Thursday Night Hill and promo event

I had missed several Thursday night hill runs. I may have been in the Netherlands, or on fieldwork, or teaching until 6pm. This week I could make it! I was teaching until 5pm, which doesn't give much margin, but enough. And it would be a promo event again. A hybrid one this time! So far I had only attended promo events where you borrow one type of shoe (so far always trail), and taken these for a fitting run. My second TNH had been one of those! And there had been more: a later one was in early spring, when the evenings are dark, so we also borrowed head torches. This is always done from Crib Goch Llanberis.

This time, we could choose between road shoes and trail shoes. We would split up in two groups. And I went for trail shoes! And the head torch that came with that. Then after a while set off. It was a bloke from the shop who lead this run. Dyfed, who generally runs the Thursday night, lead the road group. 

The borrowed shoes and my own (with head torch in)

The borrowed head torch 

We ran through the fields to where a forest path heads for the Llanberis path. And then through the valley, over the river. And from there onto the gravel road to the youth hostel. This was not a normal TNH! Normally, we are not on such even paths. And normally, we run a lot further. But this was clearly more promotion event than TNH. It was the road group that pushed it!

Head torches in action

Group pic on the bridge

After only 7 km we were back at the shop. I gave back the torch and the shoes, I put my own back on. By then, the next door pizza baker had started to bring in boxes. I took a slice of pizza and an alcohol-free beer. That is always part of the promo event! Very nice.

They also was a price draw. Everyone who had taken a pair of shoes for a run got a raffle ticket. The prizes were: a pair of shoes, a head torch, or a hat. There were some happy winners!

After having tried out the same head torch twice and really liking it, I decided that I should buy it. They weren't as expensive as I thought, and there was going to be a reduction as well. The good thing about these torches is that while they are very bright and easy to adjust, they are very lightweight. This model has the battery separate from the torch, so you can put that into your running vest, or bumbag, or whatever it is you are wearing. If I am running in the dark, I probably wear something like that anyway.

After that I said my goodbyes and went home. It had been a long day! I was looking forward to bed…