Date: Saturday 5th November 2022
Official miles: 30 miles
Elevation: 4,360 ft / 1,329 m
Weather: raining - a lot
Start: Cyfarthfa Castle
Route type: circular
Conditions: wet
Website link: Off the Tarmac
Describe the route in three words: lots of rain
OTT 30 Miles - Race Report
Rain was forecast all day but driving to the start at Cyfarthfa Castle the weather seemed okay, the rain was holding off (wishful thinking).
I do love an indoor HQ and OTT certainly put on a good spread to start the day off. There were hot drinks and a few snacks available, a warm building and proper toilets. The starting area was pretty lo key, just a gazebo by the building’s car park. Race director Jon let us know of a few route changes where footpaths had been closed and then sent us on our merry way. We all trotted off down the hill, a pretty small field of around 50.
As we ran up the hill through the village I realised I was at the front of the pack, juts two ladies that I could see ahead of me. I soon passed one and slotted in behind the other. Well this was interesting. To know exactly where I was in the field only a couple of minutes in. Diversion signs for a closed footpath sent us on a bit of a wiggle, we then headed down some steps, the lady in front of me took them very carefully indeed. This was a key moment for me, seeing just how careful she was. I knew immediately that no matter what her pace on the flat was or her strength at climbing hills, I’d definitely be able to catch her on a downhill section.
The race was on, there was a target on her back, and I knew my goal was to beat her.
I decided to overtake her shortly after the steps on the footpath running alongside Taf Fawr and worked on putting a bit of a gap between us in case she was a ninja at uphills. We reached a gate and had a hill climb ahead, it gave me a good opportunity to look behind and see where she and others were. There was no one there. Well this was all rather promising.
The rain had started up, I’m not sure exactly when, but it rained for the entire race, hence the lack of photos. Checkpoint 1 Cwn Cadlen road crossing 6 miles, I didn’t need anything so I went straight through, making sure the marshals saw my number. I was still first lady, this was exciting! I set myself two goals, the first one was to stay in first for as long a possible, the next goal was to stay in first until the next checkpoint, kind of similar goals, but they made sense to me! Because of the constant rain, I can’t say I was looking around enjoying the scenery as much as usual, it was more of a head down and get it done kind of situation.
As I passed through a gate and approached the Beacons Reservoir towards the next checkpoint, a quick glance behind showed me that I was on my own. I felt super confident. This wet, boggy, tufty, grassy, hillocky terrain was exactly the sort of stuff on the Gwynne-Harris Round, this was what I was used to and I was sure others would struggle here whilst I would fly through, I was sure I could put a bigger gap between me and number two. I didn’t have my poles out, I didn’t need them, I was great at this (or so I thought)!!! I flew up the hill towards the marshal at the road crossing, really close to Pont ar Daf now. As I reached the other side, I looked behind me and saw a stream of people! What on earth?! Clearly I was not as at home on that terrain as I thought I was!
I came into Checkpoint 2 Pont ar Daf 13 miles, a guy asked where he was in the field and the marshal said 10th, which certainly put me high up in the field, I’d come in a few people ahead of him, I was around 7th. I was shocked! A quick water refill as I got my poles out for the Pen y Fan climb out of Pont ar Daf car park. This was going to be a long climb and a bit of a slog in the miserable weather. I smiled as I reminisced about the last time I was here, I was running in the opposite direction, towards my friend Darren and it was my second checkpoint on Gwynne-Harris, and what a day that was. A fella caught up with me and he stayed with me for the main bulk of the climb, we chatted away to each other and I really was so very grateful of his company, it takes me an age to get up there and it would have been lonely work in the rain and wind. He went back to check on his buddy and left me to complete the climb on my own.
A mother and son were walking towards me, the son being blown into the mother, she was trying to shield him as much as possible and support him so he didn’t get blown over. My poles were useless as the wind was so strong, they were being blown off to the side causing a potential hazard for anyone wanting to pass me. I held them in one hand and close to my body. As the cairn on the summit came into view, the chap who’d gone back for his friend came past me and ran right to the top, I could barely breath what with the icy cold wind and rain so thought I’d head down asap. As I came to the top of Jacob’s Ladder my breath literally was taken away from me. The best way to describe the elements that were currently assaulting me is this.
