Lomonds of Fife

For the first race in the club's autumn league, a grand total of seven Westies gathered in Strathmiglo for the Lomonds of Fife hill race.
As the lead runners dragged the peleton up West Lomond from the starting field, it became apparent that the heat of the day was going to take its toll. The dry, hard earth made the steep, contouring descent from the summit more tricky than usual and although the track through the forest offered some shade, the uneven, stony surface felt seriously uncomfortable to my Compeeded heels.
So, with relief, we peeled off the track to the softer and well funghified (did anyone else notice those toadstools?!) trod uphill. I was surprised to encounter an ambling Dave R on the approach to the road crossing who mumbled something about having a bad day. With Steffen ahead of me on the climb up East Lomond, and having been rehydrated at the water station, I had reason to keep a pace, but seemed to lose him somewhere on the path back down to the water station where friendly shouts were passed about between those going out to and those returning from the hill.
Scorchio- thank goodness for passing the water station twice!
I was keen to remember the advised route off the funny outcropped bit up to the track to W.L, but in the end, followed those in front over the spiky remains of burnt heather. Once on the track, the point is to just keep a rhythm, which I managed, overtaking another Westie walking wounded (John D). Knowing that I'd be finishing in a small matter of minutes, I stomped up to the summit and enjoyed chasing newbie Westie David Dickson to the gully where I put my shorts to the test down that textured grass slide. Nuff said. I couldn't quite catch him during the run out to the final field, so came in third Westie after Graham and David, and second woman.
Well done to Graham, Steffen, JD, John and John and what on earth happened to Dave R?

Posted by Ellie Homewood on Mon 16 Aug 2010 | 4 comments

Category Hill race