Much easier conditions than last year, 8 degrees at the phone box, maybe 3 or 4 on the summits. Only the tinyest bits of snow and ice, nothing to slow me down. No wind either, but very foggy in places so tricky to see terrain for fast moving. Set off literally dead last, caught up with the race leader on the first hill, ran with him for a mile maybe, to just beneath the first saddle then I was all on my own for the rest. I kept looking behind expecting to see lights but in the end 2nd place finished 29 minutes behind!

Slightly different route this year too, we didn't go up corn ddu (due to the mist/fog?), so less elevation gained but slightly longer route. The very steep climb up from the resevoir was as boggy as last year, but they've built a rock path from the top downwards, which I found maybe half way up and that turned a sludgy climb into a staircase which will have helped too.

Very very tough. Wore Merrel GTX shoes with Yactrax grippers which worked great on the ice. Great event, but still sore the following Thursday!