One pound doesn't buy you a lot these days but entry to the Phantasmagorical Fan Fawr Fell Race it does. I don't usually travel all the way to the other side - of the Brecon Beacons for a 2 miler but I had a plan.....
I headed over early - stage 1 of the plan. Stage two was a warm up run up to Fan Fawr to look at the side descent. My instincts told me it wasn't a good route. Blasting back from the summit across the top must be quicker. In such a short race there's no way the ascent can take everything out of your legs. The sprint along the top has to be possible however hard you went at it on the way up - ssh, no, stop it.
Anyway, warm up done, I waited and chatted - as you do. Then a nice young lady from the University, as part of a study, measured my appendage - ooh matron. Also known as my right leg.
Onto stage 3, the race itself. Having discarded the rubbish route as an option I planned to stick to the proper route. Anyway, as I got to the summit Pete Williams was running so close to me I decided to prove once and for all what a sh!t route the side descent is and cut off on the diagonal...
Yep, it's truly sh!t and I lost ground on Pete. To be fair, not a huge amount but enough. It didn't cost me any places though so it was worth trying if only to rule it out for the future. I finished 18th in 22:46. Happy with that.
After the prize giving a few of us, including my OMM partner, Neil, completed stage 4 of my plan. A four and a half mile loop up to Corn Du visiting the little known Y Gryn on the way.
All in all a top afternoon of fell racing fun in the awesome autumnal sunshine. Big thanks to Toffer and Wheeze for hosting a cracking little race, this year celebrating 25 years since its first running.....
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