Up Hill Down Dale 12k/24k trail event @Llandegla Forest 5th June 2016.
This was finally my chance to see and run at Llandegla forest in North Wales, and I was going to enjoy it despite the threat of searing heat all day, and knowing my track history a bit of sunstroke.
This new event from a new trail running company 'Up Hill down Dale' had come up on my radar a fair while ago, but as per usual it was a pipe dream to run there as I have no transport so can never get to trail events in Wales or indeed any great distance away from train links etc.
Thankfully fellow runner Annie from my hometown was going to drive to this event and had kindly offered a lift to any running friends that wanted to go. Needless to say I jumped at the offer after thank fully managing to secure the day off work, although I would be working late the night before.
Race morning....
After working to near on midnight the evening before a good sleep wasn't really an option and fueling efficiently for the next day wasn't going to be easy either as I could only have a light snack prior to going to bed so it would digest fully and not still be sat in my stomach on the morning of the run.
I opted for peanut butter on toast x2 which also ended up being my breakfast of choice as well when I got up at 6am after only going to bed at 1.30am!
I was up and showered pretty sharpish and as it was forecast to be extremely hot during the day my run gear selection was going to be pretty small, no layers required today.
Shorts and my 'Run or Cake' t-shirt would do and a pair of Injinji toe socks, my Hoka Challenger ATR's and my trusty run cap to keep the sun of my scalp.
Sun tan lotion was on, a mere factor 30, and I was good to go so left my flat to meet Annie for pick up at 7.30am and we were off.
I'd printed a map and directions as we didn't have sat nav today, but was confident we would get there OK as the route was pretty straight forward, and I'd looked at the venue on a satellite image from Google Maps so was confident once nearly there I would spot the venue fairly easily.
We got there safely after a few missed turn offs mainly due to talking, and after driving past the venue once due to lack of promised signage we promptly arrived at roughly 9am and parked up.
The venue...
The race event venue was the Coed Llandegla One Planet Adventure Centre http://www.coedllandegla.com . We thankfully got parked up close to the centre itself due to getting there nice and early as advised in the pre race instructions and the car park was already riddled with helmet clad mountain bike riders who were there to use the dedicated bike trails, as this was indeed a mountain biking trail centre and the run event was a today only adventure on a course not otherwise available to runners.
We went to collect our numbers from race registration and collected a nice little memento One Planet Adventure coffee cup with a bag of fresh coffee inside and a nice chocolate and caramel shortcake bar which didn't last long once I'd bought a nice fresh coffee from the cafe at the centre.
We slowly and surely started to see other running friends we knew were coming, especially my fellow 'Run or Cake' running group members Anne, Mandy, Sal, Darren, Derek and Rachel among others from other running circles.
Race start was delayed by half and hour to 11.30am due to a lot of people arriving late and struggling to get in parking wise as cars were queuing to get into the centre. It was by now bloomin hot and as we were now sat in the sun outside and I was slowly cooking.
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| Busy, busy, busy...and hot, hot, hot! |
Race start....
It was 11.30am and after our race brief we were good to go, and promptly lined up beyond the starting arch and within minutes we were off......
As per usual all race plans went out the window as people sped off towards the forest trail and paths and we were pretty much straight away thrown into a long uphill through some wooded area's. It was narrow track and after a short while people started to group up into similar paced little groups. I ended up suddenly in a slower group and wasn't sure whether to enjoy the slower pace while climbing up the slow uphill section or whether to try and squeeze past.
After a couple of minutes and hearing people starting to run up behind me the decision was made to make a run for it and go round a group of 4-5 people. Pretty much as soon as I did this on a downhill section we suddenly came across a forest fire road anyway so I needn't of bothered struggling to get past as we could now spread out anyway and run our own speed. This section was now another uphill and you could start to see who were good at hills and who weren't as their speeds varied, that and some had puffed themselves out a little running the prior section a little too fast, myself included.
At this point I went past another runner I knew, Steven. I didn't actually notice and had lost sight of him earlier and he was one of the runners I was keeping an eye on pace wise and wanted to at least catch up with him at some point. Obviously having now unknowingly passing him I was foolishly pushing my pace to try and catch up with him even though he wasn't now in front of me, I just thought he was running flippin fast and I'd lost him.
After this short hill up the fire road we approached a marshal next to a car at roughly the 2k point, he was pointing us in the direction of an arrow that took the route down a technical forest path.Unknown to most of us this marshal point was also a water stop which was at the back of the car, but as it was so early I didn't even consider it had water.
At the same marshal point the official photographer from Kenny Clayton Photography was there to take the first of many great on course pictures, some of them we were obviously looking a bit hot and bothered in the heat, especially as he had placed himself at the top of a hilly section.
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| I actually look like I'm asleep here... |
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| Looking knackered already......note Steven behind me, no idea how I missed him. |
Onward we all went down through some nice soft forest sections and out onto some long off and on downhill sections that went along the outside edge of the forest but still thankfully well within it's borders so we had the advantage of some shade.
The downhills were steep at times and you couldn't risk running full downhill speed due to the bashing and impact on the knees. It was good fun though.
Sadly what goes down must eventually go back up again and we discovered this came in the shape of a long fire road section back up again and it was what felt like at least a mile long, I've no idea how long it really was. I managed to slowly run up it and managed to pass some people who had decided to walk sections of it. As I wasn't familiar with the route I risked the run option purely because I couldn't see the top of this section so really had no idea how long it was going to be.
We eventually hit the top and went past another marshal point and carried on a fairly flat bit and then a nice decent again. But yet again this meant we had to make an about turn straight into a soft forest path again and then up, and up, and up we went through some nice soft forest paths with lots of tricky tree routes to negotiate from time to time.
