Hiya.
If you’re reading this, then I should probably say, THANK YOU for entering. Diolch/Thanks.
Ok, please try and read through everything below before travelling down.
Getting here.
Please allow enough time to travel and park. Maenclochog is a rural village with narrow roads leading to it. Please also allow enough time to register especially the Beast Bach with over 300 runners!
Nearest postcode- SA66 7LA. What3Words for the ‘event centre’ green- chipper.reset.pursuit 😉
See above for the excellent detailed plan for the village facilities!
Parking. There are three main car parks for you to use.
The community hall car park, with field beyond. You’re welcome to camp in this field. Many usually do.
The community car park south east of the green, which also has public toilets.
The junior school car park and playground area.
I’m hopijg to have parking marshals near to each of these locations, so if you see someone in High Viz, please stop and ask them. 😉
Where ever you park, please park sensibly. Please do not park on the small road leading behind the church, where the start is. Cars already parked here are probably marshals vehicles, and most will move away as the race gets going.
Facilities – There are toilets at the village hall, but no showers. There will be hosepipe/wash bin sorted on the green to wash those dirty legs, and for you to drink from. 😉 There are also toilets in the community car park situated 100yds south east of the bottom Green/registration area. There are also toilets in the Globe(after you finish!) 😛
Accomodation – There is a dedicated page on this website here.
There are many rooms in the village hall for you to change if need be, but please take off all dirty footwear before entering the hall……………….unless there’s an emergency of course!
Registration – This will be done on the village green. Otherwise if it’s wet and wild, then it’ll be in the village hall a short walk away. Registration for the Preseli Beast will be open 08.45-09.50hrs. Beast Bach registration will be open 10.10-12.15. Please don’t come before this as your numbers wont be ready.
When you arrive there is a declaration to read on a board. Once read, there is a form to sign. After this you then head along to register, where you will get your race number and electronic timing wristband. Please attach your unfolded race number on to your front!!! This will aid the checkpoint and finish line marshals, and you wouldn’t want them to record the wrong number would you??? Please keep the wristband on yourself at all times and try not to lose it!
If you’re changing distances/races from the one you’d originally entered into, then head to the ‘Race Changes’ section.
Race Classes and trophies- Trophies awarded to 1st M/F18-39yrs; M/F40; M/F50; M/F60 in the PB. The same will be in the Beast Bach, but also a M/F70. I have notTo be honest, I’d totally forgot!) added a u23 category into the Beast, as I don’t usually add it. But due to the Preseli Beast race being a Welsh and South Wales champs race, then if you are indeed in this category, can you update this at registration so that it’s updated into the champs series correctly.
Various timing dibber boxes!– The amazing Tim Plumb has made amazing new timing boxes for this year, and there are certain manned aid stations(namely on PB- Newport aid station; Carn Ingli top; Cnwc yr Hydd top. Then on all races at -Tafarn y bwlch aid station; Foel Feddau top, Bottom of WoD; and Cwmcerwyn top) along the course of the route. It is your responsibility that you use your timing wristband to press on the button on these dibber boxes to register your visit at that checkpoint. This will create split times for you to view, and record your visit.
King/Queen of the mountains sections- This is a new thing we’ve added this year. On the Preseli Beast, there is the Killer King/Killer Queen timed hill climb from the Newport aid station, to the very top of Carn Ingli! And then for all, King of the WoD/Queen of the WoD. (Basically doesn’t need explaining does it?) However, if for example you’re the fastest on one of these segments, but DNF, then you no longer qualify. You must run the whole course to be eligible for the Hill trophy.
Last minute briefing and kit check ‘will’ happen near to the start line. No kit, no run!
MANDATORY KIT– Preseli Beast- Waterproof full body cover with taped seams. Map(available to purchase a waterproof map at HQ), compass, gloves, hat/buff, whistle, Bottle/cup to drink from. No cups will be provided at aid stations.
MANDATORY KIT-Beast Bach and Beast Bach Twt- Waterproof coat with taped seams, hat/buff, gloves.
