Getting Lost in Tarren Hendre Fell Race

I am hoping to run a 100 mile week this week, without my wife noticing. She usually notices because I am no longer around as much, and when I am around, I am just eating. Or watching movies. Usually both.

Thursday night the treadmill in my basement blows up. It has been threatening something like this for a while, motor has been cutting out, speed has been erratic. It finally quits on me altogether. It leaves me with the prospect of going out into the snow, in the dark, with no pavements or street lights. I don’t do that. I lose the 100 mile week.

I have to get up early Saturday, cos I’m running parkrun at 9am, then Tarren Hendre Fell Race at 12pm. Last year I came 2nd and 3rd. This year I am hoping for 1st and 1st.

Parkrun goes pretty well. I have a quick mile warm up, the wind is very strong. My mate Tom is giving me a real run for my money, this is his parkrun, he beat me here a year ago to get the record. I just about manage to get the better of him here, but have to work hard for it.

Coffee and cake in the cafe, then we drive to the fell race. This is a proper fell race, tough ascent through woods, then out onto the fells, where the wind and rain is screaming around you. There is a guy infront of me. I am quite happy about it, as I have a history of getting lost at these things.

Ok – more of a habit of getting lost at these things. And I do. Get lost.

In the ways of science and momentum, when Tristan reaches the top and starts running down the otherside, while I am still running up, he makes a huge gap on me and dissapears into the thick cloud. I am loving the descent and think I will be able to catch him, I can see his fresh footprints in the mud. But then, pretty soon, I realise I am lost. I try and get my map out and work out where I am, but it is already soaked and ruined. You don’t have long to decide what to do when you are out in those conditions. The gales whip the heat off you so quickly.

I am on a clear fire trail, and decide if I just head down it, I should end up somewhere not too far away. I know the race is already over for me.

4 miles later, and I still can’t see anything in the clouds. I have been going down and down for ages. I reach a tarmac road and stop at the first cottage. The owner, Neil, lets me in and is very helpful in showing me how much I have messed up. To get back to the finish I can either go straight back up through the woods again, and he is not lending me his map, or I can go 20 miles around on the roads.

My body has cooled down, and it is cosy and warm in this guy’s cottage, with his cute little dog and woodburning stove. But as helpful as Neil is, he makes it clear I am not going to be waiting for a pick up here.

Instead I phone Nina, who is waiting with the kids at the finish line, and ask her to meet me in Machynlleth. She has to drive 20 minutes, I have to run 5 miles. Although it is bloody awful, the roads have no pavements, the weather is just filthy, I’m feeling very tired from the big morning of running, it is also quite exciting. And I am proud of my body, still able to clip along at 6min miling in spite of everything.

We meet at the train station, we get home and I fall asleep in the bath. Nina messages a few people to say I am ok. The race organiser very kindly rings me to check up on me.

21/1/2019	AM	PM
Monday	4tm	6tm
Tuesday	5tm	1 mile in 5.27. 16x400m (1min rest) in 71. 2 x shuttle runs. 9 miles total
Tough day, roofing in hail, snow and rain. Ice on the track, gets worse!
Wednesday	5tm	7tm
Thursday	1	3tm
treadmill blows up
Friday	REST	9tm
pm run goes too well. Run in the gym, feel amazing. Not good sign for tomo!
Saturday	Dol parkrun – 16.19. 5 miles total	Ras Tarren Hendre. DNF. 15 miles total
fun in the sun
Sunday	15tm @ 6.30 miling	REST
Sposed to run 5 miles pm. Nap on the couch instead. Feels so gooood
TOTAL:	85 miles	tm = treadmill

Non-Running Highlight Of The Week:

Friday night Nina and I celebrate Dydd Santes Dwynwen, the Welsh version of Valentines Day. We drink beer, eat M&Ms and watch a movie.

Best Thing On The Internet This Week:

That Running Podcast. With former GB international athletes Ross Murray and Colin McCourt. Brilliant, funny, refreshing. Asking guests all the important life questions, such as;

What would you rather, to have oven mittens for hands, or iceskates for feet?

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