A brief intro.
I have been looking forward to the week I am writing about here for quite a while, but I also had my worries and doubts along the way. You see I was going to Wales for the week with my Dad on the week of the 1st anniversary of my Mum passing away on the 2nd June 2017.
Dad had booked the farmhouse they used to stay at for the week and had invited me along. This was ideal for me as I was always planning on being in and around Snowdon that week anyway, so I could pay my respects to my Mum one year on at the spot Mums ashes had been spread overlooking Llyn Padarn, Llanberis and in the distance Mount Snowdon itself.
Originally I had planned a memorial challenge to walk from Chester along the Welsh Coastal path to Caernarfon and then onto Llanberis and Snowdon, but I had signed up for the ultimate challenge for me, and one which seemed more fitting. It was the first year that the GB Ultras Snowdon 50/100 mile ultra was to be held, and what better place for me to put it all out on the line than in Snowdonia.
The event is in September, but September doesn't really have any kind of significance regarding my Mum and honoring her memory 1 year on. But the training/recce run weekend for the official event was being held in Snowdonia on the 2nd and 3rd of June 2018. The 2nd of June was the exact 1 year anniversary and part of day ones recce run would involve running/walking/climbing Mt Snowdon itself.
I couldn't of wished for a more significant sign of what should be done. I cancelled my plans for the coastal walk and committed myself to taking on the Snowdon 50 Ultra in Sept in honor of my Mum and to raise funds for two charities that were, and are very important to us both. Lupus Uk and the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team both very worthy and important causes.
Mum suffered from Lupus and it robbed her of many of her later years, or at least of her physical ability to enjoy them more. It is an incurable condition with no known cure so research is vital, as is funding.
The Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team are also extremely important and in need of regular funding and donations as they are shockingly not publicly funded, but rely on voluntary donations and a rescue team consisting of volunteers willing to put their life on the line to help and indeed rescue members of the public from themselves and the mountains in the Llanberis and Snowdon area.
All that was needed now was for me to get out there and see what lay ahead, which was the very purpose of the recce runs on the route itself to get an idea of the route, the terrain, the difficulty and indeed the type of conditions you can expect up on the mountains.
Please note I have uploaded all my pictures from the week onto my personal facebook page and my public 'Fitness with Gru' page. I have also uploaded them or posted them to the GB Ultras Community page, so please consider having a look on there as there are endless scenery shots and shots of important junctions or landmarks on the run route. Having these in you head would be a good idea come event day.
Please note I have uploaded all my pictures from the week onto my personal facebook page and my public 'Fitness with Gru' page. I have also uploaded them or posted them to the GB Ultras Community page, so please consider having a look on there as there are endless scenery shots and shots of important junctions or landmarks on the run route. Having these in you head would be a good idea come event day.
The week begins.
GB Ultras had organized two official recce runs. One on Saturday at 8am onward and one on Sunday, again 8am onward. The farmhouse Dad and myself were going to be staying at was only available from Saturday onward, but I needed to be in the area Friday night to get a decent sleep and to be there in time for an 8am start.
As an early Fathers Day treat I booked my Dad into an executive room and myself into a single room for the night at the Royal Victoria hotel in Llamberis. It was a lovely hotel and had prime views out across Llanberis, Llyn Padarn and down the valley in each direction. It even had Dolbadarn Castle in it's grounds!
Dad picked me mid morning on the Friday and drove us down there, but we stopped at the Royal Oak hotel in Betws y Coed for lunch on the way. We will be staying there in September when the Snowdon 50 itself is on, as it is just across the road from the start/finish area so is in a vital and convenient spot.
We had stopped off for lunch there before when we drove down to spread Mums ashes, so we knew it was nice food, and I was particularly taken by the Thai style Vegetable risotto I had had last time so was keen to try it again. Sadly my Dad wasn't too impressed with his 'Gourmet style' burger, but I think he wasn't really used to that type of narrow yet thick burger and he certainly didn't like the brioche bun it came in. The hotel very kindly took it off the bill even though we didn't ask.
Once at the farmhouse we got unpacked and I started feeding myself ready for the task ahead in the morning. The official recce was due to be a 22 mile effort and would involve going up Tryfan, Snowdon, Gylder Fach, Gylder Fawr and then down through Devils Kitchen to Llyn Idwal and Llyn Ogwen at Pen y Benglog which was a checkpoint on the official route. From there we would run back to the campsite we met at.
Saturday - Recce day one - 18.5 miles, 6745ft of climb.
On the morning itself Dad dropped me off at the meeting point at Gwen Gof Uchaf ready to meet up with the others who had come down for the days recce.
It turns out it was going to be a busy group as allegedly 40+ turned up for the run as opposed to the expected 15-20. So the possibility of the group splitting in two was a big possibility later.
We had our welcome chat and introduction to Charlie Sharpe a GB Ultras ambassador, who is also well known as an established and gifted Ultra runner and indeed mountain runner as he seems to chew them up for breakfast.
We were also introduced to Jonathon Kettle who works for GB Ultras and himself is an established runner.
Once the hello's were finished with we set off on our first adventure 'Tryfan' and indeed Heather Terrace which believe me was not an idyllic terrace laden with beautiful heather!
