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For those interested.....S4C is showing coverage of "Ras yr Wyddfa" tonight, straight after today's Tour de France coverage. Both should be good! Gwen
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Please excuse me posting this, but Gwen's post brought back fond memories.
The 1985 International Snowdon Race, 10 miles, 3250 feet climbe, category medium distance,A grade
! K Stuart England 1.02.29 (rec), 2 J Maitland Scot 1.03.43 3 F Bonzi Italy 1.03.56
11 A Darby Wales 1.08.05 15 H Griffiths Wales 1.08.54 23 G Griffiths Wales 1.11.12
26 H Parry Wales 1.12.21 29 P Hexter Les C 1.12.50 30 A Jeffries Swan 1.13.03 1st vet
I remember it well. Having blown up badly in 1984, I ran sensibly, keeping a steady rhythm. I was just behind Andy Darby half-way up Snowdon, until he pulled away, and with the Griffith brothers til near the summit.
The top fell runners are crazy when they descend, fearless, flinging themselves down almost vertical slopes, without fear of injury or death. I couldn't stay with Hefin, but kept just behind Glyn, until my legs started to go near the end. Glyn ran for Les Croups for a while, in the mid - 80s.
It was a combined European,British and Welsh fell racing championship race, and one of my very best runs. I wish I could run a flat 10 in 72 minutes now! Ah well, dream over ….
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Nothing like a nice bit of nostalgia, Phil - yours was an excellent performance.
This race started in 1976, and was won by one of the toughest athletes around at that time, Westbury's Dave Francis. His winning time of 72:05 was only 45 seconds quicker than you ran, although 1976 was a bit like this year, exceptionally hot. I can well remember Kenny Stuart too, one of the very few to make a successful transition from the mountains to the roads, winning his marathon debut in Glasgow in 1986 with 2:14:04.
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Hi Mick,
I remember watching Dave Francis in the Gwent Leagues when I restarted running in the late 70s. He was a great runner, and a friendly guy.
My first attempt at the Snowdon Race was in 82 or 83, and I blew up spectacularly. Ahead of Andy Darby half-way up,
walking the rest of the climb, falling repeatedly on the descent, and being driven to the finish by a kind spectator when I got off the mountain.
I collapsed at the finishing line, was carried into the 1st aid tent, where I passed out. They put my bleeding feet in a bucket of disinfected water, and I woke up screaming. I was lying on the bed next to Kenny Stuart, who'd also collapsed at the finish, after winning the race. He was laughing his head off at me!
He was a lovely friendly guy too.
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