Brecon Beacons fell race

Race: Brecon Beacons fell race (31k/4500ft/BL)
Peaks: Carn Pica, Waun Rydd, Cribyn, Pen y Fan, Corn Du, Twyn Mwyalchod, Pant y Creigiau, Tor y Foel
Time/Position: 3.53.28 (21st from 69)
The missing piece of the jigsaw, in the sense that this was the only long Welsh fell race I hadn't done. It takes a grand, sweeping loop of the long valley that curves west above Talybont. We camped in a nice wooded glade by the youth hostel, just below the Taff Trail that I enjoyed so much on February's Brecon-Cardiff ultra. The day dawned hot, and became very hot - 27c in fact, and it was obvious that the crux would be coping with it on a course with no shelter and no water. The race starts below the reservoir, just above the village, and heads up the road and obvious track to the start of the broad ridge over Twyn Du that eventually leads up to Carn Pica, the most easterly of the Beacons. This is a sharp little climb at the end, and a great viewpoint in all directions. My relaxed approach meant I could take pictures and enjoy it. A lot of height had already been gained, and a very helpful cooling breeze was gratefully received after a sweaty and long climb. The ridgeline then curves invitingly towards the distant main Beacons summits. For such a hot day, the clarity of light was wonderful - and the running superb along the main path above the northern escarpment (Craig Cwm Cynwyn). The race contours Fan y Big to the col below Cribyn - and then a short, steep climb gains the nice summit ridge of Cribyn before another steep descent with superb views of Pen y Fan, now directly in front. It was such a stunning day, and these peaks are so accessible from the Storey Arms, that there were hundreds of people on the tops - it was actually quite hard to find the marshall on Pen y Fan, and Corn Du (just a matter of minutes away). Only the 4th or 5th time I've been up the main Beacons summits. From the top of Corn Du comes a very long level ridge south-east to Rhiw yr Ysgyfarnog above the Gwaun Taf valley (which joins Taf Fawr at Merthyr). This ridge, like the earlier one, is runnable although awkward and bouldery in places - the sandstone slabs reminiscent of certain Peak races like the Roaches. The next checkpoint was at the trig on Twyn Mwyalchod, then came a steep descent where I took a bad, indirect line, immediately losing five places (I was 25th on Corn Du). Then it was down to a waterpoint below Upper Neuadd, the only water on the route, before the airless trudge through Taf Fechan forest. The breeze gone, it was very hot work, and got worse as we gained the tarmac (the same road to Merthyr that I ran down from the highpoint on Brecon-Cardiff). The climb up Pant y Creigiau was probably the crux of the route, and I took it too far left, losing ground again. After the summit, I could see Tor y Foel, the final peak, and felt the end was in sight. In reality, the topography on this side of the valley means it takes forever to reach. It heads over Darren Fawr via multiple bumps and hidden valleys. I made up some ground on two local runners, which helped for the route-finding here, which seems bewildering as the best lines weave left and right, seemingly avoiding the direct route to Tor y Foel. Great views down to the lakes and across to the main Beacons summits, all looking very distant, and in front to the east was the Usk valley and Black Mountains. It was all very hot and thirsty work, and I passed three dehydrated semi-casualties before gaining the final climb up Tor y Foel. This is a nice little summit, directly above the YHA and dam to which the descent heads directly, with local knowledge a help again. The race finishes on the dam wall - a wonderful, aesthetically pleasing circuit, but the hottest 'long' I have done for several years (I think the Welsh 1000s in 2011 was the last time I did a 'long' that was this hot).