URGENT Breaking News! Date change for the 'Wye One Way 50' and 'Wye Valley Trail Marathon'

This is not a decision we have taken lightly however the next round of the Welsh Ultra Running Series and the Wye Valley Trail Marathon of 2013 is to be changed from October 5^th to October 12^th. 

Despite being confirmed we recently received news that our planned event HQ is no longer an option. This is due to external reasons beyond our control and is not related in any way to MCN or our involvement there in previous years. We have desperately attempted to stick to the same date and find an alternative venue which works to provide minimal change and disruption but after exhausting all potential options have eventually had to succumb to the fact that we either have to cancel the event or change the date. Regulars of our events will know that cancelling an event will always be a last resort thus the decision to change the date to October 12th.

For those of you who can’t make the revised October 12^th date we can only profusely apologise and offer you a complete refund (or free transferable entry into Round 4 in the Brecon Beacons on December 7^th). On the positive note you may now have one week extra in which to train!

The new venue will be Woodlands Outdoor Centre again at Glasbury less than ½ mile from our original venue. It is a similar type of set up to Glasbury House and accommodation options will continue as they have been previously. Please note that accommodation options are now available again after we dropped the option until we could establish the revised HQ.

The 50 mile ultra course will remain largely unchanged though there are some small changes to drop yet another couple of miles of tarmac from the route which makes it approximately 80% off road and the tarmac that does exist is limited to shorter sections of quiet back lanes where there is simply no alternative.

The Ultra will start from Llangurig as before (GRID SN 908 796) at 7am. Coaches will leave Woodlands at Glasbury at 6am sharp. Please note that this is a linear route. The start and finish are approx 50 miles apart! Note that transport is an additional option that must be booked prior to the event for £8. If you are have not booked transport it is assumed that you have your own method of getting to the start.

The Trail Marathon option will start – you guessed it! -26 miles north of Glasbury from the village of Llanwrthwl (GRID SN 974 638) at 10am. The start and finish are approx 26 miles apart! Transport for the trail marathon option will leave Woodlands at 9am sharp. The Trail Marathon Route follows the same final 26 miles as the Ultra Route.

There will be further newsletters and information available with regards some of the finer detail of both the Wye One Way  50 and the Wye Valley Trail Marathon. In the meantime and once again our sincere apologies for the date change and any disruption it has caused. We will do everything in our power to help accommodate and resolve any issues. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at events@mightcontainnuts.com

Best Wishes

Might Contain Nuts

Final Newsletter - The Welsh Adventure Racing Series - Round 2

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 our training for more years than we care to remember. The terrain is tough and gnarly in places with lots of contours which will provide a challenge, particularly for those seeking the more remote checkpoints. There will however, be some less demanding options for those new to adventure racing.

All of the stages are compulsory and competitors must collect a minimum of 1 checkpoint from each stage. Failure to do so will incur a 200 point penalty. For the whole event there will be a maximum of 2000 points on offer but it is not expected that the course will be cleared!

Maximum time allocated is 12 hours. (Or 6 hours if this option is selected)

The aim is to gain as many points as possible in the allocated time.

Any time over this limit will incur penalties of 5 points per minute. Controls will range from 10 – 100 depending on their perceived difficulty in obtaining them!

The highest score in the allocated time wins!

REGISTRATION:

Saturday 27^th July from 06:45 until 08:00.

Maps will be distributed at 07:15.

12 hour Start Time: 08:30, New Court Farm. 12 hour Finish Time: 20:30, New Court Farm.

6 hour Start Time: 08:30, New Court Farm. 6 hour Finish Time: 14:30 New Court Farm.

Entry List

Please check the entry list here to ensure your entry / category is listed correctly, if not please contact us ASAP as this may effect the boats we have available, thanks.

