Wednesday 5 December 2012

Ultra Brecon 40 - Winter Edition - Race Report - Sponsored by Craft and GU



Firstly a “Big Thanks” to all of you who came to take part in The Ultra Brecon 40 - Winter Edition. It was a truly stoic performance by all the athletes who were blessed by a mainly fine day. A special thanks to the competitors who assisted an injured runner off the hill thereby losing valuable time; very honorable; we salute you.

The course was slightly tweaked from last year to include more climbing and a little more distance allowing the event to qualify for 2 UTMB points. Nevertheless Hugh Aggleton scorched around the course in an astounding time of 6 hours 39 mins 45 secs! This was some 40 minutes in front of second place Stuart Air with David Ross in third place who managed to stay in front of a chasing Benjamin Moon.

The lead for the ladies race was much tighter. Katie Roby arrived at Checkpoint 3 (16 miles) closely followed by Bonnie Wilgenburg. The battle between the two ladies continued throughout the day with Katie managing to maintain her lead but never building a gap on  Bonnie. Katie won the ladies race in 8 hours 3 mins and 34 secs and was just a couple of minutes ahead of Bonnie at the finish. Natalie Taylor smiling all the way finished third lady.

The Trail Marathon folk ran an identical course to CP 3 before looping back towards Talybont. With some testing conditions underfoot Kevin Knights finished in a fantastic 4 hours 40 mins and 3 secs. Janie Miller had a fine race to finish first lady in 5 hours 46 mins and 45 secs.

A full list of results is available here.

There are some fantastic photographs for you to check out courtesy of Jon from Muen photography. Hi Res copies can be purchased at very sensible prices, take a look here.

A big thank you to all the Landowners, National Parks, National Trust, Forestry Commission, British Waterways and Gwent Outdoor Centre for allowing us to make this crazy day possible & Luffy for feeding everyone over the weekend.

Finally a big thank you to our sponsors Craft, who make some of the very best baselayers money can buy and GU who provided a selection of their Gels to help you all through your Epic day. If you want to take advantage of your goodie bag voucher code click here.

We have a curious collection of kit about the place including a pair of shoes and for some reason a collection of left handed gloves! If you think you have lost something get in touch and we’ll do our best to reunite you.

The 2013 series kicks off on March 23rd with 33 miles of the gorgeous Black Mountains. We are holding the entry fee for the third year running. We are already over 70% full so don't hang around too long if you want to be on the start line.




Have a great Xmas and New Year and hope to see you sometime in 2013.

The Might Contain Nuts Team.

Sunday 4 November 2012

Ultra Brecon 40 & Brecon Beacon Trail Marathon - Winter Edition

Despite the colder, darker nights creeping up on us, we are delighted to say that all 150 places in The Ultra Brecon 40 filled up with several weeks to go. We have ticked a few boxes and decided that we can release a further 25 places on a first come first served basis, these are also going fast so if you are still debating then you need to make your mind up pretty sharpish, click here and get your entry in!

There are however plenty of spaces left for the brand new Brecon Beacon Trail Marathon which we will continue to offer as an option alongside the longer events for the 2013 race series.

The routes are now confirmed and the updated map complete with water stops can now be seen here. For those that have attended over the last few years please be aware that that there has been some changes to the route (and the start line) particularly nearer the beginning of the event. I’m sure you will be delighted to know that there will be even more climbing involved! With the extra climbing and an extra mile in distance the Winter 40 is now an official 2 point qualifier for the prestigious UTMB Alpine Ultra Marathon.

The Ultra Brecon 40 - Winter Edition Route:

The route is a single 41-ish and a bit mile lap which is pretty demanding both in terms of ascent / decent (over 2400 meters) and conditions under foot – especially soggy, steep and slippery in places! Weather will also play an important factor in how challenging the route on the day is.

