I didn't manage to get out in the hills over the winter. After my Fisherfield trip, I wanted to get out again and do something cool but marathon training took over and I never found the time to do anything.

The weather was poor for most of May but a small window appeared for Thursday and Friday. I was working but I decided that I would experiment and see if it was possible to climb some hills without taking any time off.

So, I packed up my overnight gear and booked a parking space at work.

At 5:30, I left the office and drove to Blair Atholl. It's only about 80 miles but it took me a couple of hours, with a fair proportion of that getting out of Edinburgh and across the Forth Bridge. At 7:30, I was setting off in bright sunshine with barely a cloud in the sky. 

I decided to walk the back way in to the hill and to climb up to Bealach an Fhiodha below Carn nan Gabhar. If I had time, I'd climb the far Munro and then try to find a spot to pitch my tarp as high as I could get. The first few miles are on a farm track and are easy walking. The sun was making me sweat but it was pleasant and certainly better than sitting in front of the television. I paid particular attention to the map to make sure I didn't miss the path junctions. Still, I managed to lose the path through the heather heading up below Beinn Bheag. I found it again eventually and then wondered how I had lost it - it's a bit of a muddy gash in the hillside, in the rain it must be a quagmire.

I reached the bealach after 2 hours of walking. There was still plenty of daylight left, so I ditched my pack and headed up Carn nan Gabhar, disturbing a herd of deer as I went.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/recipher/5794536458/

The climb onto the ridge was easy but the first top is a mess of boulders and I was struggling a bit with a sore big toe to clamber over them without pain. I jogged along to the trig point and took a few photos, before turning around and jogging back to my pack. The light quality at this time of night was amazing.

It was still not long after 10pm, so I set off up Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain. The climb was pleasant in the fading light but I knew I needed to find an overnight spot fairly quickly - I was starting to get hungry. I don't normally eat my dinner at 11 at night. I found a spot just below the summit on some mossy flat ground away and set up my tarp. It wasn't particularly simple to setup - it was a bit windy and the ground beneath the moss was stony and hard and getting my pegs to bite was a pain. Eventually I got it up and I reinforced the pegs with rocks. I got my stove going and settled in to enjoy the view.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/recipher/5794539270/

My stove took an age to boil the water for my dinner (Lamb Jalfrezi from Fuizion - excellent). I need a better windbreak, I think (and the gas canister was running a bit low so it didn't have much pressure). So, it was well after 11 before I ate my meal and then settled in to sleep.

I woke up before 4am and although the sun hadn't risen yet, it was very light. I lay for a while and then decided to make a move. A quick bit of breakfast and packing up only took me about 15 minutes, so I was heading up the Munro at 4:20am. My toe was really bothering me now and walking downhill was painful, not helped by the rocky terrain on the descent to the bealach between the two hills. The sun started to show at about 4:30.

The summit of Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/recipher/5793983473/

The walking on Beinn a' Ghlo was all very straightforward with barely any steep climbing or difficult descents. If my toe hadn't been sore, I'd have been able to run down the second hill.

Heading up Carn Liath with Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain in the background.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/recipher/5793985905/

I was on the top of Carn Liath not long after 5am. I had to get back to work though, so I didn't linger and started to jog off down the steep track.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/recipher/5793987803/

I was back at my car by about 6:15am and then had the pleasure of a 2 hour drive back to Edinburgh and a 4 mile tailback over the bridge. I must admit, by the time I got home on Friday night, I was flagging somewhat.

I learned a wee bit with this trip. First, take spare socks, even for an overnighter. My socks got wet on the climb up the first hill and my feet suffered for it. Secondly, I should leave work early and get in later next time, so I can get more sleep on the hill and not have to rush. Still, all in all, it was a successful evening.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Any of the handful of readers of this blog could be forgiven for thinking that all I do is race but before I became a runner and triathlete (lapsed) I was a hillwalker and a mountaineer.  After Powerman, I decided to reapply for my outdoorsman license and all the semi-formed plans sloshing about in my head became a little bit more concrete.

One of those plans was to get out and do some 24-hour overnight trips into the hills, on foot and by bike.  Over time, these ideas became a bit more serious and adventurous and I resurrected an idea I had to venture into the Fisherfield Forest.  I realised that my current overnighting kit was probably a bit inadequate (2 man tent, lightweight summer down bag, heavy rucsac, MSR Reactor stove) for the task, so I gathered up all my unused gear and put it on eBay and after weeks of deliberating, researching and discussing, I had completely revamped my gear.  So much so, that for this trip, I used a new shelter, bag, sleeping pad, rucsac, poles, stove, duvet and windproof jacket.  Barely anything I own is well-used now, but it's all lightweight and functional, although there does seem to be a bit of a learning curve with some of it.  I'll cover some of the gear in later posts.

I decided that I wanted to try a 2-day, overnight trip into Fisherfield to climb the Fisherfield 6 and An Teallach, walking about 15 miles a day, camping somewhere around A' Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor.  However, plans are fluid and finding a 2 day window of reasonable weather was proving difficult.  I spotted that Sunday and Monday (yesterday) looked ok but we had dinner plans for Saturday night, meaning that I'd not have a full 2 days (and, importantly, enough daylight) to get round.  So, I set my sights on the Grey Corries and set off north late Sunday morning.

Just before the turn at Dalwhinnie, I made a last minute decision to keep heading north and adjusting my plans in my head, I realised I might just have enough daylight to get the six done if I missed out An Teallach (covered in new snow and no ice anyway, not the best conditions for climbing) and covered enough ground in the few daylight hours left to me on Sunday once I arrived.  Madness (Walkhighlands recommends 12-18 hours for this trip, not including the walk in and out from Shenavall, which is 9 miles - I had 13 hours of daylight to include the walk from the car).  To be fair, I don't think I fully realised how much of a task it would be.

I got to Corrie Hallie just before 3pm after a painless journey and after making the only decision left to make (shoe choice, I went with the trail runners rather than the winter mids, and left the Kahtoolas in the car), I set off.  I figured that I had about 3 hours to get as close to Ruadh Stac Mor as I could, walking past Shenavall, over the river, across the bog and up behind Ruadh Stac Beag.  I had worked out I had to cover about 9 miles from the car, so I set to my task, got my head down and tried to keep the pace high.  With fresh legs and no major climbs to cover, this was achievable.  There was only one other car parked, with two older boys gearing up to walk in.

