Ben Tee, 9 miles, 2900feet

The results for the last race had caught my eye in the paper for some reason so this year I was looking out for it. Organised by the Forestry Commission with marshals on quad bikes and trail bikes, this was largely a Lochaber affair with a few solo infiltrators, one Westie, one Carnethy, a Cosmic, one Forres … Registration was at the Invergarry shinty pitch where youngsters were practising firing shinty balls at each other which made car parking a bit of a worry.

The race set off following the whiff of 2-stroke exhaust fumes into the forest. After the initial blast by the man in trail shoes, I nipped past and then took turns setting the pace with Craig Mitchell (a cross country runner, new to Lochaber and new to hill running I think). The course wound it’s way up through the trees on good paths, forest roads and tracks, then onto a soggy path across the moor. Up the hill proper on wet grassy heathery slopes, I managed to gradually edge away, telling myself to keep pressing and run whenever the gradient eased. Behind, Mark Shaw (Lochaber) had caught Craig and as we went into the cloud my incentive was try and get out of sight. Not that it made much difference. With maybe 30 seconds advantage I was soon caught as I pussyfooted down the slithery hillside, Mark skipping past and then not to be seen again as he ‘opened up’ on the forest tracks, followed later by Craig who got me on the middle road.

It’s certainly one way to bag a Corbett.

1. Mark Shaw v40, Lochaber 1:23:35

2. Craig Mitchell, Lochaber 1:24:48

3. David Riach v40, 1:25:10

4. Jason Williamson, Cosmics