Green Beret Fitness Operation BRECON 2024

2024.04.27 0700

Overview

As Gregg puts it, “The Brecon Beacons is unlike anywhere else on earth. If you’ve never been here, you won’t believe us. If you have been here, you’ll be nodding your head in agreement.”

Op BRECON is 26+/- miles with 8500 feet of elevation gain with a 30lb/14kg dry pack. There is a single water drop around 11.5 miles (tracked on my watch was closer to ~13.5 miles). The dog tag time is 8 hours and the pass time is 10 hours.

Training and Preparation

I have been consistent with my training leading up to my last races two weeks ago (FAN DANCE + BUCKWHEAT). Strength, hybrid, mountain rucking, running, biking, hot yoga, and mobility were all programmed. The time between was lighter than prior weeks since there wasn’t much time between the two.

I’ve been keeping my nutrition pretty consistent and still generally keeping alcohol consumption down, though drink a few out to dinner or with friends.

Travel

Sunday afternoon through Tuesday, we visited castles, palaces, and a lot of old cities in England. I flew back direct on Wednesday morning to LAX.

Generally, I felt well-rested by Friday morning. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t sleep great on Friday night, because I often get excited the night before an event. We stayed a short 15-minute drive to the start point – this was extremely valuable to get some extra time in bed.

Gear

Starting Outfit

• Kill Crew Shorts – snacks in one pocket, hand warmers in the other
• GBF Find Peace in Chaos T-shirt
• VOG Helios Jacket
• Born Primitive Ridgeline Base Layer
• RNNR Party Pace Cap, but mostly just a running beanie
• Running gloves
• Woxer 7” Boxers
• Born Primitive Sports Bra
• Ininji Toe Socks + MudGear Socks
• Altra Lone Peaks 7
• Garmin loaded with AllTrails maps for navigation + Whoop
• Contacts – I can see clearly now..

Pack: Kifaru Shape Charge

Yes, yes, 100% yes. Get yourself a pack that is comfortable and designed to carry weight over distances. Check out the packs here.

BOTTOM UP

• Emergency shelter, , Emergency 1L Nalgene filled, light green dry bag: extra medical items, duct tape, shoe laces, etc
• Blue dry bag: t-shirt, sports bra, boxers, socks & dark green dry bag: extra base layer, pants, battery pack
• Rain jacket, extra jacket in dry bag
• Weight plates strapped to molle
• 2L water bladder
• Inside pouch: compass, sharpie, whistle

TOP POCKETS

• Lifestraw, utility knife, battery pack, chem light, wallet, spare batteries, eye drops, chapstick, spare mouthpiece

SIDE POCKETS

• 1L plastic water bottle w/LMNT & Snacks
• Warm winter beanie in dry bag

SPARE POUCH

• Medical kit, snacks, salt tabs, battery pack (yes, a 3rd one – they’re great for weight)

OTHER

• Garmin InReach clipped on the outside of pack

Nutrition

Pre-Race

Friday night we ate an amazing dinner. I had a beef ragu and the best pot pie of my life. I could eat this daily. And we got to meet Joe for the first time! After returning to the B&B, I ate some snacks and took in some electrolytes. By snacks, I mean that I ate more candy.

Saturday Morning, I ate a croissant, shortbread biscuits, a banana, water, and electrolytes.

For those of you wondering, Joe is very tall.

Race

• 2L water in bladder
• 1L LMNT in gatorade bottle
• Packed candy bars, fruit snacks, extra LMNT, and general race snack items

I didn’t manage my food and water well. It was cold (I’ll get there), so I continually took in water to prevent my bladder from freezing like it did at OCALA 2023. I attempted to eat consistently, but it became more daunting as it got colder, and I lost some dexterity in my hands. I used my hand warmers to warm up my bars so they were easier to eat.

My stomach has been dicey since the FAN DANCE/BUCKWHEAT weekend. I’m working to fix this to adjust for future events. Thinking back now, I had Tums in my front pouch. I should have used them.

Admin

It was cold during admin – near freezing, but not quite. There was no precipitation and some wind. My pack was generally ready to go, minus rigging up the weights to get to the exact weight – I didn’t want to be over before adding my food and water.

About 15 minutes before the race started, following the “be bold, start cold” mantra, I begrudgingly removed layers. I took off my sweatpants, changed into my trail shoes, and removed my second base layer, hoodie, and jacket. I put on the VOG hoodie, running gloves, and running beanie. It was somewhat of a last-minute decision to pack my black VOG hoodie. It ended up being the perfect outer layer, especially since it has a face covering.

We got a group photo (which I was in this time!) and stepped off at 0730.

Goals and Strategy

The dog tag time (8 hours) and pass time (10 hours) for BRECON are hard but arguably achievable. After dinner I stated, “I’m going to keep up with Joe” and “finish in 7h55m.”

