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Snowdonia Marathon 2014
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Snowdon doesn't just tick all the boxes, it gets out
its crayons and book, draws a load of new boxes and ticks those too. Everything
from the faultless registration, to the freebie t-shirt and wonderful slate
finisher's coaster to the lovely hoody I bought helped to make this race so
special, and that's before I get onto the run itself. The humour and camaraderie
between the runners, knowing that you are setting off on reportedly the UK's
toughest marathon sets the scene for the most beautiful sights I've ever run
through. However, when they say its tough, good grief, they are not lying, it
was ball boucingly hard. The gain from mile 22-25 255 metres (that's not
including the other two monsters during the race). Even though it my slowest
time by far, this is by some distance, the best marathon I've ever done. It is
no wonder its been twice voted the UK's best marathon.
To top it all, met a lot of people from the forum last night and am pleased to say what a nice bunch ! Considering the talent from all assemble at Y Pantri, I felt (unintentionally) very inadequate.
See you this evening for proper food. No dirty beer sadly as I'm driving
Ouch, that hurt. In fact that hurt a lot, a stitch on the final descent hampered things a bit but I wouldn't have changed the result anyway. Well done everyone and enjoy your food and drink tonight, you've most definitely earned it!
Well done everyone - truly inspiring as always. Special mention to John Bach - da iawn John, ardderchog! Also fantastic to meet Brer and RunJono - thanks peeps!
Back to work for me tomorrow to help put finishing touches to the highlights show - programme goes out on S4C tomorrow at 5pm and also at 7pm (don't ask me why - that's S4C scheduling for you!) and the Channel 4 version will follow early in 2015.
Well done everyone today- some fantastic performances- especially John Bach!
Too much, too soon for me today and had to withdraw at 10m with a recurrence of my glute problem. Hey, ho, it was always likely. On a plus, another fab weekend with great company
In case anyone wants the tracker times (and 'unofficial' finish times), they're here:
http://track.rtrt.me/e/TDL-SNOWDM-2014#b=na&v=ptrack
But all the boxes ticked, mojo well and truly back, smashed 10minutes off last years. Hills ? Just lap them up????
Well maybe by ok early pacing ang excellent banter and chat with folks all the way, and hitting the caffeine gels at mile 18and 22 , I put my iPhone music on speaker from the lane after Waenfawr with a bit of Elton, Johnny Cash, Proclaimers, Kylie etc just to keep a mainly slow jog up the hill etc --- sorry if the disco runner in the Welsh dragon vest put anyone off in the 4:45-5;00 finishing time
Thankyou Eryri one of UKs best marathon s, and fellow runners- you are ace, the cameraderie is wonderful.
Finished with a PetesEats all day breakfast, then my ritual post marathon Guinness at home cheers
4:48 well pleased
Great marathon and fantastic support, chatted with quite a few runners on the way round.
last hill is still as brutal as last year, but managed a little more of it this time.
4:47 so took 9 mins off last years time. Happy with that.
I enjoyed today right up until that hill at 22 miles. It broke me. Snuck under 4 hours though so happy with that. 3.56.
One thing that disjointed me was the littering. Why do runners think it's fine to ditch gels and water containers miles away from the feed stations ? They should be DQ'd straight away - and I'm talking about you tattoo lady from Cheshire.
Come to a fantastic scenic area and throw your litter all over. If you're big enough to race this you are big enough to carry your litter with you.
Great race in what I would guess was as close to perfect running weather you get in snowdonia!
held back a bit over the first 13 miles, was quite worried about overdoing it. I felt quite strong at the end- thinking did I hold back too much?? But maybe if I had gone any quicker at the start I could have really suffered on the last up/down. It was nice to enjoy the whole race!!
3:19 with splist of 1:36 and 1:43 pleased with that- hard but very enjoyable race
AMAZING race! My first SNOD and I'm still beaming from it. Faultless organisation, absolutely stunning route and the runners and spectators were the best I've ever experienced during a race.
