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10 peaks brecon beacons 2014
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morning all,
I will be in Talybont on U over the bank hols with the family, aiming to get out & recce some of the short course route. This will be my first foot endurance event since London mara about a decade ago.
Typical bank hol weather forecast - all adds to the experience. Anyone else out scouting the route?
Good luck Circlip, I hope you get a taste of typical Beacons weather; glorious sunshine, pea soup,and hail all within a couple of hours.
Where Ravens Dare is my local long run T Rex; it's a superb route amongst the most unlikely backdrop.
Training is sketchy, I've no more spare days between now and then as I've got the kids for the last two weeks of the holidays and we're holidaying every weekend - it's a bit antisocial stealing long runs when we're away. I think I'll have some training effect from the LL100 to see me through though.
sean - an effect certainly, but not sure if a training one!! I've done the 50 but couldn't begin to contemplate the 100 with its far harder first half and another night with no sleep.
I must know you. I've done every WRD and three 'Caerphilly Summits' before that.
Sorry, Circlip. I'm away BH weekend or else I would come out with you. You'll find the course a little different to the streets of the capital. Good luck with it. Hope you've been doing training in the interim?
Maybe, I've only done WRD once though in 2012 coming in ~5.30'ish, I did the Rhondda Rollercoaster the same year in ~5.00. Never done the Caerphilly Summits as I'm fairly new to this caper. I've managed a bunch of MCN events though but had to skip last year due to illness.
I'd to do WRD this year too but it clashes with the Gower 50, and I reckon I deserve something flat
I know what you mean about the LL, but the route from Coniston is completely worth the dark places you visit from Ambleside onwards.
hi guys, thanks for welcome.
T Rex - I've been doing other things other than running, but have started again this year. I'm used to covering a lot bigger distances on 2 wheels so I am looking forward to seeing how I go on foot.
You'll be fine, just make sure you run the uphill sas much as possible.
?!
Another recce today, starting with Fan Fawr, fast forwarding to Fan Frynych, down to Storey Arms, then a quick jog up to Corn Du and back down by different routes. Five 2000' peaks, three of them 'extra' ones.
Found a much better line from Fan Fawr to the Fan Llia ridge (although I didn't go along it as far as Fan Llia), but I'm still having trouble locating the top of the path descending to Storey Arms. The only way to solve the mystery is to go up the path sometime.
I was joking about running the uphill.
Sean, T Rex,
I go along the fence until it takes a obvious left turn then across the bog and keeping the slope dropping off to my left until I get near the edge where the path is, its a more direct route and as long as it is not misty or dark by then should save you a few minutes.
Mokshaeight - that's been my method now after two recce runs and last year's event (in the fading light). I'll see what happens this year.
If you stay with the fence you'll avoid the bog...a bit longer but definitely a bit quickerer, especially after a week or two of wet stuff.
Long range weather forecast looks promising.
Don't bank on it ...
Last recce will be either at the w/e or on Monday. On race day I'm planning 19 peaks out of the 22 in the central and western Beacons area over 2000'. Surprisingly it only involves another 4 miles and 130' ascent on top of the event's so-called 10 peaks (actually 13 on the course).
Will abandon this own challenge if the weather is poor.
I'll remember to stay with that fence a bit longer, sean.
hi All,
had a great couple of days over bank hols & Sean, we did get the 4 seasons in 15mins weather. And I did as you suggested & ran up the hills. Took a bit to get going but have cyclists thighs so soon got into a rhythmn.
Covered most of what I wanted in the 2 days, so have a fair idea of what is coming. Only downer is I managed to lose both my phone (retrieved after a couple of miles back up onto the top) and then my wallet. (Don't ask)
Have been looking at the map for few bits I didn't cover - can anyone advise pls:
1)After Carn Pica /Waun Rydd, there is no path marked on Harvey map down to Lower N reservoir. Is it fairly straightforward as per the OS map?
2) in the discussion above about following the fence - you are talking about getting from Fan Frynych to Storey Arms right?
3) I have never been up to CornD/Pen y Fan from the A470 direction. After the Storey Arms check point, which is the recommended route to start the final leg?
Oh and Sean, I was joking about running up the hills.
cheers!
1. Not to sure about this bit, I thinkit's fairly clear but it's early on in the race so I'm not worrying too much about it.