It was know getting to 4 or 5 miles in and it became apparent that we hadn't to our knowledge come across a water stop yet (We had inadvertently passed it at 2k) and the mental thought of a nice little breather at a water stop to drink or pour water over our heads was becoming a welcome and much needed thought.
Eventually the climb topped out and then we ran along a flat fire road again to a welcome water stop at roughly 7-8k maybe. I poured some into my running cap to cool my head and drank the rest and then headed back down a sign posted path sharply down through the forest.
This section was incredibly technical as it was straight down and through rows and rows of pine trees etc and a very uneven muddy at times and soft path with stumps, roots and holes all over the place.Good fun though especially as we were now running down again.
Eventually we came out onto a smallish path again and then a section of ups and downs for a fair while then a bit of a climb and out onto a fire road again and then back to what was the 2k marshal on the first part of our loop, he was now the 10k marshal and this time you could see the water at the back of the car. I didn't stop for any on this bit as I was carrying my own as always as you should on hot days out on trails. I ran onto the next section which took us past a small reservoir/lake and again the official photographer taking some more shots as we approached....
Onward as ever and now into the last couple of km of the first 12k loop. After a bit more soft forestry trail and multiple roots it was trail path again and past a few car parks full of bikers and then a nice downhill section down back to the centre and what would be the finish for the 12k runners......
......not for me though as I'd signed up for the full 24k of sun, heat, forest humidity and fire roads of hell that take you up, drop you down again and just when you think your done send you back up again lol.
Loop 2, the second 12k....
I won't bore you with the entire 12k of the second loop as it was the same as the first. I did pace myself a lot better on this loop as I now knew what was coming, but I was know pretty tired especially with the heat. I had a Gu gel to help maintain energy levels for later and ran onward to the next water stop which was now technically the 14k water stop, and I promptly watered my hat and head again and drank the rest of the cup.
Back along the trails and this time when the mile long fire road hill section came up I decided I was walking it, as did most of the others I had in sight. I took this opportunity to eat an SIS Go energy bar as I could feel hunger pangs coming on.
I power walked the hill as much as I could, at least 2 people went past me at this point but I wasn't bothered as I just wanted to enjoy loop 2 as much as I could by taking it easier than loop 1.
As the top of the hill approached I caught sight again of the next two runners in front of me a bloke and a lady who occasionally drew level with each other and walked and talked. Eventually the bloke took off ahead and left me just behind the lady who offered to let me past but I said I was not in any hurry as we were now back on the long forest uphill to what would be the 20k point and the next water stop on the fire road at the top.
I pretty much followed her from then on and used her as a pacer to give me a hint as to when I should be running and when walking was acceptable. When she ran I ran, and when she walked I walked. Eventually I was aware I probably should pass as I was sometimes walking when I didn't really need to but as we had exchanged words occasionally along the way I was happy with a bit of company so stayed just behind her.
We hit the last water stop at 22k and went onward to the lake again and to the photographer who was there again for another round of great pics....
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| My company for the last part of the race. |
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| Finally a well timed thumbs up. |
A couple of final KM's to go and it was at this point the lady I was running behind was occasionally looking out behind her for another runner, it turned out she was making sure no Women passed her as she would lose her placing among the Women's finishing places.
In the last KM another Woman appeared about 300 to 400metres behind us so I kept my eye on my back to make sure she didn't suddenly sneak past us. At this point in the final 500 metres or so we came across half a dozen back markers from the 12k race, I was now worried this would cause a delay and the next Woman behind might catch up, but thankfully we were quickly over the line and it turned out the lady in front of me was actually the 1st lady finisher of the 24k and she had been aware of it, which was why she had been checking behind her in the final KM's.
Time to see friends safely home...
I managed to thankfully nip into the cafe again for another coffee, some Lucozade and a wedge of well earned Barabrith cake and then take a seat in the shade at the seated area beside the finish and waited for friends to finish. I spotted Steven sitting down with his partner so joined them for a while and asked him how he'd done, and said I'd tried to catch him but couldn't. This was the point were he told me I'd gone past him during the race and had actually finished before him lol. I'd basically pushed myself hard on the first loop to try and catch him when I didn't need to.
Next to finish was Darren who wasn't far behind me and Steven. We were now waiting for his wife Sal to finish who was running with Annie who was my lift and Derek who was looking after them like a true Gentleman on the run.
They were going to be a while but it was a good chance to enjoy the facilities of the centre which now had a BBQ on offer as well!
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| BBQ and various now tired runners enjoying a good sit down and rest. |
Eventually everyone was safely finished and clapped over the finish line and we stayed around for a while getting cups of water down us to make sure we were all hydrated ready for the trip home. We chatted within our little cakers group for a while about which event we would most likely see each other at next and then set of home.
The trip out of the centre was almost as long as the run, as the exit road seemed to loop out around the complete forest before finally popping out again onto the main road and eventually off we went on the journey home, and as it happens via the 'Highest village in Wales' apparently according to the signs!
Thankyou to...
Massive thanks to my fellow 'Run or Cake' runners who made it such a special and fun day, you know who you all are.
Massive thanks to my lift for the day Annie Mc you are officially a star.
Massive thanks to the event company themselves 'Up Hill Down Dale' who put on a cracking event considering they are a new event company. I would recommend their events to anyone based on my experiences at this event.
Many thanks to all the volunteers and marshals on the day, especially the ones who manned the water stops in that heat and kept us watered and topped up.
Massive thanks to the official photographer on the day 'Kenny Clayton Photography' I hope you are OK with me using your pictures in my blog.
Thanks to everyone who ran at the event for making it such an enjoyable race event.
