3^rd in the Bog and Burn series (http://www.shr.uk.com/Championship.aspx?ChampionshipID=C-003), the Dumyat Hill Race is a surprisingly well attended (292 runners) mid-week race organised by the University of Stirling. I am not sure if this is part of an inter-University competition, but there was certainly no shortage of students from most Universities around Scotland. Mike and I felt quite old – well – he felt older – but we were determined to show that there was still life after 40 (or 50 😉 ).

Dumyat Hill Race Route

At 7.8kms (440m) Dumyat is a relatively short race. The route starts at the Loch in the grounds of Stirling University and heads to the summit and back along a route that is essentially in 3 parts: ~1 km of relatively level fast road/track, ~0.5 kms of steep muddy technical trails through a wood and then ~1.5-2 kms rolling hummocky rising open fell which seemed never ending on the ascent. The return from the summit is fast – mostly all downhill. This is the final few kms of the Ochil 2000s (http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0203) and Mike and I both remembered hobbling down the same route after already running 27kms so it was nice to let the brakes off and go for it. One definitely needed studs through the forest though.

Alas, although I was only about 150m behind Mike at the summit, he had me on the downhill. Just wait until I get my new bionic knee later in the year.

Mike: 65^th: 0:44:40

Moi: 83^rd: 0:46:18

Rob

I thought this would be a great training run for the Edinburgh Marathon as many people had mentioned. I’d just done the London Marathon six days earlier though, so I was making sure to run it as a training run and not to twang any muscles trying for a time and missing out on Edinburgh. 

I got the 15 bus across from Tesco (doesn’t go through the town centre any more) which was great as it took me right next to the registration point just off Kings Road. I had a bit of a wait before heading off to the start but the next bus would have been too much of a rush. Michael, Sarah and then Dave soon turned up and we had a good chat as we got our bib numbers on etc.

It was seriously freezing as we waited at the start line at Portobello promenade in just a Harriers vest and shorts. I soon warmed up as we headed off though. Everybody raced off really fast and I had to stop myself from running too quickly. I ran along with Michael for a few miles as he was also treating it as a training run, which was good for a chat as we headed along the very familiar Edinburgh Marathon route for the first stretch of the course.

It was a very scenic route along the coast with very friendly encouraging marshals cheering us on. North Berwick Law was getting closer and closer and it was great to run all the way there as Jan’s dad stays in North Berwick and it’s a frequent trip for us by car. At mile 16 or 17 there was a heavy cold shower which made me pick up the pace a bit just to keep warm. The last two miles had a strong cold wind blowing towards us as we headed close to North Berwick and my hands were freezing, but we were finally at the finish line. The bag drop off bus was at the Sports Centre, quite a way up through the town which was a bit tricky to find but eventually got there and warmed up with a coffee. My hands were so cold they didn’t work for a full hour after the race as I had the worst raynauds I’d had so far!

We all had a good chat about the race at the end and unfortunately Rachel had hurt her knee quite badly, so I hope the physio can sort that out quickly. Jan had been visiting her mum in East Linton that day so came along to give me a lift home with the kids.

It’s a race I’ve thought of doing for a while so great to do when trained up for marathon distances. I’ve just got one more long run before Edinburgh, so looking forward to the taper.

So marathon number seven and after years of ballot knock backs my luck came in for London. I took the Friday off work so that me and the family could travel down by train (first class!) to the big smoke.
Friday afternoon in the expo was nice and quiet so I didnt have to que for anything. The kids occupied themselves eating as muh free samples as they could from the Cliff Stand!
Sunday morning saw me heading off on the train to the Greenwich start. Being the only charit runner from the harriers I was in the red start on my own but I met up with a number of friends from the Run Mummy Run facebook group. Was a great start to the race.
The race itself was busy but awesome. While I was running on my own I met so many friends I had made on facebook. The highlight being meeting Nicky and Mark who started up the Running the World facebook page. The 35th anniversary was all about the fraternity of the running community. For me this has never felt so real as every mile I was meeting online friends for the first time in the real world.
For Sean and the kids their highlight was seeing Paula as she raced past. (Sean got her picture on his phone). It was a number of hours later before I got a hug from them at the Spinal Research cheer point on Birdcage walk.
So my first London and my first World Major. What could top that?
Marathon Number 8 coming up back in Edinburgh!

It was a long time coming after eight knock backs from the ballot, but I thankfully got a place through the club this year! I think with this in mind I was much more worried about getting injured, but managed to get through the training with just a couple of weeks missed. 

Amy and Bert from Portobello Running Club picked me up at 5:30am! We then picked up Rachel and got the  first flight down to London, so we’d make it in plenty of time for the Expo which shut at 17:00. We picked up our race packs and some great bargains at the Ron Hill stand. We then realised we had done quite a bit of walking about and wanted to rest our legs for the race, so had lunch sitting on the floor of the Exhibition as all the seats were gone. We later found a great Italian restaurant for dinner and got our carbs up before heading back to our hotels.

I was up before my alarm went in the morning and set off after catching breakfast, which was on early because of the race. I had a good chat with some Midlands lads on the way to the start area where I met Julie. I was a bit worried about putting all my stuff including flight and rail tickets into the one bag at bag drop off, but it’s so well organised I thought it would be fine and it was. I got three small bottles of water while waiting around for the start which was much needed before the race. I had taken along two bin bags and two old T-shirts to keep warm before the race and these were very much needed as it was quite cold. Great conditions for running in though. 

