Race the train! (search on google)

So what is this:

"This is the Race that we started with when we initiated the event 21 years ago. 2005 is our 22nd Race. It is approximately 14.75 miles long. This is the classic start on the crest of the main railway line bridge adjacent to the Talyllyn Railway station. Both the runners and the train are started by a maroon fired on the field by the timekeeper. The course, which is on public roads for just over a mile, runs through the town before heading for Brynglas. At this point, the course turns up a farm drive to cross the railway and follows it all the way to Rhyd-Yr-Onnen. After the farm drive there is a mixture of tracks and fields. At Rhyd-yr-Onnen you leave the railway and run up a tarmac lane for 1/3 mile turning on to an unmetalled track running through a ford to reach the first refreshment point. From here, you return to run alongside the railway over fields, rough pasture and farm tracks to reach Brynglas. Here you will find the second refreshment point and, after climbing up a short stretch of farm road, you cross the railway to run the next section with the railway on your right. The first 1.5 miles of this section is over fields and rough pasture to Dolgoch, where briefly you cross the car park, before ascending across a field to run through trees, before dropping down a tricky slope onto fields again and refreshment point three. A short run down an unmade track turns back on to well-cultivated pasture all the way to the turn point at 7 miles.

This has been the easy part of the course and you must be well ahead of an estimated half way time as the second half is much tougher.

After a short run through the field the course leaves for uncultivated sloping hillside, crosses a stream, running under the railway to now climb very steeply to run across the face of the hillside on narrow sheep tracks for over a mile. It then climbs to join the road used in the morning by the 10K races and so that description should now be read to indicate the course back to Tywyn and the Finish. Refreshment points will be found at the top of this hill again at Dolgoch Farm, Brynglas (as on outward run), Tynllwyn Hen (the first on the outward section) and finally at Hendy Farm, just over a mile to the finish. "

Anybody interested?

Only if it's a VERY OLD train!!!
Cheers!

__________________
Give me the hills!

i can't speak highly enough of this event!

its a great race.. ive done it twice.... missed it last year and will miss it again this year sadly.

the whole place is crammed with runners for the weekend, and the race itself is a real experience! don't reckon on beating the train unless you can comfortably run a road marathon in under 1:30.

my report from 2004
http://www.wibsite.com/wiblog/ed_m/read.php?6034

__________________

its about fun i think, something more than pure running, you have to "catch" something i dont even hope i could race it, but at least i will try

hmmmm sounds good... Does anyone actually beat the train?

Was told about this at a local race, may give it a bash....

only a speedy few

(not yet i)

__________________

Good event this, I've done it twice and beat the train on both attempts.
98 minutes 1st time, 93 minutes the second.
good trail shoes are needed as most of the course is off road, and there's a "in your face" hill at about 11 miles......