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'RogueLite' - Mountain Challenge - October - Brecon Beacons - Black Mountain Area
'RogueLite' - Mountain Challenge - October - Brecon Beacons - Black Mountain Area
This event is on hold currently - nothing is planned for 2018
This event is on hold currently - nothing is planned for 2018
The event is:
2 one-day mountain running/walking events where you return to HQ each day. You can take part on both days or just one.
Basically, teams of two navigate to a number of checkpoints (standard orienteering kites) set out on the mountain. Each checkpoint also has an electronic dibber box. You carry a dibber and the electronic box records on your dibber at what time you arrived there.
Basically, teams of two navigate to a number of checkpoints (standard orienteering kites) set out on the mountain. Each checkpoint also has an electronic dibber box. You carry a dibber and the electronic box records on your dibber at what time you arrived there.
Two types of courses
Two types of courses
There will be a choice of 2 types of classes. A Linear class and a score class.
There will be a choice of 2 types of classes. A Linear class and a score class.
Linear Event: You visit a predetermined set of checkpoints in a specific order as quickly as you can. The winners are those that visit each checkpoint in the correct order in the shortest time.
Linear Event: You visit a predetermined set of checkpoints in a specific order as quickly as you can. The winners are those that visit each checkpoint in the correct order in the shortest time.
Score event: You visit as many checkpoints as you can in a given time (checkpoints have different points values and you try to maximise the total). If you arrive back late you lose 2 points for every minute late. The winners are those with the highest score. On both days the maximum time allowed will be 5 hours. The main advantage of a score class is that you choose how far you want to go.
Score event: You visit as many checkpoints as you can in a given time (checkpoints have different points values and you try to maximise the total). If you arrive back late you lose 2 points for every minute late. The winners are those with the highest score. On both days the maximum time allowed will be 5 hours. The main advantage of a score class is that you choose how far you want to go.
Individual runners (solos) can compete in both classes but we will only allow runners to compete in the score class who are known to us so we know their level of expertise.
Individual runners (solos) can compete in both classes but we will only allow runners to compete in the score class who are known to us so we know their level of expertise.
There will be a Saturday event and a Sunday event. You can compete in either or both.
There will be a Saturday event and a Sunday event. You can compete in either or both.
If staying for the two days there are many hotels and BB's in the area that you can stay at, or you can stay the night in the well equipped campsite at HQ with access to pubs and meals and return to your roomy tent for a good night’s sleep (there is hard standing and electrical hook-ups for camper vans and caravans too).
Pricing Information
One Day (either Sat 1st or Sun 2nd Oct)
Team of Two - £34
Solo - £18 (linear classes only)
Two Days (both Sat 1st and and Sun 2nd Oct)
Team of Two - £56
Solo - £30 (linear classes only)
Included in the price is car parking at the event centre, laminated overprinted 1:40000 map for each person and hire of electronic 'dibber'. If staying overnight at the campsite, in a tent, caravan or camper on the Friday or Saturday night you will need to book a place and pay for this independently (phone the above number or contact by email). You can of course book accommodation in a local B&B, hotel .... or travel back home.
Included in the price is car parking at the event centre, laminated overprinted 1:40000 map for each person and hire of electronic 'dibber'. If staying overnight at the campsite, in a tent, caravan or camper on the Friday or Saturday night you will need to book a place and pay for this independently (phone the above number or contact by email). You can of course book accommodation in a local B&B, hotel .... or travel back home.
If you like running in the mountains and like the notion of taking part in a Mountain Marathon this event is an ideal introduction. It's also suitable for those who've already competed in a Mountain Marathon and simply want to get some training in. Or if you've done MM's before and don't like lugging all your gear around for an overnight camp, a single day event might be for you.
Who is the event suitable for?
Who is the event suitable for?
In all but the 'introductory' course a certain amount of mountain/hill savvy will be required. This standard courses are ideal for those who have already competed in a Mountain Marathon or anyone who has competed in a fell race of standard BM. They may also be of interest to strong and experienced hill walkers looking for an new challenge.Entrants will have to persuade us that they are experienced enough to be let loose in what can be a very challenging environment in inclement weather. There will of course be a minimum kit requirement.
In all but the 'introductory' course a certain amount of mountain/hill savvy will be required. This standard courses are ideal for those who have already competed in a Mountain Marathon or anyone who has competed in a fell race of standard BM. They may also be of interest to strong and experienced hill walkers looking for an new challenge.Entrants will have to persuade us that they are experienced enough to be let loose in what can be a very challenging environment in inclement weather. There will of course be a minimum kit requirement.
What is included:
What is included:
- Car parking
- Electronic timing and results
- Full colour map 1:40 000 overprinted with checkpoints, out of bound areas etc. This will be handed to you on the start line.
