I'm glad I ran the Gilwern Grunt today but almost every step sent pangs of pain to my lower back. The ribs, on the other hand - or torso - were fine. Mainly on account of the fact I was never able to run quick enough to require deeper breathing. They maybe gave a little discomfort on the ascent of Gilwern Hill where I was able to do some overtaking, requiring more air in the lungs. I was able to ascend almost as quickly as I was able to run the flat.
The 10 mile route was interesting and pretty much as described, ticking all the boxes of all terrain types. There were tussocks, a little bog - but not too much, thankfully. There were a few technical sections - up and down. A steep descent. A steepish ascent. Some steps up. Some steps down. Some woodland paths. A little bit of Monica in my life. A little bit of Erica by my side. A little bit of Rita is all I need.. I mean some road, some track and perhaps just a little trail. Pretty much everything. The only thing it didn't have was a lap of the running track but there was one at the school so perhaps next year....
The organisation, as ever, was spot on. What you can never take into account for is that the local yobs taking down some of the route markers. Why they do it, one can only surmise. Perhaps they believe it to be the crime of the century, earning the respect of their dim-witted peers. Or perhaps they are truly are just witless numb-nuts with zero imagination, charging head long into a life on the dole and petty criminality before an early grave from obesity - we can hope on that bit at least.
I, along with most of the field, did not follow the route over or around Gilwern Hill on account of lack of said markers but we picked up the path on the other side - of the hill, not the afterlife - and carried on to the finish without further issue. I reckon it probably shortened things by half a kilometer or so. And if I'm honest, being completely uncompetitive, plodding towards the back of the field as I was, I was happy to reduce the pain - I mean distance.
I'm guessing I will be paying the price tomorrow though. I suspect, just getting out of bed is going to be a challenge...
The 10 mile route was interesting and pretty much as described, ticking all the boxes of all terrain types. There were tussocks, a little bog - but not too much, thankfully. There were a few technical sections - up and down. A steep descent. A steepish ascent. Some steps up. Some steps down. Some woodland paths. A little bit of Monica in my life. A little bit of Erica by my side. A little bit of Rita is all I need.. I mean some road, some track and perhaps just a little trail. Pretty much everything. The only thing it didn't have was a lap of the running track but there was one at the school so perhaps next year....
The organisation, as ever, was spot on. What you can never take into account for is that the local yobs taking down some of the route markers. Why they do it, one can only surmise. Perhaps they believe it to be the crime of the century, earning the respect of their dim-witted peers. Or perhaps they are truly are just witless numb-nuts with zero imagination, charging head long into a life on the dole and petty criminality before an early grave from obesity - we can hope on that bit at least.
I, along with most of the field, did not follow the route over or around Gilwern Hill on account of lack of said markers but we picked up the path on the other side - of the hill, not the afterlife - and carried on to the finish without further issue. I reckon it probably shortened things by half a kilometer or so. And if I'm honest, being completely uncompetitive, plodding towards the back of the field as I was, I was happy to reduce the pain - I mean distance.
I'm guessing I will be paying the price tomorrow though. I suspect, just getting out of bed is going to be a challenge...
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