There are with some ‘special sections’ with help from private landowners to make the route as entertaining as we can and still try to stick as close to 40 miles as we possibly can. To clarify, this isn’t intended as a navigational event, but the map will be useful to pace yourself, check out contours and work out your water strategy etc. There will be signs at strategic points i.e. junctions to help you on your way and as much as we can do to help you stay on the right route. We issue you with an A3 map printed on waterproof paper on the day.

Please don’t underestimate it! This route may not reach the same heights as our Summer Edition, but is still pretty ‘gnarly’ with plenty of ascent and descent and some slippery sections present in places - poles may be useful, for those that have some experience of using them but not essential. There are some exposed sections of hill which may produce some pretty testing times especially if the weather comes in. A few of those who came to our winter event 2 years ago probably won’t have forgotten it as the temperatures were about minus 12 on the start line and stayed well below zero all day! We‘re not sure at this stage what the weather conditions may do this time, but we will endeavour to keep you updated closer to the time with the relevant mountain forecasts.

Conditions underfoot could be soft and very muddy in places. (unless its frozen of course! ) Consequently footwear with decent grip should be high on your priority list along with everything else on the compulsory kit list as seen here. Inadequate clothing for the conditions is the main reason for the majority of retirements. Please note that the compulsory equipment is by no means an exhaustive list. Whilst you must abide by it, you also need to be confident that you have enough additional gear and food to match your ability.

The Brecon Beacon Trail Marathon Route:

The first 16 miles are identical to the Ultra Route where marathon runners will have a short road section before the return leg back through the Talybont forest. Further details may be seen here. As with the longer route, expect big hills, steep in places, slippery muddy conditions, fire road, small linking sections of tarmac, mud, rock … in fact just about anything!

Checkpoints:

There will be 7 manned checkpoints on route (4 for the Trail Marathon) of which all will have plain bottled water available in 2 litre bottles. The position of these checkpoints can be seen on the route maps. It will also be the case that the marshals at these checkpoints will need to record your number as you pass through. It is requested that you have your number clearly displayed at all times. If you do get asked for your number by a marshal, please don’t get ratty if you aren’t displaying it properly. This information is recorded for your split times and more importantly your safety on the hills. If you number is obscured as you don’t want to pin it on your jacket consider backpack or running tights instead. 

Please don’t make a number up (which has happened in our first event we hosted) as it gives the organisation team a massive headache!

It is up to individuals if they want to add their own hydration supplements to the water. Just to clarify; competitors must take care of their own food from the start. (water is available at all the checkpoints). This is not a supported event. Make sure you have enough food to last you the event – there are limited facilities anywhere on route and even with this in mind they might not be open when you get to them!

We can now confirm that the revised route qualifies for 2 points for the CCC / UTMB.

In addition we are delighted to announce that ‘Luffy’ will be demonstrating his culinary skills at the finish so its recommended that you have a few quid if you want to sample his menu. The Welsh Rarebit (not rabbit!) is highly regarded!

How to get here:


Post Code: LD3 7YP

We would be extremely grateful if you can register on the Friday night if at all possible. You can do this between 6pm and 9pm. If you are staying at the race HQ, don’t forget a decent sleeping bag or duvet though you’ll be pleased to know that the Talybont Outdoor Centre has great heating!

Parking:

There is limited parking at the centre. There is additional plentiful parking available approx. 300 meters from the event centre up the road towards the village on the right hand side in the cattle market (look for signs). It is about a 5 min walk back to the centre. If you are staying at the centre, can we kindly ask you to drop you things off and move your vehicle up to the ‘official car park’ and not park on the pavements and /or in the road. This is to ensure that the Start area remains clear at all times and also to keep on the right side of the law who have always been very supportive of our events.

Registration:
Friday November 30th: 6pm – 9pm at Talybont Outdoor Recreation Centre
Saturday December 1st: 6am – 7am at Talybont Outdoor Recreation Centre

It would help us and you enormously if you can register on the Friday night if at all possible. Please don’t turn up after 7am on the Saturday morning of the event as you will miss the start!

Registration will close at 7 am!

