Hot as Hades ?

It was great to see all the usual suspects again at Glen Rosa.

My first hill run since November proved a little more challenge than my rapidly adiposing tissue and atrophying muscle needed, but Manny, Luke and Chris put in excellent runs to claim 2nd team behind the C-Machine.

Cat, Elsie and Ana claimed second ladies spot too on a day that proved too warm for many. Westies did well to finish no less than 4 mens teams overall in spectacularly clear yet stifling conditions.

I suffered most on the 2 mile run into the glen, the bulk of Goat Fell hiding everybody from the wind that would provided at least some respite on the ridges later on. I decided to take the easier ascent up the path alongside Garbh Allt, following Cat who was jogging steadily away from me. Pete Baxter had passed me in the opposite direction heading for the direct ascent up Chliabhain.

We would meet again briefly on the scree descent into Choire Daingean, the closest I think I've come to skiing without skis on!! Somewhere in here I must have passed Cat and Blair - but don't recall seeing them until the descent of Cir Mhor.

It was sad to see Steff limping down. He must have been well up until he turned his ankle on the descent of Cir Mhor. get well soon, mate....

I was starting to pull in runners due to reckless descending more than any real athletic ability and got the right trod round Cir Mhor, passing another two athletes who looked a bit light on water. Up the ridge to North Goatfell and I hauled in another two, putting me effectively in 50th place.

Somehow I had missed the Westies pre-race briefing that the best route around Stacach was to the East. The Westerly path looked so much more inviting, I was suckered down into Dearg Choirin (sorry Drew) losing one place again. I brought at least one chap with me, who didn't look too enamoured at the finish.

On the descent off Goat Fell (full of kids, of course!) I made up another couple of places to the last check point, grateful to get rid of those damn little tags I'd had to keep fishing around for all day. It was here that I started being impeded by some serious internal plumbing problems that were shortening my stride and really slowing me down. An opportune gulley on the otherwise exposed descent offered me the privacy to clear the offending blockage (hope you've had your lunch!!) but this cost me two places.

To add insult to internal injury, I ran off course with less than half a mile to go, adding an extra mile and a bit plus 200 extra feet of ascent to get back on course (sorry again, Drew). I wasn't alone. I met Martin Reid and managed to save him at least some of a similar fate, both of us getting back on course again just as Pete ran into view. It would have been comical to pass him 3 times so I put in what remaining effort I had (well you never know who's watching !!) to finish about 12 places and 15 minutes down from where I probably should've been.

Well done to all who braved the conditions, especially those who were defeated by the checkpoint times - good on you for trying!

Posted by Keith Fraser on Mon 12 Jun 2006 | 2 comments

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