If I was being honest with myself, I felt it was possible to come in under 8 hours, but I would have to push myself to my edge. Dog tags would require extremely consistent climbs and running all flats and downhills. I knew very little about the Brecon terrain and the weather conditions were a gamble. I need to continue to start believing in myself and pushing myself more.

The Race

Start to Corn Du + Pen y Fan

It was cold. I expected that there would be some rain during the day, but what I didn’t expect was snow. I was so surprised and joyful that I Facetimed my husband. I rarely have much service, let alone quality service, during events. I felt it would be fun to talk for a few minutes. It was.

Quite a few people passed me up the first climb, but I kept to myself and stayed in my lane. I remembered Crosby saying to me, and I didn’t know if I believed at the time, is how different it is when you see everything you’re going to climb in front of you. There are no trees or brush covering anything up. It is different. It’s mentally exhausting. And it kinda sucks.

After getting to the top, I was surprised by how much it opened up. There was so much space up there. I pulled out my phone to figure out where the next trail was. I also couldn’t believe how many people were hiking in the conditions. I’m used to people staying inside when it’s drizzling and 50 degrees in LA.

I had a great moment (check location/time/upload photos to alltrails) where I was running the ridge line. Suddenly, there was a gust of wind and the entire view cleared up. I had to stop and breathe it in.

To Cribyn + Fan y Big

This climb was hard. And then it was really hard. I passed by someone who was cramping up pretty badly. I stopped and turned around occasionally to catch my breath and give my calves a little relief. The weather was getting worse. Besides the cramping guy, I hadn’t seen anyone behind me. It was a little strange because I could see everything and the trails crossed in opposite directions of each other. It would be easy to see someone.

Eventually, I was climbing on my hands and knees – Joe had said something about this the night before. Looking up at this peak, it was hard to believe there was any flat space at the top. It’s hard to explain it well. It looked like the top of a hill, and that hill was going to arc over to the other side. At one point, my watch said that I had ~350 feet to get to the top. The last tenth of a mile took me ages to complete. I would identify footing, take a few steps/climbs, and reset.

The wind was blowing, snow was coming down (and sideways), and my hands were freezing from grabbing onto the ground. I never felt really “in danger” during this, but looking back at it, it was more difficult than my typical hikes. I have found a few scaling areas on my local trails that I actively seek out and am becoming more comfortable with, but I usually hike on rocks and hard dirt in 70 degrees and clear skies.

I finally reached the top. It was cold but gorgeous. Soon after, I sent a check-in stating, “can’t complain about Cold Mountain again, even though I will” (see Op FAN DANCE).

To the Farm (water drop)

I was able to get some pace here and it was fun to be moving again

I reached the farm. AllTrails says this is at 11.5 miles though my watch had me around 13.5 miles at the water drop.

I said hi to the photographer (@tom.nw.photo_), used the bathroom, threw out my trash, finished the second half of my LMNT, refilled my water (+1L to the bladder), made another LMNT (+1L), rearranged more snacks to be accessible, and ate a banana.

To the Start of the Third Climb

This was a generally flat section but the ground was very muddy and rocky (horse trails). I found it tough to jog at a good pace, without tripping. So I stuck to a quick shuffle. I remember looking up toward the third climb and having to verify on my maps that I was in the right place. Initially, it didn’t look too daunting.

To the Top of the Third Climb

At this point, I had to take a break. I was struggling, both physically and mentally. My legs were heavy. My stomach was doing flips. My body and head were hot, but my hands were cold. I failed to take the five steps I told myself to walk. I started to doubt myself and negative thoughts started swirling in my head.

Even with the low temperature and wind, I stripped off my jacket and took a few minutes to recollect before carrying on. I likely stopped slightly longer than I should have, but I needed it. I pulled myself together and started moving. Slowly. At least I was moving again.

I eventually made it up. I put my jacket back on at some point during this climb or after. I said it then, and I’ll say it again now. I would be lying if I said I was in a great place after this.

Through the Swamps and To Civilization

Fun fact: there can be swamps/marshes at the tops of hills. When I followed the trail, I generally stayed drier, but this wasn’t an easy task. I found myself stepping through muddy water and wet bushes non-stop.

I’m struggling to remember details here. It’s fuzzy. I was tired.

The Last Big Climbs

On the first climb of this section, there were a lot of people out and about. Rock steps paved the way and I was in rough shape going up it. I lost a lot of time here and probably looked like a wounded puppy to everyone just starting and enjoying their hike. Speaking of, a lot of cute doggos were hiking too.

I missed a turn as I followed in the general direction of the crowds. It didn’t add a lot, but was enough to be frustrating. The turn isn’t something you would notice unless you were looking for it. I think a runner looked at me like I was a psycho as I roamed off the main trail.

Again – the mud, swamps, bogs. And sheep! Oh my!

The mud pits are throughout the last of the big climbs. Within a few minutes of each other, I ended up knee-deep and then thigh-deep in mud. For each of those, I took a step, and then the ground was gone and I was instantly in a mud bath. I slowed up in this area to focus on my footing.