For registration you will need to complete 2 pieces of paperwork. Again it would be great if you can fill these out beforehand and bring them along to make things a bit slicker on the day.
  1. Entry Form -  here
  2. Ultra Brecon 40 - Winter Edition Compulsory Kit List Declaration - here
  3. Brecon Beacon Trail Marathon Compulsory Kit List Declaration - here
You will receive race numbers, pins and a map on waterproof paper (similar to what you see on the site) for checkpoint references etc. To clarify, this isn’t intended as a navigational event, but the map will be useful to pace yourself, check out contours and work out your water strategy etc.

Compulsory Kit:

This is for your own safety. In previous events the majority of retirements have been due to insufficient kit and cold / wet related conditions. Some of the route does include some remote and exposed mountainous sections.

The ability to keep warm and dry enough is more critical than ever on this round so please don’t over compromise in this department. This is clearly laid out on the kit list. Any questions or queries regarding kit, please ask sooner rather than later. It is highly likely that you will use your head torch at some point during this event. Whilst we deliberately don’t stipulate what kind of torch you need, it must be up to the task in hand particularly if you’re not a front runner you can expect to finish in the dark. We suggest that you get out with one in the next few weeks and make sure that you are happy with it. Don’t forget spare batteries!

Start:

The start will be at 7:30am for both the Ultra and the Marathon and at the back of the White Hart Pub at the end of Station Road about 10 - 15 minutes walk from registration. Please note that registration will close at 7:00am at the Centre.

Race briefing is at 7:20 am at the start line as above.

If you do decide to arrive on the Saturday morning please allow enough time to walk from parking to registration (5 mins) and then to the start at the back of the White Hart Pub (10 – 15 mins walk) from the centre.

Finish:

This will be at the centre as in previous years. Be prepared for a final 100 meter ‘funnel’ to the balcony at the rear where you will be greeted by rapturous applause and a cup of tea and a biscuit if you look particularly green. 

Time Restraints & Retirements:

There is a 3:30pm cut-off time (24 miles in 8 hours) at Checkpoint 5 (Storey Arms) which must adhered to. If you arrive at CP 5 after this time you will be politely asked to retire.

After Checkpoint 5 competitors must complete the entire course by 9:30pm thus allowing a possible 14 hours to complete the event. If after this time the finish line isn’t in sight, we will politely ask you to retire.

If you do retire before completion of the event, please do so either at a checkpoint or inform us of your actions so that you can be accounted for.

Please, Please, Please, do not just disappear without notifying a member of the organisation of your actions as we assume that you are missing. 

Results:

As it’s a new course we’re not quite sure when the racing snakes might be in (probably about 2 pm - ish), but we would hope to announce the leading results at about 5pm at the event centre.

Food Before & After the race:

As we mentioned before we have ‘Luffy’s’ amazing cuisine available at the finish for a few quid which is highly recommended, especially the Welsh Rarebit.

Also, food at the White Hart Pub up the road is also excellent and very reasonably priced and tastes even better sitting next to the log fire with a local ale in hand. You may struggle though if you’re not there by 9:00pm.

For you own information ‘eating hours’ at the White Hart over the weekend are:

Friday 30th November 12pm to 9pm
Saturday 1st  December 11am to 9pm

Other things:

Top Training Tip: Do lots of hills, the steeper the better, and then do some more. Get used to walking on uneven surfaces with a bag on preferably in the rain! 

Do some training in the dark – Test your head torch.

Be prepared for hills, mud, snow, ice and anything else the Welsh Mountains decide to throw in (and then some more!).

If you need any further information or advice then please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll do our very best to help you. (Please try and do this sooner rather than the days before as its always very busy getting ready for the big day),

Be nice to marshals (they have given up their valuable time to support you). If you do have any grievances then please take that up with the race organiser who will do his best to resolve any problems (Matt).

Remember to smile or at least grimace!

