I did this in the 80's in the army. I was 18 years old and I'm 54 now. It remains one of the hardest things I've done. The peak just never seems to get closer. Well done!!!
Ditto, early 80’s. I’ve been back recently and the surfaces have improved, but nothing takes away the sheer brutality of it. Especially getting it done sub 4.10, with no watch!
As a veteran of the Armed Forces ive spent some time on the Beacons with the Royal Marines, i know how tough it is out there...well done guys. Great video!
Wow, thank you so much. Honestly we can’t even comprehend how much respect we have for anyone that does this just in their training for their country. Honestly amazing.
They're civies mate, straight out of their van, no training and they decided to do it on the spur of the moment, its still an achievement for them to complete it, also I never said I was in the marines, I'm ex Navy who had an opportunity to work with them.
Good effort! I know these hills really well, good for the fitness but murder on the knees. They kept me fit when I used to lead expeditions overseas, Now that I'm ancient they just make me return to my armchair and watch these video, with a cup of coffee and a biscuit 🤣.
I was formerly with the Australian SAS Regiment, so I have been here and done it. Obviously you need fitness preparation, but really it is in the mind, the navigation is easy, ENDURANCE is what you need and when you have to do it with a pack, rifle and webbing then you know you have done some work, well done on your effort. Weather was your friend that day.
Agree - as a local, whenever I mention fitness to anyone who's SF I would be met with almost a smirk or dismissiveness, for the exact reason you mention. It's a mental challenge not a physical one. I'm female and raised in this area so used to hiking it. I've got gym bunny friends who get mentally overwhelmed even though they could excel WAY past me in a gym. They would always start well but couldn't seem to switch off and just keep tabbing. I would never have been able to do SF timings but I do understand the stamina headspace. It is indeed robustness not fitness.
Huge respect to you both from New Zealand. Wow, stepping up from 6km to 24 is massive. I ran competitively in the 1970s and 80s (now 71). We prepared for long events by training at around 80% distance for 6 weeks prior. Always found the climbs tough on the lungs and the descents murder on the knees. 1993 I climbed Ingleborough in North Yorks with a mountain bike over my shoulder for most of it. That was just a pimple of a climb compared to the Brecon Beacons. Hope you're both well recovered. Really looking forward to watching your other adventures.❤❤
good effort! i did this when in the military many years ago when i was young and fit and "motivated" by PTIs.... even then i struggled so fair play to you!
What many people don't consider is that many soldiers have had to complete something like this and then go on to fight in a battle straight after.......not sit and chill, not have a shower, not grab a drink and an energy bar.....fight.
I did the Fan Dance a couple of years ago. It was an organised event with a certificate and a medal on completion. As I was over 50 I only had to carry 25lbs. My feet throbbed for 3 days afterwards and I now have a phobia for small rocks. Well done for doing it!!
I did two out of three climbs with 45lb Bergen, escape belt (two full water bottles, ammo pouches) and SLR rifle. TA SAS 1973. Up from the other car park. Over top, down the other side, back to the top, down to the start I should have gone back up again but to my eternal shame. I gave up. Been back for civillian hiking. Lovely 'walk'.
I did this event with The Special Forces Experience and was brutal (loved the event): but it was brutal with the amount of rocks and elevation, wel done guys!
A phenomenal video. Thank you for sharing our event. Well done on getting out there guys. Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted. We hope Martha’s knee is healing and we look forward to seeing you there. 🇬🇧⚔️
Great video, love the "warts and all" representation, which will help others to prepare adequately for this challenge. I walked this route with a heavy pack camping overnight and my knee went just before that steep last climb on the way back(Jacobs Ladder?) As I was sitting on one of my many rests to get to the top I noticed a bunch of soldiers with heavy packs and in particular that there was one Officer? (not carrying a pack) haranguing them, and as they passed me one soldier asked when are we going to get a rest, the answer wasn't pretty! Now I understand what that was all about. I made it down okay and from then on I carry an elasticated support in case this happens again. Still loved the whole thing, that place is magical.
