First longish run in a long time

After weeks of physiotherapy and slowly building up the running again, I figured I was ready for a proper run! And I fancied running somewhere I don't normally run. And I decided on Rhydd Du. It has some paths going up in the general direction of yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), which are quite well defined, and go a nicely long way up. 

I hoped there would be parking space still. It was a rather sunny Saturday and all the places I drove past seemed to be completely clogged with cars. But when I got to the parking lot by the Rhydd Du railway station I thought it was okay. I immediately saw a space!

I put my running vest on and set off. It was nice to be properly running again! And it was a bit cold. I was wearing three layers on my torso, and two buffs, a headband and gloves.

The start of the path

The landscape quickly gets very beautiful. I was having a great time! And some of the route I was a bit careful on. I was on my road shoes, as I anticipated well-paved path. But that means that one it gets muddy, or there are wet rocks, you have to be careful. Although wet rocks are probably even worse on off-road shoes. Mud isn't!

Into the landscape

It gets rockier higher up

I had initially planned to go to Bwlch Cwm Llan, but at the junction where the Rhydd Du path branches off, I went that way. For some reason. Not sure that was a good idea! That path is steeper and less well defined. So there are more bits where you can't reasonably run. But at least you make a lot of vertical meters!

I kept going until I was on the Llechog ridge, at just over 700 m. That was where the clouds were too. And a walker a bit lower down and warned me that higher up, there would still be quite some snow. I didn't want that! So that's where I turned back. And it took a while before I could properly run again. I'm not so good with steep downhill!

Where I turned back

Going back down

Llyn Cwellyn in the distance

I felt like I hadn't really done much, what with the not actually running in order to not fall on my face and all that, so when I got back down in the valley, I made use of the public toilet, and then did a sort of sprint finish back up the hill to the little quarry there. That's only a few hundred meters, but that's enough to get quite out of breath! And then I legged it back down. That had been 10 km in total; twice as much as my previous longest run since the injury. And 600 m ascent. Not bad! And it had been very beautiful! And I sure want to come back there soon, and actually make it to Cwm Bwlch Llan…