[fatneck]

Hope Tom hasn't been put off by his rather damp recce!?

[Stabbsy]

Scheduled to run my first race next week and off on a recce tomorrow. Really don't want to be turned away after driving a few hours.

Any help much appreciated.

Which race did you decide on?

[fatneck]

According to his facebook he's entered the Arenig Fawr race?

[Stabbsy]

According to his facebook he's entered the Arenig Fawr race?

In at the deep end then! Good luck!

[GCW]

I reckon you should be absolutely fine. The Montane ones I have are the same I think, and whenever I have done a race which actually checks kit properly (e.g. Trigger) they always just pull out the trouser leg and roll it up to see if it has taped seams down the leg. Never seen anyone do anything more than that (though don't blame me if they test them for hydrostatic head now I've said that  )

I have had the same experience, as long as they are taped it should be OK (although the same proviso applies!).

[Monolith]

Thanks for the information folks. I recce'd as much of the Arenig Fawr course as possible on Sunday and wore the Gelert trousers from the off until the end. They were surprisingly good and can pack down well. I have to admit that the weather was horrendous with strong winds and heavy rain reducing visibility greatly. I made it towards checkpoint two and then retreated to the lowlands to contour a while before heading home.

It transpires from a post on the FRA forum that one of my neighbours is something of a fell running beast. He extended his Bob Graham Round by three peaks within the 24hr window to match his age at the time (45). He also ran the Joss Naylor Challenge in a potentially record breaking time for the V60 category this weekend (13hrs 27 min).

He who suggested I might look at the Arenig Fawr race as he's marshaling this Sunday. I think I'll go for it since the first section was practically a rock climb and suited me well. Fully expecting a tough time but reputed to be a good day out.

[andy_e]

Did it have gnarly crimps and one move? Good luck beast!

[Monolith]

I wish Andy. Fully prepared to get shut down!

Check out this series of blocks I spotted too. Great short roof highball onto slab exit. Needs a few pads and spotters but looks fun!

[bigtuboflard]

Run most of the Dig Deep Intro Ultra today as can't do it on the day now. 42km in just over 5 hours 10 so really chuffed with my effort seeing as I've not done many long runs of late. Just a shame I can't do the race proper but know I've more than got it in me next year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Monolith]

Strong effort bigtub! I'm sure you're delighted.

Ran my first ever race at Arenig Fawr yesterday. I sense that this was a tough first one to enter especially as other than some treadmill work I've only managed one run in about two months. Was especially pleased with managing to finish and in 2hrs 30mins which was better than I thought I'd do. Really enjoyed it and will be back for more.

Nice little camera phone shot from the man who got me psyched:

[bigtuboflard]

Ran my first ever race at Arenig Fawr yesterday. I sense that this was a tough first one to enter especially as other than some treadmill work I've only managed one run in about two months. Was especially pleased with managing to finish and in 2hrs 30mins which was better than I thought I'd do. Really enjoyed it and will be back for more.

Great effort too! It becomes a little addictive and hasn't done wonders for my climbing if I am honest, but I am definitely fitter. I think you are right too, not a steady first race but if you can get round that then most races will be fairly easy in comparison.

[Monolith]

All of the comments that people made at the start of this thread were going through my head on the way round; veterans burning you off, "keep going lad", the friendliness of the scene etc. It was just such a good experience.

I honestly can't stop laughing at some of the older characters I met and at their immense levels of fitness. So inspiring.

[Fiend]

Yes yes you super-fit beasts, but what sort of nick is Arennig Fawr in? Need to get back on the trad there!

[Monolith]

Yes yes you super-fit beasts, but what sort of nick is Arennig Fawr in? Need to get back on the trad there!

Certainly can't put myself in the category mentioned Fiend but I can tell you that it was a glorious day on Sunday especially from 1pm onwards. I went waist deep into a bog three times so beware that it is a bit wet underfoot in places.

The rock quality there looks superb. I didn't really see much trad potential though that was probably from being head down for much of the day. Would be interesting to see a topo or some images.

[steveri]

It transpires from a post on the FRA forum that one of my neighbours is something of a fell running beast. He extended his Bob Graham Round by three peaks within the 24hr window to match his age at the time (45). He also ran the Joss Naylor Challenge in a potentially record breaking time for the V60 category this weekend (13hrs 27 min).

Is that Yiannis? Proper legend he is. I did the Druid a couple of years ago and he took us up an extra little climb just for giggles when he was marshalling the return leg

[Monolith]

Is that Yiannis? Proper legend he is. I did the Druid a couple of years ago and he took us up an extra little climb just for giggles when he was marshalling the return leg

It's not Steve. Yiannis is about 500 metres further away. Turns out there's a load of secret beasts in South Liverpool!