Saturday 29 September 2012

Might Contain Nuts - Autumn Newsletter


Well that is the summer over, whilst it was not the greatest weather wise we hope you achieved all you set out to over the warmer months. We have been busy planning for the rest of 2012 and next year and thought it worthy to share some of this news with you.

Ultra Brecon 40 - Winter Edition:



The course this year has been tweaked. The start now incorporates an additional climb to get the legs warmed up and the climb up from Storey Arms ha
s been extended, the net result is that the course now qualifies for 2 UTMB points and is a little longer at 42 miles, but who's counting hey. The event (this year) is not part of The Welsh Ultra Running Series which starts with Round 1 in March 2013. The UB40 - Winter Edition is filling up fast so if you want to be on the start line please do not hang around too long. Hot off the press we will also be offering a marathon distance option which will run alongside the Ultra. 42 miles a little too much at the moment then take on 42 kilometers instead.

Find out more by visiting the event website here.

Want to book your Ultra place enter here.

Want to book your Trail Marathon place enter here.

The Welsh Ultra Running Series:



Dates are confirmed as follows;
  • Round 1, The Black Mountains 30 (33 Miles) - 23rd March 2013
  • Round 2, Ultra Brecon 40 - Summer Edition (40 Miles) - 11th May 2013
  • Round 3 - The Wye One Way 50 (50 Miles) - 5th October 2013
  • Round 4 - Ultra Brecon 40 - Winter Edition (42 Miles) - 7th December 2013
3 of the 4 rounds sold out last year and based on entries for the Ultra Brecon 40 - Winter Edition, interest will be even greater for 2013.

Find out more by visiting the event website here.

Want to book your Ultra place enter here.

The Welsh Trail Marathon Series:



We are exciting to announce that running along side The Welsh Ultra Running Series we will be introducing a Trail Marathon Series, incorporating the same great terrain, challenge and atmosphere as their bigger brothers:
  • Round 1, The Black Mountains Half Marathon (13 Miles) - 23rd March 2013
  • Round 2, Brecon Beacons Trail Marathon - Summer (TBC) - 11th May 2013
  • Round 3 - The Wye Valley Trail Marathon (26 Miles) - 5th October 2013
  • Round 4 - Brecon Beacons Trail Marathon - Winter (26 Miles) - 7th December 2013
We will be updating the website shortly with everything you need to know. In the meantime entries are open for The Brecon Beacons Trail Marathon - Winter Edition and The Black Mountain Half Marathon, you can enter here.

The Welsh Adventure Racing Series:



We launched The Welsh Adventure Racing Series with 2 events in 2012. The feedback to these tough 12 hour challenges has been fantastic so we have decided to extend the series to 3 events in 2013. We are currently working with UK AR to agree suitable dates and hopefully the events can be included within The UK Championships. Once everything is firmed up we can share more information. In the meantime each round will be up to 12 hours, based in Mid Wales and involve the same tough but beautiful mountainous terrain you would expect from a Might Contain Nuts event. Likely months (TBC) April, July and September 2013.

Might Contain Nuts Retail:



The range continues to grow and we hope to announce some exciting new brands in the coming weeks / months. In the meantime the Autumn / Winter ranges have started to arrive and as a result we are clearing the decks with a price drop sale currently at 55% off!!!

More items are being added all the time and the prices will keep dropping so take a look and grab a bargain and remember to keep checking back over the coming weeks.

Price Drop Sale here.

Thursday 13 September 2012

The Welsh Adventure Racing Series 2012, Round 2 Final Newsletter

First of all a “Hats off” to you for taking the plunge and signing up to what promises once again to be a truly epic day out! We notice that there as some familiar names in the mix as well as some new ones. All of us here at Might Contains Nuts wish you all a very warm welcome.

This round explores some of the more intricate parts of the Brecon Beacons National Park and in particular the lesser known Black Mountains which has been a favourite ‘back garden’ for training for more years than we care to remember and even now the appeal of this area hasn’t worn thin unlike our hair!