I made 2 mistakes on the first day, neither were critical but both were annoying.  The first mistake happened at the high point of the path to Shenavall.  I set my camera up on the Zipshot tripod (another new purchase) to take the first of many (planned) photos of me in the mountains and as I strode off, the camera was blown over and smashed on the ground. The damage was minimal yet devastating - the zoom mechanism was broken and the camera rendered useless.  From then on, I was forced to use my iPhone to take photos, which isn't the best landscape camera ever made.  Still, nothing could be done about it.

I got to Shenavall in about 90 minutes, keeping a decent pace up.  I was welcomed by three young deer who obviously are very used to human company, despite the remote setting.  Then I had to cross the river.  I took my socks off and just waded through in my Terrocs.  Pointless, since my socks were soaked through anyway about 30 seconds after hitting the bog.  Mistake two happened here - my water bottle with energy drink fell out of the side pocket of my pack.  Not devastating but probably meant I'd be running on empty the next day (I was).

I then motored up Gleann na Muice and turned up the stalkers path up the Gleann na Muice Beag aiming to bivi at the top near Lochan Feith Mhic'illean.  I made it to the Lochan in 3 hours just as it was getting dark, found the best camp spot I could and set up my tarp in the mounting darkness.  I made a bit of a hash of it because the sleeping area was sloping and in the dark, I couldn't avoid the tarp slumping in the middle (I need to practice in daylight in the back garden) but it was good enough.  I then had to set up my quilt, bivi bag and sleeping pad, again something which needs a bit of practice.  I had a lovely rock to lean against to cook my dinner but it started to drizzle, so I retreated under the shelter.  The food was lovely, my first time with Fuizion food and it tasted like real food, which is perfect and unexpected.

I settled down for the night but my camp spot was poorly chosen and I had to work hard to adjust everything so my bag wouldn't slide down the slope.  Then Mr. Stag decided to practice his singing until midnight.  At one point he sounded so close, I imagined him trampling on me in the dark.  The wind picked up and kept me awake as well, so I dozed fitfully until about 4am it seemed, when the wind dropped before picking up again at 6 (I checked).  I got up at 7 and it took me about 45 minutes to clear camp and pack my bag with the wind blowing my gear around.

I didn't bother cooking breakfast, I just stuffed some beef jerky and Clif bar in my mouth and set off.  I was planning to make a cup of tea on the summit of the first mountain but when I got there, it was a bit too cold and windy, so I decided against it.  I set off at 8am, with about 10 hours of daylight to get back to the car.  Of course, the last few miles would be on tracks, so I could walk in the dark but I preferred to get back by 6pm (since I had a 240 mile drive back home).

The day had dawned fairly clear and I could see both the moon and the sun but it was below freezing and there was a bitter wind.  Ruadh Stac Mor was the first munro and I had about 500m of ascent from my bivi in a short distance, so it was straight up.  The last couple of hundred metres were above the snowline and I was concerned in case the snow was icy, since my running shoes and lack of crampons would be a problem.  I figured the snow would still be soft because it was very early in the season and I was proved right.  I still had to be careful on a few slopes to avoid slipping.  Next trip I'll be packing the crampons and ice axe.

I was moving a bit slowly at the beginning of the day and it took me about 90 minutes to get to the summit.  At that point, I was seriously thinking about bagging the trip after A' Mhaighdean and heading back down the Gleann to the car, rather than going over the other 4 mountains.  Solo, long distance trips are often just as much a mental challenge as they are a physical one and I was close to the edge.  Getting off Ruadh Stac Mor was tricky - the west side of the hill is bordered by steep sandstone crags.  There is a path apparently but it was covered in snow and there was no way I was going to find it.  I did the best job I could picking a way down but at one point I ended up at the top of a 30 metre drop to the col and had to stow my trekking poles and scramble back up until I found a safe descent route.

I slogged across the col to the snow slopes of A' Mhaighdean, sweating under the sunshine before I could drop my pack and climb up the last couple of hundred metres unencumbered.  The top of the hill came quickly and I decided that I would keep going and reassess my position once I got to the summit of Beinn Tarsuinn.  I figured that would be the crux of the day, since I had to drop back down to about 600m and then make the longest climb of the day to get to the top.  Once that was done, I would be about halfway through the day, with more than half the climbing completed.

It turned out to be an easier climb that I imagined.  I managed to navigate quite nicely, avoiding losing unnecessary height and then picked a direct line onto the ridge.  That ridge turned out to be surprisingly narrow and interesting with some dramatic crags and drops to scare and impress in equal measure.  Again, I had to be very careful on the snowy rock but it passed without drama and I was on the third of the days munro summits.  At this point, time was on my side, I'd picked up the pace and I thought I'd have enough time (and energy) to get round all six.  Of course, a marathon is only halfway through at the 20 mile mark, and probably, the halfway point for this marathon wasn't going to be until the top of the last hill.  

The descent of Tarsuinn was all on snow and was it was fun bounding down to the col.  There is a small hill, Meall Garbh to crest before the long climb to the highest munro of the six, Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair.  There is a bypass path to avoid the 100m climb but I couldn't see it and the slopes looked a bit treacherous, so, after a wee break for some nuts, sweets and water, I bounded (dragged) up the ascent and then down the other side.  I kept the pace up over the next climb and it passed quickly enough.  The descent proved a bit tricky.  Without prior knowledge of the easiest line, from above, it all looked a bit steep and the slopes were covered in snow.  I ended up traversing along the ridge a little trying to find an easier angle to get down but there were a few hairy moments where I had to be extra careful not to take the quick way down.

The fifth munro, Sgurr Ban, proved to be the easiest of the day to get up, and the hardest of the day to get down.  It took me barely 30 minutes from Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair to get there and I was met on the top by the two other climbers I had seen the day before at Corrie Hallie.  They had climbed from Shenavall and were on their second top of the day, with two more to go before the long walk back to the bothy.  The first fella was chipper enough but the second didn't say a word and looked a bit on the edge of exhaustion.  At this point, it was 1pm and I'd been on the go for about 5 hours and figured I had about another 3 or 4 to go but I'd underestimated how long the walk out from the last munro was, so at this point I was only halfway through the day.  If I'd known that at the time, I might have cried, I think.