Imagine having someone constantly throw bucket loads of ice water in your face whilst giving you a face lift on the right hand side.
The moment the rain hit the rock, the wind would blow it up creating a reverse waterfall effect, a water-rise in fact. It was a pretty special situation. The combined frigid cold and pain of the rain and wind pulling and contorting the skin on my face meant that my body was screaming at me to stop and take shelter. Obviously there is no shelter here (and also no point in stopping) so my brain overruled my body and told me to get off that mountain quick smart. The faster I went, the sooner I would be out of the wind. I’ve mentioned in previous blogs that I am very slow go down Jacob’s Ladder. Although I have never yet slipped, nor even come close to slipping, I am convinced I am going to fall over and it will hurt a lot so I always take it very slow and steady. In this situation the wind was a big help. The wind was pushing against me, giving the feeling that I couldn’t fall as I would be pushed upright. It meant that I got a Strava PB coming down here, by well over a minute! It’s also worth mentioning that as well as the wind being a help, I came down Jacob’s just behind another runner, I realised I could use him as a human shield (is that really wrong of me?) so for the first section, as well as the wind helping, this guy certainly was taking the brunt of the water buckets!
It’s worth mentioning here that I later found out that one of the back runners had come into difficulty here and two fell runners helped and guided her off Pen y Fan as she was disorientated and confused. Having had the battle at the top with my body just wanting to stop but my mind pushing me through the pain of the cold, I totally understand how this could have happened. Doesn’t matter where you are in the Beacons, even when at the top of the very famous, well trodden paths and tourist friendly Pen y Fan, the mountains and the weather are unforgiving.
It felt very odd missing out Cribyn, and in fact I have never missed it out before! The path was fairly rocky and what with all the rain, was similar to running along a river. A guy dressed all in black and full on waterproofs came along and ran with me a bit, we chatted about our day, he was out practising map reading he told me. He made his excuses after a few minutes and sped off.
The lower I got, the more the sheltered from the wind I became and I could feel the temperature rising. My body was lovely and warm and toasty, but I could feel that my skin was cold. As I ran down the Roman Road, my thoughts went back to the couple of times I had done the Brecon Horseshoe FKT and how I’d soon be approaching ‘the place where I saw the mountain bikers’ on the Gwynne-Harris Round. Honestly, I will never tire of reliving that route, truly my biggest accomplishment and the thing that I am so, so proud of. Photographer Sam Whiting was waiting for runners just before the Taff Trail, I gave him a big well done and thank you for braving the rain.
Along the Taff Trail and nearing the next checkpoint, some of the guys at the front were beginning to run out of steam and I passed a couple. I came into Checkpoint 3 Torpantau Train Station (19.5 miles) and asked for some help with my poles, it was so wet I just didn’t want to take my snack pack off. A kind marshal put them into my quiver for me whilst another refilled one of my bladders. They offered me a parting gift of Celebrations chocolate and I set off again.
There were a few times along the route where I fancied slowing down and having a walk. But then I thought about my goal, get as far as you can as first lady. I kept thinking of the lady I had seen right at the beginning, I’d seen she was very cautious going downhill but I’d convinced myself that she was an uphill ninja, I needed to widen that gap. So every time I wanted to walk, I didn’t. I just ran. I also thought about my friend Lucy, a mindset coach. What would Lucy say? This has become a common thought during races! Lucy would ask me what a first lady would look like. I knew that a first lady certainly would not be walking up any hills. So every time I wanted to walk, I didn’t. And if the hill really was that steep, then I would jeff, counting in tens. 10 strides of walk followed by 10 strides of run. As I was trundling up towards the next checkpoint, I imagined myself visiting Blaze session boss Sarah, I was heading over to her house the next day as she and her daughter were helping me with a project for work. I started visualising the conversation we might have and that I would be so proud to tell her that I had won my first ultra. I REALLY wanted it now and I had no idea how far behind number two was so I just had to keep going.
