Snowdonia trail 10k

I had quite recently done two rather hot races: in Felinheli and Pentir. They even felt hotter in contrast with the Twilight race. But I knew I would have to add an even hotter one to that. Three days after the Pentir Fun Run, the Snowdonia Trail 10k would be run. And after these races where I hadn’t felt much had been at stake, this time I came with expectations. I had come second the previous time. That had been very good for my ego! What could I do this year?

In the past I had biked to this race, but I knew what the weather would be like, and I also knew how long the headache had lasted the previous time I did that, also on a hot sunny day. So this time, like last year, I would drive. I had hoped that there would be space on one of the nearby rather big parking lots. That was only true in some sense of the word. I admit I took a somewhat liberal interpretation of a parking space! And there were literally tens of other cars doing the same. 

I already had my race number, so I basically only had to go to the loo before the start. But queues were long, so I was glad I had a bit of time. I cheered the runners at the start of the half marathon, which took off half an hour before us. I decided against a warming up; it was so hot, I was more afraid of overheating than of not getting my heart rate up quick enough.

I then went to the safety briefing. I would later find out I hadn't paid enough attention! And there was a sort of compère, who had also got the crowd going at the start of the half marathon, who livened up the occasion. He was a bit of a Duracell bunny. And then we went to the start. He still kept singing and chanting and trying to elicit responses from both runners and supporters. And then we started.

Near the start, with the lady with whom I would do a lot of leapfrogging 

I knew how long we would have to run uphill so I didn't want to start too fast. Almost immediately, women started overtaking me. But not very many. Quite soon I started flopping between fourth and fifth position. So not as well as last year! But there was still everything to run for.

It was hot, but doable. I was wearing my vest with a litre of water in it. I had received an email from the organisation saying that was compulsory, but at the briefing they had only recommended it. I had decided to just stick with it. I remembered the Felinheli race with its meagre water station! And that had been a relatively flat race, in less searing heat.

The race goes uphill in the southern direction, then parallel to the valley for a bit, then crosses the valley, hits the road the Llanberis path splits off from, goes down to the main road, between the two lakes, then up the zigzags, through the woods, and then also back down through the woods. When we had crossed the valley I was briefly very close to third position. But from there the route is steep downhill for a while, so I knew that the lady in bronze position, whom I had just caught up with, would run away for me as soon as we would hit the road. And she did. She properly vanished.

Approaching the road. Here I was really close to bronze woman! It wouldn’t last. 

I then battled it out with the blue-shirted woman I had pretty much started the race with. She overtook me on the downhill, but I got her back on the flat. And then I got away from her a bit on the zigzags.

I made sure I pushed it on the uphill. Soon it would go downhill and then I would be rubbish! So I could rest then. And so it happened. On the downhill I am a bit hesitant, and several blokes came running past. That's fine. But even when I got to the end of the steep bit I couldn't see the blue shirt behind me. That meant I was so far ahead of her I would probably manage to keep it like that! But just to be sure I legged it on the downhill bit, and the last horizontal stretch. And then I hit the finish. I thought. I leaned a bit on the fencing and had a breather. Then I casually walked to where runners were offered fruit and biscuits and water and suchlike. It only occurred to me later that that was actually where the finish was. But it didn't matter. No one came past me, so I kept my position. I know I was likely to hit what I thought was the finish (which had been the start; the compère later referred to that the safety briefing had mentioned that the start and the finish were not the same thing) only a few seconds after the full hour. My actual chip time was 1:00:39. Oh well! Still 4th woman, and I figured also a category win, as the ladies who I had seen in front of me had looked quite young. It would be the fifth consecutive one! 

Casually walking over the finish

It was 10:30, and presentation was scheduled at 12:30, so I had some time to kill. My first priority was to cool down. I didn't even go to my car to get my towel or anything first; I just walked straight to the lake, took my socks and shoes off but nothing else, and got in. It was SO lovely to feel the cool water around me. I really needed that!

After a while I came out, feeling a lot better. And my wet outfit kept me cool for a while. I thought my next step would be to see if I could spend a voucher. I had three outdoor sports vouchers, won in three different races. One was for Crib Goch, and they had a stand on the terrain. Only when I was already there I noticed it was run by TNH participant Jude. We had a nice chat! And I had an idea of what I wanted to buy with my voucher: waterproof socks. She said they didn't have them on the terrain, but they would have them in the shop on the High Street, which was only a few minutes away. So I went there. I had a £25 voucher I had won at the Felinheli race, and waterproof socks were £25, so that seemed like fate! The shop, by the way, contained two more employees who are also TNH and/or Tuesday track runners. 

A dog cools off where I had done the same 

I then went back. It was noon! Soon it would be 12:30. And I also wanted to get some ice cream. I did that, and then found space on a picnic table under a gazebo. I also saw bronze woman there and made space for her.

Good day for it

Soon the compère announced that the presentation would be delayed by 15 minutes. And when these were almost over, he said they had been delayed a bit more, but he didn't know by how much. In the meantime, he was making a big event of every half marathon runner who finished. He was still singing and dancing and whatnot. And he seemed to be able to greet every runner in their own language. This was a trail world championship, so people had come from all over the earth! I think I heard him speak Spanish, French and Thai. Impressive.

I did a bit of blogging and a bit of chatting to Olivia, the bronze lady. But at some point I got a bit bored. There was a DJ playing in the tent where the presentations should take place. At some point, he played a cracking 80s tune. I don't even remember what it was! But it was good. And I decided that if I had to wait anyway, I might as well have some fun. I told Olivia I might as well go and shake my stuff. And I did. I went to the empty space in front of the tent and started dancing. Only seconds later she was there too. And then a French lady, who had probably done the half marathon, came running as well. And then a lady with her little daughter. And we had a whale of a time! The DJ made sure to keep playing danceable songs. But after a while people started approaching us. An American lady, and the lady who had won the 10k, and a lady who was 2nd F50 in the half marathon. They all wanted to know what was happening with the presentations. We didn't know. But it sort of took the momentum out of the dancing. And we decided to sit back down and have a drink of water. 

Soon after that, a bloke took the microphone and said he had an unpleasant announcement. Races that were still ongoing, which were the marathon, the ultramarathon and the 24 hour race, had been aborted for reasons of the heat. And that basically meant that the entire Always Aim High team (the organiser) was now busy getting runners back to the event terrain. Some would just make it on foot, but others were quite far away and it had to be bussed back. So nobody was available to do the presentations.

They said something about the presentations for the longer races being merged with some associated activity, but the 10k had no associated activities, so it would not get a presentation at all. Bummer! 

Some of the prize winning ladies then got together and decided we could make our own ceremony. No prizes, but at least a podium pic! Nice to celebrate each others’, and our own, successes. But then we all went home. We had all finished more than three hours ago! 

Silver, gold and bronze woman

Winner of the F40+ or F50+ category?

A few days later we got a message saying that we would have our prizes sent to us by mail. That sounds expensive! Maybe they have insurance for that. I also saw I had been on the list as the winner in the 50+ category. I did email them to say I was actually in the 40+ category, but they told me they go by your age on the 31rd of December, not on race day. So it was real! My first 50+ prize! 

I think I’ll be back next year! And then I hope things go a bit more according to plan…