We arrived at Crickhowell at 7am. Two hours earlier I had scraped the ice off my car. It was now about 1 ˚C. The weather forecast said it was going to warm but it didn't feel warm. I covered myself with sun block which seemed pointless.  By the time we started at 8 my hands were numb with cold.

The first part of the route went along a road to the village of Llanbedr. By the time we reached there it was getting warm.

The event involves about 25 miles with 6500 of climbing involving 4 significant climbs. It is an endurance event opposed to a race  It involves carrying kit. You can walk or run or a bit of both.

After Llanbedr we climbed out of the valley to the first checkpoint at the summit of Crug Mawr. It was now getting hot.

The next part of the route was 6 miles along a ridge to Pen Y Gadair Fawr and the second checkpoint at Waun Fach. We ran and walked this part.

After Waun Fach the route continued northwest for about a mile then heads down a shoulder to the next checkpoint and  drinks stop at Pengeffordd. I took this chance to refill my Camelbak. It was now very hot! The next 45 minutes was struggle. The first climb was up Mynd Troed to the third checkpoint. This is steep about a 1000 feet in under a mile. At the summit I was exhausted and felt dehydrated even though I had constantly drinking. Eating even energy bars made me feel sick. I was having doubts about finishing the event. It was a steep descent into the valley and up another steep climb onto the ridge which led to the summit of Mynd Llangorse. Once the ridge I recovered enough to jog to the checkpoint.

This is one of my favorite parts of the route.  Ot passes over moorland on wide green paths. It then descends into a valley and along a road to the next checkpoint and final drinks stop at Pentre. I refilled my Camelbak – it was now virtually dry. We had now covered 20 miles. The next checkpoint was two miles away on Pen Allt Mawr the only problem that it involves an 1800 feet ascent. What was worse it was still very hot.

          Allan and Ian On Mynd Llangorse   

The route up isn't too steep but goes on and on. Most of it is across rough ground away from decent tracks. After about 15 minutes I could see the ridge and the steep shoulder to the summit. It took another 45 minutes to reach the ridge then 15 minutes to reach the summit. The climb up was demoralising the feeling on the top was shattered! We walked along the ridge to Pen Cerrig-caich. This part of the route was very rocky which wasn't easy. After this point the route descends towards Table Mountain onto lush green paths.

            Heading towards Pen Allt Mawr

At the start of the day virtually everyone on the mountains was taking part in the event. Around midday we began to meet fairly serious fell walkers out for a day in the mountains and now we were metting lots of people who were on their afternoon stroll up Table Mountain. It's short climb onto the Table followed by tricky descent. It's then through farmland to the road back to Crickhowell. I arrived back feeling I'd had a very tough day.

Then it was a shower a cup of tea and the drive home.

         

                         The road to the Finish!