JD said...

Organiser's reportResults

Sunday 17th June 2007 10.26pm

Jason's Epic said...

I am sitting in the cloud, cold, wet and tired, a north wind is whipping at my waterproof as I look over the edge of a cliff between North Goatfell and Goatfell, thinking that the leaders couldn’t have run this way…could they? I am sure I followed stud marks here, and after that bad step ahead there does seem to be a path. No this is wrong, I have gone too far right as everyone told me not to. I have already been up, but that couldn’t have been right either as it would have meant more climbing not running, but there isn’t anything visible out left where everyone said to go. I think they just want to kill the good looking Englishman. Right that’s it, cold miserable and tired I decided to go back to the last checkpoint and the MRT only 5 minutes away. They will either tell me where I went wrong or I am going down the valley, like last year. I am miserable! I don’t have a choice, there isn’t anything out lef…just a minute where did those walkers come from? I passed them on the climb from the saddle. Where did that path come from? I am saved…not that I ever needed saving, oh no!

It had all begun quite differently several hours before. After dropping out of the Glen Rosa race last year I was quite nervous coming here and so had been glad to find a good gang of Westies on the ferry. The banter and advice distracted me, and soon on a cool damp day a small field of men set off down Glen Rosa with Paul’s warning of zero visibility on the summits in our ears.

The start seemed fast and I held back thinking this is a long run and some will come back to me. Wading across the stream in a torrent to go up the left hand path on the first climb woke me up, but I tweaked my right calf, which was niggling for the rest of the run. However the climb went well and I felt ok as we entered the cloud for the first time. The steep, scary descent to the base of A Cir was not fun, but I felt good and where last year the contour below had seemed to be in waist high heather through rivers and ravines, this felt like an undulating run through low growth along trods. What a difference a year makes!

I felt strong and saw the leaders descending as I started the next climb up to cp2 and then Cir Mhor. I saw all the Westies, so I was closer than last year. The cloud seemed thicker and the wind stronger, but I had some food and moved on, only stuttering on the descent of the stairs before the next contour to the saddle.

Now I was actually running, feeling good, people in sight leaving the saddle and heading up towards North GF. I was doing well for time and my aim to finish under 4 hours seemed safe. Ah vanity!

The climb from the saddle was ok and entering the cloud again felt quite nice, plodding in my own little world, but I was getting more cold, wet and tired. The marshals on NGF loomed out of thick clag like ghosts, didn’t bother with my marker and pointed me on to the ridge.

The path seemed to vanish, I strayed left, then right. I saw stud marks but were they from people who knew any more than me? Suddenly I felt very alone. By the time I saw the walkers I was thoroughly miserable. To be fair they were only a little less lost than me and we agreed to join forces. A dad and his daughter who were out for a father’s day walk, and he said next year she could get him a bottle of whiskey and a pizza.

Adrenaline washed away leaving me exhausted. I put on my trousers, ate some more food and walked with them all the way to GF. Any idea of finishing under 4 hours was gone, but now I was sure of finishing and that was enough. At GF we all went to the marshals who said there were at least 2 behind me and 2 dropped out. I said goodbye to my companions and jogged happily down the track. Out of the cloud I saw the ferry coming in so it was around 4. The others would be getting this. I stopped to take off my trousers, finished my drink and jogged on humming a show tune to myself, now knowing where I was, though it felt very different from the fast, swooping, technical descent of a month ago.

The forest run felt lovely now, my spirits lifted, clearing the trees I saw the tent at the end. Mind that mud, you don’t want to slip now. SLIP. Legs split, arms thrash, I don’t fall but everything wrenches and cramp, unnoticed in the back ground, jumps in. Paul moves forwards worried, but I just manage jog slowly on and start to recover as I cross the line where a cheery bunch remain.

So I finished in 4:34 or so and have taken positives and negatives from this:-veI was over 4 hoursI got lostI had an epicI did what everyone said not to do and went right after NGF

+veI finishedI felt strong most of the wayI survived an epicI had my first bad weather raceFood and full body cover worksI have a time to aim for next year (if I can drag my traumatised mind back here ever again)

Having plenty of time to the next ferry I changed, ate, chatted and had a lovely walk along the beach, finally realising the tune from Joseph I had been humming for the last hour or 2:

“…colours faded into darkness I was left alone(Was left alone).May I return,To the beginning,Ah ah…”

This is what it's all about!

Monday 18th June 2007 12.12pm

JBK said...

Ooh also its my 1st top 25 finish and I beat Es! It all counts.

Monday 18th June 2007 12.22pm