We were loading up the van with our only-just-built-last-week shiny new Cotic Sodas on the Saturday in nigh on gale force winds and the Sunday weather forecast for Snowdonia contained phrases like "avoid coastal areas", "extreme wind chill risk", "hail showers", "gusting winds" and "hill fog". Undeterred we were up and on the road before the birds were even awake and after travelling through almost every description of weather we arrived at Coed-Y-Brenin and headed for registration.

We got the Sodas ready for action and I layered up with lots of warm clothes (including faithful Skins top, PI long sleeve and gavia tights) as I knew from riding the Tawr trail before I would most likely be out there for quite a few hours! The event was chip timed and you could start any time in a half hour window so you basically picked a likely little wave of riders and off you went. The course itself turned out to be a real toughie – in my opinion harder than the marathon course last September with some of the fire road sections replaced by tricky single track and evil loose rocky climbs. I was sooooo glad that it was 50km and not 100km!!

It was when we hit the first section of tricky single track (which was actually towards the end part of the Tawr loop but run backwards as a rather nasty twist) that I was totally impressed with the Soda. I had only ridden it for the first time last week at Sherwood and hadn't actually raced a hard tail for several years (being a full suspension endurance type of gal for a while) so I wasn't quite sure what to expect around a course like CYB.

My theory is that if I can master a hard tail around here then that would surely mean that my skills were improving so I just put total faith in my Soda with its super-plush Magura Durins and I was really amazed just how confidence inspiring it was. I'm not generally the bravest person on tricky rocky courses but it just ate up technical sections that I thought I might not be able to clean and it clearly loves climbing, climbing and then climbing some more. I also quite liked the sensation of zooming down loose sections with rocks pinging here there and everywhere knowing that I wasn't losing chunks of paint and carbon :-)


The marshals were brilliant (still smiling despite several hail storms!) and encouraged everyone to give it their all to complete their own personal challenge. Us girlies on course were probably getting more than our fair share of support as there were only a few of us giving it a go amongst the men folk but I hope that this will change for next year when word gets out what a superb little event this is!!!

Just over three and a half hours later I was zooming down to the finish line for the final time and Mr M was there waiting for me, already cleaned up and poised to take the usual unflattering photo of me covered in muck.

Back then over to the café for a well-earned cappuccino whilst we waited for the presentations and the random draw to see who had won the “pot of gold” although the guy who won this had apparently crashed out and broken his nose so maybe not so lucky after all?

All in all it was a cracking enjoyable day and amazingly well organised for a first running. There were some nice touches such as the free shuttle from the registration area to the start for your gear etc, the dedicated parking area, the “pot of gold” draw and the fact that it wasn’t a totally mass start straight into the single-track.

I do hope that more folks will be able to make the trip next year, as it is a worthy way to make a contribution to some good causes by just having a great day out on the trails.

Check out: www.mawddachgoldrush.org.uk
Photo Credit:Mr Miles