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"Really
enjoyed the event last week, even if my joints
didn't!
For a first time it was excellent, great marshalling
and well
marked out route, even
the night time was relatively easy to navigate
with
the good weather.
I
found the last stage particularly tough, the climb
up was hard work
and the following 3.5km
of soggy bog was strength
sapping..........wouldn't change that though, after
all it was a
challenge.
Looking forward to next year's event already.........
I've already got 2 new recruits.
Many thanks" -
John Copeland.
"
Hi,
my feet have pretty much recovered - just!
Just thought I'd email to say thanks for
organising a great event.
Just a few points that I think could have
been improved on.....
1) water points refilled more regularly ( we
had to wait for a while)
2) more neon sticks on the night sections -
after Checkpoint 7 we only
saw 5 or 6
until the campsite.
Cheers,
See you next year!"
-
Dan Whitehead
" Dear Mountain
Trail Challenge,
Just a quick note of thanks to you all for
organising such a
tremendous event.
My friend
Russ and I completed the 30 miler and
loved every minute
of it (even
the final ascent!)
Still wondering whether the final section
through the bog and tufty
grass could have
been
avoided, particularly at night, but even
that bit
was rewarding when you'd finished.
The rest of the route was a glorious mix of
scenery and being able to
see Pen-y-Fan from
Checkpoint 7 was a great sight. The weather
was amazing , wonder
how I'd feel having done it in the rain, thats the next
challenge!!
thanks once again
PS. Mr and Mrs Pugh were icing on the cake!"
-
Richard Adams
"Hi
Everyone,
Just a quick couple of lines to give you
some feedback on the recent
event.
My friend, Andrew Rees and I both did the 30
miles version of
the event and finished it
in a little over 12.5 hours, ahead of our
target
of 14 hours and both thought it was
an absolute marvelous day.
We arrived at the event to be greeted by
Marshals and ACF Personnel
who were helpful,friendly in the extreme and provided great
encouragement throughout the course of the whole event.
Registration was simple and straightforward
as was checking back in
upon our return.
The route was great, made all the better by
the fantastic weather,
didn't quite manage
to dry up the boggy area above the Nueadd
reservoir though, the way marking was first class consisting of signs,
glow sticks and flour
which the slugs seemed to love once the sum
had
gone down.
We met some amazing people en route and
throughout the day ,a few of
who suggested
that we should have started earlier in the
morning,
to me this would have reduced the
night
section for some of the
quicker walkers to
just a hour or so - not so much of a
challenge in
my opinion.
Overall Fantastic, Thanks and Well Done.
Regards"
-
Dorian Hughes
"Dear
Organiser,
CONGRATULATIONS on your excellent
organisation of these challenge
walks on 20th September 2008.
As a participant on the 30 mile challenge, I
was very impressed by your
organisation of the whole event. I found
your website particularly
informative with route, kit list, advise and
your 5 day weather forecast
for the area.
Also your route description which you sent
out before hand was accurate
and very useful and enabled me to walk the
17 mile challenge during
daylight in wet conditions.
The marshalling was excellent and with fine
weather we all had a super
day out, and to arrive at Checkpoint 6 and
have a hot drink waiting for us
together with a chocolate bar and plenty of
water to top up our containers
was wonderful, with chairs provided so that
we could have a rest.
THANK YOU ALL.
Your idea of using flour as a marker of the
route was a brainwave and
helped on the night section from Checkpoint
7 over the grassy swampy area.
With my poor eyesight and vari focal glasses
I found the night section very
demanding and admit that I did not enjoy
this part of the trail, but at
69 years young am probably too old to be
doing this sort of thing and would
be interested to know if I was the oldest to
complete the 30 mile route?
Several of us who took part would like to
see an earlier start of say 8am or
even 9am. This would still be a night
section for most of us on the longer
route but would enable us to at least
approach the last climb in twilight.
