The H2H3K.
By Alan (L) Jones
John Wild flatters me if he thinks I did the Welsh 3000s as a circuit with Alan Barber on a day when I gather that dehydration was the main problem. I am not sure if I had even done it end-to-end at that stage. I was pretty unfit in my younger days with the KMC. I know I failed at my first two attempts, once with the Manchester University MC and once with KMC. May be it is my memory going as well, but I have no recollection of supporting Jim and Alan with Sandy on their circuit. I note that Dave Bish has added Garnedd Uchaf to the original list of 14. Has it grown to over 3000ft in these days of GPS and metric (not that it is much of a detour)?
I remain in regular contact with Alan Shepard who is still very fit and has taken to World Loppet racing (international cross country ski marathons like the London Marathon) and is a very active member of the Manchester Cross Country Ski Club. I was always sad that he was unable to let bygones be bygones with respect to Irish Row as a more generous hearted man I have yet to meet. In a rash moment, I have arranged to join him on the Engadin Marathon to celebrate a certain landmark birthday all too fast approaching, but it will be a question of how far I can get rather than what time I can do it in. That is my big challenge. H2H3K is well beyond me now and I am doubtful if I could do even one of them again. I am thankful that I was at least able to do the Snowdon Horseshoe with Alan on a magnificent day and two of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks with the KMC on another fine day just before my knees finally packed in for long distance walking (skiing is actually easier).
Alan (L) Jones
[enough on this topic for now, Ed.]
