The Beast – Poole ac

Today I was back to running with a good tough race down in Dorset, from Corfe Castle. The race was one of the Chepstow Harriers club championship events but either the nature of the beast (sorry!) or the distance put many people off. There were only 11 there so good points for those chasing glory.
The event was run by Poole Athletic Club and is obviously a popular event with 501 finishers. The downside to the popularity was the long wait at a number of stiles. I timed perhaps the worst with me stationary for 56 seconds.
The course was great. An initial loop – I guess essential to try to ease congestion on the stiles, then a trog up and down towards the coast. Once you got to the sea the views were superb.
The tough bits, the claim to fame, were 2 climbs on the coast path with lots of steps. The first of these also had a steep descent as an introduction.
With my alpine training and too little running I found the climbs a welcome interlude (it still hurt!) but felt slow on the flat running. The steep descent was good for me with a narrow strip of grass allowing me to overtake at least 20 people.
I was very pleased with my run. It took me 1h 57m 31s for what the Garmin clocked as 12.3 miles and 500m climb. (The Garmin reports me stationary for 6 minutes but I don’t think it was that bad)
I was beaten by Dick, Lou and Niki, but was ahead of Andy C, Neil and Vanessa.
Definitely happy with the result and worth the effort.
See also the Chepstow Blog

Pralognan, Vanoise

The journey here was a bit fraught. We had no idea where we were headed at the start, but found a real gem of a place. We reckon we made a mistake with the choice of the 2 campsites in the town but ours wasn’t bad at all.
The town was high, close to 1400m but stinky hot when we arrived. There were a few holiday complexes that seemed to affect the atmosphere but this perhaps was a false impression as we got to like it more as we stayed.
Pralognan is on the edge of the Vanoise National Park, at the end of one of the Trois Vallees ski area. I guess the town is not one of the busiest in the winter season, with no huge impact of ski paraphernalia.
Our first route was to take the town’s cable car then head across a few cols over what were in fact spurs on the face of the higher hills. These were loose and steep in places, with the mist down it was the worst weather we had in the whole of our Alpine trip. It did brighten up as the sun managed to burn off the clouds and ended up another hot day. We made it to the Col de la Vanoise, crossing the Lac des Vacher and up to Col de la Vanoise. We then headed down past the Lac des Assiottes towards the valley before climbing again to the Col du Grand Marchet before dropping down to the valley and the campsite. There were obvious extensions to this route, but I guess I was just too lazy. 20km 1500m would just have to do.
Our second day was influenced by the ultra event that was taking place. The Tour du Grande Casse I think. This was 62km and 3000m climb. We decided to do a bit of spectating. This took up back up the the Col de la Vanoise and along the valley before returning the same way.
The leaders were impressive – not running as you would expect in a fell race, but still covering the ground well. The winner did the whole reoute in 7h 50m. The last competitor we saw was as we were eating our dinner in the town, some 14 hours plus. All were heroes! Very inspiring. (23km 1300m).
The last day in the Alps. We packed the car and drove up the valley as far as we could. We realised this was the first time we had used the car to support our walking. The chosen route was an ascent of the Petit Mont Blanc, white in colour as it is a limestone hill with lots of bare rock. We set a good pace on the way up, but near the top I noticed a pair of walkers behind us. I wasn’t used to being overtaken so tried harder on the final stretch and managed to keep ahead. Whilst recovering on the top these two arrived, giving no real impression of exertion. e soon realised they were English and started chatting. The woman was a keen ultra runner, here for one of the TMB ultra events, a mere 105km and 6000m. More inspiring for us to keep on trying with some longer days, perhaps aspiring to one of the formal events in the future??
We had to rush, so suitably inspired we headed down at a bit of a jog.We managed an average for the climb and descent of 11m30s per km for 12km and 970m. We just need to be able to do this for another 50km then we might be able to compete!
Please don’t hold me to this as a concrete target!