2. Yep, after the trig point (which is painted white with a Ddraig goch on it) the trail dips down then up; follow the fence on the left until it dips down again toward the A470 and pick up the very well worn path that traverses parallel to the a470.
3. Probably shorter to take the path to the South of SA but it's all runnable if you take the longer tourist route from the car park.
Thanks Sean. I went up Fan Fryn & followed the fence a bit but cut across to meet the family. Rest is as expected, so cheers.
Was kind of assuming there is an element of 'follow what's in front of you' on the day, esp in the early parts. But as my 1st event, I am expecting to pace myself with the back markers so just want to be sure I don't make a mess when tired etc.
cheers
Circlip,
there is a path down to Neuadd res from the path at Graig fan las. If you have a look at 1.25 thousand BB national park map it shows it quite clearly.
Circlip. Umm ... why were you carrying your wallet? Bad news about losing it. We'll look out for it on Saturday.
1) At the junction where Beacons Way goes NW continue SW. A path has been worn, getting larger as you go down. Keep well to right of the fence line and stream lower down. If you stay right by the fence you will have all sorts of problems with gullies, etc.
2) sean is the authority on this fence and I will be following his advice.
3) Back markers last year (because of bad weather setting in) were advised to use the southern of the tourist tracks to Pen y Fan, i.e. the one you came down many hours earlier. The official route continues up to the left of the Storey Arms but this path has the downside of descending into a dip halfway up so you're doing more climbing. It also goes over Corn Du summit (not one of our 10 peaks - only for the short course) which the other path can avoid by skirting around the base of the summit to the SE.
I will be taking the Storey Arms path though because I will be going to Y Gyrn 2031' (by doing so avoiding the dip) as well as Corn Du.
Really looking forward to this. Should be a 2014 highlight.
Team Pow Wow this morning after parkrun.
Four of us are running together all are looking forward to this coming weekend with apprehension and trepidation.
Traffic will be mental on Friday evening; I'd avoid Newport/Cardiff area due to Nato whatchamacallits.
Thanks again for info guys. Really useful - am obviously bit anxious about taking on the miles so good not to be worried about route too.
T-Rex- I am doing the "short" (long enough for me) course anyway. If I start to struggle with things, I am hoping to be through before dark. Hats off to the winning time of 7hrs last yr - I won't be challenging. And as for you guys doing the Long...
Generally are people planning to follow the 'official route' more or less completely, or are there spots where people try and cut corners/time?
ps pretty sure wallet was dropped/bounced from rucksack when cycling the rough bit of Taff T from Dany. hostel to Talybont onU with the kids. Had hoped that some honest walker/cyclist might hand it in, but then I remembered I had been to cashpoint to get £ for the bank hol w'end away....
'Official route'? That would be telling!
There is some scope for 'cutting corners', but you have to be careful doesn't take you into wet/boggy ground and you end up taking longer ...
Sorry, Circlip, I was making the assumption you were 'going long'. Took me 23hr last year and hoping to get that down a bit this, although I will be doing an extra 4 miles.
I certainly won't be repeating last year's navigational errors (nor even telling you what they were
) and I think I have found a better line or two from August's recces, but I may make some new errors!
Had a nasty collision with a bollard in the dark on my run last night and injured my foot. Limping around a bit at the moment and hoping all will be OK by Saturday morning.
I noticed today that my intended route up Fan Frynych is out of bounds. Oh well, not to worry.
Yes, that's the nature reserve bit. ROs concerned that if runners go up there might jeopardize the event for the future.
good luck for saturday... I have enjoyed reading the discussion..........hope the weather is good for you all so you can enjoy the view.........
I'm doing the easier race on saturday across the beacons.The roman run from brecon to merthyr via the gap road
Hi Seren. Ah, so you're the people we are told not to follow in our final race instructions!!
All the best for your race. I thought it was done at night, but that must be something else?
no this is one that starts around midday in Brecon and you run over the gap and down inro Merthyr.a good race that has been going a long time...
I was at the bwlch where our routes cross about 0015 last year so the chances of meeting you are fairly slim unless I'm radically quicker this year which I suspect I won't be.
Seren, thanks.
T Rex, Your properly thinking of the " Sleepwalker " night race from Talybont village in November.