We took to the official route and soon discovered the Snowdon 50/100 ultra was not going to be your everyday run along mountain trails or paths. The estimated overall climb of over 17,000ft or 19,000ft subject to which set of figures you went by for the 50 mile option should of been our first clue really.
We started up Tryfan and it turned into a bit of a scramble and rock climb as we climbed up with foot holds and handholds to get us up the official path/route. It was fun, but it was also extremely slow especially with people right in front of you and behind.
We made it to our resting point just below the summit over an hour after we started and we had only done a mile. By the time the back of the group had scrambled up to the resting point we were between 90mins and two hours in by the time we had all had a break.
It was becoming apparent that we may not be doing the full planned 22 miles today at this point. Which to be honest I was quite thankful for later on.
From there me moved on up below the lower rock face of Gylder Fach and onto the ridge line to join the Miners track for the descent down to the Pen y Gwryd hotel, which is a checkpoint on the official route.
By now the group was quite spread out and Charlie had dropped to the back to keep an eye on the back half of the group. When we got down to the Pen y Gwryd hotel Jonathon Kettle met us and started planning on splitting the group into a group led by Charlie for faster people and the 2nd group led by John for slightly slower members.
By now the group was quite spread out and Charlie had dropped to the back to keep an eye on the back half of the group. When we got down to the Pen y Gwryd hotel Jonathon Kettle met us and started planning on splitting the group into a group led by Charlie for faster people and the 2nd group led by John for slightly slower members.
From here I was in Charlies group and we headed up to Pen y Pas which had a handy cafe and toilets so we got a few refills before heading up Snowdon.
We went up the Pyg track to the Snowdon summit and it was incredibly busy as it was still half term and indeed a Saturday. We ran bits if we could, but legs were clearly drained so it was run/walk mostly. Once half way up and steeper it was all walking and climbing as some sections involved using hands and feet to safely climb up the path and avoid slips or falls.
The summit itself was mega busy and steeped in cloud, so it was a case of go to the summit visit the cafe/toilet if needs be and come back ready to go down again. Some of us missed the come back instruction and stood for a while at the summit wondering why no one else was around. Needless to say we were soon on our way back to the others ready to descend.
The decision had been made by Charlie to go down via the faster Miners track as opposed to the planned descent down a tougher slower route which was steeped in clouds and a little risky. Everyone was happy as it was certainly an easier route and a time saver, and it was more runnable as well once we got down to Llyn Llydaw towards the bottom.
We were eventually back at Pen y Pas and another visit to the cafe for refreshments and then we were of back to the Pen y Grywd hotel and then up the mountainside back to the top of the ridge between Gylder Fach and Y Foel Goch which we had descended earlier.
This was a killer of a climb for me and the lactic acid in my legs with the constant leg sapping steps up the mountainside was doing me in, I was struggling to lift my legs and we were only roughly 16.5 miles in. I had many a stop for a breather and to try and flush the lactate from my legs.
Thankfully once at the pass/junction of paths at the top we made our way down alongside the base of Tryfan back to the campsite and starting point to finish on an 18.5 mile day.
My Dad picked me up and it was now refuel and recovery time, and a much valued hot shower to wash the sweat, mud, dirt and mountainside off me ready for recce day two...
Route video from recce day one : https://www.relive.cc/view/1612873968
Sunday - Recce day two - 10 miles, 3481ft of climb.
So official recce day two was upon us and it was an 8am start again, but this time round a much smaller group of runners for the day, as many were only here for day one and some no doubt also too tired for day two after the task at hand being harder than expected in some places. I for one was doubtful originally that I would survive day one, never mind come back for day two as I never run hard back to back days.
I was thankful that I felt fresh again when I got up and I did have a SIS Rego protein recovery drink the night before in the hope it would aid with night time recovery. I felt good, so it may well of worked, only time would tell as the day progressed....
We decided that today would be a shorter 10 mile route and miss out sections that had originally been planned for the recce runs. This suited most as it would be a shorter easier day and would enable people to leave for home after Lunchtime. I was here for a week so was quite content to do the missed sections on my own during the week.
We set off from the campsite meeting point at Gwen Gof Uschaf to Pen y Benglog which has a visitor centre, cafe and toilets etc and is on the A5, so worth a visit if you are looking for a suitable parking spot and base for some good climbs or hikes etc.
Pen y Benglog is also a checkpoint on the Snowdon 50/100 and is at the base of the next major climb up Pen y Ole Wen. Oh boy is it a climb too, yet again it was hands and feet needed and several rest stops along the climb for a breather. Estimated climb time was given at an hour!
I took pictures along the way when having breathers as I did on all the recce days and you will find just a small fraction of them scattered among this blog post. I took near on 500 over the entire week and have them posted on my various Facebook pages.
The climb was tough believe me, but we did it and once at the top didn't feel knackered, just in need of a quick breather before the running/jogging begrudgingly began. But after all we were here to get a feel of the day itself, and we would need to run where runnable in places.
Once we peaked Pen y Ole Wen it was along the ridge to Carnedd Fach and Carnedd Dafydd and even further along the ridge to the eventual climb up to Carnedd Llewelyn the highest point of this recce run.
