Up in North Wales in September.  Who’s in?

http://www.brutalevents.co.uk/the_brutal.html

I’ll be up there as I’m part of the event crew, I’ll be in charge of the chip timing this year amongst whatever other jobs need doing. Also doing the Double in a relay with 2 mates from my tri club, I’ve got the fun of doing the run…

Never heard of the event before but it looks, well, brutal. Not sure I have that in the locker sadly.

I’m not yet convinced.  The run looks a bit of a grim slog – would rather be rambling through the woods instead of plodding up an endless incline.  And the Llanberis path is even grimmer to run up.   I’d rather a speed climb of one of the steeper ones.  I’d take a plodding run if it were contrasted with a speed climb, but Llanberis path just seems too long and like the run.

By chance I was on Snowdon last year during the event and walked down by the Llanberis route.

I was more than slightly impressed by how fast people were going up it although they do seem to have been the insanely fit lot on the grounds plenty were still riding as I drove out.

My old boss did the double brutal a few years back after he retired he came 2nd the man is a machine though . He rode up and down Mt ventoux 6 times in one day for charity too. He’s currently on with a 190mile cross country run then in for a knee op unsurprisingly lol

The Llanberis path is the only option that fits with the event, and it’s also the safest and easiest option to manage, but we still need at least 3 medics with Mountain Leader quals up there at all times. Sending competitors up anything steeper is only ever going to result in Llanberis MRT hating us. Having said that, no-one who’s done it has complained of the Snowdon section being a “grim slog”. Apart from the front of pack guys on the half and full, most people will be walking the mountain section anyway, then running back down. For the guys doing the Double (and next year, the Triple) it’s a grim slog, but that would be the case regardless of the route. Still more fun than the Deca courses, which are endless laps at Dorney…

The lake laps are nice, first couple of miles is flat and easily easily run-able. Bit of a long slog up a tarmac road and then there’s some nice trail for the second half.

The Llanberis path is the only option that fits with the event

I realise that, of course.. not wishing to be overly insulting or critical!

It does make me feel a bit better that you say most people will walk it.  If that’s what inevitable I might enjoy it more.

Yeah no worries didn’t take it that way. It depends on the distance people are doing and what their personal goals are obviously, but on the Double and Triple even the “fast” guys will walk a lot of the uphill on Snowdon. Those doing the Half and Full that just want to complete will often be the same as well, they won’t go much faster for “running” it they’ll be a lot more knackered. Brisk walk up, walk the steeper/rougher sections down, run the rest. It’s not a course for going for a fast time, it’s one to take on for the challenge. Just walk when you feel like walking, no-one there would judge you for it. The bike loop is nice too, couple of climbs one of which is fairly steep but short, then Pen-y-Pass which is just a long spin up, and with plenty of downs and flatter sections between.

Quite a low key event, don’t expect Ironman level bells and whistles, but it’s got a really friendly feel. I went along to crew in 2016 and I’ve ended up working every Brutal event since as it’s a great thing to be part of.