*I have included an update. I'd love if you could read through everything below but, if you just want to skip to the new stuff, I've put a partition line further down the page.*

On the 27th July 2024, I’m taking part in GB Ultras’ Beacons Way Ultra 100 mile* and then on the 14th September 2024 it’s the Yr Wydffa Ultra 100**.

Both events (they are races but my aim is to just complete them!) are 100 miles long, with 40 hours cut-off to complete the Beacons Way and 42 hours to complete the Yr Wyddfa.

The Beacons Ways starts in Abergavenny then winds it’s way West over the Brecon Beacons and the famous Pen-Y-Fan. The Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon event begins and ends in Betws-Y-Coed, covering the peaks and famous landmarks of Eyri/Snowdonia, including Yr Wyddfa.

They are quite heavy challenges for me and I talk about them in a podcast episode***, where you can learn a little more.

Due to the nature and difficulty, I accepted that I need help with motivation in both training and the events... and, so... I have decided to raise money for two amazing and very important local charities.
The first is Hope House Children’s Hospices^ that helps families and children in Shropshire, Mid and North Wales or West Cheshire. And, until I spoke with them I wasn’t aware of the amount of things they do and the incredible amount of money they have to raise each year to keep going (over £7million!)

The second is West Mercia Search and Rescue^^. A completely voluntary organisation, they operate in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire but also assist in SAR teams in Staffordshire, North Wales and countrywide. Working with the police and other agencies, they cover lowland areas, hills and waterways, helping the vulnerable and those in trouble. To keep the fleet of vehicles on the road, cover rental costs for premises and facilitate training, they have to raise over £120K a year.

I've set a target of £4000 to split between the charities but I would love to surpass this and set a higher target.

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First leg down and it was more than this little body could handle. To that end, I am now going to take part in the the Snowdonia 50 mile event^^^, instead of the 100. It makes sense and is still a gruelling task. 21 hours to complete a jaunt out from Betwys-Y-Coed, down to Tryfan, over to the peak of Yr Wyddfa and back town to go over the Glyders. A few detours on the way back to Betwys-Y-Coed.

As it's shorter, and I don't want to short-change donors with my pain, I'm adding something extra in. On October 26th I'll start off in Telford Town Park and complete the 50 mile route that was set up as a series of walks to celebrate 50 years of Telford. The #T50 is a circular route that takes in the Wrekin and Lilleshall Monument. But just to make it more challenging, I'll set off in the morning and aim to complete the route before the clocks go back that night!

Snowdon... Well, that was grim. 45 mph winds, lots of slippy mud, rocks and tracks that were streams. I didn't make it to the end but timed out on the last checkpoint with less than 10 miles to go. After 40 miles, 3837m of ascent, 3722m of descent and 18hrs 50 minutes of running, walking and falling over I'd given it my best but the hills beat me. My nervous system let me know about it too, with dizziness, heart and breathing issues as soon as my body realised it didn't have to work any more.

Telford T50 is now done. I set off at 10am from Telford Town Park with the aim of completing the 50 miles before the clocks went back. I started off with two others for company (one of whom stayed with me throughout - cheers Dave!). We maybe went a little too quickly at the start, clocking in 10 minute miles, and it could have been a contributor to how we slowed down towards the end but.... we did it! Completing the course (with a few navigation errors and covering almost 51.5 miles) in under 16 hours.

Totals - Distance 129.95 miles (209.13 km); ascent 8180m (26,837.27 ft); descent 7918m (25,977.69 ft); overall time 49 hours 14 minutes.

* https://www.gbultras.com/beacons-way-ultra-100/
*** https://share.transistor.fm/s/b38d9ff4
^ https://www.hopehouse.org.uk/
^^ https://westmerciasar.org.uk/
^^^ https://www.gbultras.com/snowdon-ultra-50/
# https://www.telfordt5050miletrail.org.uk/