The terrain was runnable on this ridge line but it was rocky in part as well so careful consideration for where you are placing your feet is still vital, you don't want to be standing on the edge of a rock awkwardly and twisting your ankle and putting yourself out of the race, take care out there.
The terrain was runnable on this ridge line but it was rocky in part as well so careful consideration for where you are placing your feet is still vital, you don't want to be standing on the edge of a rock awkwardly and twisting your ankle and putting yourself out of the race, take care out there.
From this summit it was a right turn almost back on ourselves which on a cloudy mountain day like today could be a challenge as it was impossible to see the surrounding countryside in places so not always easy to stay focused on exactly where you were, and which way you were facing. A map was vital but also GPS if you couldn't see where you where. Markers on the day of the event are going to be vital, and heaven help us if we are up there in the dark.
Next was a partial descent down the ridge line to Pen yr Helgi Du which was a downward scramble in parts before scrambling back up to Helgi Du itself, and then a nice long descent down along Y Braich down towards the road and eventually Gwen Gof Isaf campsite and then Gwen Gof Uschaf campsite where we started.
This was a 10 mile run and done in just over 4 hrs so we were finished by Lunch as promised, and people started to get ready to go home while some returned to their tents on the campsite to chill out and relax.
I on the other hand had other plans for the rest of my day as I wasn't getting picked up until 5pm....
Route video from recce day two: https://www.relive.cc/view/1615514342
Sunday - Recce day two - My extra bonus run - 7.5 miles, 2720ft of climb.
After a couple of bananas for my Lunch and some much needed water and electrolytes I was ready to go for part two of today's run on my own. I decided I wanted to take on some of the route we missed due to the change of plans, and I headed back up the mountainside up alongside the bottom of Tryfan and back onto the path just south of Tryfan south peak and then again down the footpath that goes below the rockface of Gylder Fach to bring me out near the Miners track, and the turn off for the Gylders, Gylder Fach and Gylder Fawr.
I will point out at this point I got out my new trekking/climbing poles or 'cheat sticks' as Charlie Sharpe calls them. They were a necessity for me to be able to climb up to where I was now, and if I hadn't used them my legs would of been goosed and perhaps my eventual mileage for the day cut way shorter than actually achieved due to using them.
At this particular junction in the footpaths you are already a fair way up Gylder Fach so it doesn't look too daunting, but as ever the summits are always further away than you think. I hiked up the path with my poles finding it fairly easy but still requiring effort and eventually found myself just below the cloudy summit which was covered in rocks to say the least.
I wasn't too sure which path we take along the ridge of the Gylders so opted for the more open route around the outside edge and I did need to get my GPS out a few times to reassure myself I was going the right way and not heading down towards Pen y Pass by mistake.
After a bit of walking and clambering up and down rocks I eventually happened upon the actual ridge line and indeed Gylder Fach. I took pictures and mainly cloudy ones, the ones I took were you could see were looking more towards Pen y Pas and the valley that you go down to Bedgellert etc.
Continuing on I eventually got up a much higher Gylder Fawr after again a lot of rock hopping, jumping clambering etc and more practice with using the poles for balance and reassurance when climbing up rocks or jumping/stepping down from them.
Once at the top I had a break and flapjack for a bit of sustenance and brief chat with two walkers who said I was the first person they had seen since leaving Pen y Pas below. clearly a bit quieter than Snowdon the day before.I also took a 360 view video from the summit to show the view all around, a sight to behold indeed.
Next was the descent down to Llyn y Cwn which was a shale and slip path extravaganza to say the least, the poles rapidly became balance and braking devices and a great benefit from stopping me slipping on my arse and eventually down the mountainside.
Once down to Llyn y Cwn there are a few footpaths that go in various directions and I needed the one down to Nant Peris. I found the start of it but somehow drifted off it, but not by far and after checking the map and GPS again I knew pretty much 100 metres across the mountainside would get me near enough on the path.
It wasn't the first time I lost that path, I saw it but it seemed to be slightly different to my GPS download for the route so I altered my route a few times to stay close and tried to find my own logical way down what was a steep and awkward hillside with rocky outcrops all over the place and I had to go round them a few times. As well as over a few fences and back and forward over little streams cascading down the mountainside.
It was nice and scenic and had good views and you will be glad to know the path eventually turned into an easily followable one with a clear route down into Nant Peris for what would be an official checkpoint again on the 50/100 miles ultra.
I stopped my GPS route on my watch at the point that we would start to go back up the mountainside on the next leg. I then walked/ran on down the road to meet my Dad in Llanberis a mile or so down the road.
Monday - Rest and recovery walk day - 17.5 miles, 1032ft of climb.
So day three for me was going to be a more gentle recovery day were I could give my legs a little rest from the mountain climbs and the impact on my knees from the downhills. So I decided to visit a few places fairly nearby on foot that I wanted to visit again, especially as I was here to remember happy family holidays with my Mum and Dad.
I decided on Dinas Dinlle beach which wasn't too far away on foot and would get me there by lunchtime if I hiked a reasonable pace. I had a map and I had a Garmin GPS mapping device, so was happy to experiment with it to get used to it.
