Devil o’ the Highlands

For some unknown reason even to myself I entered my first Ultra event – 43 miles how hard could it be?. Not feeling too confident after 2 poor recent performances, and having a few more niggling injuries than usual. I arrived at Tyndrum, to find lot of extremely fit looking people,with my back-up team (Dad and daughter Emma & neice Nadine – who were to prove to be slicker than a formula 1 pit stop team)

Under clear blue skys the race got under way at 6am. 2 South Africans took an early lead followed by a group of 6, all running close together, heading towards the massive looking Beinn Dorain in the distance.

Arrived at Bridge of Orchy, by this time shrouded in thick early morning mist, in 48 minutes right on schedule. The 2 Africans were still a few hundred metres in front but the chasing pack had been reduced to a Nepalese runner,& Willie Sitchell the British 24 hour runner, and me. Over the short hill to Inveroran for my 1st food stop, to be met by my dad with the 2 girls still asleep in the back. Over the long stretch to Kings House the two leaders started to drop back, and were eventually caught and passed. So arrived at Kings House in 2.30, again still on schedule in 3rd. No sign of my back ups- all safely inside the car away from the midges,eventually got my back pack filled with more fluids and more food I was on my way with the sun now out and the temperature beginning to rise. With the 2 leaders running straight thro’ the check point they had opened up a few minutes lead. steady run over the staircase to Kinlochleven, told that I was about 5 mins behind Sitchell. Total surprise to see the Girls were actually out of the car this time- even tho it was just for sunbathing. Having reached KLL in just 4 minutes outside my expected time of 4 hours, I was still confident of breaking my target of 6 .30. the next 4 miles were not too bad despite the heat, but worryingly I began to get the occasional twinges of cramp.

Then I took the worst cramps I have experienced, from the soles of my feet thro my calf and thighs on both legs at the same time.

Luckily living in Greenock I have plenty of experience of trying to keep my balance with the loss of control of my legs. Couldn’t even muster a fast walk without my legs going into spasms. So I had a 3 mile slow walk to Lundarva, 5 of the runners passed me in that last mile, knocked any thoughts on the head, of me continuing for the last 7 miles to the finish. Got to Lundarva No crew in sight, my dad had been told I had already passed through, but managed to get lift back to the Fort to meet up with them there. The Nepalese runner had won in 6.26 with Sitchell in 6.36. Might try it again next year if-

I lose my sanity!!