[Fiend]

Cheers Mono. This is the stuff I mean: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=2712 , obviously I don't know where your bog-wade went in relation to that

[Monolith]

Cheers Mono. This is the stuff I mean: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=2712 , obviously I don't know where your bog-wade went in relation to that

Ah got you Fiend. That's on the other side of the race course - looks great!

It's a step up in trip (I'm not a horse) but the Half Peris Horseshoe is coming up and I wondered if any of you have plans to run it? I have a few days free and am assessing whether to head over to do it.

[galpinos]

Not me, short on time and fitness at the mo. Will be trotting up Eccles Pike tomorrow night though.

[Stabbsy]

It's a step up in trip (I'm not a horse) but the Half Peris Horseshoe is coming up and I wondered if any of you have plans to run it? I have a few days free and am assessing whether to head over to do it.

It's a possible for me - I might be down in Wales next week climbing, so it would fit in nicely. Still trying to regain fitness for Guisborough 3 Tops after 4 months of injury. The other possibilities are Weasdale (same weekend) and Crowden Horseshoe (weekend after).

First fell race for 6 months last weekend - hard work, but fairly successful!

[Monolith]

Not me, short on time and fitness at the mo. Will be trotting up Eccles Pike tomorrow night though.

Should be a nice evening for it too Galpinos! Hope to see you up that way soon.

It's a step up in trip (I'm not a horse) but the Half Peris Horseshoe is coming up and I wondered if any of you have plans to run it? I have a few days free and am assessing whether to head over to do it.

It's a possible for me - I might be down in Wales next week climbing, so it would fit in nicely. Still trying to regain fitness for Guisborough 3 Tops after 4 months of injury. The other possibilities are Weasdale (same weekend) and Crowden Horseshoe (weekend after).

First fell race for 6 months last weekend - hard work, but fairly successful!

Good stuff Stabbsy. Could keep in touch via pm if you fancied saying hello at some point in the day? I'm touch and go with a permarubbish back but steep climbing oddly seems to help it. It may be too much too soon in terms of distance and perhaps I should curb my enthusiasm. Who knows.

Glad to hear you're coming back from injury too. Which race did you enter last weekend? Was it the Turner Landscape or Tegg's Nose? The former massively appealed but we had friends over on the day.

[Graeme78]

Pendle Three Peaks a week on Saturday, good prep for the most contrived fell race in the calendar and an autumn classic, Full Tour of Pendle.

[Stabbsy]

First fell race for 6 months last weekend - hard work, but fairly successful!

Good stuff Stabbsy. Could keep in touch via pm if you fancied saying hello at some point in the day? I'm touch and go with a permarubbish back but steep climbing oddly seems to help it. It may be too much too soon in terms of distance and perhaps I should curb my enthusiasm. Who knows.

Glad to hear you're coming back from injury too. Which race did you enter last weekend? Was it the Turner Landscape or Tegg's Nose? The former massively appealed but we had friends over on the day.

It was Round Hill Fell Race, on the moors between Otley and Skipton. Not the hilliest race I've done, but was really quick as a result.

Pendle Three Peaks a week on Saturday, good prep for the most contrived fell race in the calendar and an autumn classic, Full Tour of Pendle.

I'd considered doing this one as well, as a bit of a recce for the relays. Need to finish in the top 6 for our club at 3 Tops in September, hence the need for some race fitness!

[mini]

I've yet to quest over to Wales for any races, hopefully change that next year. This year I've mostly been busy at weekends visiting immediately family members who are currently really rather unwell. Shame, as I'll miss Weasdale this year which was my favourite race of 2014!

....... as a bit of a recce for the relays. Need to finish in the top 6 for our club at 3 Tops in September, hence the need for some race fitness!

How've you gone on for getting teams out this year? We are a bit gutted, we could potentially field three teams, but with the new categories it looks like we'll only get one mens team out. Real shame, as it means a lot of runners who have run the relays over the years will miss out. Hopefully they'll be back to normal next year.

[Stabbsy]

....... as a bit of a recce for the relays. Need to finish in the top 6 for our club at 3 Tops in September, hence the need for some race fitness!

How've you gone on for getting teams out this year? We are a bit gutted, we could potentially field three teams, but with the new categories it looks like we'll only get one mens team out. Real shame, as it means a lot of runners who have run the relays over the years will miss out. Hopefully they'll be back to normal next year.

We don't stand a chance of getting any vets teams out (3 of our best runners are vets, but we won't manage a full team), so just a men's open team and maybe a women's open (who could do pretty well, as we have a 4 or 5 good women).

Didn't your lot have an open and a V40 team last year? Your V40 team (with you in it) beat us if I remember right!