It came in handy in the end because there were country lanes all over the place and I couldn't always see clearly where I was heading. I had a good general idea which way it was as I have a fairly decent sense of direction in areas I have been too at least once before.
I got there by Lunch and first port of call was the hillside alongside the cafe at the beach that me and my brother used to always go up, especially to see the old disused army bunker/viewpost which was there to spot ships or subs I guess trying to sneak past through the straight that runs between Anglesea and the Welsh mainland.
After a few pics and a little breather it was back down to the cafe which was having renovations so only the chippy counter was open. I don't tend to eat a lot of chips normally or eat anything from a chippy, but this weeks chips were my most available carb/energy source, so I was happy to eat them.
After my Lunch it was my next walk which was going to be Caernarfon castle and then back to the farm which would involve a big loop out and back, but with the GPS and map it was a doddle, despite the GPS at one point trying to send me out way off course out on a big loop and then back again. I checked the setting and there was nothing selected to avoid certain roads or tracks etc which often is the cause for this kind of GPS/Sat nav behavior.
As I knew the lay of the land as such and pretty much where I was going, I adapted my route to suit and got to Caernarfon in a reasonable time and pace. I took a few pics and had a brief sit down in the square overlooking the castle and then headed back again on a different return route to get a different choice of scenery on the way back.
Overall I clocked a modest 17.5 miles of walking, not bad for rest day. It was great to be able to chill out though and appreciate the sights and views along the way. Many of them all too familiar to me from childhood.
Route video from Day three, afternoon route only: https://www.relive.cc/view/1617069975
Tuesday - Recce day three - 6.4 miles, 3379ft of climb.
Recce day three was going to be my own recce of some of the route missed on the official recce runs over the weekend. I decided on the stretch that takes you up from Nant Peris in the valley near Llanberis and up the mountainside to Elidir Fawr, Y Gant, Devils Kitchen and a finish at Pen y Benlog next to Llyn Ogwen.
My Dad dropped me off as per usual at Noon and I asked for a 5pm pick up next to Llyn Ogwen. This would give me plenty of time for stops and pictures along the way as it was pretty much an up and over route.
The path up was fairly easy to follow but steep, and as I got onto the mountainside the hiking sticks came out to save my legs a little and again to gain experience with them.
As I started to get further up the path and onto the more barren bits I was conscious I needed to stick to the official route and not always follow the most obvious footpath. I saw a turn off that went up the ridge but I couldn't see a turn off on my GPS route quite yet so carried on along the footpath I was already on. This footpath eventually kind of died off as the boggy mountainside and natural landscape took over but I continued on along the valley bottom knowing I needed to be at the other end eventually anyway, but on the top of the ridge.
My GPS was playing funnies and telling me North was in a completely different direction and didn't seem to be recognizing the fact I had recently moved on from the last spot, so I turned it off and decided I was going to make my own way up to the ridge line in a straight line up a long line of shale etc.
It was an incredibly hard slog as straight up is not the best route or the easiest route, but the views and sense of achievement made up for it. Even with the poles it was hard work and multiple breathers were required as my legs died a few times.
Eventually I hit the actual path that was going along below the eventual ridge and I was back on the official path. By the time I hit the top which was Elinir Fawr I had climbed 2500ft and was at over 3000ft.
I had a break, a bit to eat and took pictures and video and enjoyed the 360 degree views available to me at this point. It was a joy to behold and I could see the valley of Snowdon, Llanberis and Nant Peris on one side and on the other side the valley with Tryfan, Pen y Ole Wen, Llyn Ogwen and indeed the Gwen Gof Uchaf and Isaf campsites, as well as out toward the sea and Anglesea etc.
From there it was down the ridge line for a bit which had a few runnable bits but tricky underfoot so I decided not to chance it too much as I didn't want to trip and fall down the steep mountainside to my right.
Along the ridge took me towards Foel Goch which is not to be confused with Y Foel Goch on the map which is opposite Tryfan. The path takes you around the peak of Foel Goch as opposed to up it thankfully as it looked steep and very shale laden.
Once along the path and around Foel Goch, Y Gant came into view and it was onward and upward again for the summit. It is a bit of an awkward path and contains the usual shale and a few zig zags, but overall it was ok.
The view at the top again was great, and this time you could look down to Llyn y Cwn to see the various footpath routes that go off to Nant Peris or up the Glyders or down to Devils Kitchen which was my next port of call.
After the break I ran down Y Gant on a decent runnable path, but steep so a bit of care and attention required as well as decent technique as you will end up braking a lot and putting pressure on your knees.
Once at the bottom it was time to find the Devils Kitchen descent footpath which was fairly easy to find with a map and down I went.
I have to say the Devil clearly has weird taste in Welsh kitchen crazy paving! big rocks, big stones, big boulders followed by the odd big step and this was a tough down route on tiring legs or knees but enjoyable to say the least.
Once at the bottom the beautiful Llyn Idwal is upon you and some great views back up the mountainside should you turn round to appreciate it and take pictures. On and around the lake on an obvious and popular path and you eventually come out at Ogwen or Pen y Benglong depending on which name you use.
All of today's route was officially part of the Snowdon 50/100 route.