At the time, it didn’t feel like I was gaining a ton of elevation, but there was a lot of gradual up and down. Looking back, this added up.

I had a pivotal point here. Two things happened at the same time. First, I realized how cold and alone I was in a very baron landscape. It was grey. My gloves were soaked with muddy water (if I made a fist, water was dripping out). My hands were so cold that opening food or even thinking about tying my shoes was difficult. I was noticeably the coldest I had been all day. I was crashing. At this point, I turned my thoughts to those who have done this before in worse situations – heavier equipment, at night, shittier weather, and more tired. I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and refocus on the task.

I also identified that I had 5 miles to go and about an hour left before the “pass” time came and went. It would be tough to cover five mountain miles on a good day, fresh, and without extra weight. I realized that I was failing the standards set for this event. I could have slowed down but instead, I committed to myself to finish as strong as possible.

There was more hiking up rocky areas before beginning the final big descent.

Down the Steps

I saw a bathroom at a parking lot ahead, but, of course, our route didn’t take you to that. It would have killed a lot of time to get there.

Anyway, I took the path indicated. There was a waterfall and an unavoidable water crossing. I opted to go upstream a little and started to make my way across some rocks. I slipped and fell forward onto my hands. This hurt. So, I said, “Fuck it. I’ll just get my feet soaked to avoid slipping again.” I swear the instant I stood up – I ate shit again, but this time onto my back. I was likely already wet from the rain, snow, and sweat, but this was fresh and frustrating.

The Last Two Miles

I carried on and eventually felt out of sight enough to relieve myself. It made me feel 1% better. The ground was muddy and narrow so I worked to get some pace when I could. At least there were a few more small waterfalls to see.

I found myself on the trail where we started and ran as much as I could down to the finish. Gregg met me and started to run down with me. I spotted Moogies pink hat and Joe at the finish line. I made it in 10 hours and 53 minutes.

Overall, I do think this course is different on a perfect day (i.e. exactly like the weather the next day). Other than OCALA 2023, this was the first time I had to deal with cold weather over a long period, though it was different. I also haven’t rucked in much precipitation, let alone freezing winds with rain and snow (you can read about my first snow coverage run in at TWO ZERO 2023, but that was t-shirt weather). I don’t think I realized at the time the difference the conditions make.

Generally, I’m proud of my effort. BRECON was one of my biggest elevation rucks. At 30# dry, it was heavier than I’m used to. I’ve identified improvement areas along with highlights and wins.

Helpful Links

• BRECON Navigation on AllTrails

Personal Reflection

“If you optimize for the outcome, you win one time. If you optimize for a process that leads to great outcomes, you can win again and again.” – James Clear

A big focus of mine has been learning to love the process and identifying wins from my training as a whole. It’s easy to get stuck on the outcome – whether you succeed or fail at your goal. We are so much more than these blips in our lives.

The following day, other than achy joints, my body felt good. And after 2-3 days, everything felt recovered. BRECON is still over a marathon distance, which I recognize requires additional recovery time, even if you feel good. Overall I’m fitter than I’ve ever been. If you look at my results, that’s not shown in the finishing times or whether or not I pass or fail, but from the data points I’m tracking, most everything is improving.

Lessons

1. If you can take one more step, take it. David Goggins explains this perfectly in this clip.
2. Talk to yourself like you were advising your best friend. It’s easy to feel sorry for ourselves and talk negatively. Taking a step back and looking at a situation from an outsider’s perspective, we often will do ourselves more good than by putting ourselves down.
3. Be there. Gregg nailed it. We can see pictures and hear about these incredible places, but being there is an entirely different experience. Stay in the moment and learn to stay present even through the worst parts.

Final Thoughts

Over time, my perception of difficulty has evolved. I also recognize that as I become fitter, things that once felt hard aren’t as hard now. A great example that came to mind during the third climb. I thought back to my first GORUCK Recon HTB in 2021. The Camp Pendleton hills were the death of me. Forget the actual HTB, but this can be seen even in my first training ruck, with a 20# plate + water and a few bars.

From Then to Now

In the yellow, compare two similar elevation climbs and the differences in pace. You can see this shown in the Grade-Adjusted Pace (GAP). Also, check out the similar descents at mile 5 and the difference in pace. If you compare mile 6, I’m moving faster over small climbs than flat ground.

This can also be seen when comparing hiking times (with just a little water) and my paces now, underweight.

Other data points? There are plenty. Here are a few (from Whoop):

Yep, fun fact, I’m a nerd.

I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but we keep growing from here.

One final note – if you can take the time and travel for a challenging event, this is the one. Words, photos, and videos don’t do this place justice. The Brecon Beacons are just something you’ll have to experience yourself.

Until the Next. 🇬🇧🏔️🐑

Ready to sign up for your next challenge? Use GBF-SAM for 15% off.