Nerve became tense once the race was approaching, it's quite busy for the preparation a couple of week before departing! Not well prepared for such a "big" project >_<
Supposed everything ready but I'm still fine tune the gear (even last minutes alter my "tire" of running)..... packing stuffs for the race & journey..... revising some basic navigation skills & download the offline map to my mobile (but I'm not comfort to use electronic one for navigation, however it seems every participants talking about using gps >_<)..... read some general information about the area (never been there and known nearly nothing about the areas).....
Never so nervous and sounds like I'm awaiting execution :(
Finally everything get calm after my flight arrived Manchester on time ^_^
Unfortunately, I need to wait at the airport for several hours as Wiwin's flight delayed :(
(Recognized the first DBR runner as he's carrying the Dropbag & Resupply bag at the arrival lobby! Nice to meet you, Travis!)
Train to Conwy needed to wait more than 1 hr so we choose to take the rail to Llandudno Junction and have a walk to Conwy YHA..... with our heavy backpack >_<
Supposed everything ready but I'm still fine tune the gear (even last minutes alter my "tire" of running)..... packing stuffs for the race & journey..... revising some basic navigation skills & download the offline map to my mobile (but I'm not comfort to use electronic one for navigation, however it seems every participants talking about using gps >_<)..... read some general information about the area (never been there and known nearly nothing about the areas).....
Never so nervous and sounds like I'm awaiting execution :(
Finally everything get calm after my flight arrived Manchester on time ^_^
Unfortunately, I need to wait at the airport for several hours as Wiwin's flight delayed :(
(Recognized the first DBR runner as he's carrying the Dropbag & Resupply bag at the arrival lobby! Nice to meet you, Travis!)
Train to Conwy needed to wait more than 1 hr so we choose to take the rail to Llandudno Junction and have a walk to Conwy YHA..... with our heavy backpack >_<
Town was busy as there's a local pirate festival taking place! So we enjoy some leisure walk, Fish & Chips and of coz the ice-cream (it's a must for the ice-cream monster wiwin) before having our dinner ^_^
Zzzz and tired after the long flight but still have to repack the gear and dropbag before sleep >_<
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The sunrise was ~4am so we woke up naturally in the morning. It seems that there's some shower before, hoping the weather would be fine in the following days!!!
We didn't have any plan except the official check-in and briefing in the afternoon! All we have to do was "rest" and "packing" :p
We didn't have any plan except the official check-in and briefing in the afternoon! All we have to do was "rest" and "packing" :p
by Wiwin
The check-in procedure was very smooth, hand-in the declaration form, drop the camp bag, attached the gps logger (race start already?! :P)...... Tent for the 5 days were assigned, Wiwin & I were groupped in the "Carnedd Llywelyn"! Although there're many unfamiliar name, but I knew the way home as it's the highest peak in the Carneddau ; )
Registration simply done! I recognized Kelly, who met before at the UTMF, at the YHA! So we went to the town for lunch together and..... ice-cream :P
Registration simply done! I recognized Kelly, who met before at the UTMF, at the YHA! So we went to the town for lunch together and..... ice-cream :P
Wiwin would like to have a nap and I prefer to go to the check-in counter to join the sharings of experience and map discussion with the fellow participants!
Having reading the information at the website and some experience of GL3D (similar race format), it's not difficult to understand what will be like in the following days! And the race director, Shane still emphasize some rules and regulations which would be strickly enforced and no negotiation! Points clearly stayed in my mind after the briefing was: 1. Ignore the gps logger except in danger otherwise DNF if press! 2. Stay away the farmland otherwise DNF (gps tracking will show :P) 3. Only ~60 trophy was made..... which means ~50% DNF will be expected! 4. Keep running at the mandatory route in the beginning otherwise cutoff (I'm quite nervous about that :P)
We should try to sleep as much as possible after the welcome dinner...... Everything ready? o_O
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Day 1: Carneddau, Glyders and SnowdonNervous?! It's no time for us to think about it..... busy for final packing, tapering, eating, drop the resupply bag.....
