Having done Borrowdale for the first time on Saturday, thoroughly enjoying it in the process, I'm looking for my next long race. Peris is coming up in September, looks to be another step up in terms of climbing but of similar distance and somewhere I've not been before.
Anyone got any words of wisdom about this race? Is it worth the long drive from the North East? This is of course assuming entries are still being accepted!
It matches anything the lakes has to offer. It tends to have a small field (except for championship years which this is)
Loved it last year my few comments about it are here.
http://pennineridgefellrunner.blogsp...shoe-2012.html
I wonder if they are allowing the early start time this year with it being a championship race. Its there for slower runners who might not make the Pen-y-pass checkpoint cutoff from the normal start time. I suppose faster runners could use it to avoid the crush at the start of the race ?
Thats a very good question, it is not that long ago since it was a champtionship race, somebody out there must know the answer to that.
Save your legs for the last descent(!)Originally Posted by coldsteel50
One of the best, toughest races anywhere.
Great race.. different to Borrowdale.. I prefer the Peris.. if the sky is clear its one of the most stunning races on the calendar.. some hugely atmospheric terrain.
Harder, tougher, steeper, more hill walking.. the wisdom was get to Pen Y pass and start racing.. I think thats true.. the year I won it I was a minute down at PyP and won by 10 minutes..
Each other year I've been down then moved through to around the top 3...
Its not hard nav.. but a few tricky areas but lots of short cuts which do shave time..
I think its great, needs some good turnouts as its been poor for a few years.. no offence to Tim H, and I put myself in the same bracket, but the likes of us shouldn't be winning one of the toughest races on the calendar... we wouldn't win Jura.. or Borrowdale.. it should get stronger fields.. I still reckon the future of the Peris is the UK's ultimate sky race.. it has the infrastructure on the route, great rocky terrain yet mainly on paths... if not it could go the way of the Rhinogs.. 40 people paying £5 a pop is no future for a race..
Great route! But as ydt says, its a mighty long way to the end if you are already running on empty from Snowdon. Mostly on paths but the route fron Lliwedd to Snowdon is a bit on the rough side.
What I want to know is how Tim H managed to descend the glyder to PyP several minutes quicker than any of the other elite one year it was a championship race. I asked him about a couple of routes - he said "well you could go that way, it is a good route" and roundly refused to say which way he goes! I began to wonder - Does he know something we don't - or was it just race talk?
Last edited by alwaysinjured; 05-08-2013 at 08:42 PM.
I would say that it's the most 'complete' fell race there is. It demands everything of you; pacing, climbing strength, descending technique and courage, route finding, judgement and tactics regrading nutrition and equipment and the ability to cope if the weather turns. Many other races do this too, but Peris's terrain and altitude really works you from the start to the end - it's brilliantly relentless. It's my favourite race and one i take very seriously. I won't do it if i'm not fit - you can't bodge it really.
It's a notch up from Borrowdale in terms of difficultly and as a race, but a notch down as an event as it has very very small fields, which is a real shame. I'll be there this year - can;t wait
The GF descent is different now.. much less grazed.. so the old quick way may not be as quick tbh...
I know James McQueens route and its nice, off the side.. but the grass is now a good foot long.. even 5 years ago it was much shorter...
The record can't go I reckon.. that was set via the quarry short cuts... which are banned unless you're the Eryri Chairman...
In a nut shell...
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote