Ras Tarren Hendre

[London Standard]

Hello

New FRA member, been lurking here on the forums for a while picking up tips and enjoying the banter.

I'm hoping to run in the Ras Tarren Hendre in a couple of weeks time. It would be my first race, so I just wanted to ask a couple of questions.
Are any of you doing the run this year? I'd be on my own, and the info on the race says teams of three. Does that mean I have to find another two people to run with?
Secondly, I don't have any formal navigation training. Is that going to be a problem?
I'm very confident I can run the distance, and the climb, as I've done a lot of running in the hills on the other side of the Mawddach, above Bontddu. I doubt I'll get round particularly fast, but I'm sure I can do 6 miles in under 90 minutes.
Thanks
Dan

[tarren]

Dan, I'm doing the Long Mynd the following day, Sun 7th, but I'll take you round the Tarren Hendre course the day before ie the 6th if you like. If that's convienient please let me know soon as you can and we can arrange a time.

[andygib1982]

I did the first one on Rhobell fawr and shall be at this one to.If rhobell is anything to go by will be a good race.Is there any bogs to fall in on this one ? And will Alastair be lurking ready to snap away at my misfortune ha ha.

[IainR]

Very different race. Forestry trails, steep climbs, grassy descent along a ridge, then a few bogs on single track through the forestry, then a few k on forest roads to finish. Nice race.

[London Standard]

Thanks Tarren. That's a generous offer, but I'm only in Wales for the weekend of the race on the 13th. I'm in London the rest of the time.

[mr brightside]

I'd be on my own, and the info on the race says teams of three. Does that mean I have to find another two people to run with? Secondly, I don't have any formal navigation training. Is that going to be a problem?

Hi Dan, teams of three is only if you're entering as a team with some pals, in the prizegiving after they'll be prizes for individual performances and for team performances in recognition of consistency and stuff, ergo the team with the fastest man in it may not win the team event. That's the way i understand it anyway...hope i've not misinformed you , teams are usually made up of competitors from the same running club. I'm an 'unattatched' runner which means i'm not part of a club and i just turn up, cough up and run, fell running's very user friendly like that.

As for nav, i don't have any formal as you put it nav training i just taught myself mostly through hunting out old lead mines. I find a recce of longer routes to be useful and the ability to cross reference what i see onto a map has meant i've never had to use my compass. It's for you to decide how competent you are really. The race you're entering requires full kit which is:

*Waterproof cagoule and kegs
*Map of the course
*Whistle
*compass

Hope this hasn't been too patronising enjoy your run.

[Eddie]

Tarren Hendre race is the week after Long Mynd Valleys.

If it helps I've attached a Google Earth file of the race route, provided you have Google Earth on your computer then hopefully this will open if you double click on it. I think it's pretty accurate.

Great race!

[tarren]

Thanks Tarren. That's a generous offer, but I'm only in Wales for the weekend of the race on the 13th. I'm in London the rest of the time.

Have a good one then London Standard. At your stated pace you'll probably find yourself in the middle of the field and navigation won't be a problem.

[IainR]

I think last time every major juction was taped. If you had to navigate through the forestry tracks it would be a pain. The only tricky bit was seeing the correct path down when entering the woods, this was marshalled though so if you asked they pointed.

[London Standard]

Thanks - not patronising - I really am an absolute novice , so it's safe to assume that I know zilch!
Thanks for the advice, and for the race route - I'm sure I'll be fine once I've studied that for a while.
Can't wait to get there now!
Cheers