Bowland Fell Runners–The North Wales Contingent (Not Yiannas or Declan)

Whilst living in north wales over the last year I have been completing several races, sporting the Bowland Vest. This blog entry acts as a rough guide to what I’ve been up to.

I started off my year here in September based out of Dinorwic, next to the slate quarries at Llanberis. My first race being one I had completed the years before and as a champs race it was a busy one.

Moel Wnion (A race to blow off the summer cobwebs (busy summer job, not much training))

The fell running bug had struck and the following weekend saw the completion of half of the Pedol Peris or the Llanberis Horseshoe. I thought about doing the full 17mile round but went for the 8.5miles instead, just to stretch the legs.

Notice the jammy sibling, whom i recently got into fell running, went a beat me.

 

The first height gain onto Elidir Fawr winds up through the deserted slate quarries.

 

 

 

After the initial hit of fell running in North wales I got out training and using the rapidly shortening days I kept it up for a bit. Before I knew it was getting dark quite early and it was time to get the head torch and road shoes out for a spot of Street league orienteering with Eryri Orienteers.

Following the surprise of winning the first race I thought I may as-well have ago at some of the others.

After mentioning my involvement with South Ribble’s street league I got roped into organising the Llanberis event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, back to fell running.

A busy winter at work meant I wasn’t getting any races done until Eryri’s Tuesday night series kicked off in April. A full series of ten races are open to all with competitors having to complete 4 to get a series score. Due to the lack of winter running I started off with a result not to shout off the roof about.

The races following the format of (get in as much height as possible within the shortest time and before the sun goes down) are quite addictive and I seem to be getting better at them.

Foel Lus

Pen Dinas

Abergwyngregyn

Great Orme

Penmaenmawr (3 Hills)

Here are several Photos of me sporting that Bowland Vest.

Penmaenmawr (3 Hills)

                                                        Moel Eilio                                         Moel Eilio

   Penmaenmawr- 3 Hills

                                 

                              Pen Dinas (Climb)

 

Pen Dinas (Descent) Much more enjoyable.

 

 

 

Unfortunately I have left Wales now and am currently living in Europe for the next year. But I do intend on racing over here so it won’t be the last you see of the vest.

OMM 28th-30th October 2011 - Breadalbane, Perthshire, Scotland

So it has been a busy two weeks, first with the Original Mountain Marathon (OMM) in Scotland. The event area, Breadelbane, covered the mountainous terrain between Loch Tay and Earn. It was my first mountain marathon and also a first for my team partner, my brother James. As it was our first one we didn't want it to be too difficult but we wanted a good level of challenge so we decided on the 'C' course. This course is a transition between a linear, (where the checkpoints are given in a set order) and score, (where the course is decided upon starting incorporating differing value checkpoints). So we had 5 linear and then had to choose four out of six checkpoints and results would be based solely on time. We started off fast and were knocking off several checkpoints and what seemed like we were overtaking lots of other C course pairs. Some very effective nav and we avoided some easy mistakes which several others had made. Between our 6th and eighth checkpoints we started to slow, perhaps as a lack of food and water intake throughout the morning. The thick fog on the tops added a biting cold wind and a visibility down to 10m. We picked up in the afternoon once we got a bit more warm and out of the fog. We finished the first day in 6 hours and 39 minutes in 36th position. The second day started off cold and damp and we woke to the sound of the piper on the video. Again we set off fast and learnt from the first day to get enough food and drink in regularly. We held a steady pace for the rest of the day with the same format of a few linear checkpoints and then deciding our own. Slowing towards the last couple of checkpoints before I got a sudden burst of energy as we got the the bottleneck of the last 3 checkpoints and several other pairs of all the courses followed the same route to the finish. We finished in a total time of 13 hours and 50 minutes in 36th position out of 103+/- who started. Overall, several lessons were learnt, navigation was tested, equipment reached its limit but it was fun, we took in a little bit of the Scottish scenery. Until next year.

SROC Street League Event 1 - Bolton-le-Sands and Carnforth

Event Map

Last night's event sparked the 2011/12 winter night street league series for South Ribble Orienteering Club with an event the furthest North of the 10 event league in Carnforth. Participants have the option to run for either 40,60 or 75 mins to gather as many of the checkpoints as possible. Points are awarded for correctly marked answers of the various items of street furniture used. Lamp posts, telegraph poles, fire hydrants are the usual items used but past events and last nights conjure up more exciting clues such as 'How many horses on sign?', 'Time of the evening service?' or 'Year of school opening?' to prompt further inspection upon arrival at the control site. I decided to run for 75 mins after checking the area map and there being a large gap in between the two towns. I started off fast tailing Dave Hargreaves and found a short cut through a school field to get a number of the scout group and continued overtaking a pair at the electricity sub station. I got a bit ahead of myself and found out once on the canal heading south I couldn't get off where i wanted to so had to extend further round, wasting valuable time. Which brings me on to the next issue, my watch didn't seem to have started when I set off and I had no idea what time it was to work out when I needed to be back. In my slight detour, Dave had over taken me again and I was left trailing him again, until he went to get a control off this circular route and i headed out west on the coastal path to pick up numbers 45 and 61. After this swing out route i decided i had best check what time it was and was ready to ask the next person i saw, well there was nobody. I decide to nip up to number 40 and then head back towards the pub to check the time but got distracted and headed north again to pick up 49 and 58, it was here I asked a man for the time, I think he was rather bewildered as I came out of nowhere shining my head torch at him. I worked out I had 24 minutes to get back so I carried on north and picked off several points taking as far up as number 30 at Tescos. After the final sweep to 51 I jumped back onto the canal to head back with what I thought was 4 minutes to get back. The canal plan was soon out the window due to my head torch's weakness and got on the road, got my head down and just paced out. I calculated it was 6 minutes late but turns out it was just one. It was a good event for the start of the league and a few silly mistakes to be fixed and I'll be biting the heels of the weekly winners, well I'll try.
Full series information available at, South Ribble Orienteering Club Street League