Chasing Mountains in Snowdonia – Chris Davies

The one thing that I enjoy most about running mountains, is standing still.  I feel that we spend so much time concentrating intently on the action of running whilst on technical ground, that we rarely look up. 

We focus purely on those ever changing few metres under our feet, making sure our footfalls are steady.  Working hard on the uphill, concentrating on breathing, pacing, energy conservation.  Laughing on the downhills, savouring the speed and flow, minding our ankles.

Without standing still here and there, we miss the point of travelling through the mountains completely.  Standing still in-between hard physical effort is where I feel I can learn the most about the mountains, and the environment that I am in.  It’s when I feel the most alert to the environment around me.  I can sense my heartrate changing, my breathing slowing, and I get an overwhelming sense of where I am at that exact moment.  It’s when you notice the sounds around you, from the wind on a wild day blowing through the rocks, pushing you from side to side, and a on a calmer day, the streams babbling underground, and perhaps wild horses braying on the hillside.

Being utterly silent, watching the mountains from where you stand, looking back on where you came from, and looking forward to where you are going.  Looking at the trail underfoot, and the rocks close by, following the flowing water as it cascades down the hillside from mountain rivers.  Looking at those things closer to hand, and then also – catching the mist rising from the forests far below, and the patchwork of the fields into the distance.  That is why standing still is such an important part of running mountains.

The other thing I really enjoy about running in the mountains are those days when everything aligns, when from the outset you might have been a bit unsure.  Running in the welsh mountains can be a tough job, and sometimes slightly daunting.  Now and again, maybe leaving the warmth of your house behind is to much of a pull, and you might say ‘no’ by mistake.  On this particular day, I said ‘yes’, and despite the thoughts of the tough job ahead, I was so glad I did.