The descent of Sgurr Ban starts easily down snow slopes which I loped down but it soon turns into a boulder field which were murderous in my trail shoes with tired ankles.  A slip here could have been disastrous so I took my time and picked my way carefully to the col, where I filled up my water bladder with the freshest water in Scotland and continued on.

The climb up Beinn a' Chlaidheimh was quite long but it was broken into two sections which made it easier in my head, despite my flagging legs.  There are two tops and I wasn't sure which one was the summit so I visited both.  I also wasn't sure which was the best way down to Abhainn Loch an Nid and the track leading back to the car.  Again, it looked steep and dangerous to go straight down and I wasn't sure where the recommended descent was, so I doubled back a little and took a longer way down less steep slopes.  To get to the river and the exit track, you have to lose about 800m of height and on tired legs, the boggy, heathery, stony slopes were hard work.  I just had to get my head down and get on with it.  Walking out to the car on long mountain days are always tiring and at this point, I didn't fully realise how long it would be, I figured about 4 miles and maybe 1.5 hours but it turned out to be about 7.5 miles and 2.5 hours.  The cruel part of this exit walk is that after losing 800 metres, you then have to climb another 350 up a long, dull track.  Most people, I believe just head back to Shenavall before exiting the next day but I didn't have the luxury.

By this time, my feet were on fire, my hamstrings were like piano wire and my shoulders were seizing, my once lightweight pack seemed to have doubled in weight.  I suspect that the two walkers I met earlier had dropped some rocks in when I wasn't looking.  I plodded on but by the time I started the last climb, I knew I still had a long way to go because I remembered that Shenavall was 4.5 miles from the road, so I still had at least that distance.  Eventually, I got to the top and I even picked up the pace on the descent, jogging for a few hundred metres at a time.  I arrived back at the car after exactly 29 miles (by my Garmin) and 13 hours of walking, ready for a relaxing 240 mile drive home.

If I'm honest, I was definitely too ambitious.  Attempting a round of this length, with limited daylight hours and with little recent hillwalking experience (and I've not been camping in a very long time) was probably too much.  When you have so much ground to cover, it's hard to truly enjoy yourself with the pressure to keep going.  However, I did manage to get round without too much trouble, though it was extremely challenging.  Next time, I'm doing something easier, shorter and with some company.

My complete set of photos are at my flickr site.

My Garmin site shows my progress.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Even before I became a multisport athlete, I was vaguely aware of Powerman Zofingen, the duathlon equivalent of Ironman Hawaii.  When I started running and decided to race Ironman, I looked into Powerman but dismissed it as being too hard and out of reach.  A couple of years later, after I'd done an Ironman, a colleague talked about doing Zofingen and I decided to give it a go.  In the meantime, I focused on my running and marathoning and didn't think much about training for it until this summer.

After Lochaber, I had an excellent running base and my cycling didn't seem to have suffered much either, though I needed to put some time in on the triathlon bike to get comfortable to ride it hard for 4-5 hours.  Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan - I'd had an excellent winter of training but it wasn't to last and 8 days after the Lochaber Marathon, I was knocked off my road bike by a careless driver and I mangled my left leg on the kerb.  So, that stopped me from running for several weeks, although I could keep cycling and started working on the triathlon bike, entering a couple of club time trials (and even winning one).  Then, we went on holiday for a week in Corsica and I came back feeling ill and after a couple of listless weeks, I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a bad infection and had to take a 3 week course of antibiotics.

It was the middle of July before I was able to concentrate on training properly again and it took a couple of weeks before I was doing anything seriously.  I rode my mountain bike quite a bit to build some robustness into my body but my running was poor and I wasn't getting any time on the triathlon bike.  I thought about pulling out of Powerman but I'd paid for the entry and my flight and I was sharing a hotel room with my colleague and didn't want to let him down.  So, I did as much training as I could and by the middle of August I was starting to feel a bit more confident of being able to get round in one piece.  

2 weeks out from the race and my colleague decided he wasn't going and I was left with a £450 hotel room, so I looked around and found out that I could get a bed in a dormitory by the race arena for about £15 a night - no question which option I was going to take, I could rough it for a couple of nights.

I went over to Zurich on Friday and getting to Zofingen was very easy, even with a big, heavy bike bag.  Swiss trains are efficient and punctual.  Finding the dormitory was easy enough and then I got something to eat, built my bike and walked the first run course.

Zofingen is well-known as a hard course.  The first leg is nominally 10k but it's a bit short.  However, it does start at the bottom of a 100m ascent, which has to be climbed twice.  The bike leg is 3 laps of 50k, each one with around 600m of ascent, much of which is on the Bodenburg climb at about 20k.  It's not particularly hard or steep but it does go on for a few miles and at the third time of asking, it's pretty tough.  There is another climb before the Bodenburg but it's over fairly quickly (and it's followed by a 75 kph descent, if you have the nuts for it) and there's one final long climb before heading back to Zofingen.  However, a lot of the route after the Bodenburg is blindingly fast.  It's an odd bike course - one lap is easy, two laps are tougher, three laps is nails.

I met a couple of good lads at the pre-race ceremony, who had 10 races between them, and I gleaned what information I could from them.  I had no real idea how I'd go but my original goal was to go under 8:30, with splits around :45, 5:00 and 2:45.  That seemed a bit conservative and I was hoping to get under 8 hours but I knew it'd be tough and much depended on how I rode.  I hadn't clocked up much time on my triathlon bike and only had 2 rides over an hour on it in the last 2 years, with a long ride of only 70 miles!  If I wanted to go under 8 hours, I'd need splits around :40, 4:40 and 2:30 with a bit of leeway.

