Two-time Olympian Liz Yelling was among those involved with this year’s event over 23 miles of the challenging terrain of Powys, mid-Wales
Horse triumphed over man in the legendary Whole Earth Man v Horse race in Powys, mid-Wales, last weekend.
The race comprises around 23 miles of treacherous, mountainous terrain, testing runners, horses and riders as they navigate the course’s many twists and turns.
Now in its 37th year, the event has an amazing heritage. The original idea was conceived in a pub in Wales when a pub landlord overheard two men discussing that a man was equal to any horse over a great distance. Two years later the first Man v Horse race took place, though it was 25 years before man finally beat a horse to the finish line.
Huw Lobb was the first man to beat the horses with a time of 2:05:19 in 2004 – the same year that AW‘s editor Jason Henderson also took on the challenge. The feat has only been achieved once since then by Florian Holzinger with a time of 2:20:30 in 2007.
Two-time Olympian Liz Yelling took part in this year’s race and ran alongside Team Whole Earth.
“Whole Earth Man v Horse is not like anything else, it’s a real tribute to endurance and eccentricity,” she said. “Team Whole Earth have come such a long way since our training began – they and everyone who completed the race should feel really proud.”
The first rider and winner of the 2016 Whole Earth Man v Horse was Lindsay Walters on her horse Deliva Crianza and they completed the course in 2:17:58.
Ross Macdonald of Wimbledon was the first runner to cross the line in a time of 2:37:51.
» Video via TVC Group on YouTube