We very much encourage new folk into the tremendous sport of adventure racing. As you probably already know for this event there are 2 distinct categories:

Non Navigational:

The aim of this option is for participants to work their way around the course from start to finish following the route which will be marked at key points and intersections. There will be some compulsory checkpoints to pass through along this route which you must visit. Part of the reason for this is to make sure that you haven’t taken a shortcut and to give you piece of mind. The aim is to complete the course in the time available to you. The maximum time allowed to complete the course will be 12 hours.

You will also be issued with a map which is designed to give you a guide and also has some useful information on it such as emergency phone numbers.

* Don’t be phased or necessarily be tempted to follow other groups / individuals who may be part of the navigational category as they will have different objectives!

* For those competitive types, the quickest time wins!

Navigational:

This tends to be aimed at the more experienced competitor or at least those reasonably competent with a map and compass. The aim for these people is to gain as many points as possible in the allocated time.

For this event the time span is a maximum of 12 hours. Any time over this limit will incur penalties of 5 points per minute. It is also necessary for those taking part in this class to visit the compulsory checkpoints in numerical order.

Each of these compulsory CP’s will have a score of 10 points. Other CP’s will range from 20 – 100 depending on their perceived difficulty! Failure to visit the compulsory CP’s in order will incur a 200 point penalty. It is up to you how many of the optional CP’s you visit and in which order within each stage.

Maps will be issued at registration from 7:00 am

The highest score wins!

REGISTRATION & EVENT START & FINISH:

The event registration, Start & Finish is at the lovely New Court Camp Site only a mile or so from the base of the Black Mountains. Please report to reception upon arrival.

http://www.newcourt-horseriding.co.uk/default.asp

There are hot showers (for 50p) and obviously there is a camping option which we know that many of you have opted for. There is also a lovely country pub less than a mile away (Three Horse Shoes Inn) which is well worth a visit and bearing in mind it has some great ales on tap is probably more suited to the Saturday night for those that are easily swayed.

Registration is open between 7:00am and 8:00am on Saturday morning for a prompt 8:30 start from the campsite itself.

The first stage is on foot and your bikes will be transported from the start to the next transition point.

Please can you ensure that bikes and relevant kit are ready to transport as we also need a timely getaway to get it to Transtion1 on time. Any bike items to be transported need to be firmly attached to the bike, we cannot be responsible for loose items which may get lost.
  • Very Important - Please Read: We will transport your bike and bike related kit to the next bike transition. We will not transport any other kit i.e. running shoes etc. whilst you are on the bike stage. In other words whilst you are biking you will be carrying all your kit for the event.
Maps will be issued at registration from 7:00 am.

The Route:

The route is demanding both in terms of hills and conditions under foot. Weather will also play an important factor in how challenging the day is. There will be some sharp rates of ascent and descent with some slippery and technical sections present in places.
You will require a decent tread on whatever footwear you decide to use and similarly bike tyres. The majority of the route is off road.

A breakdown of the set route (point to point and fixed route) is as follows.
  • Stage 1 - Run / Hike - 8 Mile (approx 90% offroad)
  • Stage 2 - MTB -22 miles (approx 60% offroad)
  • Stage 3 - Run - 3 miles (approx 50% offroad)
  • Stage 4 - Canoe - 5 miles (100% wet!)
  • Stage 5 - Urban - Run 1 Mile (10% off road)
  • Stage 6 - Bike - 5 miles (100% “Road” mainly rough tarmac and uphill!)
  • Stage 7 - Run / Hike - 4 miles (approx 70% offroad)
For those of you taking part in the Navigational class then the off road percentages and distances will increase depending on your route choice.

*Please note that there will be a ‘window of opportunity’ to start the canoe leg for the navigational class. This will be between 1pm and 4pm from T3 (Stage 4). We very much encourage you to errr on the side of caution. Your strategy for the navigational folk should consider this. By our calculations if you leave Glasbury much after 3:15pm then it may well turn into a major mission to complete the course without risking severe penalties.

