Glenshee 9 Munros Hill Race

SUNDAY 8 AUGUST 2010
33km 1800 metres

My third running of this new brute of a long race, and pretty much the same time as last year, which was pleasing. As Ellie says, the clag lifted early on making navigation easy, but unfortunately not making the 9 Munros any easier. Starting off at over 2000 does help though. After a steady run to the first one, Steffen passed me on the short grassy climb to the second, and stayed a minute or two in front all the way till the road crossing at the two-thirds mark.

We were all pretty well strung out on the grassy plateau, allowing me to set my own steady pace and try and conserve energy for the final 3 Munros over on the west side of the road. I passed Brian Brennan at Munro number 6, managed to find a nice route avoiding the horrible boulders and headed off in pursuit of Steffen and others not far ahead. The road crossing was reached in exactly 3 hours, like last year, and Steffen and I headed off together.

This brutal 400 meter climb is a shock to the system after the nice run down to the road, and really deflates you mentally and physically as you haul yourself inch by inch upwards for half an hour. Reaching the top together with Steffen, we saw clearly the horror that lay ahead - the very distant Munro No. 8. I shuffled off slightly in front but it wasn't long till the next short climb that Steffen easily passed me as my legs really started to feel weary. Gels and jelly babies helped a bit as I tried to stay with him, as we greeted the returning runners who were heading for the last Munro.

After what seemed like an age I reached No. 8 a few minutes behind Steffen, and found some running in my legs for the gradual descent. I caught up at the foot of the final climb, managing to drag my legs up ahead of him, and maintained a short lead down the snow-free ski piste to the finish. Oh, the pleasure of finishing a long hard race, but oh dear the pain also! I finished in 4hrs 46mins, 58th of 91, only a few seconds down on last year's time.

Soup, tea and cakes were laid on and went down well, before Don chauffered me home where I crashed out on the couch, truly done in and well sunburnt also. Well done all you Westie finishers and commiserations to the drop-outs.