Beacons Ultra and Trail Marathon

The Beacons Ultra and Trail Marathon is scheduled for 7 November 2026 at Talybont-on-Usk, Wales. Three trail courses are listed, with no start times yet: the 75.6 km ultra with 1,849 m of elevation gain, the 41.8 km marathon with 1,300 m, and the 21.1 km half marathon, far more runnable with just 168 m of climbing.

The difference in profile between the three is striking: the half stays close to flat, while the marathon and the ultra climb steadily. The ultra, at almost 25 m of ascent per kilometre, is a mid-mountain ultra where endurance matters more than technical skill. A runner who has already completed a trail marathon can aim for the 41.8 km; the 75.6 km, on the other hand, calls for experience of efforts lasting eight hours or more, with self-sufficiency on food and kit suited to early November in Wales.