The Fan Dance is a very gruelling 14 mile test of stamina, from opposite the Red phone box next to the Storrey Arms, to the summit of Pen Y fan via Corn Ddu, and then down the side of the mountain, by the Jacobs ladder route, following the Roman road below Cribyn"s summit, as far as the gap below Fan Y Big.
Once you have reached the Gap, you then turn around and return up the side of Pen Y Fan back to the phone box.
The only problem is that this is a timed race, so you have virtually no opportunity for a rest.
There are different classes, and every competitor has to carry a certain weight according to which race catergory their in.
The course is still used by the elite forces, especially SAS and Paras, who have just four hours to complete the race, in full combat gear.
I am not sure, but its possible this was the event that the two part time soldiers who died of heat stroke whilst trying to get selected for the SAS.
Now we know what it must have felt like, racing against the clock, in 80C heatwave conditions, in full battle dress, its no wonder they became seriously dehydrated, resulting in heat stroke and death.
On such a tough selection course, soldiers should be consuming some kind of liquid every few minutes, especially wearing totally unsuitable clothing for such weather.
As soon as you feel thirsty, your dehydrated, and the longer you go without replenishing lost body fluid, especially in 80C heat, the more critical it becomes.
There are far harder races in Wales, but its the continual climb with little time for rest that makes the Fan Dance a brutal event.