At the bottom there is a decent food and drink counter and toilet facilities. I enjoyed one of the best cups of coffee I have had for a while at this point, and a nice Bakewell slice, well deserved of course.
As always Dad was along at 5pm to pick me up and it was job done for another day and ready for the next...
Route video from recce day three : https://www.relive.cc/view/1619000876
Wednesday - Recce day four - 20.9 miles, 3031ft of climb.
Recce day four was my chance to do the route that was originally covered in an official recce run back in April that I was unable to attend due to lack of transport etc. That route was the outward leg from Betws y Coed and the return leg to Betws y coed.
I wasn't doing it in that order though as I didn't want my Dad to have to drive all the way to Betws y Coed just to drop me off and then have to drive back there again later to pick me up.
I decided on Capel Curig as the start point as this is an official checkpoint on the official route and I could run the finishing leg to Betws y coed from there following the official route that takes you out to Trefriw and Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd on a loop, before taking your back to the river that takes you back along to Betws y Coed for the finish.
Once in Betws y Coed I could then turn around and do the outward leg of the official route that takes you back to Capel Curig and checkpoint 1 and then onto Gwen Gof Isaf and checkpoint 2.
Dad dropped me off at Noon and I headed off in the general direction of Betws y Coed and this time for the first time I ran with map in hand to ensure I stayed on the official route footpaths and didn't just follow whichever seemed to be the obvious path.
Map in hand seemed to work well, although it wasn't always easy to workout the exact distance along the path I was currently at as the path weaves left, right, along, left, right etc etc..I just had to rely on the fact that the path would eventually get me to a more easily recognizable feature or turn on the map.
Route markers on the day are going to be vital for staying on the exact course, but I am fairly confident now I have followed most of the route that I can get from A to B multiple times and feature to feature or point to point etc. In the dark will be more of a task, but hopefully a bit of moonlight may help illuminate our way and the nearby countryside.
I eventually got to the first major spot on the route, which was Llyn Crafnant reservoir and the path was fairly clear although I did have to check a few times as I was being a bit over picky on knowing exactly where I was within 50ft or so.
It's a clear path to the end of the lake and then it's up the hillside and into the trees etc of Trefriw and around the hillside to Llyn Geirionydd. I did find this little section awkward as there were several turn offs on the path and different coloured route markers so I couldn't just follow the coloured posts as they were different. I did eventually find my way round though and ran down to Llyn Geirrionydd as mentioned.
The route from here runs along a narrow lakeside path, and I mean lakeside, we are talking within 12 ft pretty much at all times and tough technical bits with various trip hazards if you are going to try and run this bit.
After the lake it was a turn off to the right and up the hillside a little through forest and then a clear section and then back into a forest. This is now fire road and has been for a mile or so so you can run easily here.
This path eventually brings you to the turn off for the Ugly House and the path you will of ran along on the outward leg of the Snowdon 50/100 route so should be familiar. It wasn't for me as I hadn't done it before and I automatically carried on down the fire road and a quarter of a mile or so before I realized my error as a big open field was on my right and it should of been on my left.
I ran back and took the correct path on the overgrown path alongside the wall and eventually came out on a more runnable path, and then road that took me down to the Ugly House and then alongside the river to Swallow Falls and eventually the path to Betws y Coed, and what would of been the official finish area of the race.
Here I took a snack break after visiting a shop but only went for a pack of crisps and drink of Tailwind as I was a bit behind on time and didn't want to run on a stomach with lots of food in. I decided at this point that Capel Curig wasn't really where I wanted to finish on the return leg and I wanted to run onto Gwen Gof Icaf campsite for what would of been checkpoint 2 and that I wanted to try and run onto Llyn Ogwen for the pick up with my Dad so I could stop at the cafe for a coffee.
I set off and took pictures as I went as I had done on the way out, and this was what was losing me time, but was vital to keep an accurate record of turnoffs and features and views to lookout for. This is why if you have glanced through the full set off my pictures you will of seen pictures of gates, stiles, posts and gates etc....all vital turn off points in the race route.
The outward leg I was now running toward the Swallow falls, then the Ugly House and eventually Capel Curig were again all on the official race route and a vital recce. This bit of the route on the day will be easier as most of the runners will still be within sight in the earlier miles of the event and it should be possible to follow them or keep them within sight for reassurance.
I followed the return route and got back to Capel Curig, which through this more direct route was only roughly 6 miles, whereas the outward leg was 10 miles as it incorporated the loop out to Trefriw and back.
Once at Capel Curig it was past the car park and toilet facilities (20p required for toilets) and out along the long runnable stretch back to Gwen Gof Icaf campsite and checkpoint 2 for the race event.
It was a hot day and my running legs really weren't with me on this stretch so I fast walked mostly and ran the odd little section, mainly to try and get to my Dad on time as I don't like to leave him hanging around waiting for me.
I eventually made it to the campsite and ran/walked onto Llyn Ogwen to meet my Dad and bang on time too. Sadly the cafe was shut though but the toilets and wash sinks were open , so it was toilet, face and head wash with cold water, hat drenched in cold water and 5 minutes sat in the shade to cool down before eventually getting in the car and returning back to the farmhouse for whatever tomorrow would bring.
