Isle of Mull Fell Race

Five Westies plus others enjoyed a pish weekend on Mull. (Six including Jane!)

At 12:30 Saturday 29th June, 40 or 50 runners were assembled in the rain at Torosay Castle wondering what they were letting themselves in for 20 miles and 7,500ft. John Coyle's Mull Monster. A rare new "Long". And a special breed of race. More survival on the hill, than hill running as we know it. Real rough Scottish Highland territory. Cloud base almost at sea level. And raining throughout.

The route starts at Torosay Castle and heads west over umpteen hills until finally you climb Ben More and then descend to Loch na Keal.

Mark Rigby won in 4:17:49 By 3 seconds!!

English bloke Joe Blackett came 2nd. Apparently the lead guys ran in a pack of 8.Very much strength in numbers in that pish weather.

3rd Tim Lenton (Lothian)

4th Jethro Lennox (Shettleston)

5th Adrian Davis (Fife)

6th Ronnie Gallacher (I think)

Martin Hulme, Murdo McLeod and myself were 14,15,16 within seconds of each other in 5:14-ish. Ian Lewis (Shettleston) totally blew it coming in a fair bit behind me after belting off with the leaders at the start.

On the way up Ben More I lost the following runners who disappeared into the mirk: Mark Johnson, Adam Anderson, Andy Spenceley, Dave Cummins and Adam Ward. Then had a bit of a fiasco even finding the top of Ben More by traversing too far left.

Other Westies survivors were Keith Adams and Gordon Robinson. Keith about half an hour, and Gordon an hour after Murdo and myself.

Westies got 2nd team prize after the usual Carnethy scoop. John Coyle didn't run it as such. Although he did bound over the first hill thankfully leading the way off the first big descent and thrash though the forest in Glen Forsa.

I think 3 women finished: Lyn Wilson, Jane Robertson, Fiona Dahl. I'll be interested in seeing the completion stats. There was a pretty high drop-out ratio. I know Alex McGuire, Keith Burns and John Blair-Fish all packed it in. Bill Gauld (aged 69) dogmatically battled on to complete in 8 and half hours. Pretty inconsiderate for the poor marshals. Phil Davies was camped on the summit of Ben More for about 10 hours! Although he didn't seem to mind. When I asked him whether he was warm enough, he replied he was "just the wrong side of comfortable". A nice way of putting it!

Pretty much describes the entire race!

Posted by Chris Upson on Wed 30 Nov -0001 | 1 comment

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