We were then in our pens and ready for the start! I really had no idea what running pace I should be going for as I had been running a tougher training schedule. I was unsure though if this had made me stronger or just burnt me out, as my legs had been very creaky over the last month. I would not have been surprised if my hamstring twanged along the way! I decided to not push it hard at the start as they say, but go as fast as felt comfortable. This still turned out to be too fast though, and by mile 10 I realised I’d not be able to hold that pace. I took about 7 gels along the route between miles 8 and 24 which really helped me along. I found it very hard going for the last 8 miles or so, and by mile 24 I was feeling quite dazed!

The London crowd were fantastic and there wasn’t any points along the route where you weren’t being cheered on. I put my name on my vest and this really helped as they would call out your name with encouragement to keep you going. It was great passing the Cutty Sark and the crowds were great there. I started off waving to people calling me on, but this eventually changed to a smile as I got more knackered.

With so many runners all together my heel was knocked from runners behind quite regularly, as they tried to skip between each other when there wasn’t enough space to do so. There were two point where I very nearly landed on my face! Even though I was getting progressively more tired I was still quite pleased with my pace and was hopeful of a PB. The crowds cheering were very loud and fantastic to experience! I made sure to take in the sites and the crowd as I ran on passed. It would be a shame not to take in your surroundings on such a route, only being interested in a time. Tower Bridge was stunning as we turned a corner and suddenly it was right there…. Half way! The shiny financial district was good to run through too and the Shard and Gherkin buildings were often on view around the course. When I saw Big Ben, that was really a point where I thought I’d make it okay without my hamstring going, which was giving me a twinge here and there. Then round to Buckingham Palace and the final dash to the finish line!

The medal and T-shirt were great, along with the various snacks and drinks in the goody bag. I met Sadie at the finish area and then picked up our dropped off bags with no queues or hassle. We then met up with other Harriers at the ‘P’ runners meeting point which worked out well. Amy was there and Rachel and Tracy arrived shortly after. We had a good chat about our races and got some more photos. As I walked to the tube station, just before getting my flight home, I got a good view of the fun runners passing in their various costumes, including rhinos and Big Ben!

All in all a fantastic marathon and very pleased to come home with a PB of 3:40:24 too. Over 5 minutes off my Amsterdam PB. Hopefully Edinburgh will be a good marathon too! Thanks Amy for the lift to the airport at such an early time!

It seemed such a good idea last year when the club registered multiple relay teams for the Highland Fling. We were successful in getting two teams but it was 2 weeks ago when we all realised that the bloody thing started at 7am. Urrgh!

The HF Ultra relay is 53 miles in length. The real heroes run the whole thing (Respect to Gilly and Chris – see their reports) while the slackers do just a quarter leg. The HF route follows the first half of the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Tyndrum and certainly when the weather is as sunny and clear as last Saturday, it is gorgeous.

Highland Fling Route

Highland Fling Profile – don’t be fooled by the “flat” profile of leg 3.

The teams were:

The Peni-Harriers:

Leg 1: Gillian Cairns

Leg 2: Mike Brooks

Leg 3: Sarah Burthe

Leg 4: Rob Wilson

The Peni-Cuckoos

Leg 1: Fran Jones

Leg 2: Chris Downie

Leg 3: Andrea Wilson

Leg 4: Ngeme Ntuli

So we left Penicuik at 5.15 (actually – 5.20 as someone was late!!) and raced across the Central Belt and made it in good time for registration at Milngavie railway station for the 7am start. The rain of the journey had cleared up and there was a friendly but muted nervous atmosphere at the beginning. After duly psyching Gill to emphasise that this was a race and not a Saturday morning trot, Gill and Fran were off.

There then followed a rather complicated shuttling process. Mike sped off to dump his bike at Rowardennan, Chris took Fran’s car, and I took the remaining stragglers and we all shot off to Drymen. As it was only 8am in the morning, it was pretty damn cold but we clapped and congratulated all the Ultra runners who were already trickling through. After seeing Gilly and Chris through, I took Sarah, Andrea and Ngeme up to Rowardennan where we had a relaxing coffee at the hotel before Ngeme and I left them for the long drive round to Bein Glass. After a quick picnic of soup and coke in the sun at Tarbet, we arrived at Ben Glass with plenty of time to stretch and warm up.

Leg 1

Gill

I had volunteered to do the first leg of the fling from Milngavie to Drymen mainly because I like an early run, and it was a slightly shorter leg at 12.6 miles. Another advantage which I hadn’t realised initially was that this leg had the least elevation. However, when we arrived I had barely woken up and wasn’t quite so sure about the whole thing….

We got our numbers on, and had 15 minutes to wake up and prepare, which for us involved standing and chatting about the day ahead! Thankfully the weather was so much better than forecast. There was a nice relaxed atmosphere at the start, and soon Fran and I were off. I had really not much idea what the track would be like and what time I should be aiming for, so decided to just run quite fast and try to keep sight of the runner in front.

The field was pretty well spread out soon after starting, and it was actually just lovely to run and try to enjoy the scenery. There wasn’t a huge amount to see at the beginning of the way, but later I could see the hills and the sky clearing ahead. We had a few hilly bits along the way and some varied track, but nothing compared to the later sections.

I passed one relay runner and caught up to chat with another lovely lady from Helensburgh. We also passed a few of the amazing ultra runners, which just made me feel guilty! There was a wearing road section in the last mile, followed by a nice little green hill and a run across the field and up to the first changeover where Mike was waiting. Time for first leg was 1 hour 35 – a pleasant surprise! We swapped the chip and off sprinted Mike. First time I’ve finished a race before 9 in the morning, really quite nice. Fran came in shortly after and sent Chris off, and then we made our way up the road to Rowardennan. Job done for us!

