South Wales 200 miles by Wild Horse 2024
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Date: Wednesday 22nd May – Monday 27th May 2024
Official miles: 200 miles
Strava says: 209.31 miles
Elevation: 30,000 ft / 9, 144 m
Strava says: 31,388 ft / 9,567 m
Weather: Mixed bag of sun & rain
Start: Southern Terminus of the Wales Coast Path, Chepstow
Finish: Worm’s Head, Rhossili
Route type: Point to point
Conditions: Not too wet underfoot
Website link: Wild Horse South Wales 200 by Pegasus Ultra Running
Describe the route in three words: momentous adventurous journey
Wild Horse South Wales 200 – Race Report
The Wild Horse 200 experience was fun from the start! The day before the race I parked my car at the finish line and enjoyed a packed lunch in the sunshine with beautiful sea views. I made friends with Matt Egner and chatted to Sally Minchella (whom I’d previously met on DBR) and Sean on the coach, we had a good laugh. Upon arrival in Chepstow, the lovely American couple who had done the Wild Horse the previous year helped me carry my drop bag to my accommodation, turned out that Matt and I were in the same hotel so we went together to grab dinner from M&S and also walked to registration together. Registration was brilliant – between Rhys, Chris and Cerys they delivered a very informative yet very funny race brief. I went back to my accommodation feeling very happy and sleepy, the day overall had been relaxed and enjoyable, just exactly how a day before a race should be.
I bagged myself a few hours sleep but the typical night before excitement butterflies were flying around and keeping me awake. Matt and I walked together to the start and the 2024 edition of the Wild Horse South Wales 200 kicked off at 6am on Wednesday 22nd May at the southern terminus of the Wales Coast Path.
Setting off from the Old Wye Bridge in Chepstow, the route dances with the Welsh / English border along the Wye Valley Way and the Offa’s Dyke Path all the way to Checkpoint 1 at Whitecastle. Follow the way markers and you can’t go wrong. The terrain is surprisingly bumpy and potentially muddy in the stretch. Highlights along this section include the majestic Eagle’s Nest, ancient Tintern Abbey, the beautify Wye Valley and the historic Kymin which looks down on the town of Monmouth. This is one of the long stretches you go without seeing a Wild Horse checkpoint but please be rest assured there is a great opportunity to top up your supplies in the town of Monmouth, you run down the high street and we’d urge yo to make the most of the local independent shops.
The first 29 miles following the Offa’s Dyke path up to Checkpoint 1 Whitecastle went really well. Despite a number of nav errors, (really bad embarrassing ones where people actually followed me!) I was firmly ahead of schedule. The route was very pleasant, undulating and with no significant hills and no need for poles. There is a pretty long close-to-flat section which was not technical but a little bit rougher terrain than I had expected, just in the way of grassy bits and stony bits. We passed through Eagle’s Nest, Tintern Abbey and Kymin. I chatted a lot with Tom as well as Clara (whom I’d met on the Narberth Nobbler Wild West Ultra last year), Henry, Chelle (Copthorne Races first ever female finisher) and Kasia (an Instagram friend).
Monmouth is around 19 miles in, I did not stop to make any food purchases but I did stop in a pub to use their toilet. I reached an unofficial stop at a church at 11.12am, it was a lovely unexpected surprise and I took some Haribo
The Whitecastle Checkpoint 1 (29 miles) was upon me in no time, I was there before 12.30pm, at least 30 minutes ahead of my schedule. We had access to our drop bags at every single checkpoint, as well as a toilet, here we had access to a proper toilet in someone’s farmhouse! I changed to my waterproof socks at this checkpoint, transferred my poles from my drop bag to my quiver and put on a dry tee shirt and waterproof jacket. I refuelled with cheese sandwiches, a pot pasta (mac n cheese) and replenished my bag with snacks and water.
After a resupply of your stocks at Whitecastle (which is pretty epic), prepare for your first views of the beguiling Black Mountains. You will follow the Offa’s Dyke until it merges onto the Beacon’s Way on Hatterall Hill, at this point you want to start following the Beacon’s Way waymarkers. After the short and sharp climb upwards, be sure to turn around and take your last look into the garden of England, the view is truly awesome. This is where the real fun begins, looking down into the valley, you will see the ancient Llanthony Abbey staring right back at you – you are heading right for it. Make the most of the downhill because next up is the climb out. Another short, sharp blast upwards and you are now in the thick of the Black Mountains. Be wary because on the descent into the Grwyne Fawr Valley you leave the Beacon’s Way and head up the valley looking for Checkpoint 2 at the base of Grwyne Fawr reservoir.
I was now heading towards the Black Mountains and was feeling really excited to get out there and on to them. I’d recced up until Pandy with Glenn and was mostly familiar with the route from there to the next checkpoint. I remember the excitement sweeping through me when I could see the Black Mountains getting closer, I commented about this to the chap I was running with at the time. I got my poles out somewhere between checkpoint 1 and 2, perhaps a little too early as I only used them a little bit and mostly carried them. I reached Hatterall Hill at 3pm, this was exciting for me as it felt as though it was the gateway to the Black Mountains.