HOWEVER, the waterproof covering might get reduced to windproof covering if weather is ok. I will announce this on a board nearby to the registration area on the morning, so please bring both(or at least a waterproof) in your vehicles!
Beastly route map- I’ve managed to source and make waterproof A3 maps this year, and these will be available to buy for £3 on the day. They’re foldable and great for showing the route as well as dibber/aid station locations. They’re also a great momento to keep too, even if you don’t even get it out of the bag!
Trainers– Good grippy trainers, otherwise you won’t make it up the WoD(wall of Death)! Don’t bother turning up in road trainers!
BUT whatever happens, EVERYONE needs to carry kit, regardless of which race you’ve entered! It’s for your own safety at the end of the day!!!
Wearing headphones! – I personally strongly advise you not to wear any headphones that impede your hearing. A-It stops you from hearing marshals instructions; B-other runners may need assistance; C– You could be going the wrong way and others are trying to tell you; D-It distracts your thoughts and concentration; E– You might not hear vehicles, or the cuckoo! I could go on!!!
Mandatory sections– For all runners- From the very start, to the end of Rosebush quarries, you must follow the markers. For PB runners only- between Llanerch(2nd time coming into the Gwaun), and Cnwc yr hydd.
Markers out on the course– To aid your way around, there will be various markers in place. Yellow painted plywood arrows, 2/3ft long metal pins with red flags on top, and maybe some 3ft long white bamboo canes with red/white tape tied to the top. Keep the metal pins and bamboo canes to your right. Arrows obviously point in the direction of travel!
Aid stations – These will have water, (but no cups) and some snacks in the form of jelly babies, choccies, and some cake of some sort. From the second mountain road crossing on PB(roughly 18 mile mark)(only one on BB), there are no aid stations! However, there are two good water sources as marked on the map. Many of us locals drink from these on a regular basis, and it’s better than what you’d get out of the tap! However, it’s up to you if you drink from it.
Retiring from the race. If you unfortunately need to retire, or get timed out at the key checkpoint location, then you must inform the nearest marshal. You have a choice of how you get back to the finish area- A, Ask the marshal for a lift if that’s possible, but you will have to wait until they’ve finished; B, Arrange your own transport back; C, ask marshal or contact myself so I can try and get someone to pick you up. Whatever happens, you must return to the finish area to tell us that you’ve retired, and to give back the electronic wristband! You are more than welcome to record my mobile number in case of an emergency- 07985 782 772.
Litter- If you are taking food, gels, or other items out on the route, please do not purposefully drop your litter! Anyone seen or reported for purposefully dropping litter will be disqualified and banned from entering our races and possibly other races in future! Sounds harsh, but it’s a proper bug bear of mine seeing litter on the hills.
Getting injured whilst out on the course. If you unfortunatley get injured, try and inform us at the earliest convienience. If you cannot run/walk/move, put on your mandatory kit asap, and ask others to assist if that is possible. If you have a mobile phone, you are welcome to put my mobile number(07985 782 772) in now as a precaution. However it may be some time before we can get assistance to you. Mountain rescue have to travel from the Brecon Beacons if we need to call them!!!
Finishing area. This is the same area as where registration is. However, please have a look at the finishing funnel before you start as we always get a few runners that go in the wrong direction! When you finish, the electronic dibber where you need to hold your wristband against will be just inside the tent on the right! If possible, it might be easier for you to take off your wristband as you get closer, and hand it to one of the marshals near to the dibber to register your time. It is however your responsibilty to make sure that you dib your wristband!!! Please make every effort to leave the wristband in the bucket at the end.
When you finish, you will receive your coaster, and two tickets – one for the cawl/soup, the other for a portion of cake of your choice. Make sure you don’t lose these tickets!
Cawl/soup- This will be available to you….IF you have remembered to bring your bowl and spoon! This will be served either on the finishing green this year. Free tea/coffee will be served from a seperate tent on the Green, providing you have brought a mug!!! Have I mentioned this previously??? lol Thank you to Caffi’r Sgwar for making the lush cawl. They will also be open throughout the day for scrummy food until around 4.30pm.