So, I started conservatively and jogged round the first run in about 40-41 minutes for 135th place (out of about 275 starters, so firmly in the middle of the field).  No point getting carried away and blowing it early on.  Then I undid all that patient work by getting on my bike and putting my foot down.  I hit the Bodenburg and cruised up it, went down the other side and opened up, getting round the first lap in 1:29, which was probably about 4 minutes too fast.  On the second lap, I steadied the ship a bit and tried not to kill myself, the Bodenburg was much harder work the second time up.  Lap 2 was 1:33.  By the third lap, I was suffering and I dragged my sorry carcass up the climb about 5 minutes off my first lap pace.  I'd finished my multi-hour drink bottle, so stuffed some banana and energy bar in my face at the aid station and instantly I felt better.  Unfortunately, I was suffering in other ways - my shoes were too tight and my feet felt like I had hot needles being inserted into the soles, my aero helmet was pinching my ears horribly and my chamois cream had long run out and my undercarriage was on fire.  All these issues are avoidable and I need to work harder to sort them next time (adjust the shoes, get a new helmet, wear 2 layers to stop chafing).

My bike time was 4:42, which was pretty respectable but I knew that it had been badly paced and I could have gone 5-10 minutes faster if I'd cruised the first lap.  More importantly, it would set me up for a stronger final run.  I had the 92nd bike split and I came out of T2 in 94th position, so I was still moving up the field.  I didn't get overtaken by many cyclists apart for relay riders.

I bounded out of transition and quickly was out of breath.  I cooled it a bit and started plodding up the 3k ascent at the start of the run.  The long second run is difficult and the key to performing well.  It runs up for 3k out of town and into the woods, then goes up and down through the trees before dropping down to a park on the edge of Zofingen.  It then snakes around and in and out of the park before turning you around after about 4.5 miles to run back the way you came - so all the the climbs are now descents and all the descents are now climbs.  It makes it hard to get any rhythm on tired legs and most runners, including me, have to power walk up the steeper sections.  I kept plodding on and got round lap 1 in 1:11 or so, which was quick but I knew I'd be slower on the second lap, there was no way to avoid it on such an attritional course.  I needed to do my second lap in about 1:21 to go under 8 hours which I knew would be doable if I didn't blow up.  My quads were seizing up with all the descending but I felt that they would hold up.

I kept catching runners but on the second lap I didn't know whether I was passing people on their first or second laps.  The key would be to run all of the first long climb without being reduced to walking and I managed it fine.  It was getting very hot and every opportunity I took to pour water over my head.  I don't usually go well in the heat but I was doing ok this time, I think much of it is in my head.

At the turnaround, I was there in about 40 minutes, leaving me 41 to get back.  So, I kept pushing and gave myself targets to hit.  Soon enough, I was at the last aid station with only the descent into the arena.  Running downhill should be easy but this time it was tricky with sore quads.  I realized I was going to easily get under 8 hours, so I didn't push it.  I caught a couple of runners but they came past again and I wasn't in the mood to race for 82nd place!

I finished in 7:57:26 (results are here) for 83rd overall out of 274 racers, 19th out of 44 in my AG.  I didn't race particularly brilliantly and I'm not as fit as I hoped to be but I still hit my most ambitious target.  I definitely feel I could go 30 minutes faster with better preparation and more intelligent racing.

Powerman is a great race and I'm definitely considering going back next year to go under 7:30.  Switzerland is expensive though and I'd have to bring the girls next time, so I'll have to do my sums first.  I think I suit duathlon more than triathlon, cycling or running - I'm a decent cyclist (not great) and a decent runner (not great) and a slow swimmer.  I've also got many other plans for 2011, so I'll wait to see how I feel in a couple of months.

Thanks to Wayne Smith and Richard Day for befriending me out there, 2 top fellas and through them I met the race winners, Erika Csomor (delightful) and Andy Sutz (a lovely chap).  I got to hang out with them and many other elites after the closing ceremony when we all went for some well earned drinks.  I enjoyed Powerman much more than Ironman, much smaller and friendlier.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I ran the Lochaber Marathon yesterday but despite running well, I just missed out on my sub 3 target although I'm not sure what I could or would have done differently. Truth be told, I was super confident right up until the wheels (marginally) fell off. I had a great taper, felt good all week and the conditions were grand (though a wee bit of sun and wind appeared from about halfway but nothing to bother about). 

I went out super conservative, hit my first 2 miles in 6:55 and 6:53. A lot of people charged out *very* fast, it was amazing to see. I think I was about 50th after the first mile or so, then I didn't get passed again and finished about 26th I think. 

My pace was very easy, barely breathing, legs felt good, holding it was no problem. One issue was that my Garmin was reporting the miles slightly long, and after the first couple, the mile markers started getting further away from the mile alerts. Ended up at 26:32, made pacing a bit awkward but nothing that made a difference.  In the end it meant that when the going got tough, when I thought I had been running to build up a cushion of around a minute, I only had about 20 seconds, so when I started dragging, I couldn't buckle down and get it done.

Started passing people steadily from about mile 8, I think. Hit halfway at 1:29:50, which was cutting it very close but I figured I felt good and was running easy, so I was confident of managing my plan of picking up the pace about 5-10 seconds a mile from mile 20. 

Got to mile 20, after passing quite a few more, hitting my marks, then almost every mile from 20-24 has a bit of a climb, nothing major, just enough to make you feel it. Ran about 10 seconds slow for a couple and started feeling it, wasn't worried though. Then I started to steadily slow down and run the next 3 or 4 in 7:10ish but my legs were on the edge and I just couldn't pick it up.  If I had less than, say 30 seconds in the last couple of miles, I might have been able to grit my teeth but because I knew it was beyond me, I think I didn't push myself too hard and lost a bit more.  I wasn't going to crush myself for sub 3:01 but I might have for sub 3.

I was still passing a few but the whole race, I ran on my own. I don't remember running beside anybody at any point after the first mile! 

By mile 24/25, I knew the game was up - had to run impossible splits for the last couple but subconsciously knew I couldn't. Last mile was about 30 odd seconds slow, not helped by a couple of steep rises where I almost lost it! 

So, disappointing but considering my previous PB was 3:53, I can't complain. I honestly don't know what I could have done differently. I trained hard and well, tapered properly, didn't miss many sessions, got to the start in good shape, paced my race pretty well (if a touch slow, could have done with a couple more seconds a mile for the first half but the mile markers confused me a bit), had enough gels and water in the race but just couldn't get it done. The only thing I could have done was HTFU but try as I might, it just wasn't happening.