- Hot drinks and cakes at the finish
Start Times
Start Times
On each day you can start at what ever time you choose between 9:00 am and 10:00 am. When you 'dib' the starting box with your 'dibber' the clock starts ticking.
On each day you can start at what ever time you choose between 9:00 am and 10:00 am. When you 'dib' the starting box with your 'dibber' the clock starts ticking.
Event Base:
Dan Yr Ogof caves Campsite
(The National Showcaves Centre for Wales)
Abercrave
Swansea
SA9 1GJ
Tel: 01639 730 284
email: info@showcaves.co.uk
How do we know you've been to a checkpoint?
How do we know you've been to a checkpoint?
Each team carries an electronic 'dibber' attached to one person's wrist. At each checkpoint there is a 'sport ident' box. You place (dib) your dibber into the box and it records the checkpoint data onto it and what time you visited. There is a small red LED that flashes to let you know it's recorded correctly. Once you have visited all your checkpoints, back at the event HQ you download the saved data on your wrist dibber. You get a print out of all the controls you visited, the times you got there and how long overall you were out in the hills. If you're in the score class the print out will tell you how many points you picked up too.
Each team carries an electronic 'dibber' attached to one person's wrist. At each checkpoint there is a 'sport ident' box. You place (dib) your dibber into the box and it records the checkpoint data onto it and what time you visited. There is a small red LED that flashes to let you know it's recorded correctly. Once you have visited all your checkpoints, back at the event HQ you download the saved data on your wrist dibber. You get a print out of all the controls you visited, the times you got there and how long overall you were out in the hills. If you're in the score class the print out will tell you how many points you picked up too.
Photos from last year are here
Photos from last year are here
Google Earth fly-through showing the event terrain from the air.
General event Rules here: Rules
The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule
Once you have started the event you MUST
Once you have started the event you MUST
- return to race HQ and hand back your 'dibber' to the organisers. If you do not, you will be held responsible if the mountain rescue team is called out to search for you. Emergency telephone numbers will be provided on your map and with your control descriptions.
Equipment
Equipment
Due to the severity of the environment and the potential for changing weather conditions you MUST wear/carry the following items:
Map (supplied)
Compass
Whistle
Waterproof top and bottoms. Do not require taped seams. (Note: We can smell Pertex a mile off ! )
Hat, gloves
Survival bag (Not space blanket)
First aid - Medium Wound dressing and associated bandage.
Spirit marker pen.
Watch
Sufficient liquid & food to see you through the event - including emergency rations (Min 200 Kcals)
Sufficient funds for emergency telephone calls/transport
Shorts or trousers or leggings.
Wicking shirt/Base layer
Fell running shoes or orienteering shoes or boots - in the organisers opinion they must be suitable for the type of rough terrain
Event marshals will not let you start or may disqualify anyone who does not meet the equipment criteria.
Event marshals will not let you start or may disqualify anyone who does not meet the equipment criteria.
This is an example route. It's roughly 15 miles long and takes in the key features of the area - the lakes of Llyn Y Fan Fach (and Fawr), the delightful limestone ramparts of Carreg Yr Ogof and the pock-marked sink-hole terrain on the main plateau around Carreg Goch.
2015 Report:
Once again we were blessed with great weather: we had a couple of showers putting out the controls on Thursday and Friday but the weekend stayed fair ... and sunny on Saturday. Some of the early teams had some mist on the tops on Sunday but it cleared by 11:00am. All the controls were collected by 3:00pm Monday in sunny conditions.
The sunny Saturday afternoon gave all the competitors the chance to 'debrief' and discuss their adventures getting to the various controls and with hindsight fine tune where they should have gone, all with oodles of chocy bars and cups of tea.
There was some fierce competition in the score class on both days with the layout of checkpoints proving testing in determining the best sequence for maximum points. No two teams scored the same points or indeed visited the same controls on either day.
It was especially pleasing to see those on the novice course go away with newly acquired experiences, skills and confidence to embark on future Mountain Marathon adventures. Getting temporarily misplaced and relocating are of course essential experiences on the pathway to becoming skilled navigators. One novice group had a longer day on Sunday than expected and managed around 12 miles in the end.
Navigation in and around the area of Castell y Geifr and Carreg Goch proved tricky this year on the Linear Long course, especially approaching checks 51 and 55. It's impossible to map all the features on the ground as the map would be too cluttered, so it's important to 'interpret' the map with this in mind. We have plans to use only easily identified points in this area next year.
Thanks to everyone for their kind words of praise for the event and thanks to those who had the energy to help pack away on Sunday despite having a testing day on the hills.
Next year the event may be earlier in the year and we'd also like to start you all off further from the event HQ to enable us to take you to new areas of the Black Mountain.
2015 Route maps for each day (click on each image to enlarge)
Long = red, Short = blue, Novice = green, Score = black numbers
Long = orange, short = pink, Novice = blue, Score = black numbers
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