HQ and how to get there:

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. As well as our HQ it is also a campsite so feel free to bring a tent and pitch up the night before or perhaps stay on after the event (cost of camping not included and must be paid direct to campsite owners).

http://www.newcourt-horseriding.co.uk/find-us.asp

Newcourt Farm Campsite, Felindre, Three Cocks, Brecon, Powys, LD3 0SS

There are hot showers (for 50p) always loads of change available and obviously there is a camping option if you want it and we already know that many of you have sorted out. 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. 

EVENT OVERVIEW:

The route is a very demanding one 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 and technical sections present in places.

You will require a decent tread on whatever footwear you decide to use and similarly bike tyres. The vast majority of the foot sections are off road though there are limited sections of tarmac in places.

An approximate breakdown of the days activities are as follows. Please note that the times are only a guide – you may wish to alter them / skew them and will depend on your fitness, preference and strategy (or mistakes!). However, the boat window is fixed!

For 12 hours;

• Stage 1 MTB Approx 4 hours
• Transition 1 at HQ (Bike to Run) – Your bike and bike kit will be transported to T4
• Stage 2 Run Approx 1 hour
• Transition 2 Glasbury (Run to Canoe)
• Stage 3 Canoe Approx 2 hours
• Transition 3 (Canoe to Run)
• Stage 4 Urban Transition Run Approx 10 mins (no CP’s)
• Transition 4 (Run to Bike)
• Stage 5 Bike Approx 1 hour
• Transition 5 (Bike to Run/Hike) Your bike and bike kit transported back to finish.
• Stage 6 Run / Hike Approx 4 hours
• Finish!

*Please note that there will be a ‘window of opportunity’ to start the canoe leg. This will be between 13:30 and 14:30 departure time from Transition 2.

• If you arrive before 1:30 you won’t be allowed on the water.

• If you arrive after 2:30 you also won’t be allowed on the water and will incur a 200 point penalty.

We very much encourage you to errr on the side of caution!

Pairs / three’s will be in open canoes – Solo's in Sit on Top Kayaks.

For 6 hours;

• Stage 1 Run or MTB approx. 3 hours
• Transition 1 at HQ (Bike to Run)
• Stage 2 Run or MTB approx 3 hour
• Finish!
  
  Please note there is no boat stage for the 6 hour race.

Kit List:

Please acknowledge that some sections of your day will incorporate and open hill and some remote sections. With this in mind there is a compulsory 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 / Windproof Jacket / Shell
• Shorts, leggings, or equivalent.
• Whistle
• Compass (which can take bearing) (1 per team or solo)
• Space Blanket or Emergency Foil Bivy
• First Aid Kit (1 per team or solo)
• Footwear with adequate grip for potentially slippery off road conditions.
• Bike!
• 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)
• Bike Gloves 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. You will have an orienteering stamp card which you will punch with the ‘stamp’ once the control is found, Each control has a unique identity.

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.

Water and gels will be available at all transitions.

Kit Boxes:

In short we will transport bike kit only with bikes. At the start transition boxes / bags can be left at Transition 1 as you will return to it after the first bike leg. We will transport your bike and bike related kit to the second bike leg. After the second bike leg is complete (Stage 5) we will return your bike and bike kit back to the finish. Please note that we won’t transport your run kit at any point so you need to make sure that you have it with you (if different from your cycling kit) when you leave Transition 5.

Please help us to help you by having some sort of labelled container or bag to transport your kit rather than loose helmets / shoes etc floating around – Thanks!

Retirements:

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. We will assume you are missing and send out a search party.

Results & Prizes:

We will announce the leading results & prizes as soon as everybody is in. We suspect this will be around the 21:30 mark.

Food Before & After the race:

Food is available at the local pub - The Three Horse shoes. It is about 15 mins walk from the campsite. Technically they stop serving food at 21:00 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 several food options from pub food to curry house.

Other things and FAQ’s:

• Be prepared for hills and & Welsh mountain weather!
  
  
  
• Plenty of food! – 12 hours in the hills and on the river is a big day out!
  
