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Snowdonia Marathon 2012
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Morning all,
I had a gentle plod around the Rutland Water Marathon yesterday. Weather and the views were stunning. After the first 6 miles it gets quite hilly but well worth the effort. Finished in 4hr10 which was a nice pace to enjoy the route and have a chat.
For those still wondering what the Peddol Peris or Peris Horseshoe race involves i will describe the course and see if you think it's not one of the toughest challenges in Wales.
1. The start is opposite the field in Llanberis where the Snowdon Race starts.
2. You run up the road towards the slate museum but bare right towards the Electric Mountain Hydro electricity plant. You will see a footpath climbing steeply around the corner, you must go up this and follow the incredibly steep path until you enter the quarries above.
3 In the quarry you will see a zig zagging path that takes you eventually to the hillside to the western slopes of Elidir Fawr (your first 3000ft summit of the day).
4. Once you reach Elidir Fawr you head NE down the path towards Bwlch Y Brecan and then continue all the way until you reach Yr Garn above the Ogwen valley.
5. From Yr Garn you run down past Llyn y Cwn and then you have to scale that awfully loose scree path to the summit of Glyder Fawr.
6. For those who know the area there is a path bottom right from the Glyder Fawr summit which crosses boggy ground but eventually brings you to the corner of Pen Y Pass Youth Hostel.
THERE IS A GENEROUS CUT OFF POINT OF THREE HOURS TO HERE because that last 8 miles was the easy bit of the race.
7. Cross the road from Pen Y Pass youth hostel and head up the Miners track towards Snowdon and bare left where the path takes you towards either the start or finish of the Snowdon Horseshoe.
8.You must traverse the entire Lliwedd ridge speaking to the marshalls as you go and then go down to Bwlch or Pass of the Arrows as its called and then climb the ever so steep scree path to the summit of Snowdon.
In effect you are required to do half The snowdon Horseshoe.
9.From the Snowdon summit you head for that finger of rock that marks the position of the Pyg or Miners track and then bare left down the Snowdon Rangers Path right to the bottom.
10.When you reach the bottom of the path bare right and scale Moel Cynhorion which thankfully is your last summit ofthe day.
11.Down the otherside you should notice the old miners track in the distance that miners used to walk up from Llanberis.You must go down the steep grass banking of Moel Cynhorion if your legs will allow it and make for the Miners path.
12.Follow that track all the way down and bare right at the bottom and you should eventually reach the cafe near the start of the Llanberis Path up Snowdon.
13. ALMOST HOME, go behind the cafe and you will see the path through the woods that evetually brings you to that gate on the opposite side of the Royal Victoria Hotel (the one with space just enough for two cars)
14.That's the finish and the course record by Kevin Bland of Keswick is a stunning 3-12 mins.
Distance wise it's only a little over 18miles but 99% of the route involves a steep climb up or down.
Ive almost broken 6hrs twice but there are few races anywhere in the Uk let alone Wales as hard as this one, and if the weathers bad the race still goes ahead because it's presumed if your fit enough to even attempt it you are experienced enough to look after yourself in all weather.
You see the Snowdon Marathon is far easier in comparisson.
PJL,
How doe this compare to the Welsh 1000m? I'm contemplating the Aber to Snowdon run but not sure I can get the training in on the right sort of hills so am wondering if this is a viable alternative.
Cheers,
RWMS
JD - well done on XC totally agree with you saying it's something else - think i hyperventillated around the entire course when i had a go a couple of weeks ago - can't have another go until Feb now though because of work.
Well done to MM and Lazy Grehound and everyone else who did any sort of race only 7 days after SNOD
PJL - don't think i'll be having ago at that peris race knackered just reading the description
TR39 - very brave going out this morning we got to -4 here and i almost went over just walking the dogs clouded over now so i guess thats the last of the sunshine for a while
Spin class for me tonight
I'm getting back into the swing of things after last Saturday now. Had tennis yesterday, climbing tonight then first proper run will be tomorrow, really looking forward to it too
Can anyone recommend some good off road trainers for me to get going on the training for Trail Marathon Wales?
I think BritNick has got about 20 pairs, at the last count. He might have some cast offs.
Seriously though. A difficult Q to answer. Everyone sems to have very personal requirements from their offroad shoes, and most of us have yet to find the "perfect" shoe - i.e. one that does not mash your feet up and provides decent grip on a variety of terrain. We build up a collection of these shoes, many hardly worn, in that search for the right shoe.