Teams will be in open canoes, solo's in Sit on Top Kayaks.

Kit List:

With the above route in mind including some sections of high and open hill there is a compulsory kit list: The forecast for Saturday so far looks favourable but we have noticed a marked drop in temperatures over the last week so pack that extra layer. We have also noticed that the evenings are drawing in and as such it is pretty dark by 8pm. With this in mind it is essential that you have a headtorch as part of your kit list.
Compulsory Kit List for everybody!
  • Backpack or suitable means of carrying required kit (as listed below)
  • Food and means of carrying water.
  • T – Shirt, shirt or equivalent.
  • Additional Layer
  • Waterproof Jacket
  • Shorts, leggings, or equivalent.
  • Whistle
  • Compass (which can take bearing)
  • Headtorch
  • Space Blanket or Emergency Foil Bivy
  • First Aid Kit
  • Socks
  • Footwear with adequate grip for potentially slippery off road conditions.
  • Well maintained Bike suitable for off road riding.
  • Bike helmet.
  • Bike tools, pump, puncture patches, tubes, chain link extractor etc.
  • Map (supplied)
*Please note that whilst the above is compulsory, it and the advisory are by no means exhaustive. Please make sure that you are confident of coping with the conditions and or in the unlikely event of a canoe capsize.
Advisory Kit: (Depending on conditions)
  • Waterproof Trousers (depending on conditions on day)
  • Buff and or Hat
  • Sunscreen (depending on conditions on day)
  • Sunglasses (depending on conditions on day)
  • Gloves (depending on conditions on day)
  • Thermal and or fleece top (in addition to compulsory long sleeve top)
  • Hydration tablets or similar
  • Money
  • Mobile Phone
Optional Kit:
  • Spare socks
  • GPS (NOT a substitute for a compass also NOT for NAV folk!  )
  • Camera
  • Whatever you feel will make your experience all the more enjoyable!
Controls:

These will be marked with a small orange and white orienteering flag. Whilst the compulsory ones will be fairly easy to find, some of the nav ones may well be a little more challenging! The scores will reflect this accordingly.

Food & Water:

It is up to individuals if they want to add their own hydration supplements to the plain bottled water provided at each transition. Just to clarify; competitors must take care of their own food from the start. This is not a supported event in this respect. Make sure you have enough food to last you the event. There are no facilities which we know of for at least for the first three stages. There may be some options at the end of the canoe leg in Hay on Wye for those not watching the clock.

Retirements:

If you do retire before completion of the event, please do so either at a checkpoint or inform them of your actions so that you can be accounted for. Please, Please, Please, do not just disappear without notifying a member of the organisation of your actions. We will assume you are missing and send out a search party.

Results & Prizes:

As it’s the first year we’re not quite sure when the racing snakes might be in, but we would hope to announce the leading results & prizes at the local Three Horse Shoes pub as soon as everybody is in. We suspect this to be around the 9:30 pm mark.

Food Before & After the race:

Food is available at the local pub Three Horse shoes. Its about 15 mins walk from the campsite. Technically they stop serving food at 9pm but have been most encouraging in try to help us out and thus there may be some options after this time but if you want to arrange something amongst yourselves then give Paul or Jenny a ring on 01497 847304 – they’re great people!

Other options are about 4 mile away in Hay on Wye where there are food several options from pub food to curry houses.

Other things and FAQ’s:
  • Be prepared for hills and mud & Welsh mountain weather!
  • Plenty of food! – 12 hours in the hills and on the river is a big day out!
  • Bring pens / highlighters etc particularly for the nav participants – very useful to mark the map
  • Consider MTB Map holders (Might Contain Nuts have some great ones in stock ) and or also perhaps something to put them in for the run / canoe stage. The maps provided however will be printed on A3 waterproof paper.
  • How will my bike ‘move around’? – We will transport them in a large van. As bike geeks ourselves we will do our utmost to keep them in as pristine condition as when they arrive. We have cardboard to pack between them.
  • Be nice to marshals (they have given up their valuable time to support you) If you do have any grievances then please take that up with the race organisers who will do their best to resolve any problems (Matt or Barry)
  • Remember to smile!


