Garbh Bheinn, 25 March 2007

a fantastic 885 metre Corbett in Ardgour; climbed on a great sunny spring day with Sue and Gordon. Photos on FLICKR here

Fuar Bheinn and Creach Bheinn, 24 March 2007

A fantastic two-Corbett (and one Graham) horseshoe walk in Morvern with fantastic views across Loch Linnhe, To Ben Nevis and Glencoe, in company of Sue, Gordon, Gill and Arthur. Photos on FLICKR here

Druim Tarsuinn, 23 March 2007

Up north with the Glenmore Club for 3 days Corbett-bagging. Based at the Ariundle Centre, near Strontian in the rugged and beautiful area of Ardgour. On Friday climbed Druim Tarsuinn, a 770 metre Corbett in Ardgour with Sue, Gordon, John A, Mary Cox and Liz Maitland. A lovely sunny spring day with excellent views.Photos on FLICKR here

Allenheads Run

Enjoyed a run from Allenheads along some riverside trails before heading up the moors on a new gravel road towards Killhope Law. The weather really closed in near the top with very strong winds and driving snow, causing us to turn round just before the top.Back the same way, with the wind behind us. Afterwards we went to Allendale for tea and cakes.

Moffat Cycle

Along with work colleague Bill and his EK Road Club pal Archie I enjoyed a 73 mile cycle from Moffat. We headed south on minor roads to Wamphreygate and up to Boreland and Corrie Common, and then down on the B7068 with a nice following wind into Langholm. We had a tea and soup stop at the Whitshiels Cafe,and then headed down south on the A7 for a few miles, before going on to some nice undulating country roads - B720, B6357 - with a not-so-nice headwind, on to Evertown and then Kirkpatrick Fleming. It was then up parallel to the M74, through Ecclefechan and Lockerbie with added rain for the last few miles from Johnstonbridge and Wamphrey. 73 miles/1130 metres ascent, 5hrs of cycling, average 15.6 mph,116 bpm average,2372 cal.

Wuthering Hike Trail Race

Sat 10th March
Along with Trevor and Dave I returned to one of my favourite long races – the Wuthering Hike (or Haworth Hobble). 31 miles and 5000 feet of trail running from Haworth over the Bronte Way, Penine Way and up and down into the old Yorkshire mill towns of Hebden Bridge, Todmorden. After a night with Dave in the back of his van (!), interrupted by the local neds paying us a wee visit during the night, we emerged bright eyed and bushy-tailed (not) to a dreich 8am start. 232 runners headed off into the moors, me having my usual slow start, and Trevor and Dave haring off, seemingly untroubled by their 12 hrs effort the weekend before in the High Peaks Marathon. I plodded through the first hour, accompanied some of the way by Stuart Barrie of HBT and ex Westies Helene Diamantides. After numerous paths, tracks, reservoirs and visits to fading mill towns I rallied for the last hour and started to feel a bit better. After the steep road climb to Heptonstall I gradually pulled in a few bodies, wondering if I could make it under the 5 hrs mark with 4 hrs under the belt. With the aid of some jelly babies and a banana I felt the adrenaline kicking in as I reached the last junction in 4hrs 55min. Unfortunately this last bit is uphill and I had resigned myself to a steady plod to the finish line with no one in sight to spur me on. However, as I reached the lat 100 yards I caught up a few runners and realised that if I replicated my Graham Kelly-esque sprint finish from Wed night I might scrape under the 5 hrs, so I summoned up a semblance of a sprint-shuffle and rushed into the finish room with 20 seconds to spare. Given my lack of long runs over this winter I was pretty chuffed with that, especially as a year ago I was barely jogging after three months of injury. I was 48th of 232 finishers, Trevor had a good run in 38th place and unfortunately Dave had a fall and had to bail out half way with an injured knee. A truly great “day out” with not much to compare with up here, and well worth making the effort for. (Heart rate 143 bpm average =80%; 3412 calories; 1550 metres ascent)

1 - Adam Breaks - 03:43:24

38 – Trevor Richens - 4:48:47
43 - Helene Whitaker/Cath Worth - 04:53:24
48 – John Donnelly – 4:59:43

Full results here

Westies "In The Dark" Handicap Race

Charlie's report =
A great turnout of 24 runners for our annual little ‘In the Dark’ handicap race, numbers bolstered by four brave Hunters Bog Trotters who made the journey west into the badlands of Westerlands. Cool, crisp and near perfect running conditions meant several pb’s for a few folk, but apparently the slope to and from the concrete hut was a bit slippy, hence the brown ones returned a bit more brown, never mind the not so golden fleeces of Westies.

