Longform Journalism / Inside the wild ‘Man vs Horse’ race that made a small Welsh town legend

This is not your typical marathon – but Llanwrtyd Wells, "Britain's smallest town" is not your typical community. In 1980, an eccentric pub landlord launched a man vs horse race in an attempt to boost the economy in this neglected region of the UK. So began a legendary new sporting event that put to the test a timeless question of human physical ability – and built an entirely new (and entirely weird) identity for the town as a wacky sporting mecca. Writing for the FT Weekend Magazine, this long form story charts the history of the race and the impact it has had on the community around it. In an age of big-money commercialised sporting events, the story of Llanwrtyd Wells provokes questions about the true purpose of sport, and how it can bring us together.