TNH: summit of Cynhorion

Yes even more running posts. I was starting to feel it myself! I had got out of my car on the usual meeting spot and I was yawning like a hippo. I could still feel last night's race. And the track training of the day before that.

Dyfed, who normally organise these nights, had been elsewhere, and he had cryptically said on social media that it was Girl Power night. Which woman would organise it? It turned out to be Jen, who often runs with her black Labrador. The dog was there too. And she is less secretive than Dyfed, so she just said we were going into Maesgwm, and then over Moel Cynghorion. I was not sure if we would go over the top or just skirt the flank, as we had done a few weeks ago.

Another lady who was here was Megan. I hadn't brought her prize! The one she didn't expect, so hadn't waited for. I had biked it home with me the night before. I knew it was chocolate and a voucher, and I was afraid that she wouldn't be there, so I would leave the chocolate in a hot car, and reduce her prize to an unrecognisable blob.

There was some murmuring about bailing out earlier. I was still tired from last night's race, another lady was tired for other reasons, and a third would soon be travelling and still had to pack her bag. She didn't want to be home too late. 

We ran into Maesgwm. It was a bit grey! The weather had been all over the place. But at least it wasn't stupidly hot.

One lady who had struggled to keep up turned around there. She wasn't even one of those who had been murmuring about bailing out earlier. The rest just kept going!

Approaching the top of Maesgwm

I had expected we would just head for the summit here, but I was wrong. We dropped down to the Snowdon Ranger path and followed that until we approached Bwlch Cwm Brwynog (the pass of the valley with rush); there we headed up to the ridge. I was really feeling it! Iolo, who had come eighth yesterday night, totally didn’t, and was cheerfully running up anything thrown at him. Alright for some!

Ascending to the ridge

It had been absolutely worth it. The views from the top are gorgeous. And the skies were dramatic, which made it even better. And the past down is quite good so I wasn't even that slow descending back into Maesgwm.

On the ridge

About to do the main descent 

From there it was downhill all the way, but on good paths, so I didn't struggle to keep up. Along the way I suggested to Megan I just hang her prize from my front door. I know that on her way home, she passes my house by about 50 meters; if she makes a one minute detour she can just pick it up. 

When we were back at the car so I wanted my recovery drink, and my drink, and the sandwich I still had in the car, but Megan drove off quickly so I cut things short to get home before she would be at my door. And the scheme worked.

I was pretty tired by now. In 3 days, I had biked 81 km with 1245 m of ascent, and run some 31km with 717 m of ascent. I was really glad I didn't have any running in the diary the day after! I think my running coach would not approve of this overload. But I'm sure that with a bit of rest I would get away with it!