RIDUM 2025 Race Report

Introduction

This post is dedicated to George Griffiths: George has been an inspiration, an indomitably positive force making everyone around him smile as we tackled the Pegasus Slam together. George suffered a major achilles tear shortly before the final race in this series and wasn't able to join us. It didn't feel the same without the whole Slog Squad there, he was sorely missed.

This was it, the last race in the Pegasus Slam 2025, 6 ultras in 6 months, with the RIDUM being our final challenge.

The RIDUM is one of Pegasus' most popular events with a large attendance, likely as it makes a great first ultra and is relatively close to Cardiff compared to the other races, it's also the last event in the Pegasus calendar and has a bit of a party vibe due to that.

It is a 50k race tracing the hills around Caerphilly over a mixture of terrain, from rolling hilltops to rooty woodlands to rocky descents and the odd bit of country lane. It also has a heinous bog that, depending on footing, may leave you knee deep in sludge.

This year SheRuns Cardiff had taken over the event, which meant every aid station was AMAZING and stocked full of lovely lovely grub (and people!) along with nice touches to keep morale high.

Gear & Nutrition

Most of my kit is set now: Salomon Adv Skin 12 pack, Bridgedale T2 Lightweight Merino socks, Happy Strides shorts, Running Punks top when it's not too hot to wear black.

Shoes wise I've been transitioning back to Altras so thought I'd give the Altra Mont Blanc Carbons a shot. These are Altra's flagship speedy trail racing shoes: light, grippy, with a full length carbon plate which both helps protect your foot and also springs you forwards. I figured they'd suit the technical descents and mixed terrain nicely.

In my bottles I had Active Root Electrolite to keep my salt levels up, alongside some SaltStick Fast Chews in case I felt I needed a top up (trigger here being a feeling of sloshing water in my belly / my body starting to reject water, I find that's when I need to up my salt).

Food wise as it was a shorter snappier race I opted for mostly carbs: PH Chews, Protein Rebel Gels, Torq Gels & Jelly Beans. Then I'd eat what I wanted in aid stations, which was almost exclusively the homemade fudge SheRuns had brought!

Lining Up

If I'm honest I wasn't mentally in this race when I'd arrived. My partner had torn her ACL at the beginning of the week, which meant a set of hospital trips, crutches, a brace, and taking over a lot of things Zoe can't currently do like school/nursery drops. It's been tiring and stressful for us all, and if this wasn't a slam race I'd definitely have deferred it.

Was soon greeted by the usual warmth of a Pegasus event though as I chatted away with punks and slammers all prepping for the day ahead.

Conditions were bang on ideal for a race: a cool but mild start, a nice breeze, getting sunnier in the afternoon. Had some arm warmers on til the sun came up but didn't need them long.

I'd set my expectations low, I just wanted to get round this one and collect the Pegasus Slam trophy.

There were a load of Running Punks doing their first ultras at the RIDUM, it was so great to see them all tackling the challenge. Massive shout outs to:

• Bryan
• Emily
• Ersin and Lucy
• Gemma (punk adjacent)
• Jason
• Jon
• Keiron
• Lisa
• Mike
• Oliver (not a punk but chatted with him on the start line)
• Rhys (punk adjacent)
• Sandy (the amazing Andy S)

Rhys Jenkins, race director for Pegasus, was doing it too, his first ever Pegasus Event (as usually he's behind the scenes directing it all!)

Will, who had recently done all the slam races in 6 bloody days, was back and mostly recovered and keen to do the race without the fatigue of 5 other races in the 5 preceding days in his legs!

Wonderful Catrin had made a load of lemon meringue fudge ala the SheRuns Cardiff aid stations and was handing out bags to other punks. These were a god-send later on the last stage.

SheRuns Cardiff did the race briefing, we went over to the start line and were on our way!

Start to CP1

In a move that will shock noone I went out too fast: the first stretch is a lot of smooth road with a bit of downhill which makes getting carried away and pushing too fast easy.

Yeah...whoops.

Soon hit some climbing which slowed me up. Passed Rhods, before being rapidly passed by him on a hill shortly after. Wouldn't see Rhods the rest of the day, he came 5th!

After a good chunk of climbing came the super fun descent into the first checkpoint, lots of fun fast running down a wide path.

Refilled my water bottles, saw Jamie out the corner of my eye hit the aid station just behind me, got moving quickly.

CP1 to CP2

Immediately after the aid station is a big climb taking you up and up back into the hills. A good chance to eat after the fast first section.

Saw Dean up at the trig point on his bike and had a quick fist bump.

Shortly after was a long, LONG descent that seemed to go on forever. Along the way a group of us turned the wrong way twice, and ended up bunching up into a happy crew helping each other navigate through the tricker section.

Jamie had caught up here as we were correcting a wrong turn, then shot on ahead. I wouldn't see him again until the checkpoint, likely because he followed the map 😂.

Caught by Lisa here and we had a good chat through the woods that host the Coed Cefn-pwll-du park run. The volunteers gave us all a good cheer as we ascended up the fire tracks (man that must be a tough parkrun course!)

