Monday 1 December 2014

Final Newsletter - Round 4, The Welsh Trail Running Series

The dark nights and dropping temperatures can only mean one thing, Round 4 of The Welsh Trail Running Series is almost here. Once again it has proven to be the most popular round of the year and will be our largest field of all time, you are all mad!

Entries will close Wednesday so you have one final chance to grab a place.

Information regarding event HQ location, registration, start times, cut-off times for the Ultra distance, maps and up to date entry list can all be found on the event website

Registration 

You will receive your race number, pins and a map on waterproof paper 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.

The Ultra and Marathon Route

As some of you have already discovered the section through the forestry down to CP3 has been made more interesting due to forestry work. We do have permissions to use this section and there is a chance it may get cleared before the weekend, then again it may not. This being the case you will get a chance to take on our obstacle course section at no extra cost!

The Marathon and Trail Route

There has been some minor tweaks following a run over the routes at the weekend, updated maps and GPX files are on the website.

Kit List

Please review the kit list and ensure you have all compulsory items. These should be considered the minimum and you should review the items on the advisory list and decide which would be suitable for your level of experience and the time you will be out on the hill. This is not the time of year to be taking chances. 

Be warned there will be kit checks and you will not be allowed to start if you cannot demonstrate you have all compulsory items with you. 

If you are taking on the Ultra and will be out in the dark (most of you) a decent headtorch will make a massive difference. Headtorch technology has come on a great deal and a decent headtorch can now be picked up for a very sensible price. Any questions on kit choices get in touch now using events@mightcontainnuts.com or via our Facebook page.

Weather

Those of your who know our events will recognise we have knack of ordering interesting weather. Round 2 this year caught many of you out despite the warnings, we saw more retirements and potentially dangerous situations due to poor kit choices then ever before and that was May! 

Please keep an eye on the forecast and re-visit your kit choices as necessary. If we see that you are obviously struggling to stay warm and do not have sufficient kit we will retire you for your own safety. Top tip, don't wait until you are on an exposed part of the course and getting cold before reaching for the extra layers, at this stage you will struggle to get kit on and get even colder trying. Plan ahead and remember it is better to be to warm then to cold, especially in the Welsh Mountains in December! 

The forecast at the moment looks pretty good but cold with possible snow on the tops, it can change very quickly, use the link below to keep a track of changing conditions.

mountain weather forecast

Entry List

We introduced an on-line registration form earlier this year to remove the need for paper forms at registration. Some of you have managed to bypass it! Could you please review the entry list and if there is an 'Amber ?' against the veteran column we have not be able to match your entry to a registration form. Secondarily if your name appears a second time in Amber you have entered more than once but we don't know who for. In the first case please complete the registration form using the link below, in the second scenario please send us the name of the second person using events@mightcontainnuts.com and please ask the individual to complete the form. Paper forms will be available at registration but it will be busy so the more of you who registrar in advance the better!


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 / Finish areas 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.

Retirements

If you have to 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. Contact numbers are printed on the maps.

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

Food Before & After the race

After our continued search for a caterer we have teamed up with local company Prickly Pear, who not only will be providing awesome food but raising money for a fantastic cause in the process, details below; 

Menu - From 06.30am 

Bacon rolls – 2 rashers of maple cured back bacon in large roll with sauces of your choice - £3

Porridge – add your own dried fruit…honey…golden syrup…brown sugar - £2

Tea, coffee, hot chocolate - £1.20

Menu - From 12 Noon 

Cassoulet – a rich and spicy casserole with chicken, slow roast pork belly, chorizo, cherry tomatoes, cannellini beans and haricot beans - £6.50

Welsh Tartiflette – sliced potatoes cooked in creamy béchamel sauce with onions, garlic, smoked bacon, leeks and colliers cheddar - £6

Veggie chilli with puy lentils and Mediterranean vegetables, loaded on to tortilla chips and topped with grated cheddar, home-made avocado salsa and sour cream -£6

Sean’s chocolate brownies - The best chocolate brownies you will ever taste. Doesn’t contain nuts - £2

Fruity nutty awesome flapjacks. Might just contain nuts! - £2

Sticky mejool date toffee pudding with fudgy caramel sauce and extra thick cream. The perfect runners rehab and tastes GREAT! - £4 

The Good Cause

Students from Crickhowell High School have embarked upon an 18 month Personal Development journey that will lead them from a picturesque Welsh Village in the heart of the Brecon Beacons to Nancholi, a village close to the bustling township of Blantyre, in southern Malawi, East Africa 12,000 Kms away!

In November 2013 they took part in a 2 day Personal Development Workshop run by The Touchstone Foundation. The workshop is designed for 16 – 18 year olds to explore self-perceptions, perceptions of others, personal impact and to start to look at what is important to them.

Following the workshop the students were offered the opportunity to travel to Nancholi, in the summer 2015. While there, they will be immersed in the local life style and culture and work with the Girls Voice Trust, part of the Nancholi Youth Organisation (NAYO). Girls Voice Trust works to raise the profile of young women within the local culture. This is achieved by creating small business initiatives which will enable women to support their families, their communities and themselves through education. During their stay, the Crickhowell students will also be involved with working with the NAYO whose activities offer support to the most disadvantaged members of the community, helping with healthcare, education, orphan care, feeding programmes, home-based care for those suffering with HIV/AIDS, youth awareness…

To take part in this amazing opportunity, each student (and the leaders) have to raise £2000. This will be achieved by working and sponsored events.
This is another great opportunity to learn and, for most, the first steps towards entrepreneurship.

We would like to thank Might contain nuts for giving us the opportunity to raise money by selling our food at their endurance race.

Enjoy!

Post Race Massage

A local sports masseur will be offering his services post event. There is no better way to speed up recovery than a post race pit stop to get the recovery process kick started. You will be able to book your slot on the day.

Other things

Entries are open for 2015 and there are some fantastic early bird offers, take a look at the event website for more information.


If we are not seeing you next weekend have a great Xmas and New Year and hope to see you in 2015.


Thanks,


The MCN Team.

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