Might Contain Nuts Winter Ultramarathon 2012.

At the start, nervously waiting with Sarah Wilde and Sarah Warner!

After October's Snowdonia Marathon, I was quite content to see out the rest of 2012 with a couple of social runs as a wind down after a busy running year, but it was suggested not to waste all those marathon miles, but to consider entering an Ultra, to see if I had any aptitude for the distance. I had originally planned my Ultra debut on May 2013 at the MCN Round 2 in the Brecon Beacons.

The front runners are off!!!

So on a cold and frosty December morning, myself and 170 others lined up for the MCN UB40 Winter Ultra.If I'm honest, I was a bit intimated by everyone, they looked so focused and fit!! lol The gun goes and we are off!!!

Usk Valley Walk.

Start to Checkpoint 1- Approx 8 miles.
The route started up the Brinore Tramway rom Talybont on Usk path for the first couple of miles, I'm not joking, I could hardly catch my breath, it was soooo cold!! Running with so many layers was really alien to me, hat, thick gloves, all essential in the early stages! We then veered left onto the Usk Valley Walk, this linked up the various field below the looming Tor y Foel ( that can keep for another day!), towards the village of Llangynidr and it's linking canal path.

First climb of the day!

Through the village, we then started the first big climb of the day, first on the dreaded tarmac, then up a never ending boggy footpath ( freshly sodden from recent downpours) up to the road that links up to Llangynidr Moor.

The Llangynidr Moorland, stunning!

We then skipped over the minor road, down through the forestry, then back UP ( common theme of the day!) through the forest, I could see the checkpoint just up the hill, 8 miles done, so far so good!

Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 2- 4 miles approx.
After an initial climb up on to the moorland plateau, the next 2 miles were a pure joy, perfect running terrain, flat for a mile, then zig-zaging down 200-300m down into the valley below. I though forgot the saying 'what goes down, must go up!'.. I saw a huge mound of a hill on the opposite side of the road, and knowing from last weeks recce run, IT MUST BE CLIMBED!..What then followed was a 30 minute slippery grind up 300m, my calves have never burned so much! lol. never mind, head down, power up to the farm, left turn and hey presto, checkpoint 2 awaits!

Checkpoint 2- Checkpoint 3 - Approx 4.5 miles. Pentwyn Reservoir Bridge.
After that tortuous climb, I took 5 minutes to get my breath back, eat a flapjack and a wine gum, this is the first point I doubted my fitness, my lungs were on fire, my quads and calves were like lead, but I had no choice but to get my head down, after an initial 'power walk' to get my legs back to normal, the path veered right down towards Dolygaer. This is a section I knew well as it is part of the Mountain Trail Challenge course, 3 miles of mainly flat moorland, really good running terrain, down into the forestry it got a lot more rocky, but my descending skills were used to skip lightly over the wet rock, I was really enjoying myself again! After crossing the bridge, the familiar white Craft sponsor signs were in view, that was quick! lol

Checkpoint 3-Checkpoint 4, Garwnant Info Center, approx 4.5 miles.
Still very cold and sweaty, the route veered up to another section of moorland, this time Grawen. Another mini climb followed by another runnable 4 miles over the cold, windy moors! It was so cold, the grass had frozen over the puddles, and it was here I got my first taste of frozen, knee deep bog, very nice!!! brrr!!!
On this section I met Jo Kilkenny, an ultra runner regular, and Katie Samuelson ( with husky dog Kato!)..There was a big gate approaching, but no stile, I jumped over, then carried Kato over the gate to much amusement, I didn't think huskies were so heavy! lol
Another mile through the forestry, over the road, and hey presto, one more checkpoint completed!

Checkpoint 4-5, approx 5 miles, Storey Arms.
Here, I took 5 minutes to take stock, feed up, rest the legs, they were beginning to ache again, no wonder, I had just run a marathon with 14 miles to go!! lol.

Pen Milan Ridge, descending nirvana!

It was here I met fellow fellow 'ultra virgin' Phil Guest from Sheffield ( who would accompany me the rest of the way )...This section was a lot of forest track and a mile or so of boggy moorland, but with company the miles flew by, as the big peaks came in to view, we started thinking of the gnarly grind up to Corn Ddu, the highest point of the route, but first, better check in, one more done!

Checkpoint 5-6, approx 5 miles, Cwmllwch.
With a full belly of carbo gel, wine gums and Flapjax, Phil and I started the climb up, then down into the valley, then, up, up and up again!..we managed it not too bad, apart from the leaden calves and burning lungs, I'l take that as a moral victory!
We then veered left almost at the summit of Corn Ddu, down onto the Pen Milan Ridge, this undoubtably was my favourite part of the whole day, a 3 mile downhill ridge run, bring it on!!
This was truly brilliant, i love descending, and this didn't disappoint, even tho we'd run 30 miles, it didn't seems to matter, adrenaline and enjoyment took over as Phil and I careered into Cwmllwch, and before you knew it, checkpoint 6!!

Checkpoint 6-7, approx 5 miles, Rhiwiau Lodge.
As the light was fading and the early evening cold was setting in, this next 5 miles needed to be swift to make use of the remaining daylight. The following miles were firstly tarmac, but as the organisers wanted this event to be a 2 point UTMB race, they threw in a nasty climb up towards Cwmcynwyn to reach the necessary ascent, this were a truly strength climb on tired legs, but throw in a waist deep frozen river crossing, and me, phil and another 2 lads wern't too happy!!. More boggy muddy trails at the foot of the Cefn Cyff Ridge followed, then a truly dangerous wet and rocky bridleway for the final descent into our final checkopoint, the finish is in sight!!