Most do not have any sort of motion control features, and many are not cushioned. A trail shoe based on a road shoe might be a best bet for a first shoe. Fit is very important, more than for road shoes. Too loose and your foot moves about too much e.g. when contouring hillsides, too tight and your toes are wrecked going downhill.
Many of the more hardcore shoes are very narrow - so mostly useless for me - e.g. Inov8.
Can't advise on brands.
it took me a good few attempts to finally get a comfy pair of road shoes (one pair is still drying off after Snowdon last week).
Really looking forward to trying off road though
Thanks T Rex 
Nos are up on the website, no 42 for me
8 miler for me this morning in the cold....gloves were a must have item today but other than that it was lovely to be out in the dry
Legs felt good today and feel even better after an hour with the sports therapist this afternoon. Connective tissue injury that I have had issues with all summer seems to have settled enough to allow for some not so painful work to be done. Have to say never has a massage felt so good.....got into all the tight spots running a marathon made............twas heavenly.......
Run stu boy run.....I opted for a pair of of trail shoes that were modelled on a road shoe....Mizuno cabrakans....they have actually served me well especially with the stability they have in them but I think if I do the trail marathon I am going to go for something with just a bit more flexibility to them .....jeeeeeeeeze that means another pair of shoes for the shoe rack
lots of activity on here last few days. Thanks for the warm welcome! Going to have a good read through these posts & get some info on the course, etc. I havent been to Snodonia for a good 10 years, & in those days it was a challenge enough to walk up Snowdon
Any other Snod 1st timers?
MM61, JD - glad we churned the course up well for you yesterday....must have been hard going doing 4 laps of it
I'm off to kent later this week to take part in a rural marathon (1st running of it) along the north downs ... Weather meant to be lovely - sunny and temp 13-14
Hope everyone is well & recovered ok
Trail marathon advice already-fantastico..will need to draw up a list for Santa re. footwear
Conwy Half training on hold..Ofsted in on Wednesday..so all hell has broken out now at work and home..however have already stashed a few beers in fridge for Friday night in order to get over the pleasure of their visit.
OK, exiting sanity now and going back to paperwork
Brer x
(I thought "the call" always came on a Tuesday... *wibble*
I'm am just dying to try a XC and I've been told that all I have to do is turn up - it's even cheap as chips, but I just don't have the courage. Very, very shy so I just wish I could persuade my friends to come along. And any excuse for new shoes!
No run for me today. Spin before, then Body Pump after work- lighter weights than normal though, (and lots of press ups).
TRex- Dingle marathon is already on my must-do list. Didn't realise it was the same time.....50miles is too far for me, I'd need to build up slowly. Massive respect to you ( and your fellow ultra runners on here).
Better keep this up to date otherwise I will have a terrible job in 10 months' time ...
3:05
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Also running
Evening all
Welcome to all the new gang come join the madness!!!!
That's a thought will need trail shoes for this trail marathon
1037 my number for Conwy
Brer good luck see ya on the 20th
Oh, a rant. Just need some contributions from Fellrunner now to really get this going.
Makes a change from chip v. gun times I suppose - a subject we've all avoided for many months!!
ffRAN - 1 Sep 2012 - see you there! A few UK airports do direct flights to Kerry Airport. Car hire cheap but living expenses higher than UK. I intend to visit Skellig Michael and climb the 600 steps up to the monastery - and hopefully not miss the last boat back.
JD lol loving the rant!!!
T-Rex Chip time for me........wait for it
Noo-oooooooooo
Never, ever chip times ....
Unless you measure out yourself a course, hire a mat and all the tech, and get a chip. I'd be very pleased for you to have your chip time then, but races use gun times. Anyway jason starts near enough at the front these days for the difference not to matter
.
Just need some flat-earthers, sorry, I mean barefoot runners to chip in now and we'll soon get to our first 1000 posts ...
When you start as far back as me, chip time's a must.
My only dilemma, thankfully, right now is when the heck I can run........not feasible in the mornings and dark when I get home. The most mileage I can squeeze out of the town (think large village that calls itself a town) where I live is about 3.5 and that's repetitive as it is, after that it's headtorch territory and road running - no pavements out of the town and I never really feel safe doing that on my own! Kind of stuck for ideas right now really!!!