Race Report: CTS Anglesey Half-Marathon 19/01/2013

The race that wasn't that was..

I had waited for this one for months and months. The Anglesey CTS mountain marathon by endurance life.

The journey to Anglesey.

This is part of there own series of events organised by endurancelife which take place around the country. I liked this one as Anglesey is only a couple of hours away and I had never been before. This also meant that I could utilise the camper and be joined for a weekend away with my lovely wife.

Initially I was down to do this on my own, I opted for the half marathon having read last years race reports and held conversations with Jo and Jason Bulley. They left me in no doubt that this would be a tough race whatever distance I opted for.

So with the motorhome packed and now with the knowledge that Mat, the newest member of the Striders would be running too as well as Jason, Jo and chairman Mik now down on the start list I went to bed looking forward to my weekend.

Oh dear, I awoke in the morning and it had been snowing, not just a little bit but the sort of amount that gets the kids off school for the day. Still nevertheless I'm sure if I could get across to Wales things would be fine. I rang the organisers whom informed me the race was on, but also they told me to "man up" and get myself there!!!! Bloody cheek I thought, but get myself there I would.

So off we set, well, after I replaced the battery in the camper, because it wouldn't start. I got as far as Chester when Nikki asked if I was looking forward to running in my OMM jacket? Oh yes I said, and then realised that it was at home on the peg. Ahhhhhhh... So being as the reason for buying this jacket was for this race, back home I went to collect it.

Paul and Mat on the 10k.

3 hours in to a 2 hour journey in torrential snow we ground to a halt. A jackknifed lorry on the A55 put paid to any arrival in daytime. Eventually we arrived at our little motorhome stop-over site. With a big sigh and a nice glass of red wine to unwind after a stressful journey I started texting others to see how their journeys had gone. Jason and Jo had a nightmare but had arrived, Mat and his family were still struggling in the traffic and Mik was yet to leave.

Then, the phone rang, it was Mik. Mik was ringing to tell me the news that would destroy my weekend, the race had literally just been called off. Ahhhh again ahhhh big time ahhhhh. The team that encourage you to "never give up" had given up because of the snow. The little bit of a chink of light at the end of the very dark tunnel was that the Endurance Life team would try and get a 10k unofficial little run together. So Saturday morning and I headed down there, more in hope than expectation to meet up with Mat who had agreed to go for a run with me. Just as I pulled up at the start I saw Jason and Jo looking like they were off to run but had decided against it.

Arriving at the start the endurancelife team were getting a fair amount of stick with regard to calling the race off but in honesty the amount of snow probably meant the right decision.

Still, Mat myself and about 30 other hardy souls headed off in to the mountain for what would become the toughest 10k I have ever done. Hilly, running on snow, and trying to keep up with Mat made it hard, but the cold and the toughness made me glad I had only entered the half marathon.  1hr 45 mins later and a lot of stopping for pictures, it was over. I got my self a t-shirt and a load of goodies that were meant to be for the race, all I want now is a refund and free entry to next years run.

 For more information, see the website.

Paul N.