The Gilwern Grunt – March 28th

Venue: The Whistle Inn, Blaenavon

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It really is the most interesting off-road race, with some spectacular scenery set amongst a backdrop of remote moorland-like areas and old quarry workings. A route for connoisseurs! Heavy overnight wind and rain from storm ‘Katie’, made the course very wet, with all the paths turned into streams.

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Highlights include the “Grunt” climb, the marvellous, spectacular run around and down from Gilwern Hill, a windy traverse of “The Tumble” and an excursion through the lava-like landscape of the canyons of Pwll Du – including a very steep ‘all fours’ climb, on loose rock, that needed a rope at the top to help the runners up. Fell shoes were definitely the shoe of choice!

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The approximate distance is 7.5 miles, with about 450M ascent.

There was a good run from Dan Sandford, who claimed 4th place and 1st V40.

An ‘eggcellent’ way to work off the Easter chocolate!

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Full Results:

4th Dan Sandford 1:02:47 (1st V40), 21st Andy Horlick, 22nd Mark Mathews, 48th Michael Marks, 60th Neville Turner, 64th Kate Burke, 74th Peter Short.

 

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