RACE 39 - CYMMER AFAN OFF-ROAD TRIATHLON - 13 August

I approached South Wales with a certain amount of trepidation. It had been here that I recorded my first (and so far only) DNF in a race. It was a 50km mountain bike race over two laps of a gruelling course which included a river crossing in the first 500m. The start had been delayed by well over an hour as the driving rain/sleet and high winds almost resulted in its cancellation. However having eventually started what did I do? Promptly fell off into the river and got soaked to the skin. Managed to complete the first lap but with conditions worsening and uncontrollable shivering - gave up. my only consolation being that more than 50% failed to complete and the race hasn't been run again. You could say therefore I had unfinished business in South Wales.   


So all things considered, I was really looking forward to this mountain bike triathlon. It consisted of a pool swim of 600m, 20km of mountain biking and then a run up the valley (well up twice actually as it was two laps of 3km).  Went down a day early to have a sneaky try out of the mountain bike course. I've actually stayed in this area before doing some mountain biking so know what fantastic set up it is with a vast amount of single track (more detail about the MTB centre at the end). 


It was while I was getting my kit ready I realised that I'd managed to forget something again! This time it was socks! Not sure how I managed to forget them but if the worst came to the worst I could always do the events without them. In my defence I was doing a bit of a tour (South Wales; mid-Wales; across to Ireland via Holyhead; another triathlon in Donegal; on to Belfast; back to Dublin - Holyhead then home) so the amount of kit I needed was considerable. Both bikes, two sets of tri-gear, walking gear (I hoped to do some walking in Ireland) and some 'proper clothes'.

Choosing a casual pair of socks that might just conceivably be mistaken for a trendy pair of MTB's (no fashion disasters like David Cameron on holiday!) I set off. The weather was quite breezy with a mixture of fairly heavy rain showers interspersed with just drizzle. Fortunately the River Afan is crossed by a bridge - so no falling off and getting soaked this time. 


Then the long climb on mainly forest tracks up to the top of the other side of the valley. One dramatic event was that a bird of prey (no idea what species but was a good size) swooped down into the bank of the track to pounce on something - gave me a hard piercing stare then launched itself across track and down mountain side. 

Reaching the top of the track, the tops of the hills were in the clouds/ murk. Somehow I didn't think I'd be seeing the claimed long views to the south as far as the sea. The triathlon course is part of The Wall trail (or Wal-Y in welsh not to be confused with Wall-E the Pixar film about a waste disposal robot left alone on earth) - more detail at the end of the blog. The route shown for the triathlon didn't use all the single track sections especially the uphill ones as it would be impossible to overtake. 

However on my practice run decided to use all the single track sections to 'get my hand back in'. The main difference between the single track in somewhere like Afan and say Bedgebury (race 31) is the steepness of the slopes - not only for the route itself but the steep slopes (45 degrees) that plumet down from the narrow 12 inch wide paths. The photos don't really convey the anywhere from nervous to terror inducing reaction as you take the tracks as fast as possible. 


I particularly liked the warning signs at certain sections and the evocative names of some of the runs such as the Graveyard. When I stopped to take photos (another reason for going the day before as I somehow thought I wouldn't be stopping during the race) I was worried to see bits of bike down slope of some of the trickier sections! 


The other factor in this is you'd be haring along a smooth switchback splashing through puddles getting soaked in the process and then you'd suddenly plunge into the almost impenetrable gloom of the forest with only seconds for your eyes to adjust before hitting rock outcrops, slippery roots (my bet-noire) and mud. Having scared myself numerous times, fallen off three times (once while almost stationary going round a corner) I made it back to the valley floor more or less in one piece. I can't think of when I've enjoyed myself quite so much - certainly not with clothes on at any rate!

Then I cycled up the former railway to Cymmer to gauge how far / easy it would be. I liked the way they had converted the former station into a bar-b-q spot. The cycle was not too bad - an obvious gradient but not what you'd call a incline or even slope up the valley, and then the down gradient into the wind and the almost horizontal driving drizzle. In other word you had to pedal both ways. After a late lunch at an excellent forest visitor centre where I found the following snippets on the menu:

• The forest park covers 48 sq miles;
• Afan Valley is shortest valley in South Wales;
• I.K. Brunel built the railway in 1865; and
• Richard Burton was born in Pontryhydfen - a village at the southern end of the valley.

I went into the cycle hire place just to see if they had any socks. They did and they happened to be my favourite Endura Coolmax triple pack. I won't go into details but suffice to say they are good yet cheap.  Also had a bit of a chat with the guys there and we got chatting about the Cymmer Triathlon. I was told that they didn't use much of the single track sections due to the problems of overtaking and the wide variety of abilities let loose in the race! Also they argued that climbing was going to be key in the race as basically there was just one large climb from the valley floor all the way to the top. Somewhat relieved I headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up, tend my bruises, feed, and try and dry my kit. I managed to fashion something out of newspapers and the towel rail but wasn't sure whether it would manage to dry out the cycle shoes.

