Saturday 12th November 2016
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18 GoodGym runners from GoodGym Bristol and GoodGym London set off on an adventure to the Gower Peninsula in Wales (GoodGym's favourite country to trail run in), staying in Rhosilli for the weekend and entering the Endurance Life Coastal Trail series.
The race itself had taken almost a folklore like status, with stories of mountains, mud, sand and stormy weather we prepared for the worst and hoped for the best; and WOW did the Gower deliver! Both in terms of a very challenging course but also some seriously stunning scenery.
In terms of the running: everyone set themselves a challenge in entering this race and thus did fantastically to make it because it was a challenging course, so well done one and all. The marathon was certainly tough and I feel some of the photos say more than words ever could... A number of the team had never run a trail race before, but they all agreed to trail run more, so watch this space for more opportunities. Race Results can be found here if you're interested
After the race we retired to the bunkhouse where the catering team lead by Kev, delivered a tagine feast fit for a team of dragon slayers, washed down with wine to ease the sore muscles, and a game of Cranium. Plus a few extracts were read out from possibly the oddest visitor book in the whole of wales!
Then on Sunday after breakfast, with a long journey ahead GG London headed back along the M4, meanwhile GG Bristol & Jack went for a walk back to appreciate the view which passed in a blur of agony at the end of the race (well for the marathon runners certainly!) Fortunately it was near low tide so we walked/scrambled out along the causeway to Worms Head rock (named from 'Wurm' which is "dragon" in Viking - for any nomenclature fans out there) spotting seals from the cliff tops. Then we dashed back before the tide came in, and went to the pub for a Sunday roast before setting off along the M4 as well back to England.
If this has inspired you to try trail racing, there are three trail races next year in the GoodGym Race teams race calendar. Join us!
18 redwyr GoodGym o GoodGym Bryste a GoodGym Llundain yn cychwyn ar antur i Benrhyn Gŵyr yng Nghymru (hoff wlad GoodGym i Lwybr redeg mewn), yn aros yn Rhosili ar gyfer y penwythnos ac yn mynd i mewn i'r gyfres Llwybr Arfordirol Endurance Life.
Roedd y ras ei hun wedi cymryd bron i lên gwerin fel statws, gyda straeon o fynyddoedd, llaid, tywod a thywydd stormus ni baratoi ar gyfer y gwaethaf ac yn gobeithio am y gorau; a WOW wnaeth y Gŵyr gyflawni! O ran cwrs heriol iawn ond hefyd rhai golygfeydd godidog o ddifrif.
O ran rhedeg: pawb gosod eu hunain yn her wrth fynd i mewn ras hon ac felly gwnaeth wych i'w wneud yn oherwydd ei fod yn gwrs heriol, felly da iawn un a phob. Mae'r marathon yn sicr anodd ac rwy'n teimlo rhai o'r lluniau yn dweud mwy na geiriau erioed y gallai ... Mae nifer o'r tîm erioed wedi rhedeg ras llwybr o'r blaen, ond maent i gyd yn cytuno i TRAIL redeg yn fwy, felly gwyliwch y gofod hwn am fwy o gyfleoedd . Gall canlyniadau Hil ar gael yma os oes gennych ddiddordeb
Ar ôl y ras i ni ymddeol i'r hundy lle mae'r tîm arlwyo dan arweiniad Kev, cyflwyno tagine gwledd addas ar gyfer tîm o Slayers dragon, golchi i lawr gyda gwin i leddfu'r cyhyrau dolurus, a gêm o cranium. Ynghyd â rhai detholiadau Darllenwyd allan o bosibl llyfr ymwelwyr oddest yn y cyfan o cymru!
Yna, ar ddydd Sul ar ôl brecwast, gyda taith hir o'n blaenau GG Llundain, dan arweiniad yn ôl ar hyd yr M4, yn y cyfamser aeth GG Bristol & Jack am dro yn ôl i werthfawrogi'r olygfa oedd yn mynd mewn Blur o ing ar ddiwedd y ras (dda ar gyfer y ! rhedwyr marathon yn sicr) yn ffodus roedd yn llanw ger isel, felly ni gerdded / sgramblo allan ar hyd y sarn i Worms Head graig (a enwir o 'Wurm' sy'n "dragon" yn Viking - ar gyfer unrhyw gefnogwyr gyfundrefn enwau allan yno) adnabod morloi oddi wrth y clogwyn topiau. Yna rydym yn chwalu yn ôl cyn i'r llanw ddod i mewn, ac yn mynd i'r dafarn am rhost dydd Sul cyn cychwyn ar y daith ar hyd yr M4 yn ogystal yn ôl i Loegr.
Os yw hyn wedi eich ysbrydoli i roi cynnig ar rasio llwybr, mae tri rasys llwybr y flwyddyn nesaf yn y timau Ras GoodGym calendr hil. Ymunwch a ni!
Matt
Mon 14th Nov 2016 at 11:28pm
Brilliant photos Matt and well done to everyone !!!
Tue 15th Nov 2016 at 1:44pm
Google Translate? I really really wish I could have been there, well done all!
Tue 15th Nov 2016 at 6:26pm
Very appropriate use of puns there Matt. Ace race report too :)
Mon 21st Nov 2016 at 1:52pm
Nice one, Matt. And great pictures from all those that contributed.
Bristol
A chance to get out of the house to banish some brambles and other weeds