Training is going well and I'm super excited about my next trail race in Wales on the 6th July. I've been visiting the course which is in Gwydyr forest, Llanrwst, North Wales. It's a beautiful course, some short sharp climbs and some drawn out steady uphills, however no lung bursting mountains in this race. It's everything that you would want in a trail run. Forest floor, roots and shoots, rocks, grass, slate, track, path and farmers dogs.The race is x5 laps of approx 9 miles with the total course being 46 ish miles including a short road section at the start. Given it's relative flatness, I've been doing some speed session in a vain attempt to get a quicker turn over, time is not on my hands with this one, however really enjoying the faster kick. 

Here's the website; World Trail Wales 2013

The GB team looks strong, phenomenal athletes all familiar with this type of running. I'm humbled to be sharing the course with my team mates and am working my hardest to be ready for the race. We are lucky to have a great team behind us too,  making sure we stay fit and healthy, motivating us and keeping us up to speed with what's occurring. Thanks, Walt, Adrian, Eleanor, (John D) among so many others.

GB & NI team for the IAU Trail World Championships:

Men                                                                               Women                                                

Lee Kemp                                                                    Tracy Dean

Ricky Lightfoot                                                             Fionna Cameron

Matt Williamson                                                          Joanna Zakzewski

Iain Ridgway                                                                Isobel Wykes

Andrew James                                                            Sandra Bowers

Craig Holgate                                                              Karen Rushton

The weather has been amazing during recce's, so so lucky, even this weekend which should have been thundery and wet turned out to be blue skies and warm. The dampness has however has brought the midges out, mostly they are hanging out at Saw Bench car park, given this was where I was refuelling during my recce I now look like I've got chicken pox... thanks midges. Midges or flies in eyes? I'm not sure which to go for!

Some pictures:

There is an open race of 10k which will start after the main race and if you like your trail running and are twiddling your thumbs and need a speed session then ..........