Solo TNH due to car trouble

It would be another one of those promotion event Thursday runs. The idea is that you go to a local outdoor shop, borrow a pair of shoes that the manufacturer wants to promote, go for a run, and then give them back. They hope that you like them so much you will then buy them.

I got my stuff ready and got into my car. Which didn't really want to start. I wondered if maybe I had let the oil levels go too low. And yes they were low! So I topped them up. And then the car did start, but not with much enthusiasm. And the spanner icon stayed lit on the dashboard. I didn't dare drive it to Llanberis that way.

I didn't want to not run in the hills that night, though! So I just went off on my own. I decided to do something that vaguely resembled a TNH that Ross, a Thursday runner from Rachub, had organised. That night I had not been available. And the idea was to start on my standard run, but then cross through the valley to the ridge above Martin’s old house, run to something that passes for the summit of y Drosgl, then cross the valley again, and run back the normal way.

I didn't manage to do the first crossing on an actual path. That was annoying, and it took forever, and got me soaking socks and shoes. But once I was on the ridge I was okay. And the running up was nice! In beautiful low evening light.

The river in the middle of the valley 

Having reached the ridge

The running down is of course not my forte, but it had to be done. It was okay. The last bit got a bit dark, but this time I at least had a head torch with me. And in the end I felt like I had got some proper hill running in! I saw later I had covered both more horizontal and vertical distance than the actual TNH runners.

The view where I started to head down

Crossing the valley again 

The next day I got my car to the garage, where they said it was fine. Great! Crisis averted. I don't know if this means I have now missed the last off-road TNH, but well, I had a beautiful run, and at least I have had a reminder to look after my car better. It is clear I needed that!