Still, I'm proud of my achievement.  I've trained hard and consistently and I've improved considerably in a short period.  I'll get under 3 hours next time.  I have learned one thing though - I love marathon running.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The Carnethy 5 was my first hill race last year and I enjoyed it so much, I ran about 20 of them in 2009.  This year, I'm in much better shape and I know how to run a hill race better than I did a year ago.  So, I was keen to improve on my 191st place and maybe edge into the top 100.

On the one hand, I'd had several months of very consistent running and had been averaging 45 miles a week before the New Year and 60 miles after it, even through all the snow and bad weather.  On the other hand, most of it had been on the road and I hadn't ventured up any serious hills for a while (apart from the Devil's Burden) and I had a bad cough which was restricting my top end a bit.  So, I wasn't too confident.

I decided on a fast start to get position on the climb up Scald Law and I was right up there when the runners all hit Charlie's Loup.  There was a bit of a detour up the trail before climbing the hill up a steeper section than normal and after a couple of minutes of ascent, my calves were screaming at me.  Russell came past here but I couldn't keep hold of him, so I settled in with Gregor Heron and was happy with that since he's a good climber.  Soon enough, we were over the summit and I got away from Gregor before he passed me on the way up South Black Hill.  This would be a pattern that repeated all the way to the finish.  I wasn't going up very quickly and Gregor doesn't like descending.  Claire Gordon caught us on the way up the first Kip too and again, I was descending quicker than her but she whipped away from me going upwards.

Carnethy is a hard race, since the climbs are steep and frequent and there is a big steep descent from the Kips, where you lose all your height before going back up Carnethy itself.  On the last climb, I started to flag a bit and though I wasn't losing many places, I certainly wasn't gaining any and I think I lost a bit of time here.  The descent of Carnethy was a fun time though, down the many snow and scree patches, until one of the soles of my shoes decided to unhitch themselves from the upper and my heel started hanging out.  Luckily my shoes didn't come off altogether but it did restrict my running somewhat on the run in through the bog.

I wasn't moving too quickly on the final section and a couple of runners came past.  At the time, I wasn't in the mood for racing but once I saw the results, I was a bit annoyed with myself, since I finished in 101st, only a few seconds away from my top 100 goal.  My time was 1:05ish, much quicker than last year, but still a minute or two short of where I'd hoped to be.  The fact I spent most of the rest of Saturday coughing was indicative of the state of my lungs though.

Next day, my legs and lungs were a bit screwed, so I took a few days off to recover.  My cough didn't shift though, so I just buckled down and started running again.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The Moorfoots managed to put together 18 runners and 3 teams for the Devil's Burden hill relays yesterday.  I think we should be proud of ourselves since this is probably 2/3 of the active membership of the club.

I was placed in Team B and allocated myself to the longest and hilliest leg 3, with Colin Williams (stronger than me).  Unfortunately, a pullout in Team A meant that Colin got promoted and Steve Martin ran leg 3 in his stead.  Steve is a fast road runner (much faster than me) but I'm probably a bit stronger on the hills, which meant we probably weren't perfectly matched.  Still, not far off.

We took over from Aegir, who ran a great leg despite a chest infection, and set off up the steep climb on to Bishop Hill.  There were a number of routes to the top and we definitely didn't pick the best one - we should have followed the Fife AC pairing but they got away from us.  We (ok, it was me) made another route choice error off Bishop and I slavishly followed the route map rather than the other runners and we got bogged down across marshy, tussocky, snowy ground before the climb to West Lomond.  Once on the climb to Lomond, a group of runners caught up to us, which was frustrating.

After regrouping at the summit, Steve and I ran well to the end, descending together and keeping a decent pace to Strathmiglo, for a final time of 1:17, probably about 5 minutes slower than I'd hoped but still decent.

We placed 37th out of 120 teams.  Moorfoots A placed 6th and Moorfoots C were 91st.

I'm running well at the moment, I've definitely made a jump recently and my 60 mile weeks have yet to make a difference, since I've just got to that mileage in the last couple of weeks.  I'm hoping to do well at Carnethy and may even taper a bit for it.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Probably my strongest performance in a hill race yet, unfortunately the organiser is essentially ignoring all requests to publish the results, which is obviously frustrating.

The course was under a lot of snow, which slowed the runners down and meant a smaller than normal field of 78.  I stayed near the front to the foot of the climb up Trahenna, stayed strong up the hill where overtaking was impossible in the deep snow and then tried to run back down as fast I could muster (half way down my legs decided I was going too hard).  I wasn't overtaken on the way down until the run to the road where one chap came past - I caught him back up though.  

I didn't manage to catch the next runner on the road and came in at about 22:10.  I'm guessing the winning time was about 18ish.  I wasn't far behind runners who normally kick my skinny backside like Colin (Williams) and Mike (McGovern) and I beat several people who I've never gotten close to before.

I think I finished about 15th or 16th (going by the photos).

Where are the results?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The SHR 2010 race calendar has just been published and one minor scheduling change has completely thrown my early season plans into disarray.  The Jura Hill Race is usually on the 3rd Saturday of May but this week it has been shifted to the 4th Saturday, which clashes with our holiday to Corsica, which is frustrating because I picked that date specifically to avoid Jura and to get a wee rest after the race.

Still, nothing I can do about it.  There are a few alternatives but I've decided to focus on attempting to run a fast marathon in April and then switching the emphasis to cycling from May in readiness for A Day In The Lakes (middle distance triathlon) in June and Powerman in September.

So, rather than doing the Edale Skyline and the Three Peaks in March and April, which were training for Jura, I'm now going to do the Alloa Half Marathon in March and the Lochaber Marathon in April.  I might squeeze a hill race in there too, as well as the Stirling Duathlon.  I'll be doing Ben Lomond in May and then, instead of Jura, I'm going to do the Etape du Dales cyclosportive again, hopefully with a bit more fitness than last time.

I notice the Mull hill race is on again this year, in the middle of July, so I'll get over for that as long as I can be back for Emily's birthday the next day.

At the moment, the second half of my season is going to remain the same - A Day In The Lakes, Mull, British MTB Triathlon Championships, (maybe) Borrowdale, Powerman, 2 Breweries and the Pentland Skyline.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I braved the roads this morning to go and run The Lawbreaker, 5km up and down The Law in the Ochil hills from Tillicoultry.  I had an idea that the vast amounts of snow would make the course an insurance nightmare, and indeed, as I had guessed, the route was changed to 3 laps at low level.