  
  
• Bring pens / highlighters etc– 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. 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 etc but cannot absolutely guarantee that they will remain showroom – but we’ll try our best!

• 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!
  
  
  

  

  
  

  
  

Newsletter - Round 2 The Welsh Ultra Running and Trail Marathon Series

Not sure what you guys think but we may have to think of renaming the “Summer 40”! 

We certainly weren’t short changed when it came to the weather; high winds, big rain, sharp hail, thunder, and a smattering of sun thrown in for good measure were all part of the course. With the wind-chill below freezing on the high ridges there were several retirements along the demanding 40 mile ultra course particularly at the 22.5 mile mark near Storey Arms. The challenge saw 129 starters lined up ready to go of which 112 determined athletes would survive to see the finish line.

Nevertheless Hugh Aggleton showed everyone else a clean pair of heals finishing in a remarkable time of 6 hours 17 minutes and 35 seconds. The only other competitor to break the 7 hour barrier was Patrick Devine-Wright in 6:58:50. Duncan Steen took third spot with 7:04:20. First male veteran (over 45 years old) took 5^th place overall in a time of 7:17:00.

In the women’s race Katie Roby didn't have it all her own way running in third and second place during the day but demonstrated her endurance by coming through to claim the women’s top spot in a time of 7:41:00 and finish 15^th overall. Lizzie Wraith took second and Natalie Taylor third. Natalie was running as part of team Endurance Life warming up for an Adventure Race later in the year in Costa Rica, I use the term warming up with some irony. First 'Lady of a certain age' was Lynette Porter in 8:03:00 who finished 20th overall.

In conditions as they were, finishing is no mean feat so give yourselves a pat on the back  and check out the full results here.

Trail Marathon runner Andy Watkins braved similar conditions for the majority of the route and brought the field home just outside the 5 hour mark in 5:04:00. First lady home and 5^th overall was Belinda Manning in 5:25:00.

Full Trail Marathon results here.

We are also in the process of working out the series scores as they stand after two rounds, to qualify for a series placing you must complete 3 rounds. If you complete all 4 then your best three scores count.

There are several fantastic blogs and reports on our Facebook page of which a lot can be learnt for future events so may well be worth having a read.

Despite the fact we’re sure the day will be etched permanently in the brain for some of you there are some fantastic photographs captured by our resident photographer Jon. These may be viewed here and purchased at a very reasonable price to ‘treasure’ the moment forever!

We would also like to say a big thanks to GU Energy for providing enough gels to keep you going and also Vivobarefoot for providing the winning prizes and making sense of Barefoot Running. If you need any more info then get in touch and we’ll gladly send out some info.

We’ll have a bit of a summer break now from the running events but we do have 2 Adventure Races on the calendar with the 2^nd and 3^rd rounds of the Welsh Adventure Race Series on July 27^th and September 14^th with 6 and 12 hour options. If you fancy mixing it up either as a solo or as a team with mountain running, mountain biking, canoeing and a bit of navigation thrown in then check out the races here. Any questions give us a shout as always and we will do our best to help you out. We are also checking dates to find some free weekends for a couple of trail running training weekends.

Keep an eye on our FB page for latest news, offers and general going's on!

Thanks for coming and hope to see you soon,

The MCN Team

Final Newsletter - Round 2, The Welsh Ultra Running and Trail Marathon Series

It is just over a week to go until Round 2 of The Welsh Ultra Running and Trail Marathon Series kicks off with arguably the toughest routes of all the rounds! We have a brand new marathon route which we’re sure will challenge even the fittest.

We are also delighted to say that the Ultra Brecon 40 (UB40) - Summer Edition is also part of the UK Ultra Running Championships (as is Round 3) so for so some there is a double incentive to perform well. For others it may be your first attempt at an ultra marathon and we would like to welcome you aboard. Whilst it isn’t the easiest one to kick off on but we’re certain with enough grit and determination you’ll be able to make the grade. If you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to get in touch (preferably not the night before!) and we will do our best to address them.

