Green Green Grass Of Home fell race (AS)

Green Green Grass Of Home, 5 miles, 1499' ascent AS

This WFRA race fell on my birthday this year. I enjoyed the race, my first as a V60, so much last year, that I was determined to do it again despite the travelling required.

It's about an hour and a half drive from my home to Llangynhafal.  I left before half past four so I would have plenty of time before the half seven start.  I had not reckoned with the 'Nantwich Show', this blocked roads to the north and south of that town.  I spent a long time, in a sun baked, stationary car, made even hotter by the necessity of putting the heaters on to stop the engine overheating.  I finally made it just before seven.  I was registered by ten past, I ran back to the car, changed and set off on the walk, about one kilometre, to the start.  This left no time for the meal I had planned, only a quick swig of squash, I took a 500 ml bottle with me.

Massing for the start, there were eighty nine starters on this very warm summer's evening.

I had hoped to pre write a cheery text and send it from the race's highest point, as a surprise to a friend.  There was only a minute or two before the briefing so my text said little more than 'Hi from race highpoint'.  The briefing warned that there was no water on the course, however, marshals carried an emergency 500 ml each.  I was surprised how few people took water given the heat.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I am a very poor performer in the heat and added to this I still felt groggy from the awful journey.  I had resigned myself to the fact that I was unlikely to do as well as last year even without these circumstances.  All the same, one's mind always seems to clear when the off is called.  Focus shifts to the route, feet seem to follow, and so it was on this occasion.  Once on the route, I just ran as best I could and thought little about anything else.

 Looking north west (ahead (and almost directly into the sun)) from a welcome break in the ascent , what a skyline.

I had remembered the narrow paths from last year and so took any opportunity to pass on principle.  I expended more energy than was comfortable with this strategy, but it worked well enough.  I ran steadily up hill looking forward to the almost contouring 'break' with wonderful views (above).  After a short descent it was uphill again and soon we were at the highest point.

I had heard my phone chirp on the way up, I couldn't really read the message on the hoof (I can barely see the phone with my ordinary specs. anyway).  I did manage to find the envelope icon and send my message, as intended.  A heroic act if I do say so myself.  I put the phone away and got my camera out.  I find my little compact easier to use than my phone when I am running, though the phone camera quality is good.

Looking south east (ahead), on the second half/way back. 

After the high point the ascents and descents are comparatively gentle until the long final descent.  The clear skies meant that one could see far into the distance.  I had little idea which direction I was heading in while on the course, this has never diminished my enjoyment of a view yet.  Some of the directions recorded in the camera data were quite surprising to me.

This undulating section is mostly on good tracks and is easy running, nonetheless I managed to trip somehow.  I landed well and sustained no injuries.  All the same I felt almost as if I had been winded, though the fall had not actually knocked the breath out of me.  I think it was just that I was going hard and that breathing and motion were in a rather fine balance.  It was a good half mile before the feeling of inability to breathe properly passed.

Looking north east, (left shoulder) on the second half/way back.  Orientation is according to my camera data.  I am inclined to believe the data, as the Nikon AW110 camera compass is the best electronic compass I have by a very large margin (bike GPS and phone manufacturers'  take note).

Soon we were on the long, wild descent through heather and bilberry.  The path can hardly be seen, and I left it to overtake at times anyway,  The difficulty of staying upright precluded photographs.  As we hit the track where the descent continues I lengthened my stride and overtook another runner (Update: Mandy Peffers, F40).  She shouted hearty encouragement to me, which, in the moment, really made me up.  She caught me again on the following short ascent though.  I chased hard as we crested the rise and turned downhill for the finish, but couldn't catch her.  I could also hear the breath and footfall of one of the runners I had gone past in the heather.  I had swapped places with this lady (Update: Christine Cammillare, F) a good few times in the race, I managed to stay ahead (Update:  by one second) into the tunnel.  Someone to chase and someone on your heels always makes a race a lot of fun, even if you are as non competitive as I am.

A beautiful end to the evening, looking west from the campsite, and race parking, behind the pub,

By the time the prize giving was over the scorcher of a day had mellowed.  If ever an evening deserved the adjective 'sultry' it was this one.  It was still warm, but not unpleasantly so, and  the setting sun on one side and an almost full moon on the other lit the sky beautifully.  I drove home in the atmospheric light, a warm breeze from an open window on my face and Chet Baker on 'Concierto de Aranjuez'* in my ears.  Excellent.

 Here's something you don't see everyday.  A prize won by me!  There was a generous quantity  of prizes at this race. Prizes for first, second and third place extended to all categories.  I took the third place for the MV60s. (I was second of five last year).  I think I was a couple of minutes quicker than last year (Update: 01:47 to be precise) and was several places higher overall so I am very pleased with my performance.  I am pretty sure I made most of the time up during the energy sapping passing I did on the ascents.  Despite being overheated and under nourished, I did seem to have more energy towards the end.  I may have been faster on the final, track part of the descent.  I certainly gave my toes a battering on this part of the course, they are still complaining three days later.

Thanks to all concerned with this very enjoyable race.  Update: Full results have now been posted on the WFRA site, spreadsheet HERE.

*And other tracks from Chet's 'Cool'. The same recording also appears in the discography of other musicians involved.  E.g. Jim Hall's 'Concierto'.