Sunday 24 June 2012

The Welsh Adventure Racing Series - Final Newsletter

Welcome to the first in a fantastic new exciting series of The Welsh Adventure Racing Series!

First of all a “BIG THANKS” to you for taking the plunge and signing up to what promises to be a truly epic day out!

Despite living in the area for years, over the last few months we have had the pleasure of exploring (and discovering!) some of the more intricate parts of the Brecon Beacons.

We very much encourage new folk into the tremendous sport of adventure racing. As you probably already know for this event there are 2 distinct categories to choose from:



Non Navigational Class:

The aim of this option is for participants to work their way around the course from start to finish following the route which will be marked at key points and intersections. There will be checkpoints to pass through along the route which you must visit. The aim is to complete the course as quickly as possible. The maximum time allowed to complete the course will be 12 hours.

You will be issued with maps to help guide you along with useful information such as emergency phone numbers.

* Note: Don’t be phased or necessarily tempted to follow other groups / individuals who are part of the navigational category as they will have different objectives!

GPS devices can be used.

The quickest time wins!

Navigational Class:

The aim is to gain as many points as possible in the allocated time. For this event the time span is a maximum of 12 hours. Any time over this limit will incur penalties of 5 points per minute. It is also necessary for those taking part in this class to visit the compulsory checkpoints in numerical order. Failure to visit a compulsory CP’s at all or in order will incur a 200 point penalty. How many and in which order you visit the optional CP’s per stage is your decision. You cannot visit a optional CP on any stage until you have transitioned via the compulsory checkpoint i.e. a running checkpoint on your bike. There will be a total of 50 CP’s available. CP’s will carry points ranging from 10 to 100 depending on their perceived difficulty! 

GPS devices are not allowed.

The highest score wins!



Stages:

Please see here for further information on the event format of both classes:


Note that there have been some last minute changes to the last stage due to tree felling activity in the Taf Fechan forested section. The transition will be slightly further up the road and the set route for the non navigational category has been changed to accommodate this.

Kit List:

Whilst we hope that it is a lovely day (although too warm brings it own set of precautions) we can’t guarantee it especially as some parts of the event are in and around the highest mountains in Southern Britain. As such there is a minimum kit list requirement as follows:
Compulsory Kit List:
  • Backpack or suitable means of carrying required kit (as listed below)
  • Food and means of carrying water.
  • T – Shirt, shirt or equivalent.
  • Additional Layer (Can include waterproof / windproof jacket)
  • Waterproof Jacket
  • Shorts, leggings, or equivalent.
  • Whistle
  • Compass (which can take bearing)
  • Space Blanket or Foil Bivy
  • First Aid Kit
  • Footwear with adequate grip for potentially slippery off road conditions.
  • Bike tools, pump, puncture patches, tubes etc.
  • Map (supplied)
*Please note that whilst the above is compulsory, it and the advisory list are by no means exhaustive. Please make sure that you are confident of coping with the conditions and or in the unlikely event of a canoe capsize.
Advisory Kit: (Depending on conditions)
  • Waterproof Trousers (depending on conditions on day) 
  • Buff and or Hat
  • Sunscreen (depending on conditions on day)
  • Sunglasses (depending on conditions on day)
  • Gloves (depending on conditions on day)
  • Thermal and or fleece top (in addition to compulsory long sleeve top) 
  • Hydration tablets or similar
  • Money 
  • Mobile Phone
  • Spare socks
  • GPS (NOT a substitute for a compass also NOT for navigational class!)
  • Camera
  • Whatever you feel will make your experience all the more enjoyable!