I was pleased to see Llanthony Abbey as I have fond memories cuddling a lamb here on a Beacons Way recce, the first time I had met both Francis and Glenn who would be pacing me later.
Brett and Bryn were to meet me at checkpoint 2, I hadn’t cottoned on until during the Wild Horse that checkpoint 2 was the same location as one of the checkpoints in the Beast of the Blacks which I’d done earlier in the year, the ground conditions were certainly a lot better now!
I was so excited coming down through the forest track to the Mynudd Du Car Park Checkpoint 2 (51 miles), I spotted Brett, Bryn and Angela straight away, such a welcome sight! I spent a little time here getting something to eat and to have a cup of tea and then we set off at 7.22pm, still 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
Time to pick up your buddy runner for quite possibly the most dramatic stretch of the challenge. You wanted mountains and this is where we deliver. After leaving the Grwyne Fawr checkpoint, you head upwards to the highest point of the race
– Warn Fach. Before reaching this however, you pass the hidden gem of the Black Mountains – the Grwyne Fawr Reservoir – it’s remarkable piece of engineering forgotten in time with Britain’s ugliest bothy (it’s actually beautiful), in a deep ravin eon the banks of the reservoir. After passing the reservoir , you carry on up to the top of Waun Fach where there is an abundance of wild horses knocking around – keep an eye out and keep your distance (please don’t feed them). Once you have crested the peak, you stay high following the ridge line towards Crickhowell, bagging peaks such as Pen Allt-Mawr, Pen Cerrig Catch and Table Mountain on your way down. If you still have daylight then you will be able to see the Brecon Beacons waving at you from afar. The terrain is mountain trail, rocky, with the potential to be little soft under foot so keep an eye on your footing. Keep your concentration sharp, your spirits hit and rest assured, there will be a nice warm sleep station waiting for your in Crickhowell.
Brett took me up past Grwyne Fawr Reservoir then up on to the Black Mountains ridge to take in Waun Fach (the course’s highest point), Pen Allt-mawr and Table Mountain before heading down in to Crickhowell, we had an absolute blast and I was running really strong on this section, not just overtaking a few people, but really flying past them, it was a fantastic feeling. It was also somewhere on this section that I got bitten by a horsefly, I was first alerted to the pain descending off Pen Allt-mawr but I hadn’t at the time realised what it was. Darkness fell during this leg, our head torches went on around 10pm and the weather was wet and windy but not cold. This leg was a real joy, even better to get into Crickhowell nicely ahead of schedule too (67 miles).
At Crickhowell Scout Hut Checkpoint 3 (67 miles) I spent some time refuelling and went for a complete outfit change, donning waterproof trousers too, it had not been cold up until this point but I always feel an extra layer on my legs can only be beneficial overnight. The pain on my leg looked like a rub from my gaiter so I put some gauze on and secured it with rock tape. Francis was here as he was taking over from Brett.
Crickhowell is the mecca for walking in the Black Mountains / Brecon Beacons and the sleep station is another fantastic opportunity to resupply from many local shops and takeaways. An award winning independent high street supports the local community. Pulling yourself away from the comfort of one of the main checkpoints, the route heads back out of Crickhowell where you join back up with the Beacon’s Was. This section of the course hits the side of the mountains and only when you pass Cwmdu do you start to head up again on to the Llangorse Mountain. With the world famous Llangorse lake sparkling below, you ride the downward wave into the small villages of Bwlch and Llangynidr, crossing quite possibly the prettiest bridge in Wales.
Not known for his nav skills, he had taken his Garmin into the office that day and managed to get his employees to load up his watch with the route, we had a shaky start not being able to locate a stile, however Henry came along and saved us from any further out and backs (we’d been up and down someone’s steep drive a few times!), Henry stayed with us a little while and then zoomed off, never to be seen by us again. We then hit a fern forest, no one else seemed to have problems here, we however spent goodness knows how long fighting through ferns with absolutely no path to be seen anyway, we crawled under fallen trees and hopped over streams, we were definitely off the gpx line but battled our way through in good spirits. I have since done that section twice and there is a very clear and obvious path, I’m not sure how we managed to stuff it up quite so much! From there onwards, Francis’ nav was absolutely spot on.
We had such a giggle on our leg (as I was expecting to!) and the 13 miles or so to Checkpoint 4 Llangynidr Village Hall (80 miles) passed by quickly. The pain in my leg was no better and I realised that the red mark which I thought was caused by the gaiter was not where the pain seemed to be. At this point though, the pain was not hindering me. We’d arrived in the early morning, I recognised the last miles of this section from the Blacks to the Beacons which I had done with Limitless trails. We switched off our head torches and I had a great long faff at this checkpoint, perhaps a bit longer than I should have done but the cake and tea was delicious! I used the opportunity to charge my phone and keep up with my Duolingo streak. Stu Obree was there and he very kindly gave me some antihistamine.