We can also confirm that the UB40 is a 2 point qualifier for  UTMB events (as are round 3 & 4).

The Route:

The route is a pretty demanding, both in terms of hills and in places conditions under foot. There will be some sharp (and long) rates of ascent and descent with some slippery sections present in places. Almost the entire route (over 95%) is off road though there are some very short sections of tarmac where it is impossible to find an alternative. The majority of the route consists of open hill but there are sections of cinder track, stony sections, peat bogs and muddy sections – its all in there! It is very much advised that you should have a decent off road tread on whatever footwear you decide to use. Poles may be useful for those that have some experience of using them, as there are some severe gradients in places.

We will aim to sign the route as best as possible especially at key junctions. This event is not designed to be a navigational one, but it is recommended that you have a basic idea of map reading and compass skills if the visibility is poor on the day.

Checkpoints:

There will a number of manned checkpoints on route most of which will have plain bottled water available in 2 litre bottles. For the Ultra competitors CP 3 & 5 are on the mountain and so there won’t be water available at these points – these is clearly marked on the route map here. All 3 marathon checkpoints have water. A number of CP's will have free energy gels from our fantastic sponsor GU, again these will be marked on the map.

It will be the case that the marshals at checkpoints will need to record your number as you pass through. It is requested that you have your number clearly displayed at all times. This information is recorded for your split times and more importantly your safety. Please don’t make a number up as it gives the organisation team a massive headache if we have to scour the hills to find a missing person who happens to have finished hours ago and is enjoying a pint in the pub - this has happened before!

Food and Water during the Event:

It is up to individuals if they want to add their own hydration supplements to the water provided. Just to clarify; competitors must take care of their own food from the start. The spirit of the event requires one to be self-sufficient. Make sure you have enough food to last you the endurance. It has been know for the odd competitor to sneak a bacon roll or ice-cream at Storey Arms, however this should not be relied on as a strategy as the bacon roll hut / ice cream van is not always there!

There will be gels supplied by GU Energy at checkpoints 2, 4 & 6 for Ultra Competitors.

There will be gels supplied by GU Energy at checkpoints 1, 2 & 3 for Marathon Competitors.

Time Restraints:

Ultra Competitors must clear Checkpoint 4 by 4:00PM (22.5 mile)

Ultra Competitors must clear Checkpoint 6 by 6:00PM (28 mile)

It is anticipated that all competitors (except retirements) will have completed the entire course by 10:00PM, but if any are still any ‘die hards’ still out on the course at this time, they will politely be asked to retire.

Trail Marathon runners must finish by10:00PM

If you must retire before completion of the event, please do so either at a checkpoint or inform a member of ‘Might Contain Nuts’ 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 will assume that you are missing in action and send out a search party.

Weather Conditions:

Conditions over the last few weeks have been very dry and the outlook appears favorable. However these are the highest mountains in Southern Britain and as such conditions can change by the hour. We tend to find that mountain forecast the best, keep checking in closer to the time as it like the weather changes! Have a look here.

Compulsory Kit:

Competitors will need to sign a disclaimer to say that you are carrying all compulsory kit during the entirety of the event. In addition to this there will be random checks at the finish. Please, please don’t put us in the embarrassing situation of telling you that you can’t race or your result is null and void because you haven’t got the correct equipment. Please remember that in addition to comply with our event insurance, the kit requirement is there for your own safety.

The compulsory kit list is here (it is the same for both distances) and you might note that some items have been relaxed slightly since the arctic conditions have left us. That said, the route does cover exposed sections of open hill in places and the weather can be very changeable. We would like to stress that the compulsory kit is there as a bare minimum and is by no means exhaustive. You need to adapt your kit to match your experience, expectations and the conditions on the day.

*Note there are some items which will depend on the conditions on the day – so you need to bring these along and be prepared to use them.