- by Wiwin
The early morning was so quiet as I can keep calm while going to the Conwy castle!
The souvenir shop was crowded with participants , friends and volunteers but the atmosphere was so relax, people keep chatting and greeting for each other ^_^
The souvenir shop was crowded with participants , friends and volunteers but the atmosphere was so relax, people keep chatting and greeting for each other ^_^
Map was given after we arrived the start area of the castle. Rain started, choir sang, speech delivered..... Started excited and nerves become bouncing
People circled together to discuss the course while I've no idea but planning how to tackle the control. Similar to the 2012's, Day 1 was a control picking games with check points at either summit or significant feature. I thought it's quite straight forward..... Am I too naive :P
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| by Rob Howard |
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| by Rob Howard |
We were off and heading out through the castle along the castle wall. Good! Everyone started with a leisure pacing so I didn't need to worry about the time crossing the castle gate :P
It's a long journey so I can turn on my "walking" mode ^_^
Runners keep passing me on the way through the tracks and paths leading up to the top of the Conwy Mountain :P
I can taste the Wales' weather as it become grey, windy and misty while going up! Great, first check point done ^_^
After that we jogged down to the Sychnant Pass! Everyone warmed up and scattered away on the steady climb towards Tal y Fan. The weather was gritty, cloud was so low and starts chilling so I stopped to have my hardshell on! People gone and the navigation games started! I left the footpath and heading to the ridge in front of me cautiously in order to reach the fence. Yeah, bingo! Follow the handrail and dibbed ; )
The visibility become worsen where the control seems invisible even within meters and it's crazy freezing which the hands begin frozen @@ Mistake easily occurred even all the controls on the Carneddaus mountain ridges! It happened while I stayed away from the good handrail (fence) while leaving the Foel-Fras in order to prevent stepping on the stony ground. So I contouring at the top of the re-entry instead of going up the ridge after the long and flat saddle >_<
Luckily I aware the deviation immediately and corrected my bearing back to the Carnedd Gwenllian :P
Stay Focus!!!
The visibility become worsen where the control seems invisible even within meters and it's crazy freezing which the hands begin frozen @@ Mistake easily occurred even all the controls on the Carneddaus mountain ridges! It happened while I stayed away from the good handrail (fence) while leaving the Foel-Fras in order to prevent stepping on the stony ground. So I contouring at the top of the re-entry instead of going up the ridge after the long and flat saddle >_<
Luckily I aware the deviation immediately and corrected my bearing back to the Carnedd Gwenllian :P
Stay Focus!!!
Good job, Carnedd Llywelyn done! However, today's ultimate goal was "Tent Carnedd Llywelyn" instead ; )
Cold and chilling as I nearly couldn't stand anymore even my mouth started frozen and couldn't speaking a word >_<
Yeah, final one Pen yr Ole Wen done! I remembered one of the route choice we discussed yesterday, therefore I avoid the steep south ridge while taking the east one down instead! It's a quite steep downhill but I felt happy as the clouds begin to ease and the temperature become warmer ^_^
Going around the lake and successfully reached the Support Point, Ogwen Valley ~13:00 ^_^
Fueling up with the instant rice made in the morning and fine tuned the amount of water need to carry!
Thanks for the help and cheering by the marshals! And thanks Darrel comfort me that if I can see the top of Tryfan, the weather around Crib Goch should be okay ; )
Half checkpoints done and nearly 3hr ahead of the cutoff..... But I didn't know the real monster was waiting me :P
Half checkpoints done and nearly 3hr ahead of the cutoff..... But I didn't know the real monster was waiting me :P
Wiwin started acending to Tryfan
It's a long way steps after leaving the support point and become steeper and steeper! Steps disappeared and replaced with some narrow rib of rock! Tired and fear as there's no obvious way@@ Scrambled and climbed, very tired! Fog again near the top of Tryfan..... Suddenly control seen and there's unique standing stones of Adam & Eve.
