Firstly a few thank you’s to:-

The Moelwyn Race Marshalls the Saturday before last.

Rob Johnson & John Rowell for their interesting Patagonia presentation, again the Saturday before last & to all those who attended it.

Lisa & her team from Patagonia clothing brand for the success of their Worn Wear Tour last Monday & Tuesday. Over the two days they repaired in excess of 50 items (alas my two pairs of running shoes were an ask too far) bringing smiles to many of our customers.

To Matt Ward & his team for an Excellent Coed y Brenin ‘Goldrush’ race on the Saturday just gone, Matt even found time to bore those cheering us in at the Finish of my recent race exploits. I plan to reward him by buying a very bright pair of fell shoes this week (well they do match my jacket, sad isn’t it, & they will be only my 3rd new pair of running shoes in 2 weeks, even sadder you may think, but I blame at least two pairs on the Patagonia team & the 3rd pair on my jacket choice!).

Finally a thank you in advance to Alan Mannouch who is organising our next Open MIC Night at the Cafe on Saturday 30th April.

So what off my running well in truth the Moelwyn’s wasn’t my finest hour, torn between logic (don’t run you are still recovering big time from the Manchester Marathon) & stupidity (run it to make it six years in a row despite a broken body & a mild hangover from an enjoyable Friday evening with Twiggy & co.) I of course drove towards Blaenau under the illusion that I might just spectate but dressed to race & in inverted coma’s race is of course what I did.

I took it easy to begin with but gradually grew in confidence as I hit the first main climb & began to pick off a few in front of me. All seemed to be going well until leaving Moelwyn Mawr’s summit I hit the first decent & within two paces knew my goose was cooked. My thigh muscles which had appeared to be the only part of my legs to have escaped Manchester relatively lightly suddenly announced that they no longer existed, 7 miles to go including four full on decents this was not exactly music to my ears. From here-on I was to lose several places with any gains I could make on the ups soon more than reversed on the downs. My finishing time was my second slowest for this race but at least I did finish in one peace & without a fall & could laugh about it afterwards through gritted teeth!

One week on & having recced the route last Wednesday I was at the start line for the Goldrush race having walked to the start from my house. I have said this before but the 8.5 mile Goldrush is in my & many others view the jewel in Coed y Brenin’s marked routes crown & to race it was simply great. Muscles almost recovered I was able to maintain a very satisfying pace although in truth the last couple of miles did have a hint of Manchester aftermath in them. However I was able to hold off a strong challenge to come in 2nd in my O.50 class (the winner of which was local legend Dyfi Roberts who was quite simply in a class of his own) & 22nd overall. This all made me feel very much better with the icing on the cake coming the next evening when I got home after a long weekend to find out that Dame Kelly Holmes’ time in the London Marathon was one minute slower than mine in Manchester. Be logical Paul, one ‘poor’ race just 6 days after a full on Marathon is nothing to beat yourself up about, but when does logic come into it! Thank you Dame Kelly for helping me see the light!

A new day, a new challenge, it’s now only 2 weeks until with Dorina & Fraser once again in support I am due to head off to Scotland to attempt the West Highland Way in 2 days. Re-search & training now a full priority as I up the mileage & reduce the pace in training. 96 miles in two days (never done that), 8,000′ of climb in 2 days (well I’ve done over 21,000′ in one day) so success looks in the balance, think I’ve got the mind but have I got the body, one things for sure if you have the stomach to keep reading my blogs you are going to find out.

Now where’s my wallet, Matt’s Salomon shop here I come!