Registration & Kit:

Registration consists of a little form filling, although you can download them and fill them out beforehand which should make things a bit quicker. We would very much appreciate it if you could register the night before if at all possible, directions here. Post Code is LD3 7YP.

Registration requires 2 forms: 1 x Registration Form, 1 x Compulsory Kit Declaration

Download Registration Form here

Download Compulsory Kit List Declaration here

Registration Friday evening:

Registration will be open between 7:00pm – 9:00pm at Talybont Outdoor Education Centre on Friday evening.

Registration Saturday morning:

Registration will also be available from 6:15am – 7:45am at Talybont Outdoor Education Centre on Saturday morning.

Start

We will start the event 8:00am sharp so please give yourself some time to park and register or you may well have to play catch up!

Race briefing is at 7:55 am at the start line which is in the lane behind trace HQ (about 2mins walk)

Finish:

Where you started, final time cut-off 10:00PM

Parking:

There is limited on site parking available for both nights for those staying at the centre.

However, in addition to this we have been very kindly given permission for additional parking to use in the form the cattle market which is approx 200 meters up the road on the right hand side the . This will be signed. Please allow 10 mins to walk back to the centre after parking.

Please DO NOT park cars on the pavements and in the road outside the centre and along the road to the village. Residents of Talybont and the Police have been very supportive of our events and we would very much like to keep it this way.

Race HQ & Accommodation:

The Old Railway Station makes an excellent HQ. It also has accommodation where the standards are much higher than would normally be expected of a typical bunkhouse. Take a look here if you need any more info. There are still beds available either for both Friday & Saturday night at £35 (for both nights) or for a single night at £20, if you wish to book a bed take a look here.

Might Contain Nuts Retail:

Might Contain Nuts will have a limited range of items available to buy during the registration period should you wish to do so. A few of you have already mailed through some requests for kit which we will bring along on the day.

Prizes:

Prize Giving will be in the HQ centre at approx. 4:00PM. With great prizes from our sponsor Vivobarefoot and more.

Food & Beer:

We are delighted to announce that Luffy will be coming along to provide smashing meals of generous proportion at lean prices so keep a few quid to hand if you want to test his culinary delights, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

There are 2 brilliant pubs about half a mile up the road from the event centre which should quell your thirst particularly for those staying over.

Summary:

We hope all of the above makes sense, but please don’t hesitate to contact at events@mightcontainnuts.com or visit our Facebook page if you have any questions or queries. It would be appreciated though if you can do this sooner rather than later as the 2 days before the event is very much involved with running around getting everything organised – Thanks!

Be nice to our fantastic marshal team (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 utmost to resolve any problems (Matt).

Remember to smile! 

Newsletter – Might Contain Nuts

Round 1 – The Welsh Ultra Running and Trail Marathon Series

23^rd March saw both the The Welsh Ultra Running and Trail Marathon Series kick off with what should have been a 33 mile Ultra and Half Marathon respectively. The weather had different ideas and with heavy snow, gale force winds and conditions on the high ground providing an interesting challenge the decision was taken to move to a contingency route.

Any initial disappointment was replaced with understanding once the athletes had experienced the conditions on the first climb. Despite the shorter course the 128 athletes who started will testify to the size of the challenge. This will be one of those 'remember when' events.

Results can be viewed here.
Photos from the event can be viewed here.
Places and accommodation are available for Round 2 which takes place on the 11^th May, the event website can be viewed here.

Round 1 – The Welsh Adventure Racing Series

13^th April saw athletes from all over the UK gather at Talybont on Usk for Round 1 of The Welsh Adventure Racing Series. The event consists of up to 12 hours of racing, involving Mountain Biking, Trail Running / Trekking, Kayaking and Navigation in the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park.

The series aims to use the fantastic terrain available within the local area and with the weather adding it's own challenge it certainly qualified as a big day out!

Well done to everyone who took on the challenge, results can be viewed here.
Photos from the event can be viewed here.
Entries are now open for Round 2 which takes place on the 27^th July, with a 6 hour option added for those of you who want to experience the fantastic terrain but are not quite ready for the full 12 hours. Early bird discounts are available for both formats, the event website can be viewed here and you can enter here.

