Moel Y Gest Fell Race

 

I want to install a bathroom in our basement. There are 5 pipes running parallel with each other;

1 x gas

1 x mains water

1 x hot water

2 x central heating

I need to tee into the mains water and hot water pipes. I very methodically establish which pipe is which, and when I am absolutely certain, I draw a diagram of the order. Top pipe is gas, then mains, then hot water, then the 2 x central heating.

Firstly, I am going to tee into the mains water pipe. So I switch off the water supply at the stop cock, run the taps totally dry, get all my tools ready, set the pipe cutter to 22mm, and remind myself it is the 2nd pipe I want. Whatever you do, don’t cut the top one; I then slowly, deliberately, cut through the top one. Gas hisses out furiously.

I spend the rest of Tuesday afternoon dealing with that. Get finished by around 6pm. Sweat pouring off my brow. Just enough time to make it to Moel Y Gest fell race. Only 20min drive. Rush family in the car, and we are on our way. On a calm and sunny evening, I am wary of my calf. Have had an entire week off after London Marathon, lots of barefoot walking, lots of hill walking on uneven terrain, calf has responded really well. But still, this is a big test. I know that Owain Williams is running really well, so resolve to try and hang on to him for as long as possible. Calf gets looser as race goes on. Gosh, I am really enjoying it. So exhilarating and different from the monotony of road running.

I am right on Owain’s tail until final descent, it is quite tricky and I can’t keep up with him. I’m not too bothered as there is a lovely stretch of flat road before the finish, surely I will catch him there. As we hit the tarmac my thighs are just jelly, oh yeah, I forgot about this, I can’t get them going at all, Owain storms to a well deserved ‘gun to tape’ to win. But man, I am so thrilled, just love it!

Since London, things have been feeling really good. Calf has been kind, we have had gorgeous weather, and I have been sticking to a solid routine. Up at 6am, run, working by 8.30am.

Wednesday morning, my dad is staying up here helping with the house. I ask him to drive me to the foot of Snowdon, at the unGodly hour of 4.45am, and I scramble up to Crib Goch with my drone. It is a perfect morning, very light winds. But still, flying the drone up there is complicated. Standing up there is complicated. I do manage to get some footage, then sling the drone on my back to make the traverse across the razorback ridge. I have done it several times and never had a problem. But this time, with massive heavy rucksack on, I am not finding it so easy. The weight really affects my balance, I am very unsure on my feet. The route is incredibly exposed, one slip could easily result in death. I start panicking, and that is just making it worse, rushing, trembling, not thinking straight. I FORCE myself to focus on my breathing, close my mouth and breathe through my nose. At the start it is almost impossible, but I gradually manage to slow down my breathing, and relax, and then I am fine. I take my time and start really enjoying it.

When I get to Snowdon, the plan is to take the Llanberis path down to Llanberis and meet my dad for breakfast. I am really looking forward to this descent, if I had to race anyone in the world, I would race them down this path. As soon as I hit the trail, all excited and confident, I twist my ankle. No problem, I will just hobble it off, I’m in no hurry. Then, I see a guy running down just behind me. Shit, I instinctively shoot down the hill, swearing and limping with every other step. I’ve never been overtaken down this hill, and I don’t want to start now. Shit shit shit, ow ow ow! The pain gradually fades and I get away from the guy. By the time I hit the tarmac, there is only 400m till the bottom. I am bursting for a pee, so take a quick look round, no one is sight, and I jump into the bushes. The guy comes out of nowhere, and overtakes me. Oh well, bollocks to it.

I usually blog on Monday, I missed last Monday, then missed this Monday, and now it is Friday, you would think I might as well wait till next Monday. But this here blog has become my only actual training diary. So I need to get it down before I forget everything. By all accounts, Friday evening is supposed to be the worst time to post, since most people are out doing stuff. But my readers are mainly runners, so probably staying in, like me, on their Friday night. In which case you might just have the time to read my latest ruminations. We shall see!

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Non-Running Related Highlight Of The Week

Spend a weekend up in Gelli. A stone house in the mountains, with no road, no electricity, no running water, no phones. To be replaced with fires, candles, walks, scrambles and books.

 

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Best Thing On The Internet This Week

“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.”

There are a growing number of subscribers to the phrase “trust the process”. I’m just going to come out and say it, I hate that line.
Which process? Whose process? What if it’s the wrong process? And you are blindly following it off a cliff?!

And then there’s the word ‘process’. To me, process means robot. It means processed ham, it means; you are born, you grow old, and you die. The world doesn’t need more people going around trusting the process. Fuck the fucking process! And replace it with this…

Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

We are not coming back. There are no second chances. So I’m not putting the most exciting adventures on hold any more. The words fearless and fire are the words that get me out of bed in the morning.

If you haven’t seen my latest drone runner vid, please check it out below! Link here

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Thing I’m Digging This Week

This program on BBC World Service, about runners and shoes and feet. Sums up my feelings about a lot of stuff, highly recommend!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csz4bd

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6/5/2019	AM	PM
Monday	10tm	REST
Feel refreshed after week off. Body is good, calf gets looser as I go
Tuesday	REST	Ras Moel Y Gest. 6 miles total
2nd place – 33.09. Calf pretty good
Wednesday	4	REST
Thursday	10tm	REST
Friday	10	REST
Saturday	11 mountains	3. Volunteering at Academi
First time in the hills for a while. Love it!
Sunday	REST	REST
ankles achey after mountain running yest. Plus, just tired!
TOTAL:	54 miles	tm = treadmill

13/5/2019	AM	PM
Monday	10 mountains	REST
feel much more comfortable in the mountains that 2 days ago
Tuesday	10tm	6 x 800m in 2.27 (2min rest). 2x200m (30 sec rest) 31,27. 7 miles total
perfect weather on track. Just keeping a lid on it, still wary of calf
Wednesday	8 mountains	REST
Up Crib Goch with drone, absolutely epic
Thursday	10tm	REST
Friday	10
Saturday	5 x 1km in 3min (3min rest). 6 mile total ™	REST
procrastinate late into the morning, but session goes really well
Sunday	10 mountains	REST
Beautiful morning
TOTAL:	71 miles	tm = treadmill

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These are the sweatpants I was wearing to keep my legs warm and relaxed. Supremely comfortable but also move really well at 6min miling. Check out the On range here

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I did my treadmill runs on the Noble Pro Elite 8.0. Powerful machines, quiet and smooth. Check em out here

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