Pen Llyn Ultra -75 Mile Welsh Ultramarathon
I swore after running a 50 mile race that I would never run another 50 mile race ever again. I then ran another 50 miler, and now I have to run a 75 mile race, the Pen Llyn Ultramarathon. I signed up for it because I thought it looked fun.
After signing up, I immediately get pulled into a Facebook group filled with Proper Runners who do actual training and have plans. I still maintain that I am not a Proper Runner. I’m not even that sure that I actually like running. I certainly don’t plan my runs! I was mostly embracing the Stupid Way and was going to just turn up and wing it. After all what’s the worst that can happen? (It turns out that potentially I could get lost and fall off a cliff or drown in the sea or something, but other than that…)
Then I discover that this race has been awarded 5 qualifying points for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, which from what I can gather is a somewhat prestigious and difficult to get into European Ultramarathon. It also requires 15 points from three trail races. These trail races need to be sufficiently difficult. I have started to form the impression that this race is going to be difficult. Like really bloody difficult. Oops.
Finally, I get around to reading the race handbook where I learn that “The fields may have cows in them so please be respectful and have your wits about you in case there is an over friendly bull!”
Post-finally, I look at last year’s results page. 49 started, 22 finished. That’s almost 60% who Did Not Finish. The winning time was 15 hours and 42 minutes, so this race is going to take me at least 18 hours, and maybe as many as 24. Bugger!
On the bright side Patrick, who completed the March March March with me shall hopefully be acting as my support crew – so hopefully if I do have some sort of horrific accident then he’ll come and drag me out of deepest darkest North Wales and safely back to civilisation.
The Race Report has turned out to be rather long. So I have put it on a separate page. You can find it here.
As usual, you’ll find more regular updates on Facebook and if you are feeling generous then you can sponsor me here.
