Trail running to explore the unbeaten path
The PIGUM (which is an acronym for Porth I’r Gymru Ultra Marathon) is a 30 mile race with around 1700m (5500ft) elevation gain/loss, starting in the market town of Abergavenny, Wales. Porth I’r Gymru translates to “Gateway to Wales”. Last year I deferred this race due to scheduling issues, and this year I wasn’t originally … Read more
I recently entered and took part in the Wild West Ultra. A 64km (40 mile) race local to me here in Pembrokshire, West Wales. It was great to have something local to look forward to. And even better, no absurdly early wake up time on race morning, and I could do race-specific training quite easily … Read more
I booked UTS 100k soon after running the UTS 50 event last year. The mountaineous terrain in Eryri is very challenging, and the race promises a ‘brutal but beautiful’ experience. Both of those claims were delivered this year with another hot race weekend in the mountains. Race Profile The race is 104km in length, with … Read more
The Corris Round is the creation of (then) 12-year old Tom, who devised the route having been inspired by the Bob Graham Round during lockdown. It’s a route starting in the small village of Corris in Southern Eryri (Snowdonia, Wales) almost from his door step. Amazingly Tom and his Dad finished the round in about … Read more
As dawn broke on 2024, thinking about my goals around running, the air was thick with anticipation and the promise of adventure was strong. But at the same time, there was also an air of uncertainty about it for me. Last year was a good year in terms of ticking off some big items on … Read more
I just realised it’s been 3 months or so since I last wrote on my blog. Time has flown by this year already. I’ve had a busy start with work, family life, and of course running too. Now would be a good time to update my blog by posting a short trail running film I … Read more
Summarised, the Dragon’s Back Race was a week running the ‘spine’ of Wales in a week of particularly intense heat. This week-long adventure was interspersed with lasting memories and friendships forged in the shared enjoyment of the mountains of Wales (and the hardships we endured). The Dragon’s Back Race (Ras Cefn y Ddraig in Welsh) … Read more
The tag line of Ultra-Trail Snowdonia, part of the UTMB World Series of events, is “Beautiful beyond belief. Savage beyond reason“. And the events certainly live up to that claim. Eryri (Snowdonia) is one of the most beautiful locations in the UK. The terrain, from the mountains, to the bogs between can be cruel and … Read more
After a string of successful ultra marathons in 2022, and wanting to push myself further, I signed up for my biggest challenge yet. The Wild Horse 200 South Wales. The Wild Horse 200 is a 200 miles (a bit more really) continuous multi-day ultra marathon, and features around 10,000 meters (32,000 ft) of vertical elevation … Read more
I have had a few different Garmin smart watches over the years, and have learned a few tips and tricks when it comes to prolonging my garmin battery life for longer runs. While no smart watch model is the same (for example the Fenix range have vastly superior battery life compared to say the Forerunner … Read more