Brecon Fans Races

Also a counter in the WFRA Open Welsh Championships!

The full series is:

We are very pleased to announce that Pen y Fan 2012 has been chosen as a counter in

• the Welsh Athletics Mountain Running Championships
• the WFRA South Wales Summer Series

We have set up online entry for the Brecon Fans races, to make it easier for people to enter in advance and secure their place. Our hope is this will reduce the queues at registration, where because of the idyllic venue (i.e. total lack of facilities) we have to take entries in our tent!

Entering is easy… just use the “ENTER” page to add one or both races to your cart, then proceed to checkout. Payment is via PayPal, but you do not have to have a PayPal account – you can just pay with a card if you want.  You will then receive a confirmation email, and an order reference.

Bring this to registration on the day to collect your race number.

Photos from Ali Tye here http://www.fellrunningpictures.co.uk/fanybig2011.html

When I get results from Mark I'll put them on the web site. However I'm away with work all week, so it might be next weekend.

So, in summary, a good turnout over 100 entries; weather not half so bad as it could have been, though screaming wind round the horseshoe; James Waldie from Cornwall won (and took the series prize), Ben Thingy from Dark Peak was 2nd, Ed Gamble from from Cheshire was 3rd.

Helen Fines smashed 3 mins off the ladies record.

I came 5th, Mynydd Du got the team prize, and everyone had a lovely time!

Click here for full results including ascent/descent times. If you spot any howlers do let us know. Much of the computer entry was done in the context of a collapsing tent, so errors could have crept in!

Click here for photos from Corn Du and the finish. Unfortunately we didn't get a full photo of James Waldie's total wipe-out in the finishing straight, as he tried to overtake Daniel Hooper (256), but it will stay with me. This shot was taken about 0.1 seconds before the crash with James visible in extreme right, about to eat the turf.

And here's another great set of photos taken by Gerry Ashton above the stile.

Roll on Fan y Big!   I'm feeling lardy and unfit, and drank far too many bottles of Breconshire Brewery's finest ales yesterday, but we'll see what we can do.

Great fun was had by all! Crashing rain for the 2 hours before the race, then blustery sunshine for the race. Good win for Andres Jones with brother Filipe 6 inches behind. Mark Palmer third - feeling the Bob Graham in his legs. Helen Fines 1st lady.

I'm working on the results and photos now and will try to get them on the web site by about 4. Must try not to drink too much beer (have to race Fan y Big tomorrow!).

Interesting - I find that my "movements" are affected in a similar way by organising a race as by competing in one. Works better than colonic irrigation.

Anyway, it's raining, or at least it was 5 minutes ago. And Pen Y Fan is shrouded in murk...

But I'm sure it will clear up soon!

On the pin front, Emma texted at midnight to say emergency pin supplies are coming to the race with Ricky.

And Mark P (fell running superstar and Fan y Big organiser)  called to share a chuckle about how many people cannot read the stuff about on the web site and contact us to ask whether the race goes up any hills, or whether any kit is needed, etc etc... and then Mark said "right see you at 12 then". Umm, the race starts at 11 !! 

BRING PINS!

Our massive bag of safety pins has gone walkabout!  We think maybe we took it along to Fan y Big last year, and never reclaimed it afterwards. Anyway, we've scoured the house and come up with a small tinful, but nowhere near enough for all. So this is an appeal to all runners to bring some pins please!

(apart from that, everything going just swimmingly, and yes, the beer is fine).

Just back from a work trip to Chester, and finding the house full of boxes of Breconshire Brewery ale. I think I'd better check it's all OK, perhaps one bottle from each box. Also I bought the wine for prizes on the way home, 24 bottles of nice, and Naomi picked up the prizes from Cotswold Outdoors in Brecon.  And as well as the main prizes, every runner at each race will get a 15% off voucher valid in any Cotswold store, which is most welcome and very generous I reckon.

On Wednesday evening I made massive amounts of flapjacks, I think about 70, so perhaps one more batch needed. Good Housekeeping recipe, augmented with lemon juice + zest + raisins for extra yumminess.

A couple more entries in (after the closing date but no problem) plus several people contacting us through the site asking what kit required etc.

Great to hear that Mark Palmer is racing. He won the race 3 years in a row 2006-8, then took a couple of years off, so it will be interesting to see whether he can reclaim the crown. Certainly Mark's tumultuous descending will make it hard for Stewart Bellamy to retain his position as fastest from summit to finish. We'll try to give a prize for this, and fastest to the summit too, if we can work out the stats in time.

Unfortunately we have heard that last year's winner Martin Shaw cannot race this year: he said:

I just had a month off running after a very nasty fall (I know, hard to believe) in which I broke several ribs. Think I'm about better now and was thinking of trying a run this evening to get going again - the Fans Race flier has motivated me! Wish I could be there at the w/e and of course I'd love to be running - really enjoyed last years races. I rate them both very highly! I'm sure you'll have a great turn out and I'll be looking out for the results. Look forward to being back on the race scene again in the future.

Now I must get on with printing out entry forms, race maps, etc etc etc

Lots of offers of help arriving, Stotts, Vorreses, McWilliamses, and Tony C if he gets a lift. That means we are sorted for marshals, and Gill will take pics as runners hit the top of Corn Du after 1900 feet of continuous ascent...

Still need a photographer for the finish line.