On top of that I obliterated my target time and finished in 3:58:56 - slower than my 3:40:20 at London this year but a performance I'm a hell of a lot prouder of.
Can't do next year but I'm not done with SNOD.
FYI there is talk that arose in the pub about a double SNOD in 2016!! So I plant that thought for everyone to ponder
double SNOD, yes please
Awesome event/support as usual - sorry I didn't get to meet many from the thread this year. Hope your legs are better than mine this morning - I started getting twinges in my calves on the little climb into Waunfawr - the Waunfawr climb was a torrid affair, then I started cramping up big time on the descent - had to stop and stretch the calves a few times, before collapsing at the finish - had to be helped to the nearby hall and a massage table, which I promptly fell off as the calf muscles were spasming - my kids were laughing as they watched on and my 14yo lad said he wished he'd have taped it because he reckon he could have got £250 for it on You've Been Framed!!
Looking forward to the S4C coverage later, which I am sure will be brilliant as always - it usually captures everything that is good about this special event - I was in a world of my own during the race and it will be nice to see the coverage in a more relaxed position - the atmosphere through Beddgelert always gives me goose bumps!!
It sounds as if everyone enjoyed the race. The only runner from the thread that I recall seeing during the race was PJL - I was very surprised to see the 108 running vest as I was running up the Pen-y-Pass - how long before 10.30am did you start???
Wow that was one hell of a tortuous experience.
A bit like the wife really - I loved it and hated it in equal measures!
The scenery was stunning and the organisation was top notch.
The banter between runners was fantastic and as John says the crowd at Beddgelert was a massive lift even if it was chucking it down when I ran through.
I thoroughly enjoyed going up Pen Y Pass, coped really well with the climbs after leaving Beddgelert but that last hill was just one too many for a first timer Snoder.
Didn't walk until a short way up the lane at Waunfawr. For the next two miles while stumbling along the paths I did actually question my sanity.
But really proud to finish in 4 29. My slowest marathon of the eight Ive run by far but one I'm still immensely proud of.
PS ...I didn't really hate it ... and the wife's not too bad either!
Diolch brer - yep, smashed it and my legs by the feel of them - how runners like your good self go out the next day/a few days later to knock out another marathon is beyond me!! As for the thought of doing a double Snowdonia!!!!??
After pulling out of Abingdon jd, serious kudos for starting Snowdonia - sorry that you had to pull out, but once again sensible decision. As I've mentioned before, get your legs/body 100% (you've had a pretty good year to say the least!!) before smashing 2015
My race went much better than I deserved, leaving room for improvement next year. Recover well and safe journeys.
Water stations, pieces of orange at 11m, over zealous Police riders ensuring our safety when coaches and local buses were travelling deliberately close to some of us in Bettws Garmon.
Considering my training or lack of it, one 15mile long run for the race, i am really pleased with my 5-21, and for the first time in a marathon my legs are totally shot the day after.
One chap i spoke to at Rhydd Ddu was doing another marathon today and sailing to Dublin for Mondays race.
He was feeling tired after a hard 16m in Eryri but was still thinking of running or competing in two back to back marathons. Total Lunacy!!! Think about your body mate, rest for a week or two then think of competing in another race.
Cannot wait until New Years Eve to get my entry in for 2015, and like this years race that will be with us far quicker than is healthy.
Great race forgotten how lovely was slowest finish to date 5.30 I felt fine but my mates wheels fell off at mile 13 but never the see great day out met some lovely people loads of great support. Well done to you all.
I found the weather quite strange this year, a bit too warm going up the Pass and just right coming into Beddgelert.
Just a shame the dousing in Beddgelert didn't continue for the rest of the race, it kept me cool and i was fully prepared for it unlike most other runners who had unwisely watched the weather forecast thinking it was going to remain dry.
This is Snowdonia in late Autumn Anything can happen and usually does.
The list so far looks as follows
Ultra Disco Stu
BritNick
TRex
Chimney
JasonD
pinkbug
McHilly
Fenland Runner
Brer rabbit
Don't lose sleep over this guys and you can pull out at any time