Trail run, cycle and kayak across the Welsh mountains
The world of multi-sport races grows every year, with new events popping up across the world to entice athletes of different disciplines to test their endurance prowess.
The Quest Adventure series is one of the latest of those offerings. A selection of races hailing from Ireland that combines trail running, cycling and kayaking across largely mountainous regions.
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The newest of those races, and the only one so far to cross the Irish Sea and hit the UK endurance scene, is Quest Wales, a selection of varied distance events taking place in the Snowdonian mountains.
The race
Where: Betws-y-Coed, Wales
Starting in the beautiful Welsh village of Betws-y-Coed, a place popularised for outdoor activities like mountain biking and climbing, the race offers three race distances covering 50km (Expert), 38km (Sport) and 23km (Challenge) across the multi-sport disciplines.
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Unlike a triathlon, those race stages differ depending upon the distance you choose and which Quest race you take part in.
The 23km Challenge distance has four stages: cycling (6km), Kayak (1km), trail run (7km) and cycling (9km) while the 50km Expert option combines six: trail run (8km), cycling (11km), kayaking (1km), running (9km), cycling (14km) and running (7km).
Terrain and elevation
Although the highest point of the race is just over 325m of elevation gain, don’t expect to get an easy ride. Each route has its fair share of ascents and descents with the 50km route seeing well over 1,100m of elevation gain across the running and cycling elements.
From the start point expect a tough climb within the first 2km and some fairly meaty cycling ascents across the full distance.
Who can do it?
If you go all out on any of the distances, you’re going to find it tough, but all three of the race options have a wide range of competitors. The front runners are fast and the race can be very competitive, but at the other end of the spectrum, a large part of the field will happily walk up the climbs and enjoy the downhills.
The website states that as long as you can run 10km you should be fine on the 23km route, which is accurate. For the longer routes, you will need a good level of fitness, but all the distances are completely manageable if you can run a half marathon.
Entry
Entry fees for the three options are £83 for Expert, £78 for Sport and £68 for Challenge. With that you’ll get a nice tech t-shirt, a medal and some celebratory food at the finish line.
How to get there
Traveling to Betws-y-Coed is easiest by car, but there is a train station in the village which takes about four hours to get to by train from London Euston. From there you’ll need to go to Llandudno Junction and change.
Where to stay
Catering for a constant stream of outdoor enthusiasts, Betws-y-Coed has a fair few hotels and hostels to stay in when you visit, with prices ranging from around £60 to over £100. One of the closest hotels to the start line, which is about one minute from the front door, is Glan Aber Hotel.
