Peris Horseshoe

[alwaysinjured]

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?

[Mark Smith]

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

[IainR]

I

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.

In a nut shell...

[Welsh Harrier]

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

This was a British champs race in 2006 when 148 finished and 20 of us didn't. It was a rather hot, windless, humid day as I recall and I bonked on top of Snowdon and just couldn't get going again. Might try the early start this year or the half if it's hot, windless and humid.

[IainR]

That was a horrid day.. I blew horrifically..

surprised early starts are allowed in championship races..

be interesting to see how many do it, it's any 3 from 4 this year isn't it?

[alwaysinjured]

That was a horrid day.. I blew horrifically..

surprised early starts are allowed in championship races..

be interesting to see how many do it, it's any 3 from 4 this year isn't it?

Boy it was hot. Cramps and all sorts. Took an hour longer than we had reccied it a couple of weeks before.
Racing is meant to be quicker, not slower.

[IainR]

I was following one of the Horwich guys up Lliwedd.. we reached the top and he just went off on a strange line.. I asked him what was up.. and he was off for a lie down.. he'd had enough.

Going through the quarries was awful, reflected the heat.. I took 4:20 or so I think.. a year later I ran 3:35 and was only a bit fitter.

[Mr Ricepudding]

I was following one of the Horwich guys up Lliwedd.. we reached the top and he just went off on a strange line.. I asked him what was up.. and he was off for a lie down.. he'd had enough.

Ha ha ha - know who this would be.

[IainR]

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...