From Petra Bijsterveld…
This was my 4th time running this wonderful marathon which has been staged since 1982. Cancelled due to COVID in both 2020 and 2021 it made a very welcome return this year. It is a road race which starts and finishes in Llanberis and circumnavigates Snowdon via a clockwise circuit, taking in Pen-y-Pass, Beddgelert, Rhyd Ddu and Waunfawr. The 2674 ft of ascent are divided over 3 climbs, from mile 2 to 4.5 up to Pen-y-Pass, mile 13 to 15 out of Beddgelert, and mile 22 to 24 out of Waunfawr. There are just 2 short off-road sections: a rough but very runnable track for about a mile at mile 7, and a mile consisting of somewhat more interesting terrain at mile 25. More about that later.
This year was the first time that I had managed to book a room at the Royal Victoria Hotel in Llanberis which is located just a few hundred metres from the start line. In previous years I had often looked with some envy at runners emerging from its doors and it was a real bonus being able to stay there. No faffing around with parking on race morning, an excellent breakfast served from 7 well in time for a 10:30 race start, the company of other runners, and most importantly being able to stay in my room (as it rained quite hard) until 10:15 before jogging down to the start.
The weather forecast was not great, heavy rain and increasing wind, though with warm temperatures for the time of year, around 14 degrees. As it turned out the rain was not as heavy as predicted and it was dry for the middle part of the race, the wind was blustery and a little bit of a pain but only really picked up in force after I had finished. Though I wore just shorts and a vest I dare say I was almost too warm at times and could have done with another rain shower in the middle!
My previous finishing times in this race had varied from 4:50 to 4:54 and I was keen to keep it under 5 hours, but the realisation that 3 years had passed, and that I had hardly done any road races in that time, had sown doubts in my mind. Despite studying my previous splits and knowing the route I was unsure about a pacing strategy, and I simultaneously worried about going out too fast or too slowly. The first few miles up to Pen-y-Pass were full of negative chatter in my mind and worries about my finish time. I had to have some firm words with myself to turn that commentary off! Told myself to concentrate on the mile I was in, rather than the miles that were to come, and reminded myself that I had trained and prepared as well as I could and that therefore whatever result rolled out would be totally acceptable.
I was slightly ahead of my previous times at the Pen-y-Pass and Beddgelert timing mats. Reassuring, but early days yet. But I did feel good going into the climb at mile 13 which was promising. I ran all the way up the 2 mile long ascent, this may sound as it should be but many of my fellow runners were walking or run-walking already. Overtaking them did not always mean I left them definitively behind, as plenty managed to maintain a similar overall pace, but it did give me a big psychological boost. I knew the hardest section lay just ahead though. Most runners dread the final climb, but I feel relief when I get there. For me the hardest section of this race is always mile 17 to 22, which is slightly undulating but the most level part of the course. It is tedious and I have always lost time there by walking sections, overcome by fatigue. This time I managed to deploy some of the mental tactics learnt recently in ultra-running. Basically, I told myself I was not allowed to walk (apart from slowing down at drinks stations) until mile 22 unless ‘one of my legs fell off’, and fatigue was definitely no excuse to stop running. It worked, and during those 5 dreary miles I allowed myself to do some calculations and I could reassure myself that unless disaster struck I should be well within 5 hours. At Waunfawr, the longed-for mile 22, we turned right and started the last climb. This is power-hiking territory, interspersed with running some more level sections, for 2 miles. I whizzed past lots of struggling people here, very much on a mission, especially as I now perceived that I might be able to improve on all my previous times here. At the top of the climb there is a drinks station which always outdoes itself to be the best of the course, with lots of volunteers in fancy dress, however I am afraid I glanced neither left nor right but pressed on at full speed (whatever that is at this point) for the descent into Llanberis. This particular mile 25 is a challenge in a road race, as it is very much off-road! A track which combines slate, mud, grass and goes steeply downhill until you reach tarmac again. After the recent rain this was, as so often, a complete mudslide. Practically every runner wears pure road shoes and this is where you then potentially pay the price, either in comedy moments and a very muddy backside, or possibly in an unfortunate injury. Or some just lose a lot of precious time. I always wear hybrid road-to-trail shoes for this race and this is where the dividend is paid out. I am a poor descender if anything is remotely technical, but this terrain is not difficult in shoes with a bit of grip so I fly down overtaking lots of people, keeping a beady eye out for any female who might be in my age category and making sure I leave them behind. I keep going as fast as I can down the final mile, when I reach the tarmac path, still very steep, it’s wet of course and a bit slippery and some runners keep stopping suddenly mid-track with cramp or quads that have given up the ghost. Something is hurting in my right knee but I tell it to shut up and hurtle the last 0.2 miles to the finish at a pace approximating my top 1 mile speed. I knew I was never going to win my age category as this race attracts a lot of quality club runners, but I wanted to do as well as I possibly could in what was my 1st race as an F60. I crossed the line having knocked 13 minutes off my best time on this course, and this turned out to also be my all-time marathon PB. I was 5th F60 out of 29. I am not ashamed to say I briefly cried with joy and relief, standing at the finish in the pouring rain in a silver blanket, clutching my 4th Welsh slate coaster.
I can recommend this race to all Harriers. It truly is iconic, with stunning mountain scenery in autumn colours, and with plentiful local support shouting encouragement in Welsh and English (running in green and red you get the Welsh, especially as Les Croupiers, the Cardiff running club, have the same vest). Entry is by ballot, and I will definitely be trying to get a place again for 2023. I have booked the Royal Victoria Hotel already in any case!
(1 02:39:51 Daniel Kashi, Sale Harriers)
743 04:37:19 Petra Bijsterveld
1607 finished