This is where the route kicks it up a notch and you head up the notorious Tor Y Foel, it’s a relentless climb to the top but you are rewarded with some stunning views of Talybont Reservoir. Now it’s time to drop the hammer and tackle the reserPHWOR section of the course. The next miles are mainly open moorland as well as forestry track and really are runnable. Actually you will find it hard not to run when you catch the view of Pontsticill and Talybont Reservoirs. knowing that the carrot of a sleep station is just around the corner inn Brecon. Bellmouth spillway Valve Tower and Talybont Reservoir are three highlights you will pass on this stretch of the challenge. The final few miles into the sleep station could be heaven or hell depending on your terrain preference – they are as flat as a pancake.
I left Llangynidr at 5.35am, up on my schedule by 40 minutes despite the fern forest with Fran. It is around a 30 mile stretch from Checkpoint 4 to Checkpoint 5 at Brecon, this ended up being quite an interesting stretch. The first 6 miles or so went really well and involves the climb up Tor y Foel, the gift that keeps on giving. This mountain always makes me laugh due to the number of false summits. I love it though, it is the first climb (from Talybont direction) on the Gwynne-Harris Round, I have wonderful emotions and memories connected to this mountain. However, the pain in my leg started to become quite problematic and I was getting a combination of searing pains and burning pains. I was confident that it was not an injury and felt that it was a reaction to either a bite or a sting. I also realised that I was getting tired, I had really wanted to go through to night two before sleeping but I knew that I would need to sleep as soon as I saw Angela at the top of the Taff Trail which leads down past the Talybont reservoir. I sent a text to Angela to forewarn her that I would need a sleep and struggled along with the pain. I have to confess, I found those miles leading up to Angela not very enjoyable and this was when I first had some DNF thoughts as the pain really was quite extreme. Some of this section I had recced with Francis and there is one bit where you cross a stream and climb up a steep muddy embankment, Francis had helped me up the muddy embankment, on my own though, I lost my whole leg into the mud and crawled up and out like a crazy mud monster, no worries though, as the grassy area next to the woods is super wet and squelchy so it soon washed all of the mud off!
I passed a couple of morning dog walkers in the Tae Fechan forest on the fire relief tracks, one gentleman asked me how far I had come and how far I had to go, I thought he would keel over in shock when I told him! I also saw a very fresh looking runner get to the top of a hill and then proceed to have a coughing fit, I wished her good morning and asked her if she was ok and weirdly I felt that I was in a better place than she was, I felt I’d rather have a painful swollen leg than an awful cough!
I passed Stu Obree who was waiting for his athlete and he was kind enough to tell me that Angela was in position* and waiting for me, I had been a bit nervous about this chosen meet up point as there is no phone signal at all and there would be no way of Angela and I being able to contact each other in this area.
I felt a bit tearful seeing Angela and Treacle, what a truly welcome sight. Angela had the chair out and just looked like your everyday camper! This was where my watch hit 100 miles, I had done it in 28 hours and 22 minutes. I had something to eat, got undressed and got into bed asap. Angela set her alarm for 90 minutes and then went for a walk with Treacle. I’m not sure I slept as such but I definitely had a wonderful rest. Before the 90 minutes was up I knocked on the window and Angela opened the door, I felt in a much better mood and we established that Angela could drive the 4 miles or so down to the bridge and she would be there ready for me if I needed to DNF because of my leg. Having refilled, taken paracetamol plus I am sure the antihistamine was kicking in I felt really great on those 4 short downhill Taff Trail miles.
The chap at the 100 mile marker filled my bladders up and I was practically dancing about with excitement to see Angela on the reservoir bridge** and report to her that I was good to carry on. I used Angela’s toilet and I also asked her to text our WhatsApp group to say I was peeing a lot and that I had taken salt tablets… was there anything else I should be doing? The whole stretch into Brecon was really flat and easy, not at all normally my happy place but I loved it! The weather was so nice, the leg was feeling manageable and every faster mile made up for the slow boggy miles leading up to Angela, I was grateful for them. I broke up the flat (and the leg pain!) by taking a look at some Facebook messages, hearing about my friend’s husband’s progress in Cape Wrath Ultra and having back and forth voice notes with my crew. A quote from one of my long winded voice notes where I was asking Francis and Glenn to be with me overnight and keep the negative thoughts at bay,
It’s such a bloody long way isn’t it?
My crew rearranged the race plan so that Francis could meet me at Brecon and stay with me until Glenn could arrive after work to take me through night two as I knew that I would struggle with the night nav.
*This is not an official checkpoint but a great place to be met by crew, nearest postcode CF48 2UT Torpantau car park, there is a tall modern wood sign post with Taff Trail written on it.
**This is not an official checkpoint but a great place to be met by crew, nearest postcode LD3 7YS for YHA Brecon Beacons Danywenallt and then drive over the Talybont bridge for parking on the other side, the Taff Trail / Wild Horse route passes right through.
Just when I thought the checkpoints could not improve, Checkpoint 5 Brecon Subud Hall (107 miles) upped the game! There was a wonderful sofa and medics to look at my leg, I had fresh pizza made to order with the toppings of my choice, I think it was here I had a mashed potato sandwich too, everything was fabulous! The medic drew a line around my swelling so we could see at the next checkpoint if it had got bigger.