Following morning dawned rainy and overcast. Never mind I'm sure it would clear up. Also meant that I'd needn't worried quite so much about drying stuff out as with all the rain overnight the course was going to be even wetter (and so it proved). Drove up Afan Valley and parked near the Cymmer community swimming pool to register. It was a 25m pool so would take some 24 lengths to do the 600m. Checked out the route from pool to transition - it was all downhill which made a welcome change. Decided,as it was none too warm that I'd leave t-shirt and trainers up by the pool to put on after the swim.

First off racing were the Tri-Stars - the 8 year olds. They did two lengths, ran down to transition, jumped on their bikes and were off. As the drizzle was coming down pretty heavily everyone was pretty drenched but the enthusiasm and support was impressive. What was particularly memorable was that a lot of local children were taking part who the event compare knew by name. So he enjoyed himself comparing the athletic prowess of the children with the sometimes absent prowess from the parents. The 8 year olds were followed by the 9/10's who did slightly further - the 11/12's and finally the 12+ who did more than half the novice race. It was all very impressive the effort that all of them put in and the seriousness they took it.

Then it was the turn of the novices (300m, 10km and 3km run). They had their briefing then all traipsed up to the pool. As the drizzle was so persistent, a number of us followed them to a) watch them and b) huddle in the reception area in the dry. Then it was our turn. Briefing down in the transition (which because it was long grass meant your feet and shoes were already soaked, then the exchanges of banter on the way up to the swimming pool. We then waited our turn in order of swimming ability - the worst were first - I was pretty early on! They had three of us swimming per lane and fortunately the marshal counted the lengths which was lucky as I clean forgot how many I'd done. Did fairly well in the swim i.e. didn't hold the others up too much by breast stroking and I noticed I  wasn't the only one, but we were few and far between.

Then it was struggle to get on a wet t-shirt over wet me, and 'slip' on what were by now soaking trainers - well we'd had to leave them outside as there wasn't enough room pool side. Off down the hill - again well marshalled and a joy to actually be running downhill to a transition. Cheered on  by somewhat bemused supporters and marshals as I was still in my swimming goggles - not a great look and fortunately no photographers were on hand here to capture this strange apparition! 

Then to the bike. As the transition area was an area of longish grass and it was raining I managed to if anything get even wetter putting on wet socks, cycle shoes (but never mind they would get wetter still on the course) and a real struggle with the gloves - so much so a marshal inquired if I was having any problems. Then finally off on the bike. There was no way I wasn't going to enjoy this especially as someone zoomed past me! Keeping pace, we gave it everything into the teeth of a breeze and driving drizzle. Then it was onto a small and very slippery section of new single track - so new that it hadn't been open yesterday! Then over the river (as I've already mentioned fortunately by a bridge as I have a poor record of crossing by ford as I normally hit a rock and fall off) and the beginning of the leg-burning uphill. The first bit was on forest track and then a bit of single track. People were really good at letting you pass - in fact the whole race was very friendly with the minimum of alpha males with the win at all costs mentality. One of the reasons for this may have been because we all started our swims at different times (some were just starting their mountain biking section as I was finishing mine) meant you had no idea how you were doing against other competitors - it was much more of an individual time trial. Thoughts and effort tend to be internalised as you are racing yourself, deciding how much effort to put in, how much aching of limbs and muscle pain you can cope with.


Another thing about the single track sections was that they had narrow entry and exit points - usually between two posts. I'd found while practicing the quickest way was to get off the bike, put it on its back wheel then hop back on again. It was a long way up the mountain and almost unrelived uphill. Much of it was in the "granny" gear - the smallest gear ratio on the bike. One thing I'd noticed was that I had a triple on the front whereas most only had a double. Meant I had more gears to choose from and I think that's one of the reasons I managed to overtake a number of people on the long drag up. The other thing I had were of course my Rotor Rings (oval rings) which although probably don't make quite so much of a difference as they do on my tri-bike, certainly seem to help. 


Eventually reached the highest point, sweaty, muddy, legs aching but pretty pleased with my effort. Then it was onto a couple of sections of single track, the easier ones as I found from yesterday - the ones without the fear enducing buttock-clenching drops on one side - well mostly not at any rate.  So put the pedal to the metal (or some such) and bombed along. Didn't meet anyone and no one overtook. Great fun! However being on top of the valley side in a wet t-shirt and tri-shorts was a little chilly. A further incentive if one was needed to go as fast as possible and get back into the woods.

Then it was the downhill. They took us down another track though this one we had been warned about - it wasn't gravel or even stone, but made out of rocks! I'd never been down anything like it. Someone overtook and I just copied waht he did. Basically get out of the saddle, lean back over the back wheel and keep the front light and trust the forks. Oh, and leave the brakes alone! Well we made it to the bottom a lot faster than it taken to get up to the top! Found out later talking to one of the other competitors that he'd been passed by someone on a 'full-sus'  bike (both his and mine were hard-tails i.e. no rear suspension) going like a proverbial bat-out-of-hell. On reaching the bottom he then found the guy who'd passed him turning the air blue as hed managed to have front and rear punctures by going so fast!