Registration & Event Start:

The event registration and start is at the fantastic Brecon Beacons Mountain Visitors Centre:


Registration is open between 7:00am and 8:00am for a prompt 8:30am start. We have also been just been informed that the excellent café which will be open from around 7:30am and as well as tea and coffee will be available for cooked breakfasts, bacon rolls etc should one want to get some extra calories in reserve! Partners and families also welcome!


Make sure that you have all the compulsory kit with you as this will be part of the registration process. You will need to have all you all your kit to hand and your bike ready to ride. Parking here is a special rate of £1 for the day. There will be a permit available as part of you registration process. At registration you will be able to leave an optional drop bag (no more than 60L) which will be transported for you to the finish, this provides an option of a change of cloths, washing kit etc. You will be asked to place your bike (complete and ready to ride) at the 1st transition area before the start. (Approximately 200 meters away from the centre with a marshal).

*Please note that the start and finish of the event are approximately 10 miles apart.

Maps will be issued at registration for all competitors.


Event Finish:

The event finishes at the Talybont Outdoor Centre.


Showers are available at the finish.

Be prepared for a final 100 meter ‘funnel’ to the balcony at the rear of the building where you will be greeted by rapturous applause and a cup of tea and a biscuit if you look particularly green!

A shuttle will be available to transport you and your bike back to the start if required.

The Route / Terrain:

The route / terrain is demanding both in terms of hills and conditions under foot. Weather will also play an important factor in how challenging the route on the day is. There will be some sharp rates of ascent and descent with some slippery sections present in places.
You will require a decent tread on whatever footwear you decide to use. We would suggest that you choose something with a bit of cushioning for this type of distance and bearing in mind that it’s not all ‘soft’ underfoot. 

Poles might be useful for those that have some experience of using them especially for those in the navigation category.

You will be visiting the highest ground in Southern Britain so bear this in mind when considering your kit options.


Controls:

These will be marked with a small orange and white orienteering flag. Whilst the compulsory ones will be fairly easy to find, some of the navigational ones may well be a little more challenging! The scores will reflect this.

Food & Water:

It is up to individuals if they want to add your own hydration supplements to the water provided at each transition. Competitors must take care of their own food from the start. Make sure you have enough food to last you the duration of the event – there may be some very limited facilities on route but once your into the Beacons you’re on your own so be prepared!

Retirements:

If you do retire before completion of the event, please do so if at all possible at a checkpoint, failing this please use the contact numbers provided and we will arrange to get you off the course. Please, please, please, do not just disappear without notifying a member of the organisation of your actions. We will assume you are missing and send out a search party.

Results & Prizes:

As it’s the first year we’re not quite sure when the racing snakes might be in, but we would hope to announce the leading results & prizes at the finish or possibly in the pub up the road depending on the consensus!

Food before & after the race:

Food at both the White Hart Inn and the Star Inn in Talybont is excellent and very reasonably priced and tastes even better sitting next to the log fire with a local ale in hand. We very much recommend this option, but of course you can make your own arrangements. On Saturday the pub will be open until 11 pm all the way through (though menu options will be more limited after 9pm).

Other things and FAQ’s:
  • Be prepared for hills and mud & Welsh mountain weather!
  • Plenty of food – 12 hours is a big day out!
  • Bring pens / highlighters particularly for the navigational participants – very useful to mark the map
  • Consider MTB Map holders (Might Contain Nuts have some great ones in stock) and map holders for the run / canoe stage. The maps provided however will be printed on waterproof paper.
  • How will my bike ‘move around’? – We will transport them in a large van. As bike geeks ourselves we will do our utmost to keep them in the same condition as when they arrive. We have cardboard to pack between them.
  • Should I use poles? – If you are familiar with them then yes by all means particularly for the ‘mountain run’ leg in the navigational class.
  • How will I get my car from the start? – We will arrange a lift back for you.
  • Be nice to marshals (they have given up their valuable time to support you). If you do have any grievances then please take that up with the race organisers who will do their best to resolve any problems (Matt or Barry) 
  • Remember to smile!