Thursday - recce day five - 7.6 miles, 2910ft of climb.
Thursday recce day five meant I had covered most of the official GB Ultras Snowdon 50 route and had the option of going out elsewhere or doing the very last bit of the route I hadn't done, the left hand side of the Snowdon 'Horseshoe'. On the official route we descend via that route but I didn't want to start and finish in Pen y Pass forcing my Dad to have to travel out there twice.
I went with the option of doing that section in reverse, as in going up it as opposed to down it. This would give me valuable information and experience of the lay of the land on the route and give me more confidence on the day of the event.
This also meant as it was a sunny day, that I could finally get up top of Snowdon and get clear pictures of the surrounding mountainsides and valleys etc.
I also decided that I was going to take the much easier Llanberis path down from Snowdon which isn't on the official route, but is a far more casual fast walk/hike down or run if I wanted. This would also mean I could visit shops and cafes when I finished if i got back early, and was much easier for Dad to pick me up.
I started the walk up from Pen y Pass and along the bottom low section of the Miners path, but once at Llyn Llydaw I took a left at the green shed/cabin next to it. This took me up a clear path up toward the ridge line above.
It was a hot day again and I could feel the heat penetrating my GB Ultra t-shirt, but I had a cap on and plenty of water so wasn't worried overall, especially as there would be a bit of a breeze once on the ridge.
The path was a tough slog up and I used my poles to get me up the path that had had rocks and boulders laid to help you up, but required the leg strength to step up them all. I had plenty of little breathers on the way up and photo breaks as always, and this made it easier.
I really had no idea how difficult the peaks at the top of the ridge would be as they looked really rocky in nature on the approach and there was a severe drop on the right hand side of them. Thankfully the path is findable, not sure about how runnable as I wasn't risking it today.
Once I topped East Peak and West Peak of Lliwedd I think it is called according to the map, it was time to descend down to the ridge line below and join the Watkin path up to the summit of Snowdon.
I got myself lost on this descent down the path as it was easily losable as it was rocks and shale everywhere. I found myself off route while trying to find what I thought was a path below, but it turned out to just be a natural line of shale and rock, so I sat down and took a breather and reassessed my situation.
I could see clearly where the Watkin path was and the ridge so knew one way or another which way I needed to be to get to it, so I scrambled across the mountainside horizontally until I happened upon a suitable section of path.
I found it in 5 minutes and was back on track and on the Watkin path, but this was not necessary a good thing as the Watkin path seems to be a tad steep and severe and shale laden all the way up to the summit from this point.
I took another breather and inhaled a flapjack bar ready for the energy demand that was going to be required and I set off up the path. I used the poles to hold and maintain my position and footing on the path as I made my way up, but noted that I really was not looking forward to trying to get down this on race day, it was in my mind an accident waiting to happen.
Further up I happened upon a long line of bags of boulders that had been dropped of by helicopter to be used to enhance the path with a more accessable and walkable surface. At the end of this trail of boulder bags I found the section they had already laid and found it much easier and safer to rock hop my way up to the top huffing and puffing as I went.
Finally at the top and at the summit and cafe area it was cafe time for refreshments. A nice big short bread biscuit, a coffee and a bottle of water as the cafe does not have cold running water and you cannot get cold water or drinking water refills there.
After half an hour or so I started my descent down the much easier Llanberis path admiring the views as I went that I had missed on the cloudy day last Saturday the last time we were up there. On the way down I took a few pics of the Snowdon Mountain Railway in use and also had a pit stop although unneeded at the halfway cafe, as I wanted to give them a bit of monetary support by using their facilities. I bought another coffee, and a piece of fruit cake and sat out on their little balcony.
I forgot to stop my watch at this point and lost 15 mins on my overall time as I was trying to get a general idea of overall pace on all sections of the recce this week, but I lost loads of time taking pictures, so cannot really go by my paces recorded, but they were positive times even with the lost photo time.
I eventually made it down to Llanberis and roughly an hour early, so I went to the chippy for chips and peas and sat in and had a rest, and then went down to the lake Llyn Padarn to chill out while I waited for Dad.
This was officially my last recce day that involved the official Snowdon 50/100 route.
Route video for recce day five : https://www.relive.cc/view/1623723757
Friday my penultimate day in Wales was always going to be about paying my respects to my Mum whose ashes are spread on the hillside overlooking Llyn Padarn, Llanberis and in the shadow of the Mt Snowdon itself.
I took myself out on a walk around the hillsides overlooking Llyn Padarn and walked to places me and my Mum and brother used to walk as kids while my Dad was up the top of the mountain in his car on his CB radio seeing how good of a signal he could get, and indeed how far away he could reach country wise and who he chatted too.
Mum was the walker and lover of the Welsh countryside and always took myself and my brother on her walks. I truly thank her for this as it has instilled a love of the Welsh countryside and Gods country within me, and no doubt been the main reason why I have been able to do all the walking/hiking/running and climbing I have been doing this week.
On this route I took a moment to stop and pay my respects at Mums spot as I call it, as I indeed plan to do for many a year as I return on yearly trips to Snowdonia, either with my Dad or on my own.