Argentieres

Sue & I had a trying journey through Chamonix and up the valley. We recalled our first visit, staying at the Biolet – an unofficial campsite, now a car park and Luge. The traffic was much quieter then, our ambitions were greater and experience so much less. If some of the attempts on the bigger routes had been successful then I could see that it could have changed my life! As it was, the experiences kept me interested in purer rock climbing, but with a continuing love of the mountains but no fight to get to the top. It was during one of these early visits (mid seventies) that Sue climbed Mont Blanc. At the time there was no question of using guides – a concept that today seems crazy to some. Risks were taken out of ignorance but the success was greater doing it without such support.
Back to 2009. The target was Argentiere, keeping to the Tour de Mont Blanc theme. We went up above the town to Le Tour to the campsite there, a 20 minute walk above Argentiere. The site was OK, but without the defined pitches we had some late arrivals pitching there tents just a few feet from ours. This was sorted the next day.
Day 1 (19/8/09) took us into the Aiguilles Rouge via Col des Montets then up the Tour Pedestre du Pays de Mont Blanc (TPMB). This took us to the Index, Col de la Gliere, Col Lac Cornu, La Flagere and down to Argentiere. A longer day with 27km and 1900m with fairly tough going on the stony paths – must be getting fitter?
Day 2 started with a walk to the cable car which we took up towards Col de Balme. We went up to the Albert Premiere hut with a great view of the glaciers then back down to the col. Another excursion to Croix de Fer, Tete de Balme, Aiguillette des Posettes and down. A day of great views. (26km 1450m).
There was more to be done but we felt it was a good time to move on. A good place for a visit.

Les Contamines

Summer Holidays in the French Alps have been a bit damp in recent years but in 2009 it was a scorcher. Sue & I had 6 nights in Les Contamines, a few miles to the West of Mont Blanc, in one of our favourite places.
As in previous visits we camped at “Camping les Pontets” – at least that’s what I think it was called. This is about a mile up the valley from the town, just next to the Parc des Loisirs. This part of the valley is relatively flat, making it good for the odd short run should you be so inclined. This year we didn’t need to resort to this form of exercise. The walking was enough.
Day one (13/8/09) Contamines campsite to village to Chalets du Truc, Col de Tricot, Col de Vosa, Bionassay, Champel & return. This took in the 2 alternative routes of the Tour de Mont Blanc from Col de Vosa. The stats for this were 20km and 1250m climb done at a good pace.
Day two was a shorter day. I didn’t want to get too knackered too quickly. We went up the valley then across to les Lacs Jovet for a restful contemplation on the shore. Sue of course went higher, but that gave me some peace and quiet. Daily stats 18km, 1100m.
Day three was a climb through the woods on the Eastern side of the valley to the Refuge Tre la Tete, along the Chemin Bernard and then to Lac Armancette. From a distance this didn’t impress, but once we got there is was a lovely place. There was so much frogspawn in the lake it could well be overrun with amphibians within a few weeks. (20km, 1250m)
On day four we took the lazy option up the cable car and chairlift to Le Signal. From there we crossed into the head of the valley, up to Col de la Balme then higher to Tete des Fours at 2756m. Superb views all round. We could see down to the valley to the North and the climb taken bt the Tour as it heads towards Courmayer. We had a good fast (but not running) descent back down – a satisfying day as you felt you had got up high. (25km 1200m)
Day five didn’t sound too bad in concept. We climbed to Refuge de la Balme, then across to Col de la Fenetre and Col Joly before a leisurely descent to town. (24km 1300m)
Despite the continuing good weather we knew it was time to head on, with much debate as to the our next base.

Black Mountains – Upper Llanbedr Horseshoe

Sue and I have been trying to find a new route for a fell race, and had thought of a shortened Black Mountains route as a possibility. The full route starts and finishes in Llanbedr, a small village up a valley from Crickhowell. It takes in Pen Cerrig Calch, Pen y Gadair Fawr, Chwarel y Fan and a few others just for good measure.

Our route started a few miles north of Llanbedr at Cwm Farm (SO325237). Dropping down to cross the river then up through the forestry it headed NE to the ridge, then along to Pen Twyn Mawr. There was a long but not too steep climb, except near the end, to Pen y Gadair Fawr. From here we headed NW to Waun Fach. This is the only hill I know where the summit is in a depression below the surrounding ground! a little bowl of mud with a weathered concrete block at its centre. A strange summit for the highest peak in the Black Mountains. From here it was a good run down the ridge to the col then a small climb onto a southerly ridge taking in Mynydd Llysiau & Pen Twyn Glas. This was a superb ridge for running, hardly a break in our pace until we got down to the farming level and had to negotiate with a herd of bullocks to get onto a muddy lane down to the road.

Apart from Waun Fach we saw hardly anyone, a group of 3 walkers when we were on our way up, and the same group just before we finished.

It was a good route, but the lack of parking and the awkward length probably preclude it as a fell race.

20km 800m 2h 52m

Brecon Beacons

A run/walk starting at Llanfrynach reversing the Fan y Big fell race route then branching off to Pen y Fan, Corn Du, Cribyn and back. The start was messed up when we missed the road up from the village and did an extra couple of miles. A bit silly really – don’t know how we managed to miss it.

