17th August 2024
Report by Huw
It’s probably been close to 15 years since I last did this race. When we lived in Hampshire it was a heck of a long way to travel so we’d always make a long weekend of it as a family. After a few years we turned our trip into a week’s holiday staying at a little hotel on the sea front in Aberdovey. George, who is 27 now, used to do the youngsters race and then Wendy, Serena and George would get on the train later as it made its way up the valley and back.
If you’re not out to try and beat the train, it’s a lovely run – 14 miles up the valley and back. Asides from a bit of a pull out of Tywyn it’s an easy run out across mostly flat fields to the point where you turn for home at exactly 7 miles.
The return leg is a bit gnarly as you follow the narrow sheep tracks running along the side of the hill. Runners will often talk about these as being particularly difficult and, whilst there’s definitely a chance of turning an ankle, it’s really not too bad. There’s a bit of a climb up to Dolgoch Falls which are lovely and then you’re off across the hillside, and to the one bit of the course that caused me a bit of an issue!
Marshals have a job to do. They have to make sure they go the right way, be there if anyone needs medical attention and, just as importantly, protect runners from their own stupidity. Unfortunately, the marshal at a very boggy section of the course wholly failed with me on this last point.
Rather than take his advice to ‘stay on the left’, I dived straight past a line of wimpy runners hanging onto the tape and right up to my nether regions in thick, gloopy mud. I took a bit of unsticking, being pulled sidewise on a rope before finally being released from the mud glue.
In my mind this took a good 20 minutes. In reality it was probably no more than 2. And so I was off again, a different colour now but no worse for wear.
After about 4 miles of more challenging running you’re back on the route you started on and things are much easier again.
Strangely though the toughest bit is the last mile, which is all on road back into the town. On the way out it seemed fine. On the way back it seems to go on forever. There’s plenty of support and soon enough you’re crossing the little bridge back to the showground and the finish.
I think my fastest time for this run was about 2hrs 10 minutes. This time it was 2 hrs 45 minutes which, to be honest, I was very happy with. For those looking to beat the train you need to cover the 14 miles in 1 hr 48 – which is going some!
It’s a great event. Next year it will be celebrating it’s 40th year. I think I’ll put it in the diary.
Croft Results – 39th Race The Train – 17th August 2024
Steve Partridge – 1:56:01
Paul Parker – 2:13:53
Huw Williams – 2:44:21
Anna Bromley – 2:51:29
Ali Benwell – 2:53:29
Ali Davies – 2:55:48
Clare Preece – 3:20:27
Theresa Jones – 3:41:06
Michelle Parker – 3:41:06