After a good refuel at the checkpoint / sleep station this next section will feel like a walk in the park, well a National Park, in fact the Brecon Beacons National Park. You follow the canal all the way into the town of Brecon and this tame tow path is often voted Britain’s’ most beautiful coal – experience it for yourself. The town of Brecon is a key point win the race. It is one of the last major towns you will see on the route and it would be advisable to top out your reserves from one of the many local shops and takeaway. Trust us, you will need them. With views of Pen y Fan to the south, you head in the direction of the tallest mountain n in the south of Britain. Don’t worry, we actually take mercy on you at this point and brush you around the side of it onwards but also upwards, it’s like a scene out of Lord of the Rings. It’s remoteness will kick you in the teeth but if you can pull yourself through it then you will be well rewarded with some of the best views in Wales and a warm brew waiting for you at the South Wales Caving Community’s headquarters.
I set off with Francis in great spirits however only about 5 miles out of Brecon I realised I really needed a sleep again and I sort of had a bit of a tantrum! Francis handled it all so well and before I knew it Angela swooped on in with the van and I had another 90 minute nap.
When I woke up, Glenn had just arrived, looking very calm and collected and I was surprised to see him in trousers, a very good choice for the night that lay ahead of us (I’ve only ever seen him wear shorts!). My lips and tongue were also beginning to swell, I realise now that this was due to the bite on my leg. You can ‘hear’ the swelling in my voice in the video.
We saw Guto and wife Anita at Storey Arms (nearest postcode LD3 8NL) and then ended up having a bit of a faff. Due to a cross communication, Glenn had left his head torch in Angela’s van and we knew we could not proceed without it. Guto very graciously lent Glenn his head torch and we set off into what some will class as the bleak section of the route. It is bleak but I do like it up there, I have some great memories from the Gwynne-Harris Round and its prerequisite recces as well as coming along here on the Beacons Way 100 the year before. It was a bit of a beast that night as it was just so wet, there is a path of some sort on the ground but not tonight, it was just streams and rivers. It was a hard slog. Glenn was a trooper though and kept marching me onwards. It was very wet and boggy, difficult nav and technical terrain. I was in so much pain with my leg it meant that I was not moving very fast and I was struggling to keep my core temperature up. I ended up having to put my emergency layers on, I was wearing 6 layers! I don’t think I’ve ever worn that many clothes before and I have done some snowy, icy and windy runs in the past. There was phone signal and Glenn was in touch with Angela, she had been hoping to meet me at the car park at Sarn Helen but was unable to due to the weather and also she was not too sure of the location. I have to admit, I was devastated when I found out she would not be there, I was really counting on a cup of tea, a warm up and some reassuring fuss from Treacle.
When we did arrive into Sarn Helen***, Clara Davies’ crew was there. Anthony was so kind and let me sit in his car, he put the heating on full and a blanket over my legs, he made me a hot coffee and offered me to help myself to any of his vast selection of food, I opted for a Welsh cake and a doughnut. We discussed my leg which had swelled up to an enormous size, the marker pen long gone due to the wet conditions. Anthony gave me a pair of his socks as they were looser than my running socks. Glenn’s reaction when he saw my leg was actually really funny, he didn’t mince his words on how bad it looked.
***This is not an official checkpoint but a great place to be met by crew, nearest postcode for Sarn Helen (Fan Llia) car park CF44 9JD, then use map.
I was in a very deep low, unlike any I have ever experienced before. A part of me wanted to DNF there and then as I just felt so cold. The practical side of me gave it some thought and I realised it would probably be quicker to get myself to Angela at the next checkpoint and DNF with her there as I’d need to wait for Clara to come in, plus any other runners Anthony was crewing and then hope he’d be willing to drop me off somewhere. The sensible side of me also knew that my body temperature was problematic. I could not possibly go out on to the mountains in that weather feeling this cold. Reason stepped in again. I told Glenn that he would need to open the car door and I would shoot out like a greyhound and run up the hill as fast as I could. I told him that if I wasn’t warm by the time I got to the top (around a mile) then I would need to DNF. So that’s what we did, he opened the door and I ‘sprinted’ up the hill like my life depended on it (I guess it kinda did!).
I got to the cattle grid and said, “Please don’t kill me Glenn.”
“What?” “I’m really hot and I need to take all my clothes off again!”
Glenn was very patient with me!
Glenn took some videos and photos before we reached the next checkpoint, the audio is so funny! I really was suffering but I still had that fighting spirit! Having admitted to Glenn I was in a lot of pain I also said, “Do you know what I’m good at? Grizzing s#@t out.”
Overall I found night 2 extremely challenging and I think this is the only time on the race that I was not constantly smiling.
I was so grateful to have Glenn with me as I was definitely pretty miserable on this section, mentally I was struggling knowing I had done so many miles yet I still had another night to get through and so many more miles to do.
We came in to Checkpoint 6 Penwyllt South Wales Caving Club (133 miles) at around 3am Friday morning. My original race schedule saw me arriving here at 8.45pm Thursday night, I was massively behind schedule now.
