Corrieyairack

Right now ...

As some folks have been asking, here is a complete essay run down of the Corrieyairack (Sat 6 July).

Corrieyairack is a duathlon event following General Wades Military Road from Fort Augustus to Kincraig nr Kingussie. There is 17 miles of running, and 26 of cycling as follows:

Start Fort Augustus

2km road

14km 4WD track to top of Corrieyairack Pass (800m ascent)

6km descent of rough 4WD track

6km road

changeover

42km cycle

Finish Kincraig

The event attracts a mix of people from roadies to fell runners, cyclists (oops) and triathletes.

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so - how did it all go? Pretty much according to plan with a few hicks on the cycling. I completed the run in 2:20hrs, 1:27 to the top of the pass, 23 mins down, 30mins on the last road section (very slow and painful - lost loadsa places and need to be a better road runner).

Changeover and away by 2:25hrs, with one rival 5mins ahead, and one 200m behind. Fellow team member Mr Beal fighting for third against John Coyle some 15 mins ahead.

Despite legs locking up, we got motoring nicely on the bike and started to get into cruise and overtake mode .... heh heh. Lost my waterbottle a couple of miles in , but some kind mountain bikers lent me theirs ... motor motor motor ... Fairly flatish course with a few undulations. Overtook seven, lost one by Kingussie after 25km, also ridden down the 5min gap on my rival ahead and opened 3 min on my rival behind (top speed 35mph averaging about 21/22mph) .... But then drama ensued as we had to wait at Kingussie level crossing for a train ... I was pretty much the first there and waited 5mins ... during which time all those i'd overtaken caught up, and all those within a few mins up the road rode away - ba****ds all of 'em... On resolution 2-3 riders managed to slip away, but i managed to reopen the gaps on my two rivals/mates and most of those at the crossing...

Finally, with the finish in sight at the top of a short sharp hill, my chain popped (much swearing and shouting ... not very nice) ... I had to dismount to get it back on again with a rival coming up the road . Finally got back on and moving with rival alongside (S**T), but sprinted to the finish to just eke it .... phew >> 3:46.

At the finish, some kind soul takes your bike away while you are left wobbling around in a spacey sort of manner ... all riders seemed to finish in this state - some worse some better ... there were a few very sad states at the end ... we had to put one of our team in the car to warm him up, the other took up residence in the physio tent with a pile of blankets on top of him like a mummy, and Mark Cooper was wandering round in a blanket looking like something from Ethiopia

Posted by Nigel Scott on Wed 30 Nov -0001 | comments are closed

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