Trail running to explore the unbeaten path
Earlier this month I had a slightly unplanned race appear on my radar, the Hateful 8 “Loopy Winter Edition” race. The race is put on by Mad Running Junkies, led by the wonderful Kev. Kevin is a great figure in the local ultra/running community here in Wales, especially in the South. He has participated in … Read more
I booked in to the Yr Wyddfa Ultra 100 Mile race on a bit of a whim after failing to fully complete the Swiss Alps 100 mile race in Summer. I was still yearning to fully complete the 100 mile distance on a tough course this year. (The last time I had run 100 miles+ … Read more
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
In April next year I’ll be running the Wild Horse 200 South Wales. It is a 200 mile trail run across South Wales and has about 30,187 feet of climbing. Last Saturday I met up with a group of people running a small part of the route. The plan was to run 16 miles of … Read more
The North Coast 110km ultra was a spur of the moment booking for me. I found it, and signed up for it exactly one week before the event itself, on the last day that registrations were open. Talk about being trigger happy! Part of my decision to book this in was me looking (impulsively) for … 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
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 North CANUM ultra is a 50 mile race following two waterways in North Wales – the Llangollen and Montgomery canals. The route starts near the Berwyn range in the town of Llangollen, and finishes in Newtown. Although the route is quite flat, along the way you get to experience breathtaking views of the surrounding … 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