Trail running to explore the unbeaten path
A few months ago I went to do some fell running in the Preseli Hills. The Preselis are a mountain range nearby to where I live. In fact I can see them on the horizon from our house. Always tempting to get out there! Today I realised that the term “fell running” is not that … Read more
Moel Eilio is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales. It lies just a few miles off from the highest mountain in Wales, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa). Just the other week, while doing some mountain running of Snowdon and the surrounding area, Moel Eilio was pointed out to me as a great route to try. The morning … Read more
The RIDUM 2022 was yet another brilliant ultra marathon by Pegasus Ultra Running. The course itself is roughly 30 miles (50km) and traverses the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway near Caerphilly, Wales. RIDUM 2022 Personal time goal Being 50 km in length, I knew I wanted to run this one faster than a typical 50 miler, but … Read more
Earlier this week my family and I headed up the coast to North Wales. The destination – Snowdonia National Park, where the plan was to explore the area, learn some of the history, and for me personally: mountain running in Snowdonia. We settled in to a small apartment that we rented, just across the road … Read more
This post is a short essay and story that provides my answer to the question “Why trail run?” Watch the mini-film (6-7 minutes) embedded below from my YouTube channel, Trail Running for Life: The following section is the script from the video above – if you prefer reading to watching, then feel free to read … Read more
A chased day of work on Friday followed by a two hour journey east to Builth Wells, just a little north of the Brecon Beacons National Park had me arriving at the start line of the EDDUM. A 50 mile ultra marathon along the Epynt Way, hosted by Pegasus Ultra Running. The EDDUM is 49.7 … Read more
The Naked Running Band is a snug fitting carry pack with just over 2l of carrying capacity. It has a surprising number of features for something so simple. I have found that it is an extremely useful bit of running kit. Whether out for a short run, or an ultra marathon, I have found the … Read more
My Hoka One One Speedgoat 5 trail shoes have just passed 600km of use, and so I thought it was time to gather my thoughts on them so far and provide a short review. Moving from the Speedgoat 4 to the Speedgoat 5 A couple of months ago my second pair of Speedgoat 4 trail … Read more
The VOGUM is a 40 mile (64 km) ultra marathon taking place in the Vale of Glamorgan. The route hugs the South Wales coastal path, running from Porthcawl to Penarth, just below Cardiff. Having moved to West Wales toward the end of last year, earlier this year I found myself seeking out marathon and ultra … Read more
Last Saturday I ran the 2022 Blacks to the Beacons 50 mile ultra marathon. The race was 52 miles over the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons in Wales, with an elevation of about 11,000 ft (3300 meters). I finished with a chip time of 14:30:56, placing 29th (21st in my age category). It was a … Read more