Ras Y Mast 2004

I'd been looking forward to this one all year - a race I've done twice before and enjoyed immensely both times. As luck would have it, Suswara had called me and asked me if I fancied going running with him on Sunday - when I replied that I had entered a 6.5 mile race he decided to come along for the ride. And a very long ride it is too from Bristol - best part of three hours! The Ras Y Mast, though, is such a great race that its worth the long haul out to Lampeter, as this pic of an ecstatic Suswara  fresh from the finish line (still clutching the hard-won goody bag) clearly shows.


The race is organised by the Sarn Helen Club and takes place on a combination of roads, trails and muddy fields around the Blaenwern Holiday Centre near Llanybydder - there is also a genuine Fell section in the middle on Mynydd Pencarreg, including the strenuous climb to the radio mast that gives the race its name. You don't have to navigate your way through the mist as the course is marked throughout. An interesting twist is that you can race on foot or bicycle - mountain bikers jostle for room on the muddy descents, bomb past you on the road and shoulder their bikes on the boggier unrideable sections, which looks like seriously hard work. Perhaps next year one of our cyclists will come over and try this race as Ed did a few years back? I think he's just about recovered :)

It was great to be part of a team representing the Sri Chinmoy AC - albeit a team of only two! Having done this race a couple of times before and managed a top twenty finish last year I was optimistic of a good race - Suswara on the other hand has not raced much on this kind of terrain and was running in road shoes so his prospects as he lined up to start were a bit of a mystery.


He related to me afterwards that 30 second into the event he had been having second thoughts about the wisdom of entering a fell race, and by the sound of it he didn't enjoy the early stages! Still, once warmed up he got into it and began to enjoy the rugged beauty of the hills and the amusing peculiarities of the course. Finishing as he did mid-table with many a handy club runner in his wake was a good achievement - and the smile on his face at the finish an even better one. He obviously had to dig deep to get round in a decent time and to remain cheerful while doing so is, as far as I'm concerned, what its all about.

As for my race, it went like a dream.  After the initial heave over muddy fields and ballistic descent down a soggy path I found myself still in touch with a few runners who usually are well ahead of me - I picked one out, who I know is quite "handy", and resolved to stay with him at least as far as the mast. This ensured I didn't take it too easy in the first half. At the mountain, I walked (hands on knees) as I've found I can go just as fast that way up a steep ascent while burning less energy and not inflicting so much pain on the calves - it seemed to work as I moved up a  place or two on that section. Inwardly I felt great - I was concentrating intensely, feeling cheerful and positive. When you get the chance to look up (rather than watch your feet) the scenery is lovely.


The runners I'd been following inevitably pulled away in the late stages, but I managed to overtake a few on the final climb then just hold on for 12th place on the last section up to the holiday centre. My best time on this course - 48.00 - made me a very happy camper. 1.20 better than last year.



At the finish I indulged in the obligatory washing of fell shoes in the water (like the runners pictured above) before grabbing the camera from the changing rooms to take a few snaps.

The Ras Y Mast. Its far out.
In more ways than one!