It would also enable you to have a latest
time at Checkpoint 7 of say 9pm.
The last walker might then be accompanied
and should ensure a finish for
the event of soon after 1am. This might
enable your helpers who started at
6am on Saturday to have some rest after 19
hours.
I must congratulate them all for the
splendid job they did.
It is an excellent challenging route and am
pleased that you are doing it
again next year. I anticipate next year
walking the 17 miles route about
14 days before the event and if you want me
to help you in a small capacity
perhaps as a Marshal on the 19th September
2009.
I would be available on the Friday 18th
September as I am retired and might
help with setting up the route.
Please pass on my thanks to all your helpers
including those who helped park
the cars and manned Checkpoints 4 and 5 and
especially to those at
Checkpoints 6 and 7.
THANK YOU ALL,
Kind
Regards"
-
Peter Daniels
"Hi
to the organisers of this years mountain
trail challenge and what a
challenge it was.
I would just like to say on behalf of my 3
mates and myself who completed the
30 mile walk what a fantastic event it was
we all really enjoyed it.
I can quite honestly say that it was the
hardest thing I've ever done but I
enjoyed the whole experience.
It was very well organised and I (We) are
very much looking forward to
next years challenge. Bring it on.
Many thanks"
-
Paul Hancock.
"Many
thanks Cat, I have managed to get in.
On another note, unfortunately due to me
being on a different planet for at
least 72 hours after the event I did not get
round to emailing any comments.
But I would like to say, once my body had
recovered, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I know a lot of people have commented on the
night section, which was a bit
daunting, but overall once you had finished
30 miles it certainly was
an achievement.
My new rucksack managed to blister mu back
from hip to hip. I did have to
up with this from 10 miles onwards. But
scenery, views and lots of nice people
made me forget it. Well almost, until I got
in the bath at 1.30am, the bed and
breakfast heard the cries.
Definitely will be back next year, not sure
if the others would though.
My friend Amy twisted her ankle before
checkpoint 1, the mountain rescue guys
were brillant.
Thanks again and see you next year."
-
Elaine Hart
"I
completed the 30 mile challenge walk on
Saturday and would like to say
many thanks for organising the walk and I
hope that it becomes an annual
event. Organising these event takes a
considerable amount of time and effort.
So well done to all concerned. Generally the
walk was brillant with excellent
guidance notes.
However I do have some concerns about a
number of things and would like
to make the following points in the hope
that they will may be of some use
when you organise an even better walk next
year.
(i) An earlier start would be better. I have
been on many challenge walks in
the past and many start before 8am. A
staggered start could also be
considered with the 30 milers leaving first.
(ii) Personnel at the Checkpoints invariably
gave conflicting info about
distance remaining. A very minor point as
they are all volunteers who in
fact did a brillant job.
(iii) The walk from Checkpoint 6 to 7 was
almost completely on the road.
Is there an alternative route?
(iv) The final section after Checkpoint7
needs to be re-thought. The walk was
effectively over very marshy and boggy
ground and in the dark, we kept
sinking knee deep into the mud. If the
weather had been wet this section
would have been even worse. This area was
potentially dangerous and we
encountered a number of people who were
struggling.
(v) The blue light sticks were invaluable
but the number used and their
positioning needs to be looked at.
In some areas there were plenty but in
others there were very few- this
was especially true for the very boggy
section where it was easy to stray
a few feet off the path and end up in bog. I
appreciate that all walkers
should be competent compass users in the
dark it was not easy.
(vi) If you feel that a night time component
is an essential part of the
challenge then a different path needs to be
considered for the end section.
(vii) Finally a number of v experienced
walkers agreed with us ( a group of 4)
that the walk seemed a very long 30 miles.
Our "sat nav" system said
34.6 miles but i accept that the new
technology is not always correct.
But finally, once again, a million thanks to
all involved in the organisation.
It was a brillant day"
-
Mike Thomas.
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