I hadn't really been thinking about the Tuesday night series when I signed up to Welsh class. On Tuesday night. To be honest, I also hadn't quite been thinking about cave rescue, which also does its activities mainly on Tuesday night. I clearly wasn't thinking very much at all!
When the Tuesday Night Series came up I got a little bit too tempted. The first race is around y Fron, and that area is very beautiful. It also didn't look like one of those over the top fell races where are you are almost always on a slope that is so steep you can neither run up nor down. And if you show up for one of the first races, you can pay for the whole series and be done with it. Then you can just show up and run.
I also knew what the course material for that evening's Welsh class would be, and I figured it was a part that I could catch up on myself. Also, it was stunning weather. So I decided to go!
I drove up to y Fron I barely recognised the place. It was absolutely clogged with cars. It is normally rather sleepy village, but not now! I found a little corner to squeeze my car into and headed for registration. I was starting to already see familiar faces around me. I am getting to know an increasing number of people in the local running scene.
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Y Fron, but different |
Registration was quick. And I found Geoff and Josh, who had already seen the start. It was close to where we had parked. So we headed that way, and I dropped off my bag and jacket in the car. I was ready to run!
At the start I saw many more people I knew: Thursday runners, Eryri Harriers, Eryri Orienteers, and even an evolutionary biologist. It was nice! And I made sure I wasn't too close to the front when we were lined up for the start. This was a fell race, after all. I am rubbish at those!
We set off, and in the beginning it was very crowded, but that sorted itself out. It was a beautiful run! The area is so gorgeous, and it was all bathed in beautiful evening light. We ran among quarrying remains. And at some particularly steep bit of a spoil heap there was a bit of a queue, but I didn't mind. Later my shoelace came undone. That was a bit annoying, but also not a big deal.
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Pic by Thomas Owen |
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Pic by Thomas Owen |
The race ended in a descent on a tiny little path, where I took it easy, and then the last bit on a gravel road. I am more at home there! I managed to overtake some people in the last few hundred metres. I didn't run a particularly good time, but I had immensely enjoyed it. And I was cheered over the finish by a clump of Thursday runners. That was lovely!
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The finish |
There was a bit of catching up at the finish, which included some Thursday runners trying to persuade me to go for pizza after the next Thursday run. I think they were successful. Stay tuned! But then I figured I should go back to my car. It was a bit exposed at the finish, and I was in my sweaty running shirt. So I jogged back, and drove back while the sun was beautifully setting in the sea. Next week I will be a good girl and be in Welsh class. But I hope I can do a few of these races! They are fun!