Checkpoint 7 to The Finish!, approx 6 miles.

The end of a brilliant day!

With the end in sight, fed, watered and headtorches on, Myself and  Phil made one final effort, the first mile on bridleway was more bog, one last horrendous little grassy climb at Tir Hir, we saw a huge beam of light ahead of us, it was Katie and Kato the Husky from earlier! thinking it was safer to stick together in the dark, the footpaths were linking together nicely, when Katie's Torch totally went out!!...but fair play to Phil, he had a spare torch, and onwards we went!! We came across a lost Spanish runner who joined us for the final couple of miles on the Usk Valley Walk into Talynbont! Unfortunately, the drama wasn't over, we missed a directional arrow resulting in a detour of 45 minutes and 2 miles, not what you need after 10 hours of Ultra Shuffling!!.. Nevertheless, the 4 of us ran into the finish chute shattered, but elated at what was a truly fantastic day, hopefully the first of many!!

Snowdonia Marathon 2012

Prizes from the battle!!

Snowdonia Marathon 2012.

In 2011, I entered the Snowdonia Marathon after only running for a few months, and managed to hobble round in 4 hours 31 minutes after 19 miles of ITB problems, nevertheless I completed it.

3 weeks ago, myself and 5 'virgin' marathon runners from Amman Utd RFC embarked on this major challenge once more.

On a crisp and cold saturday morning, the 2200 runners walked from Llanberis village center the 1 mile or so up to the start line like gladiators ready to go to war. I had met loads of old and new friends on the way up, Nicola Quinn, Karl Gordon, Lisa and Mark Wright, Non Davies, Jon Kettle, Haydn Baker, Delyth Wright from The Dirty Daps, Muddy Tracks offroad Facebook group, and my fellow rugby marathon rookies Alun Rees, Carwyn Thomas, Nick Griffiths, Steve Liles and Carl Jeremiah.

My plan was to run 8 minute miles to Beddgelert at 13 miles and take it from there. The first 3 miles went along in a wave of adrenaline and chatting to the throngs, that quickly changed at mile 4, the first climb of the day up to Penypass, my heart was suddenly pumping as the climb took hold, but the summit was reached in 38 minutes without undue problems, then started the long freewhweel down to Penygwrhyd Pub junction. This was like a scene from Tour de France, people on the roadside cheering you on, that was fab!

Next was the 3 mile offroad section down to Nantgwynant, rocky underfoot, I was in my element on the gnarly stuff, passing people less sure of their footing. Back up onto the road to Beddgelert, still 5 miles to go until the halfway point, the miles were feeling easy and relaxed, but dodging the cars was a bit tricky on the narrow roads!! I finally ran into Beddgelert in 1 hour 46 minutes, the crowds again were cramming the pavements, I thought my 2011 time was sure to be beaten at this rate!

From halfway, there is a slow, long 2.5 mile drag uphill, this was the second of 3 big climbs on the course, this was by no means the steepest, but it just goes on and on and on!! The next 7 miles or so are a bit of a 'no man's land, very open and exposed to the elements, this was the first point when I noticed my pace starting to go slower, 8.20, 9.00, 8.45, 9.15, the first signs of fatigue were setting in at mile 19 when cramp started to attack my left calf. I gritted my teeth and jogged gamely on to the last climb of the day, the fearsome hill from Waunfawr to Bwlch y Groes ( highest point of the course). My 4.30 was surely beaten, so I changed my focus to a possible sub 4 hours, if I could just get over this final challenge, it might just be a possibility!!

Recurring cramps were really hampering my progress, so a mixture of jogging/power walking finally got my over the steepest part of the climb, there were runners strewn all over the hill with cramp and severe fatigue, come on fellow warriors, the end is in sight!!

At 24.4 miles, the climb ends, I look at my watch, 3.45, that leaves 15 minutes to get down the steepest and most dangerous offroad part of the course to reach my 'sub 4', but this was to be my favourite part of the race, my mountain descending skills really came to the fore, I ran my fastest mile at 6.23 as I careered past numerous less sure footed and tired runners down onto the final bit of tarmac, that last 200m 'funnel' was awsome, large crowds cheering me home to the finish line, a final sprint and over the finish line in 3 hours 57 minutes 25 seconds, yes!!!

Over the course of the next hour, my fellow rugby newbies all finish their first ever marathon, what a day!!

Happy with my 3.57!!

me and karl Gordon

Without doubt Snowdonia Marathon 2012 is one of the highlights of my year, the organisation, the weather (very unSnowdonia like!), the apre race evening with my fellow runners, a new race PB, what more do you want from a weekend!!!

A bit about me!

Hi there and welcome to my new blog!
This is just a brief first effort of what I am all about, I finished playing rugby a couple of years ago after 20 years. I was looking for a new interest and took up mountain walking. I really enjoyed hitting the hills and seeing what the mountains of Wales has to offer!

Carmarthen Fans, my local range.

Now, I mainly hit the hills with likeminded friends I've met on my travels, and from Facebook, social trail running has never been so fun!

These are my mountain running buddies Jon Kettle, Sandy Restall, Alicia Jessup and Sarah-Jane Restall on Penyfan.



Also I have just completed my first ultra at the Brecon Beacons MTC 33 miler, here I first met fellow exponents Sarah Wilde and Tracy Edwards for the  first time, and look forward to meeting up again at the Might Contain Nuts Winter Ultra in a few weeks, I hope to enjoy this experience as much as the recent Snowdonia Marathon.








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4 odd hours of heaven and hell at the Snowdonia Marathon.

Hope you've enjoyed my very brief opening blog, my next one will be after the MCN Winter Ultra,

Ciao for now!