Our non-stop running Captain just keeps going from strength to strength, for despite a big 14 minute time deficit thanks to yours truly, he still managed to overtake all the others and come in first, overhauling Dave R by five seconds in the final hundred metres. A great run by the club sec. for his 2nd place, wearing a nice mini-skirt (fancy dress points), and then Katherine only another 10 seconds behind to claim 3rd and first lady. First Comrade Trotter was a certain Mr M Strain in 5th position, who certainly didn’t live up to his surname as he clocked the fastest time of the night, and must surely be one of thee fastest debutant times ever. Well done to the other brown ones of Ian, Jess, and Tom for making the journey through, and for the other race virgins who partook.

Thanks to Shona for a welcome helping hand with timing the troops, but maybe she should have substituted me with our much more able and experienced Isabel who gets the results down to a ‘T’ every time. This was more than evidenced in the results sheet being ‘all over the place’, and resulted in myself missing two of the 24 runners during the prize-giving. Sorry Fiona and Cat, please forgive me, because I know how much you wanted one of JD’s ‘classic’ prizes.

A grand night out, with many folk trottering off for some sustenance in the form of a Westies currynight. Hope it was good. Till next year.

charlie

Ps Highlight of the evening for Shona and myself was watching Graham K come over the line and then promptly spew what little stomach contents he had over the line also – the poor guy did literally run his guts out!

My Report =
reat evening, only spoiled by Celtic getting beaten by the Italians! I enjoyed a really good battle with Graham and Simon. Setting off a minute or so behind them I caught a few bodies near the turnaround point of the L.E.D. enhanced concrete bunker. All sorts of Westies were floundering around in the dark in all sorts of directions, but having reccied the route earlier and aided by the dreaded headtorch I found a good direct route to the road. I appeared ahead of Graham and just behind Simon and then we all enjoyed a frantic race back, with Graham leading the way and Simon just behind me. A 100 metres before the end I gave it my final effort and edged past Graham, just managing to hold down my lunch. Graham responded likewise and I blew up, barely managing to make it to the line. I did, however, have the energy and decency to not barf up, unlike poor Graham. Cheers to all fellow Westies for a great turnout and to the helpers.
Heart rate averaged 162bpm(90%); 400cal;195 meters ascent.
Results here
Photos on FLICKR here

Auchterarder Cycle

SUNDAY 4 MARCH
Hilly and windy 46 mile cycle from Auchterarder, just managing to avoid the rain that came in later on.Quiet country roads, good surfaces and lovely rural scenery.ROUTE = Auchterarder out over top of A9 on B8062 to Dunning, through to Invermay, still pretty flat but then uphill for quite a bit parallel to the Water of May and past the Deuglies to Glenfarg; then undulating to Pathstruie and a cracking downhill few miles back to Dunning; uphill again for a few miles,and 265metres, on the B934 and down to Yetts o'Muckhart; turning right on to the A823 Glendevon road, down Glen Eagles and then turning right through Duchally and back to Auchterarder. 46 miles, 3hr 40min (average 13mph), 1160metres ascent.

Bhuacaille Etive Mor

SATURDAY 3 MARCH
Up for friend Alice's last Munro celebration in Glencoe with 20 other Glenmore Club members. A proper winter walk up top, with crampons and ice axe needed for the gully at the top, especially as we had watched some other walkers slide down it earlier! After a short celebration at the top, where it was windy and cold, the goggles were donned and we headed down. The gully required the crampons and ice axe again for a mixture of down-climbing and ice axe-arresting. A grand day out on a classic hill.