It's not easy even for descending the south ridge as there's no clue which line to take! Sometimes I need to go back to find another way down >_<
I'm quite nervous and tense as I need to pay attention for every steps so as to avoid the dislocation of shoulder @@
The start of Bristly Ridge was not obvious too. Follow the stone wall up to the crags & gully, scree slopes, shattered boulders fields , pile of huge blocks like a rock castle, the summit of Glyder Fach. Carefully continue on the same ridge down to a shallow col and take the path up to the rock piles of Glyder Fawr summit. The Glyders regions made me crazy, tons of scrambling and climbing, it took around 3.5hr to reach Pen-y-Pass! Luckily the weather was fine and you can pick the line to move beforehand!
Still have the last section, the whole Snowdon horseshoe, an exposed bare rock ridge, to complete!!!
Again it seems easy in the beginning with Pig Track rising steady from the carpark ^_^
Follow the good path until the shoulder.....wow..... Can't believe I should take this way up..... a little bit hesitated and held my breath for a second..... Let's go! I crawled all the way up to the steep east ridge to the Crib Goch summit and my quadriceps started to complain @@
Follow the good path until the shoulder.....wow..... Can't believe I should take this way up..... a little bit hesitated and held my breath for a second..... Let's go! I crawled all the way up to the steep east ridge to the Crib Goch summit and my quadriceps started to complain @@
Luckily I wasn't alone and try to get the most comfortable way up to the crest, even if I didn't know the best choice of line to the top :P
Finally I reached the knife-edged ridge of Crib Goch and the view was magnificent! So, I can have a little break! Actually, transversed the ridge was relatively more easier with handholds provided that you scrambling straightforward! So my quadriceps could have some relax!
I couldn't imagine if there's strong winds on the Crib Goch @@
by Ian Corless
East ridge scrambling of Crib Goch taken by Ian Corless
East ridge scrambling of Crib Goch taken by Ian Corless
knife-edge of Crib Goch taken by Ian Corless
It's a long way for such a tired body! Great relief after reaching a small scree gully which finally leaded me down onto the flat ground Bwlch Coch ^_^
The ridge narrow again as I ascended the Carnedd Ugain. Slow movement all the way as there's various obstacles which broadened near the summit ^_^
The ridge narrow again as I ascended the Carnedd Ugain. Slow movement all the way as there's various obstacles which broadened near the summit ^_^
Fog again, cold and windy.... But good to have gentle pathway leading onto the railway and so to the Snowdon Summit!
All the tourists leave and only 3 officials stand still just under the top of Snowdon! Thanks for waiting us ; )
Very foggy and cold! I was afraid I miss the turn towards Y Lliwedd so I turned back and went carefully again! Haha, I should went further down and there's a sign of "Watkin path" :P
Last climb but tired so the last 2 controls seems endless @@
Day 1 finished in 14hr41 before the sunset i.e. 9:41pm
As long as I crossed the Finish line and get the results printed, a short brief was delivered by Shane/Charles/Tom! Then as you walked through the tent, a marshals has your bags (both Camp bags & Resupply bag) ready and would lead you to your tent. Really helpful for the tired body! Well organized and thanks!
Then all the time was yours but...... Be quick! Eating, cleaning, packing, stretching, sleeping...... as a slow runner like me need an early start, between 6 - 6:30am @@
Hot shower provided tonight so I prefer to clean & warm up first before having my dinner :P
campsite taken by Ian Corless
After I finished the dinner, it's almost 11pm but Wiwin still haven't returned o_O
So I went to the Finish tent and would like to check her position! Thanks, she was approaching and nearly reached but the time.....
Great! She's good in shape (maybe better than me :P).....
she said that the terrain of the course was very challenge & interesting like that of the PTL o_O :PSo I went to the Finish tent and would like to check her position! Thanks, she was approaching and nearly reached but the time.....
Great! She's good in shape (maybe better than me :P).....
Oh no! Zzzz.....after midnight which means less than 5 hr sleep >_<
(photo credit: Claus Rolff)
(photo credit: Lorraine)
(photo credit: Wesker Lee)