I have written a more in depth piece about this remembrance walk on another blog/story I write about titled 'A return to Snowdon' and it is available to read here :
Route video available here: https://www.relive.cc/view/1625481520
A selection of the days photo's are contained within the dedicated blog, I may add some more here at a later point...
A selection of the days photo's are contained within the dedicated blog, I may add some more here at a later point...
Please have a read of my Mums story and her eventual return to Snowdon, and if you can please support myself and the charities I will be fundraising for when I undertake the GB Ultras Snowdon 50 mile ultra in September. (It's actually 56/57 miles!)
I look forward to meeting again many of the runners I met on the official recce runs and the ones I haven't yet, on the day itself.
God Bless you all, and may he strengthen you, maintain you, and keep you safe and well on your journey, wherever it may be.....
The cause
I am doing the GB Snowdon 50 ultra for two charities.
Please consider a donation to either of the following worthy charities at the links below.
Please consider a donation to either of the following worthy charities at the links below.
Thank you kindly...
Lupus Uk
Llanberis Mountain Rescue
Now starts the geeky stuff just for the runners...
My running gear.
On the weeks training I had some of my usual preferred running wear and some important new stuff.
The most important being perhaps footwear as I was trying out a brand new out of the box pair of Hoka Speedgoat 2's. I am glad to say they worked exceptionally well with full on grip on all terrain and no slips anywhere, certainly not that could be put down to the shoes themselves or their grip.
They were comfy, cushioned, not too little and not too much. I was totally blister free as the upper has a fair amount of flyknit typre material so it has a bit of give and take and no annoying seems or points that rub. I was exceptionally worried about blisters especially with the terrain causing a lot of twisting and turning at the ankle and indeed foot rubbing.
I also used Injinji ultra run toe socks which I have used before, but I bought the next size up to ensure they were not a little tight around toes etc and I also bought the crew length not the usual ankle length as I didn't want debris or grit getting in my sock via the top.
They worked well and were plenty comfy and are now my preffered choice.
I also bought a tub of 2 Toms Blistershield blister prevention powder which looks like talc and is used pretty much the same way, although you tip it into your sock and shake it about to distribute it. You don't sprinkle it on your toes and rub it in. Allegedly it is made out of some kind of plastic derivitive which is how it reduces friction and reduces hot spots etc. It worked exceptionally well and I had no signs whatsoever of issues which I have had recently on other training runs in recent months with my normal gear.
I also had a new Salomon Skin Pro2 15lt sensifit running vestpack as I wanted the extra capacity. It worked well it was comfy and had plenty of pockets to shove my water bottles in, flapjacks, extra tailwind satchets etc. The main compartment on the back was one big one with a big zip at the top easily accessible with two zips, it was comfy too with no irritation as it was the newer Sensifit material which is stretchy and more forgiving. It even had an ideal pocket and loops to put my folded down poles in. It had a bladder which I took out and I only used the two water bottle pockets on the front that easily accommodated my two 500ml Tailwind bottles which are a wider bottle.
Next was the Black Diamond carbon distance EZ poles. This was a first for me and I found them easy to use as common sense tells you where to place them on a run or walk and they were exceptionally light, you could not possibly class them as dead weight. They were leg savers on the climbs on the extra recce days I did and it stopped me having to walk up inclines with my hands on my quads or knees on difficult bits, and they obviously shared the load and enabled me to get up inclines or climbs far quicker and more refreshed. I would certainly recommend them, you shove them away when you don't need them which takes 30-60 secs tops.
I actually wore a pair of regatta walking shorts for most days as I didn't want to wear normal running shorts and they worked well. They had two zip pockets at the hip and a back pocket but I didn't use them. I rolled them up some days to keep the length shorter to stop the material being restrictive in any minor way, and also to get a better more equal tan line lol. They didn't chafe in the slightest so I will be going with these likely come race day, they are also water resistant.
Running tops I wore my new GB Ultra t-shirt and found it comfy, I am slim so had a medium. It was fairly snug under the arms so watch for this as it could be a potential chaffing spot for some. I found the fit ideal as I don't like wide fitting torso sections on t-shirts as I am not wide and don't like t-shirts that hang on me. I also had a Sage Running t-shirt, but these are not readily available as they are special editions unique to Sage Canadays Patreon supporters of which I am one. I found the light grey shiny t-shirt very useful on hot sunny days as it reflected heat very well and better than the multicoloured GB Ultra top, it was also extremely soft which made it very comfy.
I wore a running cap at all times, just a standard Adidas climacool one, but I would note it is a soft one, not one of the newer firmer more formed shaped ones which are not as pliable or comfy. I find a runners cap vital for reducing heat stroke and sunburn and it has the added ability to be dipped in mountain streams and lakes and returned to your head for a blissful cooling sensation that lasts for over 20-30 minutes as it dries. A lot more effective than pouring water on your head that dries in minutes.
I also took and wore on the later recce days a pair of sports sunglasses, in my case a pair of Velochampion cycling glasses which I got for free as a thankyou for reviewing a few pairs of their compression socks/sleeves. You can buy the shades for about £18-£20 on their website, I would recommend them, very comfy and they come with some interchangable lenses too. I don't wear shades often, but on sunny runs the constant squinting eventually gives you face ache as the facial muscles tire and it can often be confused for feeling fatigued or unwell or even dehydrated as a aching tight face can be a sign of dehydration.
