Creag Bheag Hill Race

I have won this race since 2000…until tonight. At last the Gods offered up a worthy opponent in the form of Robbie Paterson of Forres Harriers, sister of Eilidh, son of Ewan! A new route was laid and a new era was dawning as the gun shouted “bang” and we were off, up the 1 in 3 slope from Ardvonie Park, in Kingussie, to the gasps of the crowd, or was it the 13 starters? Follow the golden torches laid out along the course of destiny, with maybe a wee detour with local knowledge, and chase hard after the blood red loins of Forres, bounding through heather & birch, and chasing past cairn & Trotter marshals along the way. Damb the lung were bursting. The tricks were failing, the trophy was leaving… but wait! The hill turned down, the pace increases, the fear increases, the gap shortens…fuck – the road arrives , and the hare is gone, zzzip. Burst lungs, rip Achilles from his roots, shred nostrils in spatters of blood, it was gone….29 seconds was all it took in the end. An eternity. Forever trying, forever hurting. Pain. Well done Robbie, you got it right up me! Ouch!!