The mistake took us to a farm where a little, annoying dog took a liking to us. It followed us back down the farm track to the road; along the road and back and up the hill. It was with us all the way to the ridge by Waun Rydd (Pwlfa) when it headed along a path looking for all the world like it knew were it was headed. Perhaps little doggy was cleverer than we thought? It was a relief to get away from him and the feeling of the need to shout “home!” and threaten him.

We skirted round Fan y Big and Cribyn then climbed Pen y Fan. I was amused by a small poster on the summit – a memorial to Michael Jackson! I never realised he had visited the Brecons? We stopped to admire the views, a really clear day with good views across to the Black Mountains and Hay Bluff. Then was Corn Du and the traverse back to Cribyn. This was a stiff climb, but lead to a more gentle descent, good for a gentle jog. But who do you think found us there – the annoying doggie! We stopped at the top to admire the view again and another walker, with his own dog offered the stray a biscuit which he refused. He then trotted down with us until we crossed paths with a family who were obviously more interesting than us. He stopped with them – never more to be seen by us.

Should we feel bad? comments and your own stories welcome.

Following Cribyn was Fan y Big then the longer than expected descent back to Llanfrynach.

27km 1350m climb in 4h 30m. A great day.

Black Mountains Round

This route started and finished at Llanthony Priory in the glorious Black Mountains. It is based on the walk / race organised by the Longtown Mountain Rescue as a fund raiser. The basic route is Bal Mawr, Chwarel y Fan, Twyn Talcefn, Rhos Dirion, Lord Hereford’s Knob Twmpa, Hay Bluff then back along Offa’s Dyke.

According to the trusty Garmin the stats are 28.5km and about 910m climb which Sue & I did in a reasonable 4 hours.

We made a mistake on the initial climb up Bal Mawr, heading for Bal Bach with stinging nettles and gorse. I recall the “proper” way is cleaner but stonier. The route is obvious and looks like it should give some lovely ridge running but in reality the first half suffers from a few too many boggy bits.

I liked the restoration work on the Offa’s Dyke section with good stone slabs seemingly floating in the peat. It seems to work well. One of my more morbid thoughts was that I ought to leave some money in my will to do more of this stuff.

I had sight of a book of the 100 highest Welsh summits and carefully copied them down. I was interested to see that Hay Bluff wasn’t included but according to the map it is in Wales and at 677 metres should be in there at about number 90.

A long run/walk but good to be out with the weather kind to us and the views excellent.

Sorry I’ve been Quiet

Stuff and more stuff has got in the way of me posting.

I think a few people follwoed my entries so thought about getting it going again.

The first objective is to foster some envy or sympathy with details of my holiday escapades.

0007 Orienteering – Forest of Dean

This has turned into a mass family event with a house filled with 11 people ranging from 7 weeks old to close to 60 years. All are involved in some way from the string course for the really young, to the full competition for the adults.

The event is jointly organised with 3 events run by NGOC, BOK and WJS.  Website. The 3 events are centred at Speech House in the Forest of Dean.

My first mistake was to neglect in asking for a specific start time which resulted in me being allocated close to first start on days 1 and 2. This means heading out in a forest untrammelled by the masses, nice but without help from the inevitable trails that appear on the ground. Despite this difficulty, once I got into it I had a good run, with a bit of brain fade at about 1/3 of the way through the course, and another where I was drawn off line by a group of other runners, losing me a few minutes. My final result was pleasing though, 62 minutes not too bad for me on the Blue course.

Keen and raring to go for tomorrow.

Guildford (Work), Holiday Inn and Mobile Broadband

Another assessment job and another hotel. The best assessment experience (again no names of course) was from a small unit involved in a design activity. One of the controls they had was a checklist to cover the key checks to be made and they didn’t have any completed checklists to show me. The approach appeared to be Complete it; Sign it; Bin it. Can you believe it! Something new every job!

The hotel – another Holiday Inn – always the same and always different. Not bad but probably due to the area expensive. My meal tonight with a free desert and coffee came to about £25. A bit steep I think. Still – I think I can give it 3 stars out of 5.

Mobile Broadband. Having ditched the 3 dongle due to poor cover and more importantly their complete inability to be able to let me use my credit card over the Internet to buy more time I am now with Vodafone. Cover still not good (but I am on the bottom floor of the hotel) but I do have a “poor” 3G signal that has allowed me to function without too much problem. Looking good I think.