Checkpoint 4 Ffynnondwyn (Taff Trail) 26 miles arrived and I enquired about my position, still first lady. I shot out of there as quick as I could with a malt loaf. Only 4 miles to go but as I reached a grassy hillside it suddenly felt all rather hard. I ripped the packaging off the malt loaf knowing that this was the solution. It didn’t take long for the sugar to work its magic and anyhow, I couldn’t think it was hard when it turned out I was on one of the most enjoyable parts of the route! First there were fields to cross then the most wonderful footpath following the Taf Fechan, what a joy! There were tree roots and boardwalks, plenty of mud, the odd rock and a few mini river crossings. I came to a waterfall which needed crossing. Only one thing to do here, and that was to sit down and enjoy slithering down the mudslide on my bum! Weeeeeeeee! I bounded over and up the other side.
I reached some steps which took me away from the footpath, there were some of the male finishers waiting for their buddies, they cheered me and told me I looked strong. I still had no clue where number two was and I was beginning to imagine her overtaking me up the hill past Cyfarthfa Castle to the finish line. No way would l let this happen. Twice now I’ve been overtaken at the finish and had the podium snatched away. And the one time I did get a podium, second lady on Jurassic Coast 100km, there was no podium and no special trophy for second. Not today. I was fully prepared to sprint up that hill if needs be. I ran through the town grinning, this trophy was going to be for me. I started up the final hill to the finish, I glanced behind, there was no one there. I went a little faster (just in case) and ran through the gazebo, all the way to the door of HQ, someone called, “It’s okay, you’ve finished, you can stop now!” I’d done it! I’d got my long desired podium finish and not only that, it was a first. I was so delighted!
RD Jon handed my a Coke (hero), and as I was drinking it in HQ afterwards, someone sympathetically asked me if I had hurt myself when I had fallen, I looked down at my mud covered arm, bum and leg and laughed, no, I didn't fall, that was when I slid down the mudslide into the waterfall!
What’s in the snack pack?
Cheese and pickle sandwich
Natural bars - 2
Lucho natural - 2
Caffeine gel
Plastic bag (to put aid station food into)
Sugar coated stemmed ginger
Mints
2x 500ml bladders water - 1 plain, 1 with Hi 5
Spare Hi 5 tabs - 2
Gloves
Hat
Long sleeved spare layer
Vasaline
Spare hair band
Safety pins
Compeed, plasters, surgical tape, spare socks
Harrier Helvellyn Carbon Z-Poles and quiver
Whistle
Survival blanket
OMM Halo waterproof trousers
OMM ultra flexi cup
Salomon Bonatti waterproof over mittens
Harrier Helvellyn Carbon Z-Poles and quiver
Petzl e+lite head torch (mandatory but didn’t need)
What I wore: Saucony Peregrine 12 ST, Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire, buff, Sweaty Betty power leggings, Stance socks, Ronhill merino long sleeved top, Inov 8 Trailshell waterproof jacket, Dirty Girl gaiters, Salomon Adv Skin 12 running vest.
Lead up: I’d done the The Dirty Dozen about a month before and the New Forest Ultra a week before that along with my usual mix of boot camp and social runs. I hadn’t done any significant hill training so was not expecting to be anything other than slow yet persistent on the uphills.
Morning preparations: I stayed over the night before in Rogerstone, at my new friend’s house. This reduced my journey to the race significantly and ensured I saved money on B&B costs. It’s incredible what solutions can be found on Facebook! I got up before my alarm, I had a few hours sleep but spent much of the night awake (pretty standard the night before an ultra!). Breakfast of a porridge pot and banana, cup of tea and a few stretches, then I was ready to head!
Summary
I am super chuffed to have a trophy and to have claimed first lady, however, it does come with its drawbacks, this was the most stressful ultra I have ever done because I knew I was in the lead and I wanted to stay there! It meant I was never really relaxed, looking over my shoulder and running in places I would have liked to have walked. A small field and the yucky weather meant there was not too much opportunity for banter so it was quite a solitary run.
Lessons learned
I always take too much food
Being first is stressful!
Results
Chip time: 6 hr 04 m 01 s
Overall: 15 / 50
Lady: 1 / 13
OTT 30 miles - click here for results
End of ultra burpees, one for OTT and one for the forgotten one after The Dirty Dozen.
Pro photography credits - Sam Whiting