Water at the end– Like I’ve said somewhere else, there will be no bottles, just a water tap situated somewhere on the green. You can use this to re-hydrate, and/or wash off those filthy dirty legs.
Siop Sarah is kindly donating bananas which will be in boxes just the other side of the finishing tent. If you’ve not been into her shop before,(just up the road and you would have just passed the shop on the run in!) then you really need to go in and see her little emporium! 😉
Princes Gate Water have in the past kindly donated bottles of water, which we are incredibly thankful for. 😉 Howevere, I personally am trying to steer away from plastic waste. So this year there will just be a tap on the green for you to drink/wash from. Please try to ensure that you turn the tap off after use.
Prize giving will be done when most prize winners have finished in whichever race. Approx 3-4pm onwards. Trophies are only awarded for first place in each category. Please make sure you are present when this occurs, as we will not be posting prizes. 😉 There will also be a prize for King and Queen on the WoD and Carn Ingli timed climbs!
Pretty Platters mobile catering will be situated next to the Globe in the morning up until around 12pm, and then also between 4pm and 10pm. They have an amazing menu to choose from. Please make sure you bring cash(not card)! Pretty Platters have an amazing menu this year too. 😉
Llaeth Preseli will be present again, and have generously offered to give every finisher some of their delicous milkshake! You will need to bring your own cup for them to fill it! They will also be selling a variety of gelato’s and milkshakes to anyone. 😉 Again, cash please!
The Globe Inn will have plenty of other forms of liquid refreshements on offer to re-hydrate your weary bodies!. 😉 Cash, card, or pretty please’s!!!
And last but certainly not least. The army of volunteers and marshals. Please say thanks to them as you go past or see them. Some have travelled far to come here, given up their time and effort to make your day special, and without them, the event really wouldn’t happen. xx Diolch o dalpen to all the lovely peeps.
Beastly Tshirts, mugs, and Buffs, to sell. We have a certain amount of specially made Anniversary Tshirts in two different colours this year to buy on the day. We will also be selling Beastly mugs, and amazing new buffs too. 😉 Please bring cash if you want to purchase anything! Tshirts- £8; Mugs- £3; Buffs- £3. Deal- Tshirt and a buff or mug- £10.
The Beasts lair! This wooded section is approx 1mile from the start, and also 1 mile from the finish. Whether it’s wet or dry, please mind your footing through here. The rooty bits are pretty slippery, and the boardwalk bits are in a questionable state of repair!!!!! You’ll know why it’s called the Beasts Lair!!! It also has some ‘scary’ sections! Basically there are some movement activated sound recorded devices that omit some scary noises as you run past! So BEWARE! Lol.
The briefing. I sometimes go on too much here, so I’m saying sorry now! We also have a long time tradition of hugging at least three other runners just before you start to wish them luck. However, I fully appreciate that not everyone likes or wants a hug, so if you don’t want to hug, then please put your arms across your chest in an X fashion. Otherwise, hug away.
Ps- Have I mentioned that you need to bring your own bowl, spoon, and mug…….and some cash rather than just your card? Lol
And certainly not least!……………… Earlier this year we as the local community lost an incredible person far to early in his life. Marc ‘Beaso’ Beasley, also known as UltraBeaze, ran all the different distances of the Beast, joined me as well as hundreds of others on various training runs, and he took part in countless other sporting events. He was never scared of a challenge or two, and gave his all. He is hugely missed amongst many of us. We also recently lost a lovely farmer, Dilwyn Vaughan, who’s farm yard at Llanerch is the location of the aid station on the PB route on the second visit to the gwaun. He even baked some cakes for the Beast! So in memory of these two, as well as everyone else who we miss dearly, I would like you to join me in a few moments of silence before we start which we’ll do at the briefing. There are also two special signs in various locations this year in memory of these two. Diolch/Thanks, and have a safe journey to the event.
Ps- Mine’s a Guinness, or a Butty Bach, if you’re asking!