Remember in past had to carry guy from corn du to pan y fan in fireman lift with my backpack in the dark , nearly killed me but did it and was awesome, then other guy had to do the same opposite back then both to pen y fan again, oh my knees
Amazing effort from both of you!... we're absolutely shattered just from watching it 😅 we hiked Pen Y Fan but could not imagine running up there and with the extra massive distance too, you smashed it! 👏
It's no shame to have to stop, injuries only get worse as you go on, the mountain will be there when we are all gone, there is always another day. I did the fan dance (completed in agony) and chose the wrong footwear at the last minute, lost 4 toenails in the process, a big mistake when I had trained in boots which are comfortable as they were broken in but chose brand new soloman trainers, they still have some of Pen Y Fan on them haha
Well done. I have spent many years trekking all peaks and the horse shoe in a session. I used to cycle from Merthyr to the Story Arms and then to the entire route walking not jogging of course and cycle back. Encountered training forces many times. Couldn’t do it now though. Iv trekked to alps and the Atlas Mountains and made great friends and created so many good memories. The access to Corn Du and Penny Fan has been made easier now from the South End. There’s a great trek to the north over to the lake where you pass the memorial to Tommy, the boy who got lost on the mountain. People leave hand made toys there and all sorts sometimes, Very moving and worth a visit. Plus you can swim in the lake, there’s a lots of stories and out the lake and it was a coming of age thing for centuries for young lads who swam it and it was said you enter the lake as a boy and leave a man, 😂. Great stuff !
Great video guys. I'm planning on hiking this in a couple of weeks, but at age 60 are looking at about 8-9 hours I think. Hope Martha's knee got better. Your video was very helpful 👍
Back when I was running, I never knew this event existed. What A Shame to have missed it said with tongue in cheek! I only ever did one official fell race, cycled 7 miles to the start, pulled a hamstring muscle going up the 1st hill, had to stop, stretched then went on. Cycled home. a few days later my wife asked what the bruising was in my calf. It was the blood from the torn muscle having worked its way down past my knee. Those were the days? If it is of any interest:- The event was held in West Leake Nottinghamshire in 1998
You tube had unsubscribed me from you guys! Loved that video, me and hubby both laughed when mitch said about getting the number plate of the van when the mrs was getting driven away! ...and the comments about jogging past the guys! Well done to both of you, great drone footage, great content! Looking forward to more!
Wowsers...fair crack you had Martha, hats off to you kiddo 👍😍 you've reminded me to not forget my knee brace in my pack for next trip. Hope you scrubbed up ok after it. Mitch mate... Bloody champion, I looked at my resting heart rate at one point during your ascent and realised it had gone up from 59 to 72 just watching you do that climb and talk at same time. Well done to both of you 🎉😊
Wow excellent effort well done Mitch, next time try the squady shuffle, 45kg on your back and ware boots. Martha sounds like you have some scar tissue from a previous injury in your knee, if so you can vigorously massage this out. Love❤ the Channel lol from Tarquin Royal Army Medical Corpse.
Fantastic and well done to you both, I hope Martha`s knee is alright and that she is proud of how much she was able to do before the injury struck, good on that fella who asked if you were ok and to the guy who gave Martha a lift back to the van, I was knackered just watch it, great video guys, all the very best to you both from Nick in Wolsingham.
Thanks Nick, I'm on the mend now thankfully and couldn't believe the kindness of strangers in a time of need. I couldn't of done it without that lift back to the van so that guy help me so much and I'll always be grateful for that
I checked with a mate who was at Hereford, as I’ve walked around that route a lot, and the Fan Dance only takes in Pen-Y-Fan and not Cribyn or Fan-Y-Big in either direction, goes to Torpentau Station and back to the Storey Arms car park. Happy to be corrected but my mate was SAS for years so I believe him up to now.
The reserves (21 SAS) did a longer route with a later cutoff as it used to do selection over weekends. It also involved going back out over Fan Fawr that night..
Well done both for getting out there and for you Mitch carrying on. Them ups and downs and the distance will certainly suck it out of you. Mind you put weight on (you mentioned that), lack of sleep, carrying a weapon and cross country to in bog (not all the course is on trail) and then you have a challenge. My father Terry Jickells ran SAS selection with good old Lofty (Wiseman). He would speak of it happily. Well, hope your legs are good. All the best. Mark
Omg ❤I love you guys.ive just started watching your channel.Im addicted.Mitch your amazing doing this challenge. Hope martha knee getting better soon.Cant wait for you both to go to Europe 🇪🇺 🙏 the new van is awesome 👌 👏 ❤
It's a brutal place. Great camera work felt I was back there. You did get lucky with the lift for the lady. I think you should have planned the exit strategy earlier. It's a nightmare getting stuck the wrong side of Jacobs. That said a very nice video.
Very VERY well done guys , you’ve just discovered the big secret of the Beacons , it isn’t fitness thats the key it stamina . Brecon will destroy you if your not ready for it due to the terrain wether it’s the up and downs or just the ground your running on , I’m lucky enough to live not far from there and have lost count how many times I’ve been there both military and a civilian and I’ve seen many a ‘super fit’ type crash and burn because of it , the tortoise and the hare definitely sums up the ‘Fan dance’ ! 😁 Also props to Martha for admitting she needed to postpone for another day too many won’t admit they need to bail out and end up causing an emergency so yea well done you , the Beacons aren’t going away any time soon !😉
Wow, thanks so much for such a lovely comment. It's so true what you say and it's so amazing to experience a place like it. We've really found a love for outdoor adventures and challenges like this, so we're so excited to take on more in the future. Thank you!
