Tuesday evening series: Moel Lus

I had skived from Welsh class to go to the first race in the Tuesday Evening Series. I had skipped the second race so I could be back in class. But then after that, Welsh class had a two-week Easter break. That meant two weeks in which I could go racing on the Tuesday evening without a guilty conscience! I didn't let that opportunity slip. And I knew the route as it is also part of the Gladstone 9.

The organisation had stressed the limited parking near the start, and the need to not piss off the locals. So I contacted Ross about car sharing. He was already sharing, and I was welcome to jump in! And the person actually driving was Dafydd the running coach. We parked in a strategic location and walked up. There was a weather warning for rain out, but it was barely spitting! 

We registered, and chatted with fellow runners before the start. And then we were off! I was not too close to the front as this was a fell race and I am rubbish at fell racing. But that did mean I was in a crowd and couldn’t go full pace. There was quite some queuing on single track paths! Until I got to the top of Moel Lus. On the way down I am never stuck behind anyone. But then we looped around it, which is flat and a good path, so there I sped up again, until I was stuck behind someone again. 

The start

Shortly before things went wrong

When the path went downhill again I slowed down again. But not enough! I took one step that was wrong and heard my knee go ‘klonk’. And that was it. Someone helped me up, and I tried if I could walk. No! And around that time, two of the TNH runners appeared, and they supported me. That meant that they weren't racing anymore. It was very kind of them!

With the three of us we hobbled down the path. There were some marshals ahead, and they came towards us. They told the runners supporting me to get running again; they would take over. And they did. And they brought me back down to where the start had been. I was okay walking with their help! Clearly, I wasn't badly injured. I have done this with my knee several times before, but the last time, I think, was 2007, shortly after moving to Norway. That was a lot worse! Then my knee was a veritable balloon. This time it kept its shape. And I knew the problem had solved itself. No medical intervention needed! And I also know that I need to keep using that knee. My instinct is to give it rest, but then you lose functionality. I didn't want that. So the walking was probably not bad.

At race HQ I found Ross and Dafydd again. They had wondered what had taken me so long. Now they knew! But they (and Johnny, the third passenger) were ready to go, so we made our way back to the car, which fortunately wasn't parked very far away. And Dafydd drove me pretty much to the front door. Very kind of him!

I knew that the proof of the pudding would be in how I would be feeling the next day. I hoped I would be more or less mobile! And my dreams of doing the Pen 3 Hills again this year were out of the window…