Fran

So, firstly,  a 4a.m start to the day is not the best preparation for running 12.6 miles. Secondly, trying to keep up with Rob along the M8, in wet conditions, 4 people up in a Ford Fiesta so that we could register in time, is something I don’t wish to repeat in a hurry!!!

Having arrived at Milnagavie in one piece, with enough time to remove jackets & other unnecessary clothing (good decision as the weather was warmer/sunnier than the snow/fog forecast earlier in the week) Gill & I set off on the first leg. I quickly lost sight of Gill as we headed through a wooded undulating trail which followed an old railway track and eventually open countryside surrounded by hills. At mile 4, I managed to tag along with a friendly army triathlete who kept me going until we hit the roads & some sneaky hills at the end. After 1hr 51 mins of running, Chris was a welcome sight at the handover at Drymen and as Gill had completed her leg in a speedy 1hr 35 we were able to then jump in the car to drive onto Rowardennan to see Chris complete his section and look out for other team members.

I had chosen the first leg as I thought that there would be less chance of me getting lost although had no concerns with this on the day as the route was well marked & had friendly marshals at all the tricky turns. Most of the way round I felt very relaxed taking in the gorgeous views along my section of the West Highland way. The only downside of doing the first leg and being the driver was that it was a long day ahead of getting to the other relay sections & waiting for everyone to finish at the end & then having the long drive home (arrived back at Penicuik at 8pm)! The upside was that there was plenty of entertainment and food at the finish & was just fantastic to welcome home the Ultra runners who are all amazing, awe inspiring, with a touch of nuttiness in running the whole 53 miles in one go from Milnagavie to Tyndrum. Chris & Gilly you are truly running Gods!!

Leg 2

Mike

After our Planning meeting at Frans, (Fabby Muffins), after volunteering for the second leg was thinking, the run will be the easy part.

A ghastly early alarm, then along the M8 in the pissing rain thinking what am I doing. However on reaching the start and picking up the numbers it had cleared a bit and turned out to be perfect running day.

I then drove up to Rowardenan and dropped my bike off, then down to Drymen to meet Gill. Great atmosphere at the changeover and in no time Gill was coming in, quick hand over of the baton well timing chip and off I went.

I knew this leg was the longest but didn’t really mind as doing Ultra Training anyway. However different matter when you’re running a bit faster compared to long plodding slow runs, this was a bit of a wakeup call to say the least

I had forgotten how tough the route was. Conic Hill wasn’t too bad and a great descent to Balmaha. The second half was a brute, really techy through the woods on the shore line and surprisingly hilly. However the views and the camaraderie more than made up for it.

Rowardenan eventually appeared though, over the timing mat, 2.07 pretty pleased. Met Sarah and quick change over and off she went.

Didn’t have time to hang about jumped on the bike and back to Drymen and home, not your usual Saturday morning.

Chris

03.51 hrs is a very early start even for me. I still managed to be late for our 05.15 meet. After a M8 race through heavy spray, and some electronic navigation from the rear seats! We made the start.

Numbers were pinned on.

At 07.00hrs it was 3 2 1 go. Fran and Gillian were off and running. We all transferred to a chilly Drymen. Leg 2 start was very busy lots of Ultra runner streaming through. We gave them all a cheer/clap. It was fantastic to see Gilly and then Chris B – they are the real deal. I missed Gillian/Mike’s change and was still in my jacket when Fran zoomed it to change over. With help from Gillian and Fran I was chipped up and on my way.

The Way was up and down on good surface, hard on the feet with my old inov8 shoes. I came upon Chris B on the Conic Hill climb he was looking cool. Onward and up and over the hill and my fav bit the first real downhill to Balmaha. I was over taking some Ultra Guys on a steep grassy slope and managed a 360′ somersault. Oh dear not much damage, gave the Ultras a laugh! The next bit of trail was very hilly and hot with the sun. The last downhill in to Rowardennan was great. Over the timing mat and into the crowded change over. Gillian and Fran removed the chip they had fitted 2.28mins before and Andrea was off like the wind, it was over for me a spent force.

After a kit change and a drink I managed to see Gilly coming in to Rowardennan. She was looking  fresh. We all then drove to Benglass farm and found Sarah who had already swopped with Rob. Ngeme was awaiting Andrea and the last leg. Yet again Gillian and Fran were on Chip change duties. Our last man was on the trail. A swift drive to the finish line took us back to the crowds.

Soon Rob charged down the finish funnel and it was over for team 1. A while later Ngeme team 2 last man standing came romping round the bend and over the line for a tremendous finish.

What a day What a Race!