Came into the ultimate, best ever SheRuns Cardiff checkpoint to the warmest of receptions (one of the marshalls cheering everyone in enthusiastically, warm hugs, funny signs, lots of amazing home made food, didn't want to leave!)

Had this amazing shot taken with Jamie.

Refilled my water bottles, ate some more fudge, got going.

CP2 to CP3

The fatigue had well and truly set in at this point, a combination of 6 months solid ultra events, pushing myself hard at the EDDUM & the prior weeks home hardships.

Left here with Jamie and we ran together for a chunk of this stretch.

We were both feeling it, I think I was more fatigued than Jamie though and was encouraging him to push ahead.

Reached a familiar sign and were greeted by the best of sights: a Pop Up Punk Aid Station that Hannah had set up 🎉

Drank a few swigs of cola which helped perk me up.

Saw Nic on his bike who gave us a hell of a cheering on (and a good sweaty hug!)

Jamie and I caught Lisa again before the golf course stretch. Stayed as a group until we got to another pop up aid station (this one blasting out Golden from KPop: Demon Hunters 🤘), where I hung back to get some extra water then almost went up Caerphilly Mountain by accident.

Was on my own for the rest of this stretch. Kept my pace more even and had finally settled in to what I wanted to do from the start: chill out a bit.

The bog was deceptive this year: I thought I was being a smart-ass going round it, until I went up to my knee in the sludgy, definitely not all water marsh. My leg did not smell good for the rest of the day.

Came into the aid station just as Jamie was leaving, saw his family Nick, Theo and Isla and had a wave. Chatted to Catherine and Graeme from Albany Road RC for a bit, took stock, then left chomping some grub just as fellow Slog Squadder Jo came in.

CP3 to Finish

Long old slog out of the aid station here: used it to eat. As it evened out I was caught by Jo; who told me she was currently 5th lady! Encouraged her to smash on ahead!

We started passing Dragon's Back runners on the last day of their epic challenge going the opposite direction to us. Gave them all a big cheer.

Ate the last of Catrin's amazing homemade fudge and I swear it was solely responsible for my last section second wind. Was flying after the lane climb had finished!

The fella in front of me was struggling with cramps a bit. Gave him my FastChews which seemed to really help as he blasted off and beat us handily 😂

Caught back up with Jo and we stuck together for the rest of the race. Really wanted to see her get a podium spot.

Passed Olly on the final descent towards the Parc, the hills had gotten the better of him and he was struggling at the last 2k.

Unbelievably, we saw Jamie in the last 1k and managed to catch him up. We ended with a (partial) Slog Squad finish!

Jamie crossed the line holding Theo and Isla's hands, with Jo and I crossing shortly after, Jo taking 5th place and earning her first Pegasus podium spot.

After Action Report

After being given the RIDUM medal by the lovely SheRun's folk, Owain handed me a Pegasus Slam t-shirt and the most coveted thing of all: a Pegasus Slam trophy, hand burned and personalised.

In the end it wasn't my best performance, I was slower than 2 years prior, but it really didn't matter, because the community spirit at the end, the faces full of smiles and slammers proudly holding their trophies, made the last 6 months all worthwhile.

As for the Bristol Punks: 12 of us finished the RIDUM that day; 2 their first ever ultra, 4 also finishing their Slam.

What Went Well

• Active Root Electrolite for my salts, find it goes down more easily as it's less sugary and the ginger helps settle the stomach
• Lemon meringue fudge for days!
• A nice second wind in the last 10k, pulled back a position and caught Jo and Jamie for a Slog Squad finish
• Seeing Jo, who has worked so hard all season, finally grab a much deserved podium spot

What Could Have Gone Better

• Residual fatigue: tired from the start due to a combination of a tough week and a tough 6 months, the Slam (especially the EDDUM I think) had caught up with me
• Performance drop: slower than my first time round the RIDUM
• Fuelling didn't go well at all, too much sugar, felt nauseous. Torq gels especially was far too sweet for my taste, I almost gagged on the Mountain Cherry flavoured one
• Pushed far too hard at the start and suffered for it the rest of the race
• Altra Mont Blanc Carbon weren't a good choice, the carbon plate is too firm, it's chewed my feet up and left my legs feeling tender. Also, when the left plate got wet, it had started "clicking" on each foot fall. Didn't cause any issues but it sure was annoying

Damage

• Sore big toes from some serious descending, some of those downhills never seemed to end
• Left foot where the carbon plate was snapping is sore on the sole
• Achy legs from the firm shoes
• My feet smell like bog
• But no blisters, no issues with my legs at all

Next

I'm pretty tired. I think the last 2 years of events have finally caught up with me, either that or the proximity of turning 40 is looming heavy.

I'm going to have a proper off season for a few months now, running for joy rather than aiming for any target.

In December we start again: 6 months training to build up strength for my 2026 challenge: the Ona series: 3 x 100 mile races, the Epona, the Divona and the Sirona.