Carn Mountain Sports

Just a photo dump from last week's Welsh Winter fun! Conditions are so short you have to make and celebrate the most from it!

I used my on my second day they made a huge difference, though I do see the potential to be tempted to get on ground that is not appropriate for them! They were quick on(I micro adjusted them after the photo) and changed my steps from being careful and considered to confident trusting in the bite. Really looking forward to playing in them when we get some more this winter.

Does anyone have any good articles about running in winter, I have always winter climbed or ski toured in our few Welsh Winter days but sense a new obsession arriving!

I had a play with my Garmin watch compass between Carnedd Gwenllian and Foel Grach back on Friday. On my first attempt I assumed the problems were with the user as I tried to do brief glances and got a little distracted with a set of tracks(it had worked well for a quick confirm for the track from Foel fras to Carnedd Gwenllian to Foel Fras l, but then has less snow with the wind keeping the path visible). However when I tried to come north cutting the summit of Gwenllian on the return to Foel Fras I discovered the issue was a bit the tool too!

It would often freeze showing the last bearing which if you were trying to quickly read it could give the wrong impression that you were still following the right bearing! I'm not sure if it was lagging due to the cold or a lack of calibration (Reddit always has answers!!).

Anyway the altimeter worked a treat and looking down and seeing 974(took photo 3 after a few steps towards summit and a look at Os Maps to check accuracy!) confirmed I was there. Definitely seems the more reliable tool anyone else got experience using their watch compass when it's needed?

Took a video of my watch after calibrating the compass tonight which was my previous impression of it. Will have to recalibrate next time I'm on the hill in the cold and see if it peforms better.

Great day in low visibility on Foel fras, Carnedd Gwenllian, Foel Grach and Drum.

Great afternoon up Y Garn and Foel Goch( mine were the only footprints up the latter!)

Conditions(see photo 4) were typical for early season and I felt like with my knowledge of winter it was just appropriate to be up there in trail shoes. I reckon after tonight it may need boots/crampons and I am definitely planning to stick to some less steep ground tomorrow if heading out in trail shoes.

During my chilled road run as I gently battle back from a cold my heart rate made a huge jump!

When I saw it on my watch I did a double take. I felt like I was taking it pretty easy and was running consistently slow!

Luckily I have been focusing on aerobic training for a while now so I closed my mouth and made sure I was nose breathing only. It was strange as occasionally I get a short sharp increase in HR that settles quickly but according to my watch this wasn't the case.

Thoughts entering my head are HR monitor not working, heart rate drift, some weird post illness HR or unlikely but I wish is a raising of my aerobic HR to elite levels. ( I have noticed for a few months that I seem to be running aerobically at 152 a few beats above 145 bpm which the last time I tested was my aerobic threshold)

Anyone else got any ideas?

Been a bit under the weather recently and it's been hard to get back into consistent running! Today I tried a cafe run meeting my Dad for his Birthday. Did some intervals which was made slightly harder by going off piste(photo 4 shows the view at the start of my second anaerobic interval!)
I felt slow running home after a small lunch!
Anyone got any tips from coming back from illness, I'm going to need them again with my young kids bringing every cold in North Wales home!

Expiremented with both sports drink on my long run last week! High 5 was much better but then SIS was older so not sure if that's why!

I wasn't prepared for how much less hydrating it would be and ran out early plus had a headache towards the end. Next time take more fluid if using sports drink!

After being drafted in for childcare duties, I reduced my Big Mountain Run for a Standard Long Run! 🏃‍♂️⛰️

My initial plan was to head to Tryfan/Glyder Fawr to build confidence for my upcoming winter season attempt at the Welsh 3000ers N-S. However driving through Bethesda, Yr Elen was smiling in the sunshine. ☀️

However halfway up the fog came in, nothing like a cliff edge in low visibility to test your nav! (If you have any nav questions, ask in the comments). Got to the summit in good order before a quick recce of the traverse of Carnedd Llywellyn for the Welsh 3000s. Will post up my beta in the next few days!

Looking at a big mountain run this week and the windy weather is not playing ball!
Can Tuesday offer me enough of a gap to try an extended Pedol Pennant/Cwm Pennant horseshoe?
The synoptic chart shows a weakening front which could mean eastern summits are better than the western ones!

Statue Tour! Nice little steady run, good to get the legs turning over after a lot of uphill walking!

Another day, another navigation practice! Happened to be a good opportunity to scope out the eyeing up a direct line from Cwm Glas Mawr to

1) Llanberis and Ynys Mon
2)Sun rising above Crib Goch
3)
4)A little passage above Craig Y Rhaeder which I traversed onto above the cliff! Bringing back Great memories of Welsh Winter 5) Me leading Cascade.

Anyone got any GPX files or Strava shares of there North to South Welsh 3000s. Particularly keen for info on where to traverse below Carnedd Llywellyn from Yr Elen to Carnedd Dafydd. I have a line but think it involves more up than needed.

Great session out on Moel Llyfnant and Arenig Fawr from Capel Celyn. If you want the GPX drop a comment or a message! Bumped into my old friend Aaron in the car park who was about to run up Arenig Fawr, what are the odds?