Awesome guys really well you should be both proud , it's awful when you get injured but hope ur knees better now Martha. Well done guys really well done
I've done all of the routes over Pen Y Fan and can confidently say that it's a different beast. I don't know what it is but every time I do it, I'm questioning my fitness. It's tough. There's a reason the special forces visit the brecons so frequently so don't feel bad about finding it difficult.
That was a cracking effort! I've just found your channel, might have to drag my (older) kids up to the mountain and give it a crack...we were at Ben Lomond in June.
Did that very route the other day it was a nice session. To give you some context, the SF blokes do that at the beginning of selection to weed out the obvious no hopers! The marches get way harder than that.
@@TheJammyGits I enjoyed watching that well done for continuing. To help if you do it again no require,not to do Corn Du it’s not part of the Dance. Finish should have been where you started as well and not the other car park. Great video though , we look forward to more.
Great job , well done . You can imagine how hard it would be with a 55lb burgen, food ,water and a rifle and all under 4hr 10min 😂 Great video and i hope your both well .
@@TheJammyGitsJust out of interest please which exercise or who were you with where you carried a 55lb bergan and a rifle, just interested to know and which year? 👍🪂
if it's any concellation at all, the guys on Sellection usually train for a year with numerous dry runs up Pen y Fan before doing it for real. It shows the motivation these guys have putting themselves through hell, everyday, for weeks, no matter if it's a heatwave or snowing.
No unkindness intended but this is why this selection exists. Fit people who are strong and determined have challenges thrown at them and they can't complete it. Some can. Those who can are selected. Those who can not, for whatever reason, are thanked for trying but don't pass. Others can, they get selected.
Watching this in a non air conditioned room on Corfu 35 degrees outside and in 🥵. Been up all night watching and worrying about the fires burning in the North 😢. So lovely to see this video especially the rain . Well done both of you I love your enthusiasm for everything..
I need to give this a go I usually complete the Horseshoe ridge with my spaniel Jet but have never ran. I always bound down though, find it easier on the knees
I've damaged my knee .. going downwards aggravates it - it's the pressure on the knee .. my Dr advised glucosamine.. but be careful mines affecting me as get older.. ❤❤ you both did well ..
Well done bud You’ve inspired me to motivate my ass and do it with some fellow colleagues Not sure I should show them this first tho 🤣🤣 Only showed them the 7.4 km trail 😂
I am getting old - Yes the Fan Dance is the short sickener, a speed event, the shock to the system, what I was thinking of was called the Long Drag. Must find my brain cells or indeed cell.
my mate Mat won that race i think it was last year.ive done an 18 miler there with 6000 feet of incline i bonked twice and had tunnel vision ive done much longer distances but that was the hardest run ive ever done
My friend I don't know where you got your information from ...BUT .. the SAS staff DON'T shout at YOU or ENCOURAGE you at any aspect of SAS training your on your own battling it out mentality and physically there's no drill sergeant hollering in your lug hole ok and remember sas candidates have died on the mountains thought out its history the very path you two walked on , two died in the 1990s through heat exhaustion /lack of water the brecon beacons is sometime unforgiving, basically , you have a time to complete the courses regardless if you have injuries or not if you do have injures your a mug you need to be super fit if you FAIL you might get a second chance if they think you have potential, otherwise bye bye you will be RTU meaning return back to unit or binned in fact you can get binned at any time on the course desert jungle training, etc Also just because you make the time doesn't mean you got the ticket to make it to the level there's a interview in front of seasoned ,experience staff that have been there done that got the T- shirt they wanna know what makes you tick have you got what there looking for they got there own tick boxes who they want as a team member everything about you is scrutinized . chin up crack on
I spent a short spell in the army and navy Then I spent five years in the army and airforce reserves I did 8 mile speed March in the infantry with only 24 pounds and a rifle SLR The Royal Navy had us hiking over Dartmoor and Bodmin moor in Cornwall That was crap weather and in December 1987 The army reserves and airforce reserves not too bad never did any major long hikes I did the annual London walk through Epping forest in 1988 That was 24 kilometres I’ve done London to Brighton bike ride three times And in 2018 bike Oxford I also in the 90s climbed snowdonia three times Nothing major since then
