Goatfell 2023 – Ease on Down the Road

Pick your left foot up/When your right foot’s down/Come on legs keep movin’/Don’t you lose no ground/You just keep on keepin’/On the road that you choose/Don’t you give up walkin’/Cause you gave up shoes/Eeeeaaassseee on down the road – Ease on Down the Road, Consumer Rapport (1975)

Alwyn and I got on the 09.45 sailing from Ardrossan, buying tickets from a human being behind a counter – a blessed relief after Calmac’s online meltdown of the previous week.

The voyage was a pleasant and sociable one with pals a plenty on board. Looking around on the rugby pitch at the start, there were yellow vests left, right and centre – the biggest Westie turnout ever?

Soon we were off, Tom Callan setting off at a blistering pace for an admirable banter start – some man!

My plan for the race was a strong ascent, hammer the descent and then keep it steady on the road section. I kept the pace conservative and slowly worked my way up the field before the summit. Turning around I made a few places on the way down – very unusual. I tried, and failed, to hold on to Andy Cox and then Roddy; the latter was absolutely flying – where was that lad I beat by 20 mins or so in a race two months ago?!

Hitting the long slog on the road I realised I’d overcooked it, no pep at all in the legs. Niall pulled away, Ally & Chris Upson got me on the street and Rich snuck up with 200m to go – try as I might I had nothing to answer.

I crossed the line knackered at 13:42, grabbed my rucksack and jumped on my bike for a quick tear down Brodick sea-front to just make the 13:55 ferry – needed to be suited and booted at a wedding in Paisley by 18.30. (This progression was repeated later in the day with Niall ferrying an injured Alwyn in the cargo bike to the ferry and a painful limp back to Glasgow.)

As I was waiting to board the ferry a car stopped to ask if I was OK – clearly looking worse for wear after my 3hrs 20mins on Arran.