Last year we did the Across Wales Walk, 45 miles from Clun to Aberystwyth. This year we opted for the Longmynd Hike instead, for two reasons: first, because it’s 50 miles instead of 45, and second because there aren’t as many gates to open and close on the way around!
Unfortunately, Rachel was still feeling rather under the weather, and sensibly decided that 50 miles this weekend after the Rab Mountain Marathon last weekend was a bit too much for her. That left me doing the race on my own, rather than the two of us oing around as a pair as we had planned. This was bad, as I tend to try too hard when I’m on my own!
The race starts at Church Stretton, but on the other side of the town from registration, so leaving enough time to get to the start is important. Sadly, I didn’t plan for this–I needed a lift from one of the organisers to get there on time. The race immediately heads up the steep side of Caer Caradoc, which quickly strung the field out, followed by another steep ascent of The Lawley. After that, things get a bit easier as you cross the valley and go up the Long Mynd itself for the first time, and then run along the top to Pole Bank. By this stage my competitive instincts were already causing problems as I found myself about 7th, rather closer to the leaders than I’d planned.
From the Long Mynd the route heads for the Welsh border, firstly via a long horrible run along the stoney track along Stiperstones, where the picture was taken, then North to Earls Hill and back South to the delightfully named Snail Beach.
From Earls Hill I was running with another Richard who was a local, and appeared to have every villager from miles around cheering him on. Along the road from Snail Beach to Corndon Hill his friends were driving back and forth telling us how far behind we were, and how tired the people in front looked, which was great motivation to keep going. Corndon Hill was the turnaround point, 30 miles into the race, and by that stage we’d passed two more runners, and caught another.
The Longmynd Hike has a curious rule about darkness: at night you get ‘grouped’ into groups of three or more, and you have to stay with your group until dawn. If there aren’t three of you when you get grouped, you have to wait for another person to arrive (although you do get the time credited back to you). In our case, the three of us were grouped just after Corndon, so from then on I had to keep pushing to keep up with the other two–I didn’t want to be the weak link in the group. However, at this stage there were only two more runners in front of us, so we knew once we got to where they had been held, we’d have the two leaders in our group as well. One of those was Val, who was attempting to get the women’s record, so we all knew we’d have to run hard once we’d caught her so we didn’t let her down.
We met the two in front of us back at Stiperstones, where the leader, Andy, had been waiting for over an hour. There was another group only about 5 minutes back, so off the five of us went as quickly as we could. The rest of the race was a bit of a blur for me, as I kept getting stomach cramps, and it was all a bit grim. The last hill is Ragleth, which might just be the steepest ascent of the whole course. I found it a horrible climb, but Val was struggling even more by this stage. Andy actually went back down the hill to help her up. There’s no way I could have done that.
Happily, we held off the other group behind us, Andy won by over an hour, Val got her record, about 8 minutes ahead of the three of us, and I got the trophy for the best novice, which was quite an honour. Altogether the 50 miles took me 9:34, equal third place. I’m sure I’d have never done it so fast without everyone else in the group pulling me along, so a huge thank you to them! About three hours after the finish I’d even recovered enough to have a shower and go to bed, and by the morning was able to plough through the famous Hike breakfast, along with more weetabix than I’ve ever before eaten in a single sitting!
The best bit about the novice trophy: I can’t possibly defend it next year!
Sorry for the essay. I’m still a bit excited about it π
No apology needed, an enjoyable write up with plenty enough pictures. I particularly like your new hair-do in the first one (and who says blokes never notice things like that).
Are you sure the organisers were being absolutely straight with you about the distance? It seems odd that a fifty mile event had a turnaround point at thirty miles.
that is a scary insight into what a short-haired Richard would look like; I think I’ll keep the long-haired one!
It’s not a straight there and back, but more of a figure eight. On the way out we went from Stiperstones to Earls Hill to Corndon (which felt like a really long way), on the way back, we went to Black Rhadley instead of Earls Hill (much more direct). There’s also a lot less to do after going back over the Long Mynd.
Good result! :star:
So one observation, and one question…
First the question: why can’t you defend the novice trophy next year? Is it as simple as that after having won it you can longer be considered a novice?
Second: would you agree that the waiting to form groups of three for night-time running, whilst I can see is a good safety idea, also gives those that wait a unfair advantage? They get a (potentially long) rest (which doesn’t cost them anything as the time is credited back), whilst those that arrive at the tail end of a group of three have a double disadvantage in that they don’t get a rest, and that they have to push harder to keep up (with resulting cramps), of course that extra push might be good for their placing too.
BTW, seems like perfect training for your storm around the BG next year… π
Yes, the novice trophy is only for people who have never done the race before. You could win it next year, Pete! π
The group forming thing is interesting. I agree it’s an advantage for the people that wait longer, but only if you get ‘ungrouped’ again. Since we finished around 10:30pm, once we were grouped that was it, and the quick people were forced to go at the pace of the slowest in the group.
So for the fast it’s probably a disadvantage to wait, because the rest of the group slow you down. For the slower it’s an advantage because you’re fresher once you’re ungrouped again.
I still think that’s a potential advantage for the fast – if they plan to take advantage of it…
If you assume you will be grouped and your speed will be held down during the dark hours by those behind you who you have to stay grouped with, you can then plan to run faster during the daylight hours for what is effectively a shorter distance. Thereby getting more tired than you might have done pacing yourself for the full distance. But getting that rest while waiting to be grouped and knowing the time ‘in the bank’ from your over-paced daylight run will keep you infront despite the slower group pace.
Hope you followed that rambled explanation.
Ah well, all rules in all sports are there to be debated and exercised to the max! π
That’s definitely true. Also, if you get held to be grouped, but there are fewer than three people, you might as well declare that you’re ready to go immediately since you’ll have to wait anyway, but you’ll get credit for the extra time.
congratulations on your trophy,im was also a novice and came in tenth, 55th overall ,and i’m still suffering, at least i can get myself off the loo now was not the case yesterday, i must have done only a couple of months training for this as i did’nt expect them hills, (stiperstones) was bad which is where i got lost going to the next check point. i was very lucky getting grouped with 2 local lads who knew the area and joanna from sheffeild and andy .I think we pushed ourselves to the limit especially what must have been 1 1/2 miles to the finish just to beat the group in front of us.luckily tom and will knew the short cuts back to the school,i was told we climbed the last hill in 18 mins ,and if anyone finds my cup at the bottom which fell off my rucksack and i was not goin back down to fetch it.let me know thanks. will i be back next year Mmmmm ?