Leg 3

Sarah

What a day!! Despite the early start this was a simply awesome race with a great atmosphere throughout. I began my leg absolutely jittery with nerves, mainly because Rob kept impressing upon us the need for speed and I was worried about being by far the slowest runner in the team, and paranoid about missing Mike at the changeover. Hence, I stood shivering in my shorts so as to not waste any time getting rid of clothes once he came racing into view! Actually shorts were definitely a good choice as it was really warm work on the hills once I got going. I had heard that my section was the most scenic but that it was a “bit technical” in places- this was definitely no exaggeration! It started really well, gorgeous views across the loch with the waves dancing in the sunlight, and some fairly long uphill sections on tracks through the forest. I started off at a fair lick and have to say that it is the only race I have ever run where I overtook everyone on the uphills- however, this actually made me feel guilty as these hardcore nuts had already run a marathon by this point and were understandably taking it quite easy on the uphills. I felt so humbled by their efforts that I tried to shout a hearty “well done- awesome” to each of them. Most of them were shouting encouragement to me, which made me feel even worse!! Stopped taking the view in on the technical parts- these were really tricky, with lots of steep rocky steps which were pretty damp and slippy and studded with tree roots. I actually fell a couple of times, nothing at all serious, but really felt sorry for the folk on the ultra with tired legs. No wonder I saw so many scrapes and bloody injuries at the end- some of the steps would have been hell if your legs were tired. Also, the whole section seemed to be completely hilly- up down up down- it was exhausting! I kept plodding on, getting held up a fair bit by the slower ultras where the path was so narrow, but felt too guilty to try and push past. After about 10 miles I realised that I had already taken an hour and 50 minutes, which was the time Rob predicted I would finish my leg (oops- just another 3.7 miles to go! Panic!) and that I was totally knackered- tried to keep on pushing through, helped by the bravery and grit of the ultras. The last climb was a beast but very much enjoyed the last downhill mile- some of the ultrarunners at this point were going at a fair old lick and was amazing to think they had run so far. Over the last stile and through the clapping spectators, desperately looking out for Rob. Struggled to bend down I was so tired, but luckily Ngeme was there to swap the timing chip for me! All I could think about, as Rob shot off into the distance overtaking ultrarunners left right and centre, was that I couldn’t imagine carrying on for even one more section, let alone running three- massive respect to Gilly and Chris- my new heroes.

Andrea

I don’t know where exactly I spent Saturday lunchtime – got dropped somewhere unpronounceable and was told to run until I was picked up somewhere else. So I followed, at first, the long slog uphill, passing numerous weird species of human beings who had just completed a marathon and still looked remarkably fresh. Then I stumbled together with many injured troupers across the assault course along a VERY VERY LONG loch. Finally, the loch came to an end, but the 3rd leg didn’t. I noticed that I had to revise my concept of a gentle 2 hour run and keep going. It was probably one of the most beautiful runs I have ever done. The nature was sheer STUNNING!

Leg 4

Rob Wilson

We underestimated how technical leg 3 was and Sarah was about 40 minutes longer than we thought. This meant I was a nervous bundle of Tigger nerves by the time she came along.

As my left knee appears to be on its way out (hopefully temporarily), I had asked to run the final leg as it was mostly uphill and I thought this would be less impact. However, as the temperatures had risen, the almost continual undulating climb for the first 10kms was really tough. When Sarah came in, we were 7^th place in the team relay and I was set on catching some of the other teams if at all possible. After all, I did tell Gill this was only fun if we made it competitive – I guess I had to “walk” the talk.

Although feeling pretty bad about it, running the relay means you continuously pass the Ultra runners. This helps you keep focus on passing the next runner in front of you. Many of them were pretty slow by this point, but always cheered me on – more guilt! The run up through Glen Falloch (passing some of the oldest pine trees in Scotland) is along a dry dusty track which is not my favourite surface, but the views were epic. Over this initial 10 km ascent, I managed to pass two of the teams – could I pass another?

Above Crianlarich, the route shifts to the NW and is a lovely track through mixed woodland. I was worried for a while as for a couple of kilometres, I did not see anyone. Had I messed up? Luckily I met some West Highland Way walkers who cheered me on and said I was on track. The ascent down to the main valley was fast, although by this point my left knee was grumbling. The final 4 kms undulated along trails and tracks up the valley to Tyndrym. I managed to pass a few more Ultra runners, but either they were strong or I was starting to flag as they were not much slower than me at this point. I did not see another relay runner.

On entering Tyndrym, runners are welcomed by bagpipers (who seemed to keep going all afternoon!) and after a final rise, the finish line is at the end of a long flag bedecked red carpeted funnel. What a great feeling to sprint across the line with all the cheers.

Final times and places:

The Peni-Harriers:

Leg 1: Gillian Cairns: 01:37:26

Leg 2: Mike Brooks: 02:08:24

Leg 3: Sarah Burthe: 02:35:11

Leg 4: Rob Wilson: 01:48:23

Team total time: 08:09:24

5^th team from 49. 3^rd quickest mixed team.

The Peni-Cuckoos

Leg 1: Fran Jones: 01:51:07

Leg 2: Chris Downie: 02:28:40

Leg 3: Andrea Wilson: 02:44:21

Leg 4: Ngeme Ntuli: 02:24:10

Team total time: 09:28:18

16^th team from 49

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You don’t get a race report from me very often and I am afraid when u do it is a long one!

Ever since I did the relay of the Fling a few years back I knew I would do the full Fling, and when our relay team did not make it in the draw I knew this would be the year to do it!

I travelled through with Andrew and Chris on Friday, I was staying in the Lorne Hotel organised by the Fling and they were doing registration there on the Friday night.  I said goodbye to Chris and Andrew as they were staying in another hotel and went up to my room to think about the next day.  I knew I would not sleep much the night before and although I managed to get a few hours, I was dreaming of drop bags.  I was up at 3.30 and trying to eat but it was too early and although I managed to get some porridge my body was not really in the mood for food.  There was a coach laid on at 4.30 to take us to the start and I sat on it drinking chocolate milkshakes and nibbling on flapjacks aware that I needed to get as much energy on board as I could even though my stomach was still asleep. I normally feel really nervous before races but strangely, the biggest race I have yet done and I was feeling the calmest I have ever felt.

