Sunday 6th Nov 2011: The Clywdian Hills fell race (about 9 miles and 3000' ascent) takes place in north east Wales each autumn. It is less than an hour's drive from my brother's house in which is why I have now managed this race for the last two years. The running is very good being over mainly good tracks and plenty of marshalling from the local S&R team for which the event serves as a fund raiser. There are a few potential navigational slip-ups en route, even in the fine conditions which I have been blessed with, and yesterday I managed to indulge in two of them. The first cost me a little bit of pride, time and effort but I was soon back with the leading pack. The second probably cost me the race as I had a decent margin at the penultimate check-point, the Jubilee Tower (554m and high point of the race from which it is all downhill), which I duly squandered by ploughing a direct line through knee deep heather and bracken instead of the nice grassy track 200 yds to my left. This gave my pursuers ample opportunity to catch me up and I slipped from 1st to 3rd with less than a mile to go. Oh well, that's the nature of the game. I was pleased to be only 1 minute slower than the previous year. Results and probably plenty of photos on the WFRA website soon. If you ever get a chance to do this race then take it - it is a lovely part of the country and the running is reminiscent of something like Windy Gyle, with the added bonus of a steep scree gully to ascend near the end. I can provide a PDF OS 1:25K of the route if required.

Will Horsley