I've been running a lot recently - this week was my 7th in a row where my mileage was over 40 miles.  However, I've done very little intense running for months now as I attempt to build a better running base and improve my endurance and my speed over the longer distances.

In spite of that, I ran pretty well and came 26th of 68 runners.  I wasn't any closer to the winner (Prasad) than Tinto but I was closer to a lot of other runners who would normally have been well ahead of me.  I paced it not too bad, didn't get overtaken much on the climbs but lost a few places (from a fast start) on the icy descents.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Saturday was the first round of the ERC Winter Duathlon series.  The last couple of years, I've thought about doing these but didn't get my finger out in time.  This year, I got my act in order and I've entered rounds 1 and 2.  The 3rd round clashes with the Carnethy 5, which is a shame.

The race format is straightforward.  It's a 4km run (almost) from Kirkliston Leisure Centre, which has a couple of wee draggy climbs in it, then a 10 mile ride on the back road through Winchburgh towards Linlithgow, and then the run is repeated.  Winning times are usually in the low 50 minutes.

I haven't been cycling regularly or with any sort of structure for about 16 months, since before IM Austria but I have worked hard on my running in that time, posting about 1500 miles this year.  I'm knee deep in winter training though, which consists of lots of steady run mileage (I'm at 40-45 miles a week at the moment, building towards 60 a week by the spring) and I've got my triathlon bike set up in the office on my turbo, with a rented Powertap.  My cycling program is still in it's infancy though, I've only been at it for 3 weeks, not enough time to make much difference.

So, I was interested to see where my fitness is, particularly the difference between my running and cycling.

It was very foggy on Saturday morning so I half expected the race to be cancelled (the roads weren't particularly safe) but it went ahead.  There were about 70 competitors on the line, out of an entry of 100 (poor show really), with a mix of obviously serious athletes and a few beginners and everything in between.  I'm not sure where I lie on that spectrum - towards the serious, I guess.

The race was late starting, which played a bit of havoc with my warmup - I wasn't sure how long I had.  I definitely didn't warm up properly, next time I'll do it properly.  The racers charged away at the line and I was left in the middle of the pack, making a mental note not to get too carried away and stay within myself.  It did seem very quick though and I've not got much speed at the moment, I don't think.

After 10 or so minutes, I started to catch some runners who had obviously gotten a bit excited at the start (easily done) and on the last section back on the main road, I caught a fella in orange who I would be up against for the rest of the race.  I passed him and then he came past me again just before transition.  My first run time was 14:33, I was hoping to go under 15 minutes, so that was good.

My transition wasn't the quickest - I had to sit down to put on my cycling shoes and I had trouble getting on the bike (clumsy) but instantly felt comfortable and worked hard reeling in quicker runners.  Again, I caught the orange chap and went past.  However, unlike every other cyclist that I overtook, he wouldn't stay overtaken and over the next 10 miles we caught and passed each other several times (no drafting though, I hasten to add).  

Just before the turnaround, I flew past him on a downhill section and noted after the turn that I had 10 or 20 seconds on him.  I kept the pace high and felt good on the homeward section and overtook a few more cyclists.  Through Winchburgh, I got bogged down a bit and lost some pace and Mr Orange came past again, which was frustrating.  We came into transition more or less together but again, I wasn't the quickest.  My ride time was 27:27, which was about where I was hoping it would be.

Running off the bike in short races is a brutal affair and I was breathing hard as I got moving, right on Orange's heels.  I was determined to stay with him and he was running pretty hard.  We caught a runner after the farm and another before the main road (I think) and I stayed with him all the way.  He kicked the pace up at the end and I matched him but couldn't get past.  Our battle meant that we kept a high pace for the second run leg and I posted a 14:45 time, only 12 seconds off the first leg.

In the end, I was 18th of 70 starters in a time of 58:14.  I wanted to go under an hour, so I have to be happy.  In my first run, I was 25th and the second I was 21st (which in itself is pleasing - must warm up properly next time) and I was 10th cyclist.  So, despite hardly cycling, I still posted a decent ride time.  Hopefully, by the next race, my bike training will have kicked in.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

3 years later, and Tinto is the last race of my 2009 hill running season, during which I have raced over 20 times, including 18 hill races. From the beginning of the season at the Glentress Duathlons and the Carnethy 5, to now, I am a different runner. I'm not radically quicker, but I'm definitely stronger and I can now hold my own on the descents.

Yesterday was a fantastic day for running - cool and practically wind- and cloud-free. 295 runners turned up for the race, which is a new record. I was hoping to run the race in the low 40s and I knew who I would be racing against. I warmed up by cycling from race HQ at Symington and then had a bit of a jog up and down the road with Derek.

I tried to keep my position towards the front at the start, to ensure I didn't get held up. By the time the track started getting steep, my HR had sky-rocketed over my threshold and it started to get painful. I was reduced to walking where others were running but I wasn't losing places, so this was definitely an advantage. I had some runners in my sight that I knew were faster than me, so I realised I was going quite well, despite my rasping lungs.

At the bottom of the last steep ascent, Prasad came flying past on his way back down, and it seemed to be about a minute later before Al Anthony cam past as well. After that, a steady stream of runners came down the hill and soon enough, I was round the cairn and on my way back down myself.

The first part of the descent is rocky but I was enjoying myself and my newly strengthened ankles meant that I could get a fair bit of speed up down the difficult parts with confidence. I passed a couple of runners on the way down and was only caught by one other until the final run in, which seemed to take forever. There, another couple of racers came past (and put about 20 seconds on me, despite me running about 5:30 min/mile pace) but overall, I held my position from top to bottom, which was pleasing.

At the end, I was 74th of 295 starters and my time was 41:07, which was at the top end of my expectations. I'll go under 40 minutes next year.

Thanks to Carnethy for organising another great race.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

This morning was the third leg of the club handicap series, expertly organised by James and Rachael. The first race in March, in the forest in Cardrona, I ran fairly well and came in well up the field but at the second in April, at Glentress, I felt terrible after a bout of food poisoning and trailed in last, just failing to reel in Mick Warrington on the line.