We arrived at Milngavie train station in the drizzling rain with the sun not yet up.  My drop bags were deposited in the various cars (including my loving constructed drop bag for the Balmaha checkpoint where they have a competition for the best designed drop bag – mine was a giant cow poo in honour of Cow Poo Alley!)  The quantity of food on display was enormous.  I am surprised some of the cars managed to close their boots on it all.  I met Chris and we waited until the off.  There were different start pens this year due to the large field.  sub 10 hours, 10 – 12 hours and 12 + hours.  I duly slotted into the 12+ hour pen.  There is lots of chat about how long you should expect to take to do this event but as a newbie I had decided I was not putting any pressure on myself about times, I was out to make the cut off times and complete the event and time was irrelevant.  I had not done anything like this distance before and certainly not over the kind of terrain I was on and having been part of the relay team previously, I knew that some parts were quite technical and that all I wanted to do was to navigate safely and get to the end.

We set off shortly after 6am and Chris and I ran together for the first few miles.  The predicted weather forecast was for cold temperatures, rain, rain and more rain and if you were really lucky a bit of snow, so everyone was waterproofed up.  As we ticked along the first few miles, people were stopping to take off jackets and layers as the drizzle that had greeted us at Milngavie had dried up and it was not that cold. Chris stopped to take his jacket off but I was keen to just keep moving while I could, so we said our good byes and off I went.  This route is fairly flat and was good to get into an easy pace and just watch the scenery change and open up as we headed into the countryside.  At one point I could hear cheers and voices ahead and thought there were maybe some family members up ahead cheering their runners on but as we went through a gate there was a fiddler and a drummer playing music to us as we ran passed.  Before long we were at the first checkpoint and the first relay change over, as I crossed over the road I could hear my name being shouted and looked up to see the Harriers Relay team cheering me on – their smiling faces were a welcome and encouraging sight.

After passing Drymen the route starts to head up and takes in Conic Hill and as I was heading towards it Mike ran passed but took the time to stop and have a wee chat with me which I really appreciated – thanks Mike! We snaked up Conic Hill and I was aware that the forecast rain was nowhere to be seen and instead the sun was beating down on us. So far I had been running on my own but it was about here I started chatting to other runners and hearing their stories.  Running Ultras is just so much friendlier than normal races, there is a real feeling of all being in it together and looking out for your fellow runners.  There were a few struggling up Conic Hill with taped up knees and people take the time to walk with them a bit and check they are okay. After coming down Conic Hill it is a short distance to the drop bag point of Balmaha.  As you come into the checkpoint someone shouts your number out really loudly and the marshalls further on have your drop bag all ready for you as you approach.  Unfortunately, mine was not the winning drop bag – gutted!   However, the marshall did tell me how much she liked it so that cheered me up a bit.  I was very aware that I wanted to grab my bag and go and not spend any longer than necessary, I was unsure what I would want to eat but I had a mixture of sweet and savoury so grabbed my hula hoop, a yoghurt and another couple of flapjacks and filled up my water, left the rest of my drop bag on the table that was heaving with other peoples left overs and headed on out.   It was about another 8 miles to the next checkpoint of Rowardennan and it all looked very familiar as I remember driving this stretch of road when we had done the relay and watching the runners cutting on and off the road and down onto the shingle beach and back up onto the trails.  I had not realised how hilly these trails were from the car though and it was a bit of surprise.  I had not really looked at the course and not recced the route apart from my relay leg.  It was a welcome sight to see Rowardennan and just as I was heading in Chris was standing at the side of the road, he must have passed me at the last checkpoint but he was there to cheer me on while the others had gone to grab a cup of tea at the hotel.   As I hit the checkpoint again the lovely marshalls were shouting my number and handing me my drop bag and checking everyone was okay, with big smiles on their faces, asking if I needed a hand with anything.  I had lucozade in this bag which did not interest me in the slightest and all my jelly babies that I normally scoff on my long runs were not in the least appealing, I spotted a packet of mini cheddars on the table of goodies from other dropbags and did a swop for my hula hoops.  I also ditched my flapjacks as I had been nibbling these all day and could not face another one and took my Nakd Bar instead, filled my water and hit the road again.