I took off all my clothes and put on my pyjamas and snuggled deep into my cosy bed whilst Glenn was a superstar and took mine and Angela’s meal order from us. I had cheesy mashed potato and baked beans and some toast, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Glenn that I really dislike baked beans, but you know what? They were absolutely fantastic, I loved them! Angela had a bacon sandwich and Nutella on toast, plus we had a lovely cup of tea. Both Angela and I were exhausted, Angela slept ‘upstairs’ in the van, and me ‘downstairs’. Angela set an alarm and we both passed out. As the sun came up, Treacle and I stirred and we had a big cuddle and I gave Treacle a tummy rub. Angela’s ahead popped down from upstairs and she said, “Hello, what are you two up to?!” It was a really lovely and memorable way to wake up, another highlight for me. I felt much better but also flet a sense of trepidation about setting off on my own towards Fan Brycheiniog. However, auto pilot took over and I found myself getting up and dressed and ready for the day ahead of me.
Stock up at the checkpoint and keep telling yourself it doesn’t get any tougher than this, The terrain ha the potential to be tricky underfoot; boggy, slippy, overgrown grass and open moorland. Waymarkers are hard to come brand you should rely on your GPX file to pull you through. You are following the Beacons Way for the entirety of this stretch. You will crest the awe inspiring Carmarthen Fan which is made up of Fan Brycheiniog, Fan Foel, Picws Du and Waun Lefrith. With views across Wales, the legendary Llyn Fan y Fach is within touching distance. We really hope you hit this section in daylight. Descending into the small village of Llanddeusant, you will see the checkpoint log before you reach it. It’s a fun downhill section with the potential to witness the abundance of red kite birds of prey that frequent the area. keep your eye peeled.
Leaving Checkpoint 6 at 6.14am (9 hours behind schedule!) I felt a mixture of emotions. I was in much better spirits having got through the second night and physically I felt in good shape, my leg still hurt a lot though and it was filling my head with doubts as to whether I could carry on through the pain. I had a big climb ahead of me up the Black Mountain but my reward would be the majestic views. I set off the same time as Sally and her pacer but it quickly became apparent that I could not keep up with them on the rocky downhill section which is after the lane shortly after the checkpoint. Once I commenced the climb up Carmarthen Fan I knew I needed to change things up as the thoughts in my head were all over the place. I never listen to music on runs so therefore have a very limited playlist on my phone. I decided to play whatever songs I did have out loud and it really worked a treat. I sang along loudly, wincing through the pain and actually ended up catching Sally and eventually overtook her. The descents were most painful for my leg and the long descent down towards the checkpoint meant that as I caught up with Tom and his pacer, Sally and her pacer caught up with me and we all came in to Checkpoint 7 YHA Llanddeusant (145 miles) together.
There was some fantastic buttered toast on offer here as well as tea and super noodles. I borrowed Tom’s crocs to go to the bathroom as the stone floor was so insanely cold I could not walk on it! I’ll be honest, I did feel in quite low spirits at this checkpoint as I was so worried about my leg as well as the nav just before the quarry on the next section as I find it very difficult having done it in the past as a recce for Beacons Way 100 and then again on the Beacons Way race day itself.
The climb out of Llanddeusant is cruel, very cruel indeed, it will feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders but we promise you will find your running legs again. Just knuckle down and get moving forward. The majority of the Brecon Beacons are now behind you, even though you are following the Beacons Way for a fair chunk of this section. You will start to see west Wales in the distance, on a good day you will see the coast teasing you like a mirage. The terrain is nothing new over the next section, you would have become accustomed to it by now after the last stretch you will find solace in the soft ground. The mountains of Garreg Las and Foel Fraith will quickly remind you of what lies ahead. In all honesty, you’ve conquered the worst of the mountains at this point and everything will merely be a bump in the road. Don’t get too hooked on the Beacons Way because you do leave it behind halfway through this next part of the route and join up with the Heart of Wales Line which will carry you all the way to Llandybie and the final sleep station!
I said goodbye to Angela and as I left the checkpoint I felt a bit tearful, I had a hug with one of the marshals (Chris Silvester, he’s down for Wild Horse 2025!) . Sally had left before me but I was able to catch up with her, I lead the way for a bit, keeping a close eye on the nav. However, I think because I was zoomed in so much and constantly checking the nav, my watch battery died and the watch turned off! I rushed to get out my portable charger and asked Sally if she wouldn’t mind babysitting me until the watch was fired up again, it turned out really well for me as it meant that I was with Sally and her pacer for the whole section I was worried about.
The GPX that Wild Horse had provided was much better than the one I had used on the Beacons Way Ultra as it avoided the dreaded bog just before the quarry and actually brought us out at the top of the hill looking down on to the car park. I could see Angela there and merrily waved.
This is not an official checkpoint but a great place to be met by crew, nearest postcode SA19 9PA, Mountain View car park.
Angela topped up the waters for Sally and her pacer and I had a cup of tea and something to eat.
Angela showed me a video message from Blaze, my boot camp and it had us both crying happy tears. Glenn had also sent the video of REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ and that really made me laugh, at some point on night 2 with him I had been singing it but had changed the words to “everything bloody hurts”.
