scottish islands peak race

Last minute entry with unkmown runner and crew. Despite assurances on the phone Dougie Gillespie is not as laid back about this as me. I wanted to do this as a training run for my north to south run in June. Dougie also happens to be a round the world sailor as does one of the crew; Roger, the skipper, George and his wife Jackie are professionals. All seem to be good crack and great weather beckons.

Must do the Oban run at a frantic pace. I just jogged it. I’m sure Dougie was twitching to go faster. Great fun into Dinghy and out to the yacht amongst the dozens of others.

Good winds out to Mull and off to Dougie fast pace. I wore road shoes and changed at the hill into PB’s. A good climb on the hill and passed a few bodies. Climbed the wrong summit before Ben More and cost us 10 mins +. Hellish descent back to the track. I’m tired and hang on for grim death back along the road to Salon. Dougie is all too casual about it and probably not impressed. I cramped up when I stopped and got into the yacht, which had to come round again to get Dougie. I was lucky not to fall in!

Sailed through the night and got some sleep. Woke to find we had run aground in the sound of Ling! Rowed against the tide and into Craighouse. Beautiful day, sunny, warm. Landed in 12th place. We both felt a lot better. We picked a great route over the moor. Climbed really well. Amazing cloud inversion on the est coast and crystal clear on the east. We even stopped for photos. Exciting Dougie route off last pap. Another good climb up 2nd but poor descent. I burst my ankle big time on the coll before the third top. Buggered, cost us a lot of time, dropping off the hill was a nightmare and lost a place. Had a solid run along the the road. Glad to do under 4.5 hours but should have been under 4.

I’m badly dehydrated and go a bit ga ga on the boat. Crashed out in my bunk immediately. Next thing I know the skipper is shouting below that we are going to start the motor! Aarrghh!! It’s very early in the morning (dark) and the tide is against us we can’t get round the Mull of Kintyre to get to Arran. Skipper isn’t thinking right and instead of dropping anchor and waiting for the tide he jacks it in!! All that work and pain for nothing. It would have been a long run to Arran but that’s what we entered for. Anyway it was a hellish long motor back to Troon instead and the atmosphere was grim.

Next year?

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