Black Mountains Trail Marathon – Photos
This past Saturday we were finally able to cross it off our bucket list … we ran a marathon! Through the mountains!!
We’ve mentioned it here and there in the Club but this is what we have been training for over the last 6 months and we still can’t believe that it’s finally done.
So, on Friday evening we made our way to the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales. We decided to sleep at the campsite (which was also the race headquarters and starting point) so we would get to the starting line at 7:30 am the next morning.
And off we went … in total we ran 47km (29 miles) with an elevation of 2100m (6500ft) through the Black Mountains in the South of Wales. The first half of the run sent us through thick fog and cold rain, and we couldn’t see further than a few meters ahead. But when the sun finally came out (about 3 1/2 hours in) we actually got to take in some of the stunning scenery!
A lot of sweat, pain, laughter, energy bars, tears, and the occasional swearing later we reached the finish line after 7:17:35 hours.
We got 30th and 31st place out of 61 runners – something we’re really happy with given that it was our first marathon. 🙂
Being us, you know that we brought along a camera and tried to capture the whole experience. We mainly took some video footage which we will turn into a vlog very soon, but for now we hope you enjoy the few photos we took!
We know this is completely music-unrelated, but this has been a big part of our lives lately. We always feel inspired after a good run, and it always gets the creative juices flowing!
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Fantastic achievement – well done!
Congratulations for another challenge more overcome.
excellent pics.
thanks for sharing.
Well done, congratulations ladies. You’ve opened to yourself a door to a new world, limitless. Here is to inspire you for a future challenge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcJnE5dweYY&t=90s
Way to go girls! As usual gorgeous photos! So many breathtaking views! Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations, girls, you have always said you wanted to do this, and now as you said, it is another ‘bucket item’ ticked off. Well done.
Your zest for life and quest for adventure is thrilling and contagious. You take life by the horns and embrace it for all it can be. You are amazing human beings and are a true inspiration for all of us. I only hope you realize how much enjoyment your adventures, exploits and artistry provide to the rest of the world. I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to share in your lives. Bon Vivant!
Congratulations on this very impressive accomplishment. The only marathon I ran was 20 years ago and it was on (mostly) flat city streets and not in a wilderness setting. I continue to be impressed by your (plural, of course) work ethic, determination, and zest for life. Well done!
Great job. Hard work pays off.
Gorgeous scenery.
A lot of the scenery could pass for the Marin headlands on a foggy summer morning.
(Just north of S.F.) Ladies never leave home without your camera – thank you.
Well just one thing. You’re driving on the wrong side of the road.
Oh wait. So is that other car. Well just be careful.
What amazing fun you must have had! Love the pictures!!!
She’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes… ????
Cool Black Mountain medallions. Loved the pictures. Looking forward to the vlog. Such an impressive accomplishment! You two Rock, Roll and RUN!! What an experience that will give you great memories and feelings of achievement. Super job! Congratulations‼️
29 miles and 7:17:35 hours! I can’t even imagine what that must have felt like! And that scenery is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing. What an awesome accomplishment!
Congratulations!! As always,thanks for sharing your adventures wih all us MLT Club members.You girls ROCK!!!!!
Love & Hugs for a job well done.
Mona and Lisa you have my respect, my son Billy does marathons and it always amazes me how anyone can run for that long and the distance. But have to say this looks so fun and such beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing and most important, congratulations on finishing and getting those cool metals!
You ladies rock. On one hand you look so sweet and beautiful when you play, on the other hand you are tough enough to do this and kick ass. My respect and admiration cannot be measured. Thank you for sharing these photos.
Hello Ladies!
Talk about not being able to see! You can’t see anything in that soup. The rain should have come at the end of the run to cool you off!
Beautiful Pictures. They’re breathtaking! Looks like you are Knowing Birds Better ????
Monas Iconic Shirt is perfect. After all you are Mona Lisa ????????????♀️❤????????
Thanks for taking us along! Never to worry that its unrelated to music, I know how important this Marathon was to you all, I’m excited to experience it with you all through your camera lens.
Congratulations on a job well done. Not bad times either.
Thanks Again Ladies!
Best to all of you
Rick Ross
Holy Cow ( Mona , I love and now want to buy that cow sweater, where you get it, as you know my love/fondness of cows???? ), you both sure outdid yourselves with this grueling challenge and am impressed for your 30th & 31st finishes respectfully , Kudos, all that training for the last 6 months, paid off, and I’m certain you’re keen on doing another at some point. I admire your Perserverence, “go get em” attitude to tackle stuff. Quite proud of you both, awesome photos taken, and can’t wait for the vlog of this. Thankyou for sharing, and I know you’ve rejuvenated those groovy creative juices now after that wknd…????
Jacki, maybe ask the cow sweater question in the forum. I’m sure Mona would answer you. ????????
Lol… I wasn’t being literal here Rick, regarding the Cow Sweater inquiry.. .I was just being funny , although, now perhaps maybe I should properly ask in” Ask MLT”as you suggested.?!….lol
Lol! You should get a battery powered speaker that goes Moo! Too lol ???? ???? ????