I left Angela at Mountain Quarry view car park and set off for Carreg Cennen Castle. Just a few short miles away. This bit of the route was hugely significant to me as I would be coming off the Black Mountain and therefore leaving all the Brecon Beacons and big climbs behind me. I took a celebratory selfie at 3.20pm as I hit the road but realised I was a bit premature as still had a little bit more Black Mountain to complete!
I got really hot on the climb up to the castle at Carreg Cennen (156 miles) so when I reached Angela I stripped some layers off. I had another shoe and sock change, a coffee from the cafe which was closing so I know I was here at around 5pm on Friday. I continued with my Duolingo streak. The Spanish lesson took ages as I was making so many mistakes due to being so tired! Angela gave me a message from my friend Debbie that her husband Adam had completed Day 6 of the Cape Wrath Ultra, awesome!
This is not an official checkpoint but a great place to be met by crew, nearest postcode SA19 6UA, Carreg Cennen car park, and then walk to seating area outside cafe. (Tea Rooms open daily 9.30am – 5pm).
When I set off again Angela walked a little with me until I was ready to break into a run. The leg hurt a lot still but at this point I was just used to it.
I had just 8 miles to go until the next official checkpoint. I had recced this section of the route recently in April so it was all very fresh in my mind. I had left the Beacons Way and was now on the Heart of Wales line. This part of the route has a mixture or trails and lanes and feels predominantly downhill which makes for a nice change! There is a super muddy field just after the sweet chapel at Llandyfan which was not as muddy as when I had done it on the recce. (Llandyfan would be another point for crew to intercept their runner). I was delighted to reach the sign for Llandybie knowing I had not long to go until Checkpoint 8.
Trundling along the quiet road and over the railway crossing, more and more buildings appearing either side of me. I was delighted to be met by the checkpoint 8 welcome committee who walked me into the checkpoint, taking my food order having told me the selection on offer which involved a minimum of three courses, snacks and hot and cold drinks.
Checkpoint 8 Llandybie (164 miles) was an absolute highlight for me! There were rows of beds, each one with a selection of snacks laid upon them, there was an endless amount of food and anything I wanted or needed appeared by the wonderful Nicola (Nicola is Henry Drake’s partner who had helped Fran and I find the stile just before we hit the fern forest). I lay on the bed, elevating my feet and enjoying a fine selection of food. I had tea, coke, pizza, roast potatoes and homemade blueberry cake which was divine. There was a super cute dog there whom I got to have a lovely cuddle with.
Nicola gave me a bowl of warm water and a flannel so I could strip wash in the bathroom. There is a low level kid’s toilet in the bathroom which I used and it made me laugh as I hadn’t realised it was a kid’s toilet until I sat on it! I applied Sudocrem to the necessary places, brushed my teeth and put a full clean set of clothes on, it felt great.
In the grand scheme of things, the terrain over this next section is pretty low key and easy underfoot. You have one noticeable climb after which it’s an easy stroll along the Heart of Wales Line and we promise you will begin to smell the Welsh coast. Just focus on asking it to Loughor Catsle, this will make the beginning of the final trail you will follow – the great Wales Coast Path. Allow yourself to have a fleeting thought of the finish line, you now have approximately 20 miles left to go. Don’t lose your concentration though, navigation can be a little tricky along this section with a few road crossings to keep you on your toes. Closing in on Penclawdd, remind yourself that you are fast approaching the final checkpoint of the event.
I left checkpoint 8 at 8.20pm having actually gained time as I had gone from 9 hours behind schedule to 7 hours 20 minutes behind schedule!
Checkpoint 8 to 9 was certainly full of fun with Francis as I headed into night 3. Francis and I were talking so much we immediately overshot the turn minutes after leaving the checkpoint and we went the wrong way! Within around a mile we hit Ammanford, the Tesco here had been a start and finish point on two of my recces, I had gone with a non-running friend who had acted as taxi driver for me collecting me and delivering me back to my car. I posed for a photo so I could send it to him. It’s worth knowing that the loos are on the left as you go into Tesco, I didn’t need to use them on this occasion but it may be useful for someone reading this.
Leaving Tesco behind there is a flat cycle path and then a river crossing over a wobbly bridge, we stopped for some pictures here, the light already beginning to fade.
We encountered a lady leaning out her window screaming to us about a hedgehog. We must not disturb him! We didn’t see him so I think he remained undisturbed.
There is one significant hill on this leg… significant enough to have a trig point. There was a chap being crewed by his girlfriend who had developed horrific trench foot, it really stank, he somehow was doing a fantastic job and ran with us briefly on this hill, he motored off after a short conversation. The downhill from it was extremely painful, I kept omitting howls so Francis suggested I let it all out. Much screaming and blue air later we found ourselves on a lane which we felt was an ideal place for a midnight picnic. The cold tarmac was soothing on my sore leg. We had a good giggle as we realised me must have looked like two drunk Friday night lovers as we lay strewn across the road!
I had reached a level of pain now where running was near impossible, there were may times I genuinely believed I was running, but this video just tells me otherwise, I was completely deluded! Fran suggested that I roll up my trouser leg to let the cold air sooth my pain, it was a great idea.
