The Cardiff Ultra 50

Hi there

 Following the cancellation of the Glos Ultra 50K Im considering entering this and have a couple of questions:

 i)How hilly is it?! The description says its netdown hill but it is from Brecon (v.hilly!).

 ii)How realistic is it to jump from a 30mile to a 50mile run in 12weeks of training? (and a few weeks taper).

 Thanks

Rich.

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Comments

  • stutyrstutyr ✭✭✭

    Hopefully someone with experience will come along soon.  I'm interested in this event in the future (maybe next year) and was looking into it last week.

    One of the reviews/blogs I found mentioned there was a gradual climb up to the talybont reservoir followed by a long descent.  So nothing too steep. 

    The following link is a map & elevation profle of the Taff Trail that the route follows which seems to correspond with the above with a peak of 1500 ft at around the 11th mile.  The starting point is 500ft (ish) above sea level, so its roughly 1000 ft of climbing over ten miles.

     http://ridewithgps.com/trips/411749

    [forgot the link first time around!]

  • Thanks for the link.

    Now just to work out whether 1000ft climb over 10miles is a lot. Seems considerable!

  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    Did this last year.  Neither hilly nor really off road.  The bulk of this race is on road or tarmac (cycle) paths.  The long haul above Talybont Res and through the forest is a slow very gradual climb, only steep in the very last section just before it reaches the road and the highest point of the course. From there it is more or less constantly downhill, taking road options.  Road shoes would suit.

     

    You'll be able to complete this in almost the same time as a road 50-miler.  Good coach service from Sophia Gardens (free parking) and comfortable start HQ at Brecon.

    The urban bits, especially Pontypridd, would be hard to follow but last year at least ROs put yellow arrows on the ground for us to follow. Suggest if you can recce the bits through Merthyr and Pontypridd.  Don't take the high route past Castell Coch, unless of course you like hills!

  • Richard, I'd say you should be able to make the conversion okay in that length of time time. Look at e.g. the Ultraladies' 50 mile plan - you could start at about the 20 + 10 level for B2B and carry on from there.

  • @T-Rex

    Thanks for the above comments. I'm glad to hear it is pretty much a (scenic) road race!

    @Debra Bourne

    Thanks for the advice, I think Ill go for it!

  • Hi all have entered this run as a practice run for the wall run as 50 miles is in my race plan .am doing the born to run ultra in Feb as well is anyone else doing this one . Happy running ...
  • Hi I did this race two years ago and im looking forward to doing hopefully a big pb. Other than the climb the route is on a slight decline. Personally, as the miles went on, the downhill bits were the more painful ones on the old legs. Race is very well organised and I would highly recommend entering it
  • Why oh why have I stumbled across this race...I'm so tempted.



    Here's where I am...



    This would be my first ultra.



    I did 2 marathons last year (Wolverhampton and Snowdonia)



    i did Blackpool mara 3 weeks ago and I'm running Manchester mara on Sunday. Im in decent shape. This year I've trained for marathons, regularly running 50mile p/w. no ultra specific training as I've never really considered an ultra untill spotting this....



    Could I FINISH this race which is only 3 weeks away or am i mad. I've no experience, total newbie to anything beyond 26.2mile.



    Tips/opinions welcomed.....
  • Jedwards, i'm in the same boat as you, I just entered today after seeing it listed for next month.

    This'll be my first Ultra distance after a couple of marathons last year, but it's close to where I live so I thought why not give it a go. image


    Hopefully make the distance, if not i'll just hobble to the nearest pub and drown my sorrows. Hah.

  •  hows the training going or is everone ready hope so ... bedded my trainers in at London so full steam a head . first time for this distances done the born to run in Feb and the exmoor ultra ran well just hope the legs stand up to the challenge . have fun this week and enjoy the tapering....

  • I've only just flown back in from Greece in preperation of the run on Sunday. The weather is pretty shocking here in South Wales at the moment. Not a good sign for the weekend, looks like it's gonna be a long wet day. image

  • Weather forecast is terrible! Should liven it up! For those who have done it before, I know road shoes were said to be best bet...was wondering if this is likely to of changed with rain and forecast?

    See you all Sunday!

  • Pete most of the course is tarmac trails so yeah road shoes will be fine 

  • Thanks for that Vicky, I am looking forward to it!

  • any news of the weather for sunday do we need are flippers & arm bands ..... 

  • Blakester as far as I can work out from weather reports...the quicker you finish the better. Hopefully dry start to the day, but on the whole (1000 onwards) wet and only getting wetter as the day goes on! On the bright side the forecasted wind has dropped on the site I use from 25-35mph to 5-10mph so thats something! 

    See you Sunday!

  • At the moment it's showing as cloudy with a chance of rain, although it's been changing day-to-day throughout the week.

    This week has been a mixture of sunny one minute, downpour the next. Typical welsh weather. image

  • good luck tomorrow blakester

  • Forecast improved big time! Bring your suncream!

  • thanks Swansea imp ... you  didnt fancy it ? you doing born to run next year ? . sun out as well .

  • See you all on the start line in the morning. Might actually need some sunglasses now. image 

  • How'd everyone get on yesterday.? Finally managed to get to the finish in 10hrs 50mins.

    A little sore today but on the whole a good race with perfect weather. Not sure i'll run another 50 mile ultra though, marathon distances are far enough for me. image

  • Managed to finish in 9h14 which is 10 mins slower than last year, but struggled big-style with the heat. It felt like blazing sunshine for almost the entire race, although there was a cool breeze. Spectacular views in Brecon with the clear skies. Worked out I drunk about 8-9 litres of liquid throughout the race.

    Fantastically well organised and a very good event for those new to Ultras. Next up is Man v Horse on the 8th June followed by The Wall on the 22nd.

  • i would have done it blakester but I had other things arranged for the day  all being well will do the born to run again it all depends weather I can get the time of work though

  • Just been looking at that man v horse marathon Mark, looks fun. Might enter that one too. image

  • It is my favourite event and I have been doing it for the last 6-7 years. The full course is seriously tough, and easily more demanding than most marathons. It is a great atmosphere in great countryside, with a real social side to it. Beer and food at finish line watching the rest of the competitors come in is a well earned treat.

  • Knocked 28mins off last year, wanted to go as close to 8hrs as possible n top 20, but after going thro the marathon distance on 3:45 and then totally blowing up in the heat... Finished in 8:24 so gotta be happy.... maybe i'll come back next year for sub 8 image

    Well done to everyone finishing... It was so damn hot! 

  • hi mark good time how did you feel at end do you think you had enough to do another 19 miles for the wall run . as  im doing the wall run to we must of passed each other at some point  i had a yellow top on and green buff on  i finished 8.46.

    Good luck in man v horse .. enjoy . 

  • hi blakester, excellent time! I was trying for sub-9 hours but the heat got to me. All went really well up until about 35 miles, but then I could feel my heart pounding trying to maintain the (slow) pace, so I took the hint and slowed down. I was suprised to see the finishing times were much better than last year; the field must have been better as the conditions weren't. I think you might have passed me on the trail towards checkpoint 3. I didn't see many other runners after that, apart from a chap in red that came steaming past at checkpoint 4.

    I am fairly confident about The Wall. I am just setting out to enjoy it and finish it before it gets dark. Nothing too ambituous. Best thing is only one long run in two weeks time, then tapering again! How about you?

  • Was a bit warm out there on the day but enjoyed this. Second time I have done it and took about 45 mins off last years time to finish in around 7:43 and the added bonus of 2nd lady. The field of runners were faster this year.

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