This time, the race was south of Innerleithen at the Leithen Valley on some tracks skirting the edge of the Moorfoots. Unfortunately, it was teeming down with rain and pretty windy. I put on a windproof top but it was completely pointless, since I soaked through within minutes. I started with a couple of other chaps, Eddie Balfour and Nick, one of Colin William's friends.

The first mile was flat, and with the wind. I took out a wee lead on the other two and quickly got my HR up to my threshold. Russell came steaming past very early, taking about a minute out of me (I think) and I tried to match his pace but didn't last long before my HR rocketed.

We turned right and started a climb which would last about 3 miles and, though it was never steep, it took it out of my legs. My first mile was run in sub-7 minute miles and the second in about 7:30 but the next two, I struggled a bit and hit high 8s and low 9s as the hill dragged on. Nick re-caught me at about the same point as Colin but I was struggling and couldn't stay with them.

Soon enough, the hill ended and we started the long, wet, muddy descent. I passed Rachael at the top of the hill and tried to keep up a strong pace, rudely interrupted by a short ascent before dropping again. It was very runnable and suited me and Mick Warrington came into my sights halfway down. My sixth mile was run in 6 minutes dead.

Back onto the flat with 2 miles back into the wind, I tried to keep the pace up to catch Mick. Despite running in mid-6s, it took me until the final 200 metres before I passed him, coming in 4th in 54:40, absolutely soaked through to the skin.

I ended up third in the series, behind Russell and Colin, and I'm glad I managed to stay strong despite going out too hard.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I was a cyclist long before I was a runner and I consider myself a decent cyclist and a mediocre runner (though I'm hoping to improve again next year). I more or less took this year off cycling to concentrate on (hill) running and though I enjoyed my racing, I've missed cycling. So, I'm intending to get back in the saddle and race the bike a bit (Bala Middle Triathlon and Powerman Zofingen as a minimum as well as some local time trialling).

One major difference between cycling (and triathlon) and running is the expense, though. This year, I've barely spent any real money - just some new kit and shoes and not much at all on race entries (20+ races this year and probably spent less than half that I spent on Ironman entry alone). Now, I've decided to cycle seriously again, I've got a big list of expenditure (most of which isn't necessary to be fair but I'm easily sucked in).

• This bike case looks awesome
• New wheels;
• A power meter and computer (finally);
• New shoes;
• And a bunch of bits and bobs.

Some of that kit isn't available yet, in fact most of it but it all looks very cool. Cycling is a lot more geeky than running.

I'm going to get back on the turbo over the winter and start analysing my data using a couple of bits of software - RaceDay and Golden Cheetah. At least one of those is free, mind.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I had a good result yesterday and ate and drank well after the race and got a reasonable night's sleep, hoping to feel decent this morning before the final long hill race of the season and part 2 of the Manor Mouse. I actually woke up this morning feeling better than yesterday and my legs were in good shape, so I was hoping, if not expecting, to get round ok today.

It was sunny but there was a biting cold wind in the car park, which didn't bode well for the top of the hills. I decided to stick with just the vest because I knew I would heat up on the climbs and I didn't want to be messing about taking kit on and off during the race because I was running with a camelbak (a nice new sparkly North Face Boa number which worked a treat) in order to help ensure I drank enough through the day.

So, after enduring a very cold wait at the start, the hooter went and everyone charged up the hill and I settled in with Stewart Barrie (who also ran yesterday) and took the first hill or two very gently, losing a boat load of places in the process.

The first big descent to Flotterstone was quite amusing to me because it's very fast but that early in the race, it pays to take it easy and not burn your legs out but a lot of runners were ignoring that and barrelling down at top speed. Once we hit the road I made sure I ate and started up the climb of Turnhouse. From Flotterstone to the finish, I wasn't overtaken by anyone again (though a couple of folks came past but I re-passed them eventually), which is truly amazing (and probably means that I started a bit too slow). The first half of the race has most of the climbing and all the big hills and here is where I have a big advantage since I am a lot quicker than most on steep hills due to my bambi-like long legs. My strategy from Turnhouse on was to pass people on the climbs and to try to hold my position on the descents, and I managed that pretty well.

From Turnhouse, over Carnethy, Scald Law and the Kips, it was extremely windy and breathing was hard work. It seemed to be a head wind though so I was hoping it would benefit us on the way back. I felt good and pushed on over the high hills and down to the drove road where I had to start running. The ground was soft though and my legs were still fine. From Hare Hill the ground becomes harder to run over with boggy ground and heather. It didn't seem too bad though, certainly better than I was expecting and I kept catching runners, though fewer than before.

The last couple of climbs were hard work for everyone but I didn't break and I kept my eye on my watch, hoping I could hit my (ambitious) targets two days in a row. Over Allermuir and Caerketton, I felt a bit dizzy but I was close to the line and bowled down the hill to finish in 3.29:52, for 79th position of 170 runners. Not brilliant but certainly better than my expectations.

And, in the Manor Mouse competition, I managed to place third of 12. To be fair, the faster runners this year didn't seem to do both races but 3rd is 3rd!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I thought I'd throw fortune to the wind and attempt both of them. I wanted to do the Skyline and it would have been a shame not to have run Manor, which is one of our local races. I feel in reasonable shape at the moment and the weather was kind, today at least.

I got there in good time and caught up with a few of my hill running friends - the sport is very friendly. I decided to take it fairly easy to start with and not get caught up in a mad dash up the hill, so I kept my breathing easy and my strides short. Once we got onto the hillside, I found my position and concentrated on keeping a steady pace, trying to bear in mind that I had to race again tomorrow.

I didn't feel too great for the first 30 minutes but then my breathing seemed to settle down and I felt better for the last push up The Scrape. I re-passed some folks who had run by me earlier and kept a strong walking pace up the last steep hill. At the turnaround, I noted that I wasn't too far behind my Moorfoot compatriots, Colin, Steve and Kenny. I hit the top in about 52 minutes which was a bit quicker than I had expected.

I tried to keep my position running back down the hill and tried to reel in a few runners in front, which helped me to run strongly. On the way back there are a couple of short hills to run back up and the absence of wind here meant I felt a bit overheated but they didn't last long and I kept running up them, rather than resorting to walking.