I did have on me all week a Garmin Etrex touch 25 GPS unit. This was vital in double checking exactly where I was at times, because if you cannot see your surroundings you are going to be hard pushed to work out where you are with a map and compass. I also had the GB Ultras route in it's memory so it was showing on my GPS map at all times along with where I was at that point, so it was easy to correlate the two. I would recommend getting one for ultra events in general and especially for any time in the hills or mountains when away. Mine even mounts on my bike so I can use it for on route Sat Nav etc.
I had a Suunto Ambit Peak Vertical running watch on me at all times to record my time out on the routes and it also accurately records and shows altitude climbed and descent and also current altitude which again is important if using a map and you are trying to work out what height you are at and how much higher the summit is. The watch has it's own inbuilt altimeter/barometer so measures accurately, it does not rely on unreliable data via satellites and strava etc.
It has a whole load of screen settings you can set for yourself for on your runs and multiple sports modes and customizable ones too. I found the average pace, distance covered and current time setting most convenient, alternated with all the altitude data because you can press the view button and it runs through the extra information screens you have set up. It also has extended batt life settings to ensure you can get up to 100 hrs max if you lower the GPS accuracy, but I found lowering it didn't affect my recorded route accuracy. I did find however that changing the recording interval from 1 seconds to 10 seconds affected my 'moving time' pace and therefore my current pace as it records less so doesn't know as accurately what your pace is. It does record your route accurately and your overall time but when uploaded to Strava you get a weird 'moving time' and 'Pace' super human infact.
My nutrition
I will start with saying that I am in general eating a plant based diet and mostly Whole Food Plant Based diet and have been for the last 18 months. I have found this extremly beneficial to the way I feel day to day but more importantly on my running and recovery performance.
It has a wealth of health benefits and lets be honest, if you are going to eat junk your body is going to give you junk miles and junk performances compared to what you can have. Eating the junk becomes second nature and we don;t even notice our performances aren't what they could be if we improved our diets. People can run and perform on junk yes, but they would be much better on healthier fuel and sustanance.
I have trained less in the last 18 months than I ever have before mainly due to wear and tear injuries and have yet performed better than ever, getting my fastest times at many events with a serious lack of training including a PB at the Snowdonia Marathon last Oct with only 6 weeks of one run a week all of them being just the long run.
Eating plant based not only lessens the amount of rubbish you put in your body, it also increases the amount of good stuff and nutrients you put in. You can eat as much of it as you want, there is no calorie or intake restriction here, it is a lifestyle not a diet.
Due to the increased quality of plant based my recovery from day to day events has improved vastly. No more so than at the week in Wales. I woke up fresh the next morning as if I hadn't been out the day before and my legs were not in the slightest sore, tired or achy. I did try an SIS REGO protein satchet on two night and Tailwind Rebuild recovery on another two nights, they may have helped, but I don't usually use these as they are not plant based or dairy free. But I get the same recovery after all my other events without the satchets.
I did for the first time use Tailwind on the runs themselves to hydrate me and sustain me calorie wise as Tailwind satchets contain all the necessary electrolytes and calories/energy via Dextrose and Sucrose a combination that is more easily absorbed by the body without GI distress or gut upset. The satchets can be carried with you and simply poured into your 500ml bottle and topped with water and you are go again.
It worked well for me as I didn't get hungry as much and if I did then drinking the Tailwind stopped it. This doesn't work with gels for me as gels don't take the hunger feeling away. Gels is normally my prefered source of energy but on an ultra there is no way my stomach or gut can take them all day and I would have to remember my water intake and hydration as well, but with Tailwind you have that all in one as it makes you drink as you go, or sip little often as the instructions recommend. Tialwind will be my choice on the day.
I also carried flapjack bars with me if I wanted something more solid in my stomach or if I was taking a decent sit down break after a big climb, this helped me top up my calories and constituted more of a snack on a 6-8 hour outing. Flapjack oats are obviously a slow release energy source too so always worth carrying.
On the first two days recce runs I also carried bananas, out of habit really as they always seem to be recommend running wise pre run. Not so sure about on run though. I tried to save them for bigger breaks and only half at a time if on a run so as to not give me gut ache. At Lunchtime on official recce day two when we had finished our recce run I ate my two bananas as my Lunch and set off on my own recce for another 7 miles and 2720ft of climb. Along with the Tailwind they served me well.
If anybody ever wants to chat about or ask advice about plant based eating or WFPB Whole Food Plant Based, feel free to get intouch. If I can help or advise I would be more than happy, and can point you in the right direction for valuable resources etc.
Thank you all for reading this far, and I bode you a fond farewell until next time. Please share my blogs around social media where you can to expand it's reach. They are currently entirely non money making and are just a passion I have, and they keep me sane in a mad world.
Thank you kindly, and God Bless.
Les Jackson aka 'The Gru'.
I now have a 100% organic cotton clothing online store via TeeMill. All profits from designs on my store go to charities. Some of those charities are mountain rescue teams in Wales itself. Please take a look and share around if possible, and hopefully consider a purchase.
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