www.run-meirionnydd.co.uk/dow...oster_aran.pdf

I'd quite like to run it with someone (slow!) as I get worried on fell races about getting lost!
I do like races that are fully marshalled!!

Anyone done it before? Is it an easy route to follow??

[ydt]

Ria,
Not so easy to get lost in this race, it is out and back the same way on an obvious ridge path and the finish section is marked.
ydt

[chamber34]

Thinkin of doing this race myself if knee ok . heard its nice but never done it, ill be going slow also

[Ria]

Hmmmm ydt.....I can get lost trying to find my car in Asda carpark...

Cader is straight up & down....I still got lost! Two years in a row! Just a bit worried if the weather closes in.

[gafrymynydd]

The poster unfortunatelly gives the incorrect info. The race is 10.6 mile and 3350ft of ascent!!!
The course is much harder than Cader in my opinion. Cader is 4 mile road, 2 mile trail and 4 mile hard pack good running mountain.
Aran on the other hand is 5.2 mile hard slog uphill on, NO man made path and very heavy going underfoot.
What caught me out the first year i did it was thinking that once I made it to the top, it's a downhill run back, WRONG. Once you've descended off the summit of Fawddwy, there's a hidden climb back up to Benllyn which really Zaps you and makes the 4.5 mile descent quite hard work then the nasty sting in the tail climb at the end.
Very rarelly the course is in full visibility, last year the first and last mile was clear the rest was in thick fog hence some runners missing the summit and descending the mountain towards Cwm Cywarch, NOT a nice situation.
Basically a totally different race to Cader and you can add another 7-10 min to your Cader time.

[Ria]

The poster unfortunatelly gives the incorrect info. The race is 10.6 mile and 3350ft of ascent!!!
The course is much harder than Cader in my opinion. Cader is 4 mile road, 2 mile trail and 4 mile hard pack good running mountain.
Aran on the other hand is 5.2 mile hard slog uphill on, NO man made path and very heavy going underfoot.
What caught me out the first year i did it was thinking that once I made it to the top, it's a downhill run back, WRONG. Once you've descended off the summit of Fawddwy, there's a hidden climb back up to Benllyn which really Zaps you and makes the 4.5 mile descent quite hard work then the nasty sting in the tail climb at the end.
Very rarelly the course is in full visibility, last year the first and last mile was clear the rest was in thick fog hence some runners missing the summit and descending the mountain towards Cwm Cywarch, NOT a nice situation.
Basically a totally different race to Cader and you can add another 7-10 min to your Cader time.

Wowsers....I found Cader hard enough....
Thanks for the info.
Hmmm....not sure now.....

[gafrymynydd]

I dont want to put you off. But dont want you turning up and being realy let down and having a poor day.
It is a tough course, and we'll be very, very lucky to get a clear run. Even this week in the good weather the summits have been blanketed with thick fog, due to the fact the ground on the mountain is so moist, whereas Cader has been crystal clear due to being hardpack rock. Also no Water/feed stations and few marshalls.

Last years top 28 were under the 2 hour mark with the winning time being 01:37:58 and that runner is vastly experienced at long and ultradistance running.
Last years Cader race saw the top 85 under the 2 hour mark, so there's the difference between the two races.

Not sure if there's a cut off point.

[Ria]

Last year Cader was thick fog & driving rain....so I know how hard it gets when the weather closes in.
I'd love to do it, but would prefer a fully marshalled race for something like this I think.
Thanks for such good info/advice....
I'll only do it now if I can find someone experienced to run with I think. And that probably won't happen because I'm too slow & would mess up their race!
One day though.....!!

[Usually at the back]

Ria, I too run slowly and ran this race last year. It was tricky in the mist and I only found my way around as I was with another couple of runners. The lady behind me at the summit somehow went in another direction and within minutes had lost her way. I'm not doing it again this year. Other races you may wish to consider could include: Llantysilio or the Red Kite Challenge in April, Moel y Gamelin and Moel Siabod?

[DazTheSlug]

Ria - I did Ras Yr Aran a couple of years ago, and finished 102nd out of 107 - I absolutely loved the race and find it difficult to imagine how you could go wrong even in poor vis, although tbf it was a clear day when I did it
oh and I made it 10.9M with 2800ft ascent.
for the record, I did Cader the same year and took 9 mins longer (although that was a ridiculously hot day, and I suffer in the heat)
Moel Siabod is a cracker too