Dave Mitchell and Stewart Barrie, both stronger descenders than I am, caught me near the end and there was nothing I could do to stay with them but I crossed the line in about 1.28:30 which was well under my expectations, though, if I'm honest, the conditions were quite quick with good runnable ground.

Now, a few hours after the event, I've crashed a bit but my legs are feeling ok and I'm confident I won't embarrass myself at the Skyline.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The 2009 race season is almost over, just Manor Mouse to go and then we're into the winter races, starting with Tinto.

So, I get to indulge myself by picking the races I was to do next year.  This year, my big target was to complete at least 5 SHR Long Classic hill races, which I have indeed managed (Stuc a' Chroin, Jura, Loch Lochy, Glen Rosa, Two Breweries and Pentland on Sunday).  Next year, I was thinking about doing something big again but some of the things I want to do (like the WHW race or another Ironman) are probably a bit ambitious (time-wise), given my work and family commitments.

Anyway, discussions with a work colleague piqued my interest in a race I'd looked at previously and my major (late summer) race has picked itself.  With that in mind, my current race season for 2010 looks like this:

• Carnethy 5
• Edale Skyline
• Three Peaks
• Ben Lomond
• Jura
• Bala Middle
• Borrowdale
• Powerman Zofingen
• Two Breweries
• Snowdonia Marathon

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

It's about 60 seconds into the bike leg of the Durty Triathlon and I'm regretting wearing my white tri suit. I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking when I put it on, rather than my, rather more mud-friendly, grey number. Last time I wore it was Ironman Austria, which was, coincidentally, the last time I competed in a triathlon. Running has been dominating my sporting activity this year.

The Durty Triathlon is probably my favourite event. 1. It's a triathlon, which is always a good time. 2. My buddy Paul organises it, and he is, quite literally, the nicest chap in Scotland. 3. It's 20 minutes from my house. 4. As a result, I know loads of people there and it's always very friendly. I did this last year as well, the shorter version (there are 2 events, a fast sprint and a slightly less fast standard), just before IMA and enjoyed placing 8th in 1:34. I was well back on the swim, rode well and held on for the run. This year, I've barely been swimming and I only really ride to work on a regular basis. So, I didn't really know how I would get on.

At 8 this morning, I was feeling decidedly unenthusiastic, looking out at the drizzly, grey weather, whilst Emily and Esme bounced around me. But, I sucked it up and got out the door, without breakfast. After registering and chatting to some folks, soon enough it was time to get into the water. It was not warm in there (although people were probably complaining a bit too much, it wasn't that bad) so I was glad to get started.

Both races started at the same time, maybe 200 swimmers in all and I got a bit bashed about until I remembered how rubbish I am in the water and let everyone swim away from me. I kept it together fairly well and I was out of the Loch in 17 minutes, faster than last year, which was a miracle. My transition was a bit slow, getting socks and gloves on but probably no slower than most people around me. I forgot how bad my legs feel on the bike after swimming and the long, draggy hill didn't help matters. I started to overtake all the quicker swimmers here. I used to get frustrated by the number of people who swam faster than me but now, I don't mind. If I put some effort into getting better, I'd be justified in being frustrated but, I don't so I'm not.

The bike course suits me - straight up, straight down, more or less. It was incredibly wet which also suited me, since most riders were avoiding going too fast and I was happy bombing down as fast as I dared. I think I walked more than last year, due to the wet conditions but my final time was probably much the same. I rode the technical section at the end, steep and rocky with lots of brakes required and was rewarded with a wee bit of a clap (at least, I think it was for me).

I was thoroughly filthy after the ride but I quickly whipped through transition, slowed only by having to tie shoelaces on my trail shoes (chosen since it was muddy, though, in retrospect, I could have worn road shoes). I counted the bikes in transition and figured I was comfortably in the top ten, which was a good result. I zipped off for the first hundred metres before realising I was going too fast when my breath left me and my body remembered how hard running off the bike is. I slowed down a bit and concentrated on my stride and slowly started to reel in the runner in front. He took a while to catch, two thirds of the way down the trail before the turnaround. Shortly after, the leading runners came past, so I could count them and find my position. I was 8th, a wee bit further down than last year - this time, however, I was running well and was overtaking runners (not many, to be fair) rather than being overtaken. A couple of hundred metres from the end, I caught the fifth place runner but he stepped up the pace (I think he was part of a relay) and I couldn't match it. One last surge from me at the end but it wasn't to be and I collapsed over the line in 6th place in a time of 1:27ish, 7 minutes faster than last year, despite not swimming or cycling much and in slower cycling conditions. Can't complain.

And, my reward for all this effort, is the best race T-shirt in the sport. A lovely white Craft number. I'll try to keep this one clean.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I completed another midweek hill race last night over Carnethy hill in the Pentlands. I had a week off running and training last week - I just lost the will and decided a rest was in order - so my legs probably weren't up to a hard effort. So, with that in mind, I decided to go hard off the line. Yes, I am that stupid.

Every race I do this year is a new experience for me and there's a definite learning curve involved, both for my mind and my body, neither of which are quite ready for those experiences. I've tried going easy at the start of races and I've tried going hard and holding on - I'm not sure what works. Probably, I should have been more conservative last night but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The race started whilst we were all getting dowsed by a heavy rain shower. I moved myself towards the front behind the fastest fellas and just in front of the faster fellas. The course takes a couple of short, sharp climbs upwards onto Falla Hill before dropping. I tried to hold a quick pace up the hills, and managed quite well, though I was blowing a bit, I felt like I was managing. Figuring I would catch my breath a bit running off the hill, I had made my big mistake. The downhill was boggy and heathery and my big bambi legs didn't like it one bit. By the bottom, I'd been caught by a few and once on the climb up Carnethy, I think I gave up a bit (though it didn't seem like that at the time). I probably should have pushed on but figured I'd take it steady.

Over the top of the hill, another couple of runners caught me and I struggled to keep on their heels on the fast descent. Then, the Scald Law col and down the trail to the finish and another couple passed me.

I finished in 33:31 and 27th out of 57 runners. I'm fairly certain I would have finished further up had I not gone out too hard. Still, who knows? I quite enjoyed myself and I now know how to run faster, I just need to put in the training to be able to sustain it for longer.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »