Brecon Multisport Club

Steven · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 712

The South Wales Winter Fell Series is starting again this weekend

First race is Fan Fawr, which is the other side of the road from Pen y Fan
2 miles with 1000ft of ascending
Starts from the Storey Arms lay-by at 2pm, Saturday 6th October, and only £1 to enter on the day
Its a short race, but that doesn't make it easy - its a very steep hill, though the winner finishes in 16-17 minutes. Make sure you have aggressive tread on your shoes as it'll be wet and it's worthwhile having a water/windproof and leggings in the car in case they demand it on the day, but no navigation is required - it's just up & down again

We had 5 of us doing it last year and several who carried on the rest of the series, it sounds like we've got loads of people interested this year. Races are 2pm the first saturday of the month usually, and the best 5 out of 7 races count. Check the website here, though full details of the winter series are not up yet

www.wfra.org.uk

Might as well join together for lifts to Storey Arms
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"The greatest pleasure in life, is doing the things people say we cannot do."

Dave Townhill · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 533 Location: Brecon

B*gger, Away Sturday this weekend. Sad

Been really looking forward to this as well!!!!!!
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Hope is the last thing to die!

Steven · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 712

Fan Faw Race:

A dry, mild and mostly cloudy was the backdrop for the first of the winter fell series. Barry, Neil and I all made the start line in reasonable shape, perhaps not the best night to go for drinks before, along with another 40 or 50 runners. Many were familair faces from last winter, including Harry Matthews from Talgarth area, who had just returned from the World Fell Champs in Switzerland.

The start went and everyone began pushing up to the top of Fan Fawr, only 1 mile away but 1000ft higher. As usual the pack seemed very close together for the first 5 minutes at such a slow pace, with Neil slightly ahead of me and Barry. Coming onto the boggy plateau the field had stretched with the leader halfway up the final slope, closely followed by Harry. By this stage the heart and lungs are ready to explode, Neil had made it a fair way ahead with the frontrunners, whils I was hanging on to Barry's suprisingly sprightly tail.

The final slope reduces everyone to a walk - some on the eroded insteps others clambering up the grassy slopes on all fours, many with hands on thighs for that extra push. Already the frontrunners had reached the top turnaround and were flying back down. By the time it levelled out enough to run at the top, I still had no breath to move much, but got to the turnaround just a few yards BEHIND Barry. On the descent Barry let the brakes off and flew down the slopes, overtaking many with his flash agressive Inov-8 shoes, whilst I left the handbrake on and struggled with a stitch down the steep grassy slopes. Even on the downhill, a lot of fitness is required, and probably more technique in being able to let it roll.

The finish line eventually came into sight and I crossed, having lost a few places on the way down, but was still pleased to have taken over a minute off last years time. Harry won the race in 16:30ish, only 20s off the course record, while Neil finished in 20:40ish, possibly making the top 15 and Barry about 22mins, me 22:35

An excellent but brutal race which has left me wanting to train more, lose weight and work on the fast downhills. Hopefully we'll see some more of you at the next race, which should be the Sugar Loaf starting from the East side of Abergavenny - the longest of the winter races
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"The greatest pleasure in life, is doing the things people say we cannot do."

Steven · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 712

Results are now up for the Fan Fawr race, as are the full llist of winter races, which are different to last year

http://wfra.org.uk/

November 3
SUGAR LOAF
5m/1400ft

December 8
THE BLORENGE
2.5m/1400ft

January 12
THE KYMIN
3.5m/900ft

February 9
THE DARREN
3m/1070ft

March 1
LLANTHONY
3m/1000ft

March 29
PEN CERRIG CALCH
3m/1500ft
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"The greatest pleasure in life, is doing the things people say we cannot do."