If you are wondering how to get back into trim after the coming festive season visit our Events page where I have just up-loaded somer local fell races for North Wales in January. Due to other commitments I am sadly going to have to miss Michael Corrales ‘new’ Conwy Mountain race which is a great pity because last year I took part in a pre-race recce led by Michael, loved the route but couldn’t make the race itself, maybe next year unless it again clashes with the Buff Winter Trail Half Marathon. Sorry Michael but the Buff is just a trot away from my House in the CyB & I have run it every year to date. Alas I’ll also be giving the Tarren Hendre a miss, the thought of cancelling Dorina’s & My ski trip to Bormio, Italy just can’t be contemplated.

So that just leaves me with the by now standard outing of Llyn Llydaw on New Year’s Day, an excellent way of clearing the also standard hangover, bad weather probably standard too & just adds to the post race talking points.

Did you enjoy the snow? Didn’t last long at lower levels but hopefully the first of a good winter season. We took what turned out to be a wise decision & stayed at the Cafe on Saturday & Sunday which meant we could actually open up on Sunday morning. The first 3 hours were deadly quiet, snow continued to fall, the feet itched so at 11:00 a.m. I was running out the door to break trail through the virgin snow suitably donned with bag filled with emergency food & clothing.

My early strides brought disappointment, the trail had already been trodden by walkers & there were plenty of shouts of ‘coming behind you’. Soon after crossing the road after Plas y Brenin wilderness was almost found as the tracks reduced to a lone walker & their dog, this was becoming more enjoyable. As I turned right towards Joe Brown I passed the woman & her dog only to look ahead & see a hoard on the slopes I was running to, sledges & shouts filling my senses, where was my splendid isolation?

Thankfully as I surmounted that hill I ran away from the fun & laughter, the trail had still been broken but I was now alone. The next hour saw me only pass one couple walking as I kicked my way through 3 to 4 inches of pure soft snow through a forested landscape that would do any Christmas Card proud. After almost 2 hours & 11 Miles I returned to the Cafe invigorated, I’d even found a few short sections where I actually broke the trail too.

Then the guilt appeared, the Cafe was now full, we were half-staffed due to the weather, 4 in all excluding me, it was time to roll up my sleeves & work. This we all did for the next 4 hours until things finally began to subside. It was a great effort by Titi, Dorina, Nick & Katy so a reward of a pub meal at the Tynny seemed a good way of thanking them, they rewarded me by keeping the walk home (well back to the Cafe) snowball fight amongst themselves.

Monday dawned, busy again with Snowseeyers but this time I got it right leaving my repeat 11 miler until late afternoon. This time quieter as I ran into the Snow white night with headtorch hardly needed. Sadly the Snow’s gone for now but I’d made the most of it from a running point of view at least.

But the weekend had another highlight as Dorina & I had attended Maggie’s 70th celebrations at Mynydd Llandegai, I wisely chose not to lower the dancing tone until the last dance at least & will avoid naming & shaming some who should have known better. In truth everyone had a thoroughly good knees up so thank you Maggie & Alwyn it was great to join you.

Snow is forecasted higher up again today, will we get home or will it be another night at the Cafe, one thing I can say, apart from Christmas Day we will be doing our best to stay open & serve as fast as we can whatever the circumstances.

Next week I have a plan to run the new Snowdonia Way over 3 days which if done will be rewarded the next day by knuckling down to finalise our End of Year Accounts with our Accountant, very tempting to get deliberately lost & take the run into a 4th day, is Her Majesty’s Government really that important? Watch this space to see if common sense & I prevail.