Sweeping TES Gyrn Wigau

During the run-up of the Eryri Harriers presentation night I became aware that there was going to be a new race on the Tuesday evening series (TES). It would be right in my backyard. Some of it is part of my regular stomping ground. I was excited about that! I didn't want to run it; I think I should steer clear of fell racing. Too dangerous for my knees. But given that I live so close, I figured I would be an ideal position to volunteer. So I dropped the organiser, Math,  an email. He happily accepted.

Closer to the day, Math asked me if I wanted to sweep the race. I was happy to. I have never done that before! I had imagined myself marshalling. But this would be some new experience! Even though I was a tiny bit worried. When we had done a recce of the route, I had completely failed to keep up with the 80-somethings with us on the way down. As a sweep, you are supposed to be able to keep up with the slowest runners. And let's face it; members of the 80+ category might very well be among slowest runners. 

A few days before the race became clear the weather was not going to be good. This was going to be a wet and cold experience! I decided to dress to the occasion. I was wearing a long sleeved shirt, with a thin fleece, and then my waterproof running jacket over the top. And then my hat for running in the rain. And gloves.

Below the waist I was just going for three-quarter leggings. Warmer than shorts! And not waterproof, but I was resigned to getting a bit soggy. After the finish I could just shoot home and have a shower.

Math had asked me to wear hi viz, so that went over the top. And I had taken an old race number and written "Sweep" in big letters on the back. I fixed that to the front. That would make me quite recognisable!

Race headquarters were at the farm. I biked there, and already saw a lot of people associated with the race along the way. It was still dry! But that wouldn't last.

Race HQ Im a horse box

Headquarters was a horsebox in a field. The field was for parking. Very charming! And after a while I made my way to the start. It started raining. Several people saw my sign and suggested they might be the person I would end up running with. Among them Hazel, an Eryri Harrier in the 60+ category, and John, a Buckley runner of 80+. 

Math (with big moustache) gives race instructions 

Math gave some final instructions, and then we were off. Then in the beginning, it was indeed Hazel and John I was sticking with. One person showed up a bit late at the start and came overtaking all of us, and then I was back with my familiar two.

Colourful dots swarming over the hill

On the flank of Moel Faban

We were so slow that the first runners of the kids’ race already came storming past before we left their course. They headed straight up Moel Faban, while we skirted around, and then crossed the valley. I could soon see a nicely colourful line of dots make its way across the valley.

Hazel (the grey-clad arm) and me being stormed past by the juniors

I knew that crossing the valley was going to be a damp experience. And it was! From both sides. By then it was raining so hard I had to put my hood over my hat, and also, that valley is a bit swampy. But that was fine!

On the other side we were just making up a route to the ridge. And as soon as we were on the ridge, we would be on an actual path for quite a while. But uphill for quite some distance. I would stay with Hazel, but she was never very far from either John, or two runners that turned out to be from Prestatyn. 

The weather stayed horizontal rain, but I was snug in my waterproof jacket. I was actually enjoying it!

After a while we hit the path that would lead back down into the valley again. There was a very miserable looking marshal there. He looked really happy to see us, because the whole point of having a sweep is that the marshals know they can go home as soon as this person has passed them. 

From there the path went  downhill, and Hazel shot off. I wasn't surprised! Last year, she had competed in the Tryfan downhill race. I just did my best keeping up. I wasn't doing too bad. And luckily, John and the Prestatyns weren’t quite as good on the downhill as she was, so while she vanished in the distance, I tagged onto them. 

I was satisfied with my performance. And then we came past another miserable-looking marshal who could now leave. I realised I had so dodged a bullet by being asked to sweep! I could keep moving.

For a while it was the four of us: Prestatyn, John, and me. Until we headed into Bwlch ym Mhwll Lle. Prestatyn went the sensible way, over the path in the middle, but John scampered up the steep slope. That way he could cut off a corner, but I figured he would be back on the path soon; there was one part of the route that was mandatory, and if he would stay high, he would miss it. So I decided to stick with Prestatyn. Surely, after cutting that corner John would rejoin us.

We came around the corner and John was nowhere to be seen. Oh dear! I had lost one of my runners. I figured Prestatyn was going to be OK. I scampered up the hill, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Nothing! Just empty moor land.

At some point I figured I had better get back to the path. I found Ross, who was doing the race management. Math might have been the organiser, but he was also running! And would come third. Ross didn't know who John was, but he did know he hadn't seen him. I then asked the race WhatsApp group if John had already finished. I quickly got a phone call from Math. He didn't know, but he suggested I just come to the finish.

Just before the incline which was to finish, I bumped into Mike, who was also involved in the organisation. He wondered what the situation was; he had probably heard from Ross what my worries were. But I just saw someone who from a distance quite looked like John run up the incline. So he had come out at the correct path after all! And wasn't missing. Great! I scampered up the incline myself. In for a penny, in for a pound!

Ross clocked John in and that was the end of the race. People were already taking down the last markers and signs. Everyone was wet and wanted to go home. I walked some distance back with John, but he was parked somewhere else. When he peeled off I started running again. The quicker back at the bike, the quicker home!

The field was almost deserted by the time I arrived. But that isn't strange. There are no presentations at a TES race (I think), and while John had finished in 1h 41, the winner had only needed 41 minutes. And no one wants to hang around in rubbish weather. Come to think of that; neither did I. So I put my bicycle helmet back on and made my way home. I couldn't wait to have a shower and then get into some dry clothes! And it would take days before my soggy socks, leggings and gloves would be dry again. 

In spite of losing my last runner, I had actually quite enjoyed this! And I think I am just about fast enough on the downhill to do the job. It is just a bit tricky your runners are so spread out you can't keep an eye on all of them. But if someone asks me again to sweep I'll say yes! And I will already have my special sweep race number…