Carneddau

Sunday 24/06/07

Ras Carneddau - 10miles (+) / 4230ft
British championships medium counter
43rd place - 1hr 58mins 51secs

My best result in a championship race.
Settled for a steady start on the road for once, but still found myself with Ali, Aly, Karen and Sharon when we hit the fell.
Felt strong on the climb of Dafydd so I started to wind it up and passed Matt Hulley and Janet Maciver as I hung on to Gavin who was cannily battling to catch Bethesda local James McQueen.
Didn't help myself by removing my brain and ignoring what I had read about the course.
I knew there was a trod off to the right of the ridge off Daffyd so why didn't I take it?
This was where Janet sailed past underneath me as I struggled through boulders.
Thankfully met my supporter (Hi Jo Bo!) as the ridge turned between Dafydd and Llewellyn.
Was just catching Janet and Gavin at the top of Llewellyn but a slight stumble meant they vanished in the mist and I followed what turned out to be Corny/Chris Steele/Barry and a load of other's stud marks down a duff route.
Didn't like the fact that nobody was following me so I stopped and found a traverse to the right and managed to get to the col up to Yr Elen OK.
Another slight blunder off there found me descending to the left of the chasing group including Paul and Chris. Tried vainly to hang on but they both got a spurt on when I told them they were behind Janet.
So if I'd took a perfect line I would have been in the top 30, but then again so many others got even more lost that I think I'll settle for my result!
Results