Well that was quite an experience... i'm struggling to think of an individual race that i found harder... perhaps the first time i did Buttermere, and Wasdale 2016 in awful weather, but given my increased fitness level now compared to those days, it's clear that yesterday puts up a good argument for being my hardest race ever.
It was pretty clear by the time i got to Aber Falls that racing hard was completely out of the question... the first steep section up onto Yr Arag left me with no energy, and i took things very steadily all the way round the Carneddau and down to the A5.
Whilst not necessarily feeling any better, i started to reel people back in along the road and all the way up to Glyder Fawr, passing people i hadn't seen since that first climb a few hours previously.
On reaching Glyder Fawr i realised that a competent descent down to Pen Y Pass and avoiding blowing up completely on the way up Snowdon, a pb and under 6hrs was still in reach. There were people in some awful states on the Pyg Track... one guy throwing up very violently and unable to speak, many people sitting or trying to lie down in the shade of rocks... one lady crying...
I suppose i got off lightly, with only one major bout of cramp at Bwlch Y Moch which required a couple of minutes sat down. Then threw everything at it and despite deteriorating rapidly, sneaked under 6hrs with a 5:58 and a new pb.
Could do no more on a day like yesterday. A lot better runners than me had a worse time of it or didn't manage to finish. A look at the results and i was in about 60th at the A5 but finished 34th, so the cautious start obviously worked. And encouraging that i think there's a lot of time to come off that on a cooler day.
Goes without saying that it was incredibly hot throughout, but dropping into the Ogwen and Pen Y Pass valleys, it was like descending into a sauna.
I hope the short went ok for you Daz...?
Pete
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