I was looking forward to this leg as this was the leg I had done on the relay and remember thinking at the time, how on earth does someone who has already done marathon distance manage this really technical route, the path snakes up into the hills before coming back down onto the lochside and then the scrambling begins, I was starting to have some issues with hot spots and blisters and also feeling really nauseous.  I had been trying really hard to keep eating, little and often to keep the energy levels up and I could not decide if I was nauseous from what I had had to eat (I suspect the yogurt that I had earlier which was rather hot might have been to blame) or because I needed to eat more, I was drinking as much as I could too, but my water was warm from the sun on my back so that was not helping, but my feet were really starting to worry me, I had one point in particular that was really sore but I did not want to stop until the next checkpoint, eventually I reached Inversnaid and my next drop bag, I pocketed my crisps and again ditched my jelly babies and topped up my water and decided I needed to sort my feet out.  I sat in one of the chairs and applied various plasters and patched myself up, took a couple of paracetemol and hit the trails again.  The nausea had gone now and before long, I had forgotten about my feet too.  I had now covered 34 miles and I was clambering up and down the rocks chatting away with another runner about how we had now both run the furthest we had ever run.   The scrambling up and down the rocks carries on for a few more miles and more chatting and laughing with other runners makes the time and distance pass quickly. There was a couple of injured and struggling runners that we passed and each time everyone stops to make sure they are okay, I caught up with a guy I had been running with earlier who had stopped to help another runner who was in some distress handing over the last of his salt tablets and checking he was okay and giving him some reassurance and helping him on his way, we carried on together for a while to Marios post where there were a few people sitting taking in the wonderful view and then off we headed.  The next checkpoint is Beinglas and as well as my drop bag I caught up with Andrew, Chris’s son.  I asked how Chris was getting on and was pleased to hear he was doing well.  I knew now that I only had another 12 miles and that I would make the end.  I was quite upbeat as I left Beinglas but the next part of the course is a series of undulating ups and downs, I think this is the section they call the “rollercoaster” and it is certainly well named.  This is also when I realised that my training – or lack of was going to let me down.  Some of the London Marathoners had managed to clock up more mileage in their training that I had and it was showing – I should have done more of those back to back runs that were on my training plan that I managed to avoid or do half the distance I should have.  I should also have done some hill training!  I was struggling on the uphills and only able to run the downhills and walk the flat sections.  The up and down carried on and I was aware that I had a lot more to do, before hitting the wooded section which I was also aware was quite hilly!  I marched on and was passed by quite a few runners and the people infront I was trying to pace were now out of sight.  I was very aware of being fatigued.  I kept reminding myself that I was running my own race, I was still going and to march when I could not run and that is what I did.  I had decided not to listen to any music or podcasts in the race as I wanted to experience it and not zone out as I do in my training runs but found myself singing over and over in my head LMFAO – Everybodys Shuffling which I think helped!  I had some more to eat and drink and kept walking chatting to others as they passed me by.  As we hit the woods there were some supporters encouraging us and I felt a bit more energised and carried on marching up the hills chatting and before long I was running again (well downhill anyway!) My legs got back into the rhythm and I pushed on, on my own and was starting to make up some ground, I could hear a cowbell ringing and came down to a road where there were marshalls cheering us on, saying we had about 3 more miles and that I was looking far to fresh and I needed to push on.  I could see ahead the runners that I had lost earlier, I had caught up with them again and that gave me a well needed boost.  I ran on and caught some up and chatted for a while to one runner who was planning on doing the full WHW in June – I have even more respect for those runners doing that kind of distance as the thought of another 40 odd miles on top of what I had just done at that moment seemed insurmountable.  I pushed on again and felt good knowing there was not far to go now.  As I got closer a couple of girls ran passed me saying the finish was the most amazing finish of all races and it would all be worth it soon.  I was on my own again by this time and as I carried on I passed some supporters cheering everyone on, on the path and I knew I was close.  I next heard bagpipes and I could see the yellow arch through the trees of the finish line, as I ran past the piper I could feel myself welling up, not quite believing that I had actually come so far and here I was at the finish and I did not feel broken.  I ran up the hill and round the corner and there ahead of me is a stretch of red carpet with international flags lining it and people shouting and cheering me on – I ran hard in that final stretch and crossed the finish line with the wonderful marshalls congratulating me and taking my chip off and pointing me in the direction of the tent where we were given our goody bag and beer and soup and rolls.  I had got quite cold in the last mile or so as the sun was dropping behind the hills and I had not wanted to stop to put on my jacket, it was not until I sat down eating my soup and roll that I realised how cold I had become and I was sitting shivering, but with a smile on my face aware that I had completed something I had been thinking of for a very long time.  All around the tent were the familiar faces of runners I had chatted to and passed on the course.

The Fling is far and away one of my most favourite races, it was when I did the relay and is even more so now I have done the Full Fling.  The organisation is faultless and the energy and postiveness from all the other runners, marshalls, supporters and everyone connected to the race is a joy to be around.

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I trained on the mountains and on the bike, on the D33 and at Alloa; I spent too much time worrying about how much more I could and should have done; I talked my Andrew (my son) into being driver and support crew; we travelled with my good pal (and fellow Flinger) Gilly and navigated the bustle of Glasgow; I was tagged (some might say not before time); I fiddled around last minute gear and food checks; I rose at 4 and forced down porridge; we soaked up the buzz of the start at Milngavie and OMG, we’re off at 06:06; en route I said ‘hi’ to old friends and Harrier relay pals; I marvelled at the speed of Mike and Chris who returned with encouragement; I made new friends like Lynn and Scott ‘The Minch Swimmer’; I said ‘thanks’ to well wishers and ‘cheers’ to the awesome marshals; I said ‘bonjour’ to soaring crows, to big cows and wee calves, to bemused sheep and to a teeny weeny green lizard; I stepped over dozens of streams and crossed as many raging rivers; I climbed the steep flank of Conic Hill; from high vantage I watched the sun rise on the mountains to the north; I listened to inspirational music and yes, Donnie Munro did sing Loch Lomond, and yes, it was ever so bonnie; I felt the warmth of the sun on the back of my head and a sublime cool breeze on my face – all day; I breathed in the intoxicating essence of pine forests; I gathered myself up and focused myself in over 53 miles and 7,500 feet of climbing and arrived in Tyndrum after 14 hours and 16 minutes with total delight at a Fling PB; I was so pleased for Gilly, home and dry in 13 hours 27 minutes; I wore my Penicuik Harriers vest with genuine pride; I received a fantastic welcome at the finish line along with a goody bag to end all goody bags and most definitely the best shower I’ve ever had; I said ‘thanks’ to the legend that is Johnny Fling; we ate at the fantastic Real Food Café; Andrew drove almost 300 miles end to end, provided outstanding support at checkpoints and got us safely home . . .

