Ultra Trail Wales by GB Ultras | 50m + 3000m

"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield" Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ulysses.
In the build-up to this race, I found the mix of distance (50m) and elevation (3k) daunting. So much so that the weekend before, I was a bag of nerves, not like me at all! During race week, I got hit by a cold 🤧 just a head cold, but I felt completely knackered 🥱
At that point, I decided I'd take a DNF over a DNS any day of the week and focused on getting well enough to make the start line. Thankfully, that settled me down.
I always have an A, B, and C goal for a race, this time I decided to flip them so that C was at the top of the list - "to smile, to enjoy, to finish" - and that's all I had in my mind at the start line.
The plan, such as it was, was to take it easy, run within myself, get to CP4, and take it from there.
I got to CP1 (20k) 40 mins quicker than planned 🙈.
I sent a voice note to the family, "Don't tell me off / runnable downhills / easy running, etc."
I'm not sure who I was trying to convince.
Other than that, everything was kinda going to plan. Chatting away, relaxing at checkpoints, steady up Cadair, but then the dreaded 8km of pan-flat Mawddach estuary 😫 At 7hrs, I was starting to feel the fatigue.
At CP4 (52km), I had a lovely cuppa, a sit down, and a chat with the family ❤️ but I needed to get on. I knew it would be uncomfortable setting off again, then the first hill - I had nothing.
I persevered, as you do, and just kept ticking over. At this point, Gaz and I were now firmly a pair. This was his low point, but as we arrived at CP5, the tables turned. Now it was me in a hole - and it seemed to last forever!
We got to the steep technical stuff, and I snapped out of it. I also snapped one of my poles on a descent 😠 gutted. Gaz led us through the Rhinogs and to CP6. It felt like party time there - "just 8k to go!" (debatable).
After a cruel final section, the finish line loomed, and we were pushing. It felt quick! One last dig up to the finish line, to family, hugs, and a medal with one of the most apt inscriptions:
"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield" Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ulysses.
First 50 miler done ✔️
Not bad for an old bloke with the snotts 🤧
#Dolgellau #precipicewalk #minforddpath #cadairidris #ponypath #mawddachestuary #barmouth #abermaw @the_dragon_theatre #sylfaen #ardudwy #pontscethin #yllether #rhinogfach #rhinogiau #graigddu #coedybrenin

[@Q8Patriot]

Very well done 🎉🎉😅😅 ,,, thanks for sharing yout experience

[@kevhall8238]

Just signed up. Great video any tips