We ticked off all the bits I remembered from my recce (in no particular order): stinky caravan field, muddy field, pond and bridge field, tall grass field, hidden stile field and stony track. At some point there is a playground, I remembered it from my recce and at the time wondering how I would feel when I got here and if I would be capable of the monkey bars (I successfully did the monkey bars on day 6 Dragon’s back, a couple of miles from the finish at Cardiff Castle!)
We reached Angela at the sailing club car park at around 3am and had a very enjoyable cup of tea and something to eat. I was moving at a snail’s pace and the 14 miles from Checkpoint 8 to Angela at Loughor were a very long 14 miles, I really could have done with meeting her nearer, I remember I kept asking Francis if he thought we would reach her soon.
This is not an official checkpoint but a great place to be met by crew, nearest postcode SA4 6TW, Loughor Boating Club car park, Angela went in to ask about parking and was asked to pay £5.
Despite my leg pain, there was an awful lot of laughs and we reached Checkpoint 9 Penclawdd Community Centre (185 miles) in very high spirits somewhere between 5.30am and 5.50am Saturday morning, it had taken around 9 hours to do 22 miles. Somewhere along the way we found a tennis ball which we picked up to give to Treacle.
This was a lovely checkpoint, very spacious and warm, I used the toilet here and put some more Sudocrem on the necessary parts, I had super noodles, a cup of tea, some coke and some toast, Francis sorted out my leg and I took some paracetamol for it. Treacle gratefully received her tennis ball gift and you can hear / see her in the background as event’s crew Chris Silvester (hug marshal from checkpoint 7, Llanddeusant) played ball with her. The chap with the trench foot was here and his girlfriend did a great job of looking after him.
This is it, the final stretch! 17 miles between you and the finish line of an incredible journey. We could tell you anything about this terrain now and it wouldn’t matter. All that matters now is finishing the challenge. The terrain is a mixed bag, you have a couple of road sections before you hit Salthouse Point and then you play with the open marshland of the Wales Coast Path. Shortly after North Hill Tor you will hit a wall of sand, yes it’s a giant sand dune and it will be fun, we promise! Shake the sand out of your shoes, hold your head up high and enjoy the dramatic cliffs of the Gower, As you turn for home you will notice the distinguished features of Worm’s Head rising out of Rhossili Bay – that’s your finish line! Keep focus as you traverse the final couple of miles and be sure to savour every moment – this is your time!
We set off from checkpoint 9 in great spirits, Francis somehow managing to keep me motivated and giggling. There is a flat tarmac section on Marsh Road that seemed to go on for quite some time, probably due to my very slow pace and the fact that I could not stop laughing. There was a young lady running towards us, she looked like she was on her morning 10km and was moving at quite a pace, I was so envious of how easy she made it look, and how fast she was, her ponytail swinging from side to side.
I told Francis about a video I had seen of someone’s legs turning to jelly just before the finish line of a marathon and how he had had to drag himself across the line, within about 10 seconds of regaling him with this story, my legs started turning to jelly! We decided it was because I was using too much energy to laugh so we decided to stop joking around so much and take things a bit more seriously.
The sun was gradually warming me up and there were many, many faff stops for me to swap my hat for sunglasses, take off my gloves and then remove my outer layers. I also needed to pee seemingly all the time, I think partially from laughing so much.
I really wanted to show Francis that I could still run at speed (really, what was I thinking?”) so here is a video of me pretending to be an airplane. A great quote when asked by Francis if I knew the Dambusters theme tune:
No, I don’t know anything.
Francis continued to find ways to keep me moving as really all I wanted to do was dawdle along. At one point, he said to me, “every time I turn around you’re either having a wee or in the snow plough position!” I think he was referring to the fact that every time I was laughing (which was a lot) I had to stop, support myself with my poles so as no to fall over and laugh for a bit.
Angela had said she would try to intercept us at some point on these final 15 miles and I was desperate to see her again as I was really feeling as though I could do with a power nap. Francis and I were also discussing my feet, they were feeling pretty uncomfortable and he suggested that when we reached Angela, I put his spare shoes on which were in her van, they would be much bigger than my trainers and perhaps be more comfortable to run in.
Angela found a spot to park up at Landimore and the moment I saw her was one of the massive highlights for me. Fran and I were making our way across a grassy field in the sunshine, giggling away and to my absolute delight I saw Angela running towards me with Treacle. The moment Treacle clocked me she broke in to top gear, running full pelt down the slope towards me, she whizzed passed Francis practically spinning him around and continued her charge. My delight briefly turned to panic as I thought she might just bowl me over so I stood still, planted my poles and braced myself for impact. However, Treacle is a pro and just bounced up and down in circles around me whilst I gave her a heartfelt greeting. Angela lead the way to the van and I was bundled in to have a 15 minute power nap. Angela had bought ice cream for us all, including a special ice cream for Treacle… however, I was too busy napping to have any!