It was then a long drag up the valley chatting to the guy who'd I'd copied going down hill, then again across the bridge, up a steep switchback and then the long (5km) incline back to Cymmer. Amazingly I found I still had something left in the tank and motored up (metorphorically as obvious actually haveing a motor would be 'bad').

Amazingly I'd managed to complete the the whole course without falling off once! So back to transition and onto the run. Egged on by a marshal - the wife of the guy who managed the security in the transition - who were the parents of the compere on the mike. See how cosy and local it all was? Anyway the lady offered me water at the beginning of the run, I pointed out I'd prefer a pint which she agreed to if I would get her a G+T. Then it was up a bit of a slope then along the aspphalt path up the valley. Then crossing the river it was back down a narrow, slightly muddy path lined with stinging nettles (again we'd been warned about this) across what I presume to be one of the Brunel bridge's and back towards "race central" to start the second lap. The supporters, marshals, children were all fantastic at cheering you on. A digression here. Where would all these events be without the volunteers, organisers etc. all doing it for nought? In this case the marshals were up a mountain - literally - in the cold and wet yet still managed to keep a smile on their faces and egg us on! Its a fantastic committment.

Anyway on my second lap round I asked the lady where my pint was - to which she (rightly) responded where was her G+T? The second lap felt easier than the first (although unlike Hyde Park I wasn't chasing someone more aesthetic) but it was a fantastic route through some lovely countryside, beside a beautiful river supported by some wonerfully friendly people - what's not to enjoy? On finishing it was back up to the swimming pool for a shower - great to get all the mud off.


A running thread through the whole day was the desire that everyone finish in time for the rugby (Wales v England) - especially as the bar (another former station) was right by the transition.



Result - 16th out of 64 in a time of 1:45:31








The information below is from Wikipedia and the Forestry Commission websites.


The Afan Forest Park (formally and locally known as Afan Argoed Country Park is a 48 square-mile (120 km²) forest park in Britain. It is set in the Afan Valley near Port Talbot, in south Wales. It is well-known for its mountain biking and hiking trails. It is situated seven miles (11 km) from Junction 40 of the M4. As the A4107 meanders through the steep sided valley it is easy to understand why this valley has been developed as a premier mountain bike riding venue. The forest park also has nine way-marked walking trails, ranging from a 30 minute amble to a 3-4 hour ramble. There are also miles of public rights of way to make up your own walks. As well as mountain biking, there is also a network of 25 miles (40 km) of disused railway lines which can be used for walking and cycling. These are called the Family Routes, or the Low Level Cycleway. These also form a link between the mountain bike trails.


The river Afan begins its journey at the village of Cymmer (meaning confluence) where the rivers Corrwg and Gwynfi join. The river runs in a more or less south-westerly direction parallel to the River Neath with which it shares its western watershed. It converges with the Afon Pelenna at Pontrhydyfen (where Richard Burton was born). From here it turns southward towards Port Talbot, where to aid the construction of the docks, the river was diverted. Before it reaches the sea, the river drops over a 12-foot high vertical weir called the Slaughterhouse Falls. The River passes through the Afan Argoed Country Park in its middle reaches. 


A motte and bailey castle stood on the banks of the river as it passed through Aberavon during the medieval period. No remains are now visible above ground, but the site of the castle is commemorated in local street names.



Industrial past - For much of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the River Afan was severely polluted by the coal and iron industry. With the decline in the coal mining industry, the quality of the river improved in the 1960s and 1970s so that some salmon and sea-trout started to return to the river to spawn. A number of weirs on the river, built to sustain the industrial past, had to be made passable to allow fish to ascend the river. This required the creation of fish passes on some weirs such as on the Dock feeder weir and the demolition of others such as at Corlannau weir.



The Mountain Bike trials - Twisty, rooty, rocky and in places wildly exposed, the singletracks in Afan Forest Park are an enthusiasts dream. The trails here have been carved out of hillsides and has been  transformed into a bikers heaven. Afan Forest Park is home to five world class trails, the ‘Penhydd’, ‘Y Wâl’, ‘Skyline’, ‘White’s Level’ and 'W²', boasting over 100 km of singletrack trails. Afan Forest Park was the only UK trail destination to feature in the ‘What Mountain Bike Magazine’ as one of the ten best places to ride “before you die”. In 2008 it was also voted one of the top ten public forests in the UK by the Sunday Telegraph.


The Wall Trail (the one that the triathlon is based on). With the success of the Penhydd Trail, the Forestry Commission saw how popular mountain biking was becoming so the Wall trail was built. This is a 24 km mainly single-track loop. It is memorable for its cliff top views of the River Afan. The Graveyard section and the final descent of the Wall have been well reviewed.


The trail is classified as Red (Difficult). This is defined as:

• Suitable for: Proficient mountain bikers with good off-road riding skills. Suitable for better quality off-road mountain bikes. 
• Trail & surface type: Steeper and tougher, mostly singletrack with technical sections. Expect very variable surface types.
• Gradient & technical trail features (TTF's): A wide range of climbs and descents of a challenging nature will be present. Expect boardwalks, berms, large rocks, medium steps, drop-offs, cambers, water crossings.
• Suggested fitness level: Higher level of fitness and stamina.