2. 2012

Vegan Welsh 3000s in Snowdonia in August

In 2010 an all-vegan team completed the infamous Welsh 15 Peaks challenge, climbing all 15 peaks higher than 3,000 feet, in the same day. The amazing stories and photos are here. In August 2012, seven vegans once again assembled at Pen-y-Pass in Snowdonia at the ungodly hour of 04:30 to repeat the challenge – but this time, the plan was to run as much as possible, making it, as far as we know, the world’s first vegan ultra-marathon. We faced 30 miles/48 km and 14,921 feet/4000+ m of ascent, but perhaps the greatest challenge was the weather. Not only was it a British summer, but a Welsh summer! During the first attempt, six weeks ago, small streams became impassable torrents during torrential rain, and after battling over one mountain range, the course was closed for safety reasons (see event website). This time only 'showers and occasional thunderstorms' were forecast. Surely then it would be easy...?
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    Meanwhile, Roger was reaching the finish line at the far end of the Carneddau. He appears to have cleverly beaten the worst of the weather, arriving in around 13 hours to win the event. Awesome effort Roger!
    Here I'm arriving painfully at the finish, soaked to the bone, after 15 hrs 11 mins in a world of suffering, broken by occasional periods of borderline torture (the ascents). It was the second-hardest thing I'd ever done physically. (This was the hardest!)
    Kate and Simon shortly after. They were also cold, and Simon gave up his chance to beat me to help Kate continue on her old broken ankle (the only reason she didn't thrash every other runner - all of who were men). Somewhere further back was Ray - the final competitor still going. A decade or two older than most of us, he'd done another ultra last week, and was planning a 100 mile race the next. Completely and utterly inspiring.