With a 55km route crossing all of the country’s peaks over 3,000ft and backed by a plant-based rationale, the V3k Ultra in Wales may just be the meanest, and leanest, mountain race in the UK.
“The Welsh 3,000s is one of the classic fell running routes. It has everything; amazing rugged mountains; technical ridges; long sweeping descents; fabulous views and a long heritage,” says Kirsch Bowker, race director for the V3K. Originally created in 1919 as a mountain challenge, the route has rite-of-passage status amongst UK mountaineers and fell runners. That the race has now been chosen to spearhead Skyrunning’s UK launch is no surprise at all. “I think the route is the crucial reason why the V3K Ultra is part of the inaugural Skyrunning UK series,” says Bowker.
The V3K Ultra is also, Bowker believes, the first vegan ultra race in the world, and it all started with a vegan-buddy pledge between herself and two others. “Two vegan friends, Chloe Vincent, Andrew Spencer Taylor and I made a pact to complete the Welsh 3,000s each June,” she says. “In 2012 I asked others to join us and it evolved into an ultra race. We kept the vegan element, asking runners to eat a plant-based diet for the race-day – it’s part of our heritage.” Those runners fearing a long, hungry, day on the Welsh mountains and rabbit food at the aid stations will be in for a pleasant and filling surprise, “There’ll be vegan pizzas, vegan bacon butties, vegan cakes, vegan sausage rolls, Clif Bars, various flapjacks, sweeties, fruit, hot fresh coffee and an assortment of teas.” she says before adding emphatically: “We pride ourselves on our aid-stations.”
It was the view from Foel Fras, the last of the 15 peaks on the race’s route, that actually made Bowker become a mountain runner herself. “To walk from Foel Fras to Carnedd Llewelyn and back across Drum to Rowen, a 26km route with 2,100m of ascent, takes a bit of time. I took up running so I could get there and back quicker, it’s as simple as that.” she says. “I live in a small Welsh town in Snowdonia, close to miles of trails through the Gwydyr Forest, near the Carneddau and Moelwyn mountains and just a short drive to the slopes of the other Snowdonia hills. I can’t imagine a better place for running – so long as you don’t mind rain.”
Between Snowdon, the races first and highest peak, and the final peak of Foel Fras, runners will experience a variety of landscapes and challenges. Bowker’s description of the course is interspersed with terms such as “knife-edged aretes”, “scrambling”, “never-ending uphill slogs”, “volcanic boulders”, “babbling streams” and “wonderful grassy slopes”. In other words, competitors are in for one hell of treat. But be warned, advices Bowker, the race ends in the picturesque village of Rowan and not at the summit of Foel Fras. “Make sure you tell your body that you’re heading for Rowen or it’ll reach that final Foel Fras summit and expect to stop.” she says. “I’m telling you, I’ve watched folk struggle with this very last section because they were just counting peaks and forgot the descent [into Rowan], it’s amazing what that does to you psychologically!”
• The V3K Ultra race takes place on 28 June 2014. For those wanting a slightly easier challenge, the Vegan Carneddau is the perfect option. For those who are gluttons for punishment, the V3K Ultra Extreme starts in Rowan, takes in the V3K Ultra race course in reverse, then turns around at Snowdon and heads back to Rowan along the route again. For more information on the V3K visit vegan-welsh-3000s.co.uk For more information on the Skyrunning UK series visit skyrunninguk.com
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