Rick, I thought Mona’s Mona Lisa shirt was priceless, but now that Jacki points it out the cow sweater is ultra cute! And what about Lisa’s cool knee high orange socks! Can’t miss her from a distance even through the soupy fog! 🙂
The first thing I noted in reading the intro before the pics is “this is music unrelated”. Thank You!! You know this is your Club and as for me and I think most of the members here, I feel like it is a privilege when you share the personal things you do in your life that makes you happy…. it makes me happy for sure. I have ran track and field many years ago and if you haven’t noticed that world class runners are qualifying for the Olympics which will start in about 3 weeks!! So, this was the perfect timing to share your love for running, being outside in the elements, and doing it very successfully. To say the least, Im very impressed in the tenacity to complete the marathon and do it in a very honorable time, and do it all while filming not just for yourselves but for us in the Club. You inspire me to do better to exercise more for myself and maybe around longer to enjoy the times when your future musical releases comes out.! This was an awesome Tuesday treat!!! Stay Groovy in ALL you do!!
Congratulations, you did it – your first marathon and a tough trail marathon to boot! I never was much of a runner, but I’ve done a lot of long hikes, and 29 miles is a long way, and 6500 ft. is a lot of elevation gain. You also finished your first marathon in the middle of the pack, which is very impressive, and twins finishing together was pretty cool.
A special time in the mountains to remember.
Thanks for sharing the non music side of your lives. As others have said, we enjoy that just as much as the music probably.
Congratulations on finishing the run. You two certainly don’t shy away from hard work, and that’s in all aspects of your lives. You are very dedicated and inspirational.
If you did have “normal” jobs I’m sure you would be at the top of your fields in no time.
Hi Mona, hi Lisa… What a wonderful adventure in such a beautiful place… it was your first marathon and you got a great result… well Done ladies…the photos are great as always they make us feel like having been there with you. I believe everyone here really enjoys watching these videos about other aspects of their lives…and thanks for sharing this with us…We’re proud of you.
Stay groovy. ????????????❤️
This is an impressive accomplishment! I think if I tried it, I’d end up flat on my back with my tongue hanging out and cartoon X’s over my eyes. The occasional swearing would be frequent, and come into play way before the sweat, pain, laughter, energy bars, and tears. You are inspirational in how you stick to attaining an objective and while pride comes before the fall, that adage is not universally applied, and you’ve earned some here! Congratulations, can’t wait to see what comes next, perhaps the caber toss?
Thanks so much for sharing your memorable “bucket list” moment! Wow, you both never cease to impress and inspire us with your brave soaring spirit. Finishing 30th and 31st right in the middle of the pack of which I am sure are very seasoned marathoners is very respectable for your first full marathon! Way to go, kudos, we are all incredibly proud of you!!!!!! Love that photo of the two of you together at the end of the marathon with your medals looking at each other. It’s some how so heartwarming to see you both accomplishing something so wonderful together, just like your music and everything you create together. There is a magical spark there!
Awesome photos too, captures a serene mysterious mood, kind of like a calm before you are about to do something great. Seeing that foggy mist feels like perfection from where I am right now at 40C+ ish (it’s getting a little better now). It’s all perspective isn’t it! Cherish and appreciate what you have around you always. Again thanks so much, loved seeing your photos! 🙂
WOW!!! What an accomplishment. Congrats!!
I have so much admiration and respect for you ladies! Congratulations on finishing at all what looks like a beautiful but challenging course. You never cease to amaze me and make me so proud to be an MLT Clubber for such amazing people. And you still manage to look beautiful after almost 8 hours of elevation running – fantastic! Enjoy some high carb chocolate to refuel – thanks as always for including us in your adventures!
What an accomplishment!!! Congratulations!!!! Mountains are so hard to run on. Especially if it gives you the energy to write Music. I don’t know you but may I say I am very proud of you both. Maybe you can write a song about what it does for you.
Thanks Walt Music
Fantastic job ladies!!! I think you did an excellent job finishing 30th & 31st. You should be very proud! I really love that you share these parts of your life with the club.
What a phenomenal accomplishment! Thanks for a sharing this. The landscape is breathtaking. Do you have matching sweaters, or is that another piece of your interchangeable wardrobe? I don’t see a picture of both of you wearing it.
The medals are awesome. Thirty and thirty-one out of sixty-one? Nice!
JP
OMG! I am sorry, but I thought the picture of Mona looking into the van waving peace signs was Lisa. Sorry about that, I put my other glasses on. I think you two resemble each other even more when you both wear your hair pulled back.
I do like the colors of that sweater, and the cow. Cows are kool.
That’s happened to me too JP in the Lanzarote photos and other places. When they have their hair pulled back, sometimes it can be tricky! 🙂 Mona’s matching cow socks are kool too!.
I think I have been watching too many lightning storms. “My eyes were blinded by the flash of a…” ⚡️⚡️
Very nice Photos very Beautiful Country. You both are truly Inspirational and Amazing. Thank you for Sharing.
Wow! I get tired driving 29 miles and have to stop halfway! You girls are certainly fit! It helps explain how you can do so many things at once here on the club! Lots of love from Wisconsin!
I’m so very proud of you both! You even covered an extra 1/10 marathon and did it faster than half the field! You deserve an extra serving of those yummy ???? candies you got for your birthday, and some sticky toffee pudding, to boot! I trust you could sense the strength, stamina and prayers your friends in the club were sending your way! Bless you always, dear friends!
Hi Girl’s
I loved Everything about these photos. Congratulations! This is a huge achievement I know you are very proud of yourselves as you should be.
It is truly wonderful that you shared some of your personal life with the Club, wish you would share more.
Mona, Lisa you are really two amazing young ladies, and such an inspiration to so many.
Even running through the fog, rain and wilderness, you both manage to look beautiful doing so. By the way you both have beautiful legs, that is a complement that I hope you will not take the wrong way.
You do so many different thing you inspire me to be a better me!
Love and Hugs to you and the family.
Gary Bergen