Just to confirm rounds 2, 3 and 4 all qualify for 2 UTMB points. Confirmation can be seen here.

Rounds 2 and 3 also form part of the UK Run Further UltraRunning Championships.

Lastly we have decided to extend our charity support, previously we would donate £1 for every starter of the The Welsh Ultra Running Series to a nominated charity. This approach is obviously limited by the number of starters. With most rounds now selling out early we have decided to offer free charity places for either The Welsh Ultra Running or Trail Marathon Series. We have decided to support three fantastic causes;

1. Welsh Air Ambulance
2. Brecon Mountain Rescue
3. Jon and Otto

There will be 5 charity places available for each cause. Simply enter in the normal way here (free entry) and choose your method of fund raising.

For the Welsh Air Ambulance and Brecon Mountain Rescue

1. Use our central JustGiving page (make sure donations state your name so we can track your fund raising total).
2. Set up your own fund raising page and send us the link.
3. Bring a single cheque for the total amount raised to event registration.

For Jon and Otto

1. Once you have claimed your place we will put you in touch with Jon and Otto.

A minimum of £100 must be raised per entry. The individual who raises the most will receive a prize to recognise their efforts. If you already have a paid entry and would like to swap to a charity place, please contact us at events@mightcontainnuts.com

Hope to see you at one of the events this year.

The Might Contain Nuts Team.

Newsletter - Round 1, The Welsh Adventure Racing Series

Hi Adventurers,

The snow is melting – well most of it! The Might Night Contain Nuts Team is starting to put those tempting check points out already! Now that the snow is finally starting to ease, conditions underfoot are currently dry. The weather is looking likely to get milder but perhaps a little wetter though the long range prediction is anything but. Keep an eye on the mountain weather forecast here particularly closer to the weekend.

Have a look at the essential and recommended kit list here. Please bear in mind that this is the minimum kit list and you may well want to add to it particularly if the conditions are testing. This course features some exposed sections of hill both on bike and run (and kayak for that mater!) particularly for the more adventurous amongst you keen to push the boundaries.

Mountain Biking

Make sure that your bike is in good working order, particularly brakes and tyres - this isn’t a namby pamby tarmac excursion. You may want to consider taking chain oil and spare pads with you (or possibly fitting new ones before you start) as well as compulsory inner tubes, pump etc to mend a puncture should it / they occur.

A map board will make things a dam site easier to fathom out where you are going rather than keep stopping to check all the time – at worst you can make one out of old bits of cardboard – at best you can purchase specialist bits of kit like the ones we stock here.

Depending on your route choice there are some challenging and technical sections in places. Please walk around them if you don’t feel confident of attempting them – in truth you may find it quicker than riding them.

Hiking / Hill Walking / Trail Running

You will need appropriate kit for running in. Some folk favour bike shorts which they don’t have to change to run in (though some do – no dodgy indecency at transitions though please!) You can obviously run in run kit but cycling in run kit is not recommended – if you do we suggest vast quantities of Vaseline or similar! Our preference is triathlon shorts which you can do everything in but again you decide.

Kayaking

All of the boats used are Sit on Top style kayak’s. Everything is provided. I’m sure you will be delighted to know that they are all unsinkable! Despite this you will be kayaking on open water and so should be prepared for the worst! Even if you don’t fall in then expect some dampness and spray from the paddles and wind so should dress accordingly. Think about expensive phones etc (You can leave bags, packs at the kayak transition if you want to). Don’t forget your map and compass though!

Some boats are doubles and some are singles – you boat allocation and wave will be added to the start list in the coming days. There will be a friendly chap in an open canoe – he is there to keep an eye on you.