. . . and after all that, while I may just be paddling in the shallows of ultra running, I can honestly say I was as happy as can be – how lucky am I?

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Full Fling Results:
522 Gilly Marshall 13:27:37
590 Chris Burns 14:16:23

Relay Fling Results (Overall):
5 Peni-Harriers (Mike Brooks, Rob Wilson, Gillian Cairns & Sarah Burthe) 08:09:24 (3rd mixed team)
16 Peni-Cuckoos (Fran Jones, Ngeme Ntuli, Andrea Wilson & Chris Downie) 09:28:18 (10th mixed team)

http://www.highlandflingrace.org/index.html

This was a slightly altered route compared to previous years to allow for the Great Edinburgh run preparations. The conditions were great if maybe a bit too warm, but the slight breeze helped with that for the most part. There isn’t much flat in the course so although it isn’t a long race it is quite punishing.

Duncan won a prize for 2nd fastest over 50. Well done Duncan 🙂
I got given some coca high altitude sweets and Michael got some bacon flavour toothpaste, not sure if these were spot prizes or booby prizes but were handed out with the usual good natured hunters bog trotter hilarity.
Thanks to Mel’s husband Allan for the action shots.

Results: (http://www.shr.uk.com/RaceResults.aspx?RaceID=RA-0029&Year=2015)

30 Duncan Ball 00:34:58
88 Gillian Cairns 00:41:20
105 Tim Doyle 00:43:08
114 Sadie Kemp 00:44:19
117 Chris Downie 00:45:22
126 Michael Greens 00:46:45
141 Mel Dunbar 00:50:07

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I read a book recently (Richard Askwith “Running Free”- excellent read) which had a lovely passage that summarised races like marathons as “personal Everests” that can provide you with a sense of self belief and achievement. I think this is spot on- running a distance such as a marathon is a huge achievement for me and one that has given me a euphoric high and a feeling of incredible pride ever since. I’m chuffed to bits! Mind you it nearly went quite horribly wrong: firstly getting a chest infection two weeks before the event that left me wheezy, secondly walking way too much round Paris prior to the race and getting aching legs (despite being adamant that I was going to spend two days sat in a park!), the final breakfast panic when I realised I had forgotten to take porridge with me and had to make do with brown bread, and not to mention the heat and pollution levels on the day (quite a shock after the clear air and coolness of Peebles!). However, somehow it didn’t go really wrong at all and despite feeling physically sick for the first six miles or so (either due to the brown bread or the pollution maybe) I somehow managed to keep my pace fairly constant and to stay on track. Hurrah!

They say that Paris is the city of romance, and it certainly added to my love of running. Highlights for me were running down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in the early morning light, the woods at Vincennes (the relief from the pollution might have been purely imaginary but it helped!), being hosed down by the fire hoses (much needed- it was boiling), running past Notre Dame gleaming white in the sunlight, seeing my long suffering and supportive boyfriend Mark at mile 18, and of course the wonderful wonderful finish line.

This was my second marathon, after running London last year, and it helped psychologically to know that I could go the distance. Mind you, the organisation compared to London left something to be desired, but in some ways this added to the fun- for example they didn’t close the roads between the start of the race and the closed road for the baggage drop, leading to an interesting mix of 54000 runners and some desperate French drivers around the Arc de Triomphe! The water and food stations were also complete carnage- only available on one side of the road so everyone undertook crazy 90 degree turns at the last minute, with the water stops followed by fruit stops. Somehow the idea that wet roads, plus thousands of pieces of banana and orange peel would lead to treacherous slippery objects didn’t seem to occur to the organisers. I’m glad I survived those bits, it was close at times..

I’m sure I went through all the usual stages of the marathon- around mile 23 I realised I was muttering “three more miles then wine…three more miles then wine” as my mantra to keep me going. That and thinking about all the other Harriers training and racing their way through these big events- those thoughts and all the well wishes definitely helped me along. I also tried counting steps- but somehow I couldn’t count beyond about 100 without losing it and making up numbers- a sign maybe that the heat had got to my brain! Those last few miles were hellish but somehow I got through (mainly due to the thought of wine) and even managed a sprint finish for the line (might have been a shuffle but felt like a sprint!).

I finished in 03:56:06 which knocked a whopping 17 minutes off my time for London last year and left me beaming from ear to ear for several hours. All the interval and hill sessions with the harriers, the lovely support of our coaches and the endless chasing after Sadie and Chris Downie must be paying off. All in all the race was fabulous and despite saying that I won’t do another one (and Mark recording this statement on his phone to remind me later), I’m already thinking about maybe doing one of the off-road ones…. It’s good to have a challenge and running is simply awesome.

The wine wasn’t bad either…..

Bit late but finally getting on top of the ironing pile. Quick report from the Brighton Marathon. A last minute offer of a place from my VLM charity saw me and Sean going on a road trip to Brighton. Great route by the sea (that nice cool breeze kept the temperature down). Hillier than I was expecting but a fabulous crowd support.

I thought that I might have to change my name in order to join the Harrier men at the Dunbar 10k: there was Michael Greens, Michael McComb, Michael Philp and me (cue for a song?). However, despite being challenged nominally, they welcomed me into the team. Turned out to be an enjoyable race over what looked like a bit of a ‘loopy’ course, but thanks to good marshalling (and over 100 people ahead of me) I manged to stay on course.  Everyone seemed happy with their run (including the other ‘non-Michaels’ Sadie and Rachel) and M Philp knocked 4 mins off his PB!