We set off once more with only around 10 miles to go. These final miles were going to take an eternity. (I know that the final 8 miles took around 3 hours!) I was now wearing Francis’ shoes, honestly, that man is a legend! He really made what could have been a very arduous race finish into the most wonderful and magical memories.
We finally hit the beach, with Worm’s Head visible and tantalisingly close. However, the beach was a bit of a head fry for me. It looked as though it was so long, and although I was shifting somewhat on here, using driftwood and sunbathers as goal posts to run to, Worm’s Head never got any closer. It was also quite funny that the pair of us were running past people in their bathing suits having a lovey time, we just looked like two lunatics.
We finally came off the beach, trotted through a caravan park and then hit the giant sand dune. The sun was beating down upon and it really was very warm now. The giant sand dune felt like it went on, and on, and on. It is hard to explain how my feet felt at this point. My leg was in agony and my feet just felt weird, I’m not sure they hurt, they were just fed up and I felt as though a change was in order. The sand looked so inviting and I started obsessing about how it might feel. There was only one thing for it, remove my (Fran’s) shoes and socks.
The end was enticingly close, Kasia (someone I know through Instagram) was there supporting the Wild Horse runners, it was a great surprise to see a familiar face, she snapped a few shots of me in action.
I really had not far at all to go now, my emotions were flying all over the place. There is a bit of a hill up a lane right near the end, I think I was threatening to sit down and finish there and then as I was just so fed up of the finish line not getting any nearer to me. Matthew Dalton who had been some way behind me suddenly came charging into view, the man was flying! I really didn’t want to be overtaken by someone so close to the end, I broke into some sort of pathetic run, not standing a chance and he flew by me, to finish 14 minutes ahead of me. What a fantastic strong finish by him!
The finish line finally, finally was imminent! This adventure had started 6am on Wednesday morning, had seen me run through wind, rain and sunshine over three nights and into the early afternoon of Saturday. The area was busy, many families and dogs strolling around in the post lunchtime sunshine, I could see race director Ryan at the finish line, Angela and Treacle filming me, I found that last bit of energy to run it in and touch the gate. There were tears and hugs all round. The whole experience had been marvellous, from start to finish, despite the tears of pain and agony at times, despite the negative thoughts rolling around my head wanted me to DNF, grit and determination by my awesome team had got me through to this moment, I will treasure the memories and stronger bonds created during this race always.
What’s in the snack pack?
Drop bag
I had access to my dropbag at every single one of the 9 checkpoints.
Crew Items
This is what I had access to in Angela’s van.
What I wore: Saucony Peregrine 12 ST, Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar, buff, Sweaty Betty power leggings, Stance socks, Buff cap, tee shirt, Dirty Girl gaiters, Salomon Adv Skin 12 running vest.
Lead up:
I did not consciously increase my training for this race, I just chucked in a few longer runs and back to backs where possible as I knew I had the Wild Horse booked in, here is an outline of the 4 months prior.
In January I did a 3 day back to back: 20 miles of Beast of the Blacks, a 21 miler in the Brecon Beacons with Francis and his nephew and then the Fan Dance the following day. I did my winter training camp with my running club plus a decent amount of boot camp and shorter runs.
February I managed to do a bit of running whilst at work in Verbier which included a decent uphill, lots of boot camp, short runs and the Goldalming FKT which is 28 miles.
March saw me doing a Wild Horse recce back to back, 2 runs of 15 and 12 miles in the Beacons with elevation, the Beast of the Blacks 40 miler and a handful of bootcamp sessions and short runs. Doing Beast of the Blacks was a good way to gage where my fitness was as I had done it the year before, I established that my 2024 fitness level was certainly no where near as good as my 2023 fitness levels!
April saw me doing a back to back which was a 36 mile recce with Glenn which was a Wild Horse recce for me and Offa’s Dyke recce for him (so the first 10 miles or so were not Wild Horse) Chepstow to Pandy followed by a 21 miler on the Staunton Way. I did back to back recces around Ammanford, 20 miles followed by 9 miles plus a Maverick North Downs recce of around 23 miles with my friend Gill who was entered into it. Then of course the usual boot camp and shorter runs.
Morning preparations: I was so excited for this adventure plus I have a continuing battle with insomnia so I barely slept the night before, let’s just say I had a good rest! I stayed in self check in accommodation, a stone’s throw from the start line. There was a kettle but not fridge, I was able to have a porridge pot and banana with a cup of tea for breakfast. I did do a few stretches before heading to the start.
Summary
What an incredible experience this was from start to finish. I am really happy with how my first 200 miler went, the horse fly bite was extremely annoying as I do feel it had a big impact on the race however I really was able to take a lot away form this race, mostly on how to manage negative thoughts and entertaining the idea of a DNF. I am so happy that I had crew and pacers, this made a big difference to me and made the whole experience so much more enjoyable, without them, it would have been very lonely out there as although I met and ran with others, I was not with them for the majority of the race. The recces I did proved very useful, my knowledge of the Beacons Way was a big help too.
Lessons learned
Results
Chip time: 79 hr 32 m
Overall: 12/54
Lady: 3/14 (100% female finish rate)
Wild Horse 200 mile 2024 results: click here
Strava link: click here
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