Event Aim

The aim is to collect as many points as possible in the 12 hours allocated. After the 12 hours is up the highest score wins. The more difficult the checkpoint is deemed to be in attaining then the more points it will be worth. It is compulsory to collect at least one checkpoint from each of the main stages. (Apart from the optional run stage). Failure to register at least one checkpoint in any stage will result in a 200 point penalty. 

In addition to the location of the checkpoints on the maps there will be separate score sheets to determine the value of the checkpoint. When you find a checkpoint you need to register this by stamping your score card with the stamp at the Check Point (CP) CP 02 for example will go in the second box. Each stamp has its own unique code so please be sure to stamp the correct box on the card! Equally don’t think you can stamp any old box in an attempt to say you’ve been there as we know the correct code for that location!

Event Format

Start: Talybont Outdoor Centre

Registration: Opens at 7:00 am - Maps for stages 1, 2 and 3 will be issued

Start: 8:00 am Stage 1: Bike (Optional run stage - This challenge can be attempted either before the kayak stage or after it but not both times!)

Stage 2. Kayak (There will 2 Waves, your wave will be confirmed in the next few days - check the start sheet later this week)

• Wave 1: Start: 9:30am Finish: 10:20am (5 points per minute late penalty applies) 
• Wave 2: Start: 10:40am Finish: 11:30am (5 points per minute late penalty applies) 

Stage 3a: Bike (Optional run stage - This challenge can be attempted either before the kayak stage or after it but not both times!)

Half Way Clock in: Talybont Outdoor Centre. Clock in must be between 1:00 pm and 2.00 pm (Penalty Points applied for being late 5 points per minute!). Please hand in your score sheet from Stages 1, 2 & 3a, collect maps for stages 3b, 4 and 5 and your second score sheet. Please note that you may leave a transition box here to replenish your supplies.

Stage 3b: Bike Stage 4: Hiking / Hill Walking / Trail Running

Stage 5: Bike

Finish: 8:00pm (12 hours after start) - Penalty Points applied for being late 5 points per minute!

Points and Prizes as soon as we can.

There will be penalties and disqualifications issued for:

Kayak: Returning outside allocated time slot. Penalty: 5 points per minute.

Late arrival (After 2pm) at the “Half way Clock in”. Penalty: 5 points per minute.

Late arrival to the finish (After 12 hours has expired) Penalty: 5 points per minute.

Failure to collect at least one CP per stage (Optional Stage excluded) Penalty: 200 point penalty.

Entering “Out of Bounds Areas”. These are for your own safety particularly in forestry areas. The penalty is Disqualification.

Cycling on Footpaths. The penalty is Disqualification.

Splitting up groups / ditching members to gather more checkpoints to gain an unfair advantage. The penalty is Disqualification.

You will need to have all your compulsory kit on you at all times apart from the following exceptions: Bike kit is not required on your run legs (i.e. You can leave helmets and bike shoes and other bike related kit with the marshals at the bike transitions). Might Contain Nuts will not be carrying kit for you between stages!

Some folk have asked if it they can collect their run shoes during the “Half way clock In” It is be possible for stages 1, 2, 3 to get away without running footwear particularly if you did not attempt the optional run challenge. However it would be impossible to attempt Stage 4!

There will be fantastic GU Energy Gels at some of the transitions provided by our lovely sponsor GU and also plain bottled water. These little ‘helpers’ aside you will need to take enough food to sustain yourself for 12 hours (even though you can access your transition box at the “Half way clock in”. Particularly for the second half you may find yourself in remote locations and it won’t be much fun if you “bonk”.

Teams / Pairs must stay within shouting distance of all members (e.g. 50 meters) No funny business of splitting up teams / pairs to get different check points. There will be roaming marshals, anyone caught doing this will be disqualified.

Outside of the above, if you have any further queries or questions then please don’t hesitate to ask and we’ll do our best to help, but it makes things easier if you can do this sooner rather than later at events@mightcontainnuts.com or 01874 770079.

Thanks again for entering and look forward to seeing you next weekend.

The Might Contain Nuts Team.