Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · Ultra Marathons
The Beacons Ultra 2026
- Race day
- Saturday, 7 November 2026
- Location
- Talybont-on-Usk, Powys, UK
- Distance
- 50 mi / 80.5 km
The Beacons Ultra: 7 November 2026, from Talybont-on-Usk, Powys. Entry, route, a pace chart and the race-day forecast.
The Beacons Ultra Race Timeline
58 days to go
This is where the real training happens — building your long run and getting comfortable with ultra race-pace.
The Beacons Ultra 2026: quick answers
When is The Beacons Ultra 2026?
The Beacons Ultra 2026 takes place on Saturday, 7 November 2026, starting at 07:30.
What time does The Beacons Ultra start?
The Beacons Ultra starts at 07:30 from Talybont-on-Usk, Powys.
Where does The Beacons Ultra start and finish?
The Beacons Ultra starts at Talybont-on-Usk, Powys and finishes at Talybont-on-Usk, Powys.
How many miles is The Beacons Ultra?
The Beacons Ultra is 50 miles (80.5km).
How much elevation gain does The Beacons Ultra have?
The Beacons Ultra has approximately 7408ft of total elevation gain. 7,408ft (2,258m) of ascent across 50 miles, per the organiser — that works out at roughly 148ft of climb per mile. The going: mixed trail, mountain, canal towpath and road in bannau brycheiniog (the brecon beacons).
How much does The Beacons Ultra cost to enter?
Entry through SI Entries — check the official site for current pricing.
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Saturday, 7 November 2026
- Distance
- 50 miles / 80.5km
- Location
- Talybont-on-Usk, Powys, UK
- Start Point
- Talybont-on-Usk, Powys
- Finish Point
- Talybont-on-Usk, Powys
- Start time
- 07:30
- Elevation gain
- 7408 ft (2258m)
- Surface
- Mixed trail, mountain, canal towpath and road in Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons)
- Cut-off time
- 15 hours — a 07:30 start and a 22:30 finish.
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: age requirement, tracking app. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
Entry through SI Entries — check the official site for current pricing.
Ballot Policy
No ballot — entry is direct through Beacons Ultra.
The Beacons Ultra Race Day Weather
A real forecast appears here once one exists for race day — usually about a week to ten days out. Nothing is shown until then, because a made-up forecast is worse than none.
The Beacons Ultra Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Talybont-on-Usk, Powys and finishing at Talybont-on-Usk, Powys. 7408 ft of total elevation gain across 50 miles.
Is The Beacons Ultra flat?
7,408ft (2,258m) of ascent across 50 miles, per the organiser — that works out at roughly 148ft of climb per mile. The going: mixed trail, mountain, canal towpath and road in bannau brycheiniog (the brecon beacons).
The Beacons Ultra Course Profile
7408 ft total elevation gain.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Talybont-on-Usk, Powys
Start line.
Where The Beacons Ultra starts and finishes
The Beacons Ultra starts at Talybont-on-Usk, Powys and finishes at Talybont-on-Usk, Powys. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on.
Full The Beacons Ultra Route Breakdown
Two loops of a 23-mile course from Talybont-on-Usk in the foothills of Bannau Brycheiniog, with an out-and-back up Pen y Fan added on the first loop only — which is why the first lap is considerably harder than the second. 2,258m of ascent in total across the 50 miles, on a mix of mountain path, trail, canal towpath and road.
The Beacons Ultra Pace Calculator & Splits
The Beacons Ultra Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
4:48
Average pace / km
2:59
The Beacons Ultra Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Half Marathon | 30K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 3:36 | 2:14 | 11:11 | 22:22 | 47:12 | 1:07:06 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 3:54 | 2:25 | 12:07 | 24:14 | 51:08 | 1:12:42 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 4:12 | 2:37 | 13:03 | 26:06 | 55:04 | 1:18:18 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 4:30 | 2:48 | 13:59 | 27:58 | 59:00 | 1:23:53 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 4:48 | 2:59 | 14:55 | 29:50 | 1:02:56 | 1:29:29 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 5:06 | 3:10 | 15:51 | 31:41 | 1:06:51 | 1:35:04 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 5:24 | 3:21 | 16:47 | 33:33 | 1:10:47 | 1:40:40 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 5:42 | 3:33 | 17:43 | 35:25 | 1:14:43 | 1:46:15 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 6:00 | 3:44 | 18:38 | 37:17 | 1:18:39 | 1:51:51 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 6:36 | 4:06 | 20:30 | 41:01 | 1:26:31 | 2:03:02 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 7:12 | 4:28 | 22:22 | 44:44 | 1:34:23 | 2:14:13 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 7:48 | 4:51 | 24:14 | 48:28 | 1:42:15 | 2:25:24 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 8:24 | 5:13 | 26:06 | 52:12 | 1:50:07 | 2:36:35 | 7:00:00 |
The Beacons Ultra Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your The Beacons Ultra finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated The Beacons Ultra finish
7:55:19
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag The Beacons Ultra, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneyThe Beacons Ultra Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
- A plan for reaching Talybont-on-Usk, Powys
- A meeting point agreed with family and friends for after the race
Training Strategy for The Beacons Ultra
20-24 weeks is the realistic window for a first 50-mile ultra, assuming you already have a marathon's worth of base behind you. The block that matters is back-to-back long weekends — a long run on Saturday followed by a second, slower one on Sunday — which builds time on feet and teaches you to run on tired legs without the recovery cost of one enormous day. Practise your race-day nutrition on every one of them; at this distance the stomach fails before the legs do.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Drop volume hard across the final three to four weeks — further out and steeper than a marathon taper, because a 30-mile training day costs weeks of recovery, not days. Keep some easy running and a little terrain-specific work in, but the goal is to reach Talybont-on-Usk, Powys with fresh feet and a rested gut rather than one more long run in the bank.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
50-Mile Ultra Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A deliberate increase in carbohydrate over the two to three days before the race is the well-established approach at marathon distance.
Eat a carbohydrate-focused breakfast two to three hours before the start, and stick to something you've already tested in training rather than trying anything new.
Most runners take on carbohydrate every 30 to 45 minutes from about an hour in, alongside fluid at the on-course stations.
A mix of carbohydrate and protein in the hour or so after finishing supports recovery.
The Beacons Ultra Charity Places 2026
No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running The Beacons Ultra for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other The Beacons Ultra fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusThe Beacons Ultra Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
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Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official The Beacons Ultra site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.