The Cardiff Ultra 50

Hi there

 Following the cancellation of the Glos Ultra 50K Im considering entering this and have a couple of questions:

 i)How hilly is it?! The description says its netdown hill but it is from Brecon (v.hilly!).

 ii)How realistic is it to jump from a 30mile to a 50mile run in 12weeks of training? (and a few weeks taper).

 Thanks

Rich.

Hopefully someone with experience will come along soon.  I'm interested in this event in the future (maybe next year) and was looking into it last week.

One of the reviews/blogs I found mentioned there was a gradual climb up to the talybont reservoir followed by a long descent.  So nothing too steep. 

The following link is a map & elevation profle of the Taff Trail that the route follows which seems to correspond with the above with a peak of 1500 ft at around the 11th mile.  The starting point is 500ft (ish) above sea level, so its roughly 1000 ft of climbing over ten miles.

 http://ridewithgps.com/trips/411749

[forgot the link first time around!]

Thanks for the link.

Now just to work out whether 1000ft climb over 10miles is a lot. Seems considerable!

Did this last year.  Neither hilly nor really off road.  The bulk of this race is on road or tarmac (cycle) paths.  The long haul above Talybont Res and through the forest is a slow very gradual climb, only steep in the very last section just before it reaches the road and the highest point of the course. From there it is more or less constantly downhill, taking road options.  Road shoes would suit.

You'll be able to complete this in almost the same time as a road 50-miler.  Good coach service from Sophia Gardens (free parking) and comfortable start HQ at Brecon.

The urban bits, especially Pontypridd, would be hard to follow but last year at least ROs put yellow arrows on the ground for us to follow. Suggest if you can recce the bits through Merthyr and Pontypridd.  Don't take the high route past Castell Coch, unless of course you like hills!

Richard, I'd say you should be able to make the conversion okay in that length of time time. Look at e.g. the Ultraladies' 50 mile plan - you could start at about the 20 + 10 level for B2B and carry on from there.

@T-Rex

Thanks for the above comments. I'm glad to hear it is pretty much a (scenic) road race!

@Debra Bourne

Thanks for the advice, I think Ill go for it!

Jedwards, i'm in the same boat as you, I just entered today after seeing it listed for next month.

This'll be my first Ultra distance after a couple of marathons last year, but it's close to where I live so I thought why not give it a go.

Hopefully make the distance, if not i'll just hobble to the nearest pub and drown my sorrows. Hah.

 hows the training going or is everone ready hope so ... bedded my trainers in at London so full steam a head . first time for this distances done the born to run in Feb and the exmoor ultra ran well just hope the legs stand up to the challenge . have fun this week and enjoy the tapering....

I've only just flown back in from Greece in preperation of the run on Sunday. The weather is pretty shocking here in South Wales at the moment. Not a good sign for the weekend, looks like it's gonna be a long wet day.

Weather forecast is terrible! Should liven it up! For those who have done it before, I know road shoes were said to be best bet...was wondering if this is likely to of changed with rain and forecast?

See you all Sunday!

Pete most of the course is tarmac trails so yeah road shoes will be fine 

Thanks for that Vicky, I am looking forward to it!

any news of the weather for sunday do we need are flippers & arm bands ..... 

Blakester as far as I can work out from weather reports...the quicker you finish the better. Hopefully dry start to the day, but on the whole (1000 onwards) wet and only getting wetter as the day goes on! On the bright side the forecasted wind has dropped on the site I use from 25-35mph to 5-10mph so thats something! 

See you Sunday!

At the moment it's showing as cloudy with a chance of rain, although it's been changing day-to-day throughout the week.

This week has been a mixture of sunny one minute, downpour the next. Typical welsh weather.

good luck tomorrow blakester

Forecast improved big time! Bring your suncream!