SAT 13 NOVEMBER
Only a few Westies wandered up into deepest Lanarkshire for this classic that rounds off the hill racing season. The weather was fine, if a bit windy, and fortunately the snow that covered Tinto the following day was absent on Sat. About 260 runners hared off along the narrow muddy track as I tried to not get left too far behind. My heart rate had zoomed up immediately to about 85% max and stayed there for the whole race. I mixed power walking with slow running and hit the summit cairn in just under 30mins. The descent is a classic, not too steep and decent enough grip. I lost a few places to some demon descenders, but also passed a few, including fellow Westie Alasdair Duke. I crossed the line in a shade over 43mins, only a minute down on my 2008 time, so taking into account the ravages of father time on my weary body, I was pretty pleased. I scraped into the top third of the field with 87th place of 264 finishers. Alan Gilkison led Westies home. My sixteenth (and slowest, PB= 36m 35s 1995) race here and hopefully I'll be back for many more. Thanks to Cameron Scott and his team of Carnethy organisers for a fine day out.
Race on Garmin
1 Jethro Lennox Shettleston 00:32:01
2 Alasdair Anthony Ochil HR 00:32:43
3 Matthew Sullivan Shettleston 00:33:07
11 Angela Mudge Carnethy FV40 00:35:38
33 Alan Gilkison Westerlands CCC MV40 00:38:33
87 John Donnelly Westerlands CCC MV40 00:43:05
103 Alasdair Duke Westerlands CCC M 00:43:55
112 Brian Brennan Westerlands CCC MV50 00:44:23
162 John Quinn Westerlands CCC MV50 00:47:37
176 Pauline McAdam Westerlands CCC 00:48:37
209 Paula Cowan Westerlands CCC FV40 00:51:06
254 Patricia McLaughlin Westerlands 01:01:11
15 November 2010
08 November 2010
Westies Trip to Loch Ossian
5-7 November 2010
A select band of Westies enjoyed a glorious weekend in the wilderness of Corrour Estate, on yet another Westies trip to Loch Ossian Youth Hostel. We kicked off on the Friday night with Fyne Ales and fine food in the Bridge of Orchy Hotel, before getting the train in to remote Corrour Station (410 metres high). After dragging our supplies down the mile long track in the dark we settled into the hostel, to be greeted by a warm smiling hostel warden (Yes, Nick had left!!). Plans were mooted, maps pored over and drinks poured down for a few hours.
Saturday was a fine day weather-wise and lots of different parties headed out into the glorious autumnal mountain scenery. Cat and I chased after Fiona, Helen and John Hamer bound for a 20 mile round trip to Ben Alder, though we somehow overtook them unknowingly on the way up, and saw their fellprints as we descended in the mist. Chris, Ellie and Ossian virgin David Dickson headed over by the head of Loch Treig to climb Stob Coire Easain and Stob a' Coire Mheadoin. John Hutchinson and Susie trained it to Tulloch Station and came back via Strath Ossian. Colin tested his dodgy knees successfully by heading over Chno Dearg and Stob Coire Sgriodain while Charlie summitted the nearby Meall na Lice.
A few brave souls donned fancy dress in the evening, but most of us settled for just enjoying the fine food and baking organised superbly by Fiona. In deference to the absent Dave Calder we enforced a strict no dancing rule and even declined a round of Music Man, settling instead for some of Fiona’s “10 Questions”.
Sunday dawned sunny, freezing and glorious as a few brave souls raced “Round The Loch”. Chris blasted round well under 50 mins, Ellie and Susie well under 55mins while poor John Hamer missed out on a sub 1hr by only a few seconds, apparently a repeat of last year!! He would surely have smashed it had he not ran a marathon last weekend and a 6 hour Ben Alder run on Sat. After breakfast we all took advantage of the fantastic weather to get some more hills done. Colin, John and had a grand few hours climbing Leum Uilleim at Corrour Station; Chris, Ellie and Susie bagged Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre south of the Loch; David set off for a solo run up to the Bealach Dubh and grabbed Geal Charn.
After all our excursions we enjoyed the new Nick-free atmosphere of an unhurried Sunday afternoon by polishing off soup, pizza and puddings. Bags all packed and hostel all tidied we plodded up to the station for the 6.30pm train. In final deference to our absent Chinese Westie we gave the Hokey-Kokey a miss, though the sprint relays warmed us all up, as the winter weather started to close in on another great weekend. Major thanks to Fiona for all her organisation, to everyone who cooked, baked and contributed to this wonderful weekend.
A select band of Westies enjoyed a glorious weekend in the wilderness of Corrour Estate, on yet another Westies trip to Loch Ossian Youth Hostel. We kicked off on the Friday night with Fyne Ales and fine food in the Bridge of Orchy Hotel, before getting the train in to remote Corrour Station (410 metres high). After dragging our supplies down the mile long track in the dark we settled into the hostel, to be greeted by a warm smiling hostel warden (Yes, Nick had left!!). Plans were mooted, maps pored over and drinks poured down for a few hours.
Saturday was a fine day weather-wise and lots of different parties headed out into the glorious autumnal mountain scenery. Cat and I chased after Fiona, Helen and John Hamer bound for a 20 mile round trip to Ben Alder, though we somehow overtook them unknowingly on the way up, and saw their fellprints as we descended in the mist. Chris, Ellie and Ossian virgin David Dickson headed over by the head of Loch Treig to climb Stob Coire Easain and Stob a' Coire Mheadoin. John Hutchinson and Susie trained it to Tulloch Station and came back via Strath Ossian. Colin tested his dodgy knees successfully by heading over Chno Dearg and Stob Coire Sgriodain while Charlie summitted the nearby Meall na Lice.
A few brave souls donned fancy dress in the evening, but most of us settled for just enjoying the fine food and baking organised superbly by Fiona. In deference to the absent Dave Calder we enforced a strict no dancing rule and even declined a round of Music Man, settling instead for some of Fiona’s “10 Questions”.
Sunday dawned sunny, freezing and glorious as a few brave souls raced “Round The Loch”. Chris blasted round well under 50 mins, Ellie and Susie well under 55mins while poor John Hamer missed out on a sub 1hr by only a few seconds, apparently a repeat of last year!! He would surely have smashed it had he not ran a marathon last weekend and a 6 hour Ben Alder run on Sat. After breakfast we all took advantage of the fantastic weather to get some more hills done. Colin, John and had a grand few hours climbing Leum Uilleim at Corrour Station; Chris, Ellie and Susie bagged Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre south of the Loch; David set off for a solo run up to the Bealach Dubh and grabbed Geal Charn.
After all our excursions we enjoyed the new Nick-free atmosphere of an unhurried Sunday afternoon by polishing off soup, pizza and puddings. Bags all packed and hostel all tidied we plodded up to the station for the 6.30pm train. In final deference to our absent Chinese Westie we gave the Hokey-Kokey a miss, though the sprint relays warmed us all up, as the winter weather started to close in on another great weekend. Major thanks to Fiona for all her organisation, to everyone who cooked, baked and contributed to this wonderful weekend.
03 November 2010
Meall a' Bhuachaille Hill Race
Enjoyed a decent unspectacular race. Steady start along the trails, heathery plod up the hiils, decent descent a mixture of heather, rocky path and then good surfaces, and ran well along the final mile or so and picked up a few places with a reasonably fast finish.In the evening enjoyed good food, beer and dancing at the Scottish Hill Runners en of year bash. Westies picked up some team prizes which was great.
1hr 11min for 51st of 116 runners
my race on Garmin
Results
1hr 11min for 51st of 116 runners
my race on Garmin
Results
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