Hot off the hooves (get it?) of the Grand National, riders and runners alike are preparing for a highly unusual 22-mile annual race which pits humans against, well, humans-on-horses in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells every June.
The marathon started in 1980 as part of a pub bet that humans were equal to any horse over a long distance. It starts out like a typical cross-country race, with hundreds of runners setting off through the picturesque town and up through the hills of central Wales, followed 15 minutes later by 50 galloping horses and their riders up the hills, across the streams and down the ridges. To date, only two human runners have managed to come out on top, could a third be on the cards for this year’s race?
The Whole Earth Man vs Horse Marathon, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, Sat 11 Jun. Info: www.green-events.co.uk