A good turn out from harriers for this race which is a great way to burn off some of those easter eggs. The conditions were great, cool and not too windy. Its nice to be able to grab a cuppa in the Hallhill centre before the race. The route has a hill in the first half, but its not too steep and the rest of the route is pretty flat.

Results:
105 Ian Forrest 46.28
107 Michael Greens 46.40
113 Rachel Campbell 47.06
120 Michael McComb 47.36
129 Sadie Kemp 48.34
151 Michael Philp 50.13
184 Dyane Harvey 52.17

This was a brand new race and possibly due to this slightly more haphazard in its organisation. There had been a promise of maps but when we arrived at registration there was only one large one to memorize and none to take with us. Apparently there was a problem with the printer and hopefully next year this will have been sorted out. There were a few places where the route was rather ambiguous and meant mistakes were made and a few people could be seen doubling back on themselves when they chose the wrong option.

That said, the race was very enjoyable, a relaxed atmosphere and with an interesting route. The race had just about every type of terrain included with hill road and cross country sections. The hill part of the race comes first so it was important not to peak too soon (excuse the pun) and save some energy for the latter parts of the race where stony ground and mud made the going challenging. The scenery was just gorgeous in places from carpets of wild garlic in the woods to serene river sections. This was in contrast to the busy road we had to cross where thankfully marshalls were there to help us safely on our way.

I personally spent a good bit of the race fighting with my clothing as jacket and gloves came on and off with the very changeable weather. By the time I got back to the rugby club I was glad of some dry clothes and warm tea. There was a very generous buffet and the prize giving was done in a timely manner. With our Gillian Cairns winning 3rd lady. All in all a great race and many of us will be back next year.

Thanks to RM photography for the action shots.

Results:
6 Stuart Sanderson 1.22.21
12 Mike Brooks 1.29.02
25 Mark Snodgrass 1.33.30
35 Gillian Cairns 1.38.29
41 Jan Dawson 1.41.42
57 Sadie Kemp 1.52.55
60 Susie Maxwell 1.53.04
61 Frances Jones 1.53.05
87 Melanie Dunbar 2.11.15
91 Kirsty Loudon 2.58.33

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The Deuchary Hill Canter (18.7 kms, 770m) is the final race of three held near Birnam over the weekend (Tay Dash (night-time 5km) and Birnham Hill Classic (7kms, 535m)).

Andrea and I had signed up weeks ago and went north as other Harriers went south to run the new 10 mile Eildons trail race. I think we got the better weather – sunny and mild, little wind and a few spots of rain – but better weather does not always mean a better run!

Since my last proper hill run 3 weeks ago, learning from my marathon training friends, I have been busy preparing – sitting, standing, cutting wood, and more sitting while embracing all the healthiness that North America can offer  – burgers, pizza, Asian food, beer, wine and whiskey. Add on the 8 hour jet-lag and I was about as prepared as one should [not] be for a 19 km hill race.

Official start was 12 noon and Andrea and I arrived for registration at Birnam at 11am to find out that the race actually should have started at 11am. The website was wrong. In true Adrian Davis fashion, he could not understand why the website was wrong. Luckily, we were not the only ones to be “late”, so the race was delayed until at least 11.30. This unfortunately scuppered our plans of driving to the finish and jogging down to the start to get a feel for the weather and what clothing would be appropriate. That could have made all the difference to what was to come.

So – anyway – we drove to the start and as there was a chilly wind, we assumed it was going to be on the cool side. I layered up in typical Rob fashion.

At the start Adrian then dropped the next surprise that the route had been changed due to logging activities. Supposedly the new map was on the website. Well – I can only find the old one (see edited version). The good news was that it was a little more straightforward than the original route and after last year where most of the field got lost, the new route (in blue) was actually better in my mind.

Deuchary Hill Canter Route

The race started at 11.40 and after the first 500 m, I was in the leading pack. Whey hey – I could hear Stuart chuckling from afar. However, as the route climbed, I realised that the weather was not only mild, it was tending towards hot – especially when the sun was out (i.e. most of the race L). I was sweating buckets. Long leggings and 3 layers were way too much. By about 2kms in, I was a broiled lobster and was already flagging. I stupidly decided NOT to stop and strip and thought that a good sweat would do me good. Ugh!

Deuchary Hill Canter profile

I was definitely slower than normal but as Mike B was not running, I had no one to really compete against, so decided to set a comfortable pace. I did after all blow my calf last year on the same race and really wanted to get around this time. The route, at this stage, is made up of small tight undulating forest tracks and trails – really nice actually and should be quick. From km 7, the trail steadily climbs and after 1.5 kms, the route leaves the trail and goes up Deuchary Hill itself (I did finally stop briefly to take one layer off – not enough!). This climb seemed much longer than the last time I ran it. I was starting to feel tired and I was not even half way round the course L. I found my legs a little coming of the peak and managed to pass a few people. On returning to the track however, my legs felt like rubber and that did not improve. I haemorrhaged places. The next few kms were really tough and I was regretting my OTHER mistake of the day. I had not eaten enough and I had forgotten to have a snack while going up to the peak. At 14.5 kms, I had to walk – the track was not steep – but I had to eat and drink. I was losing my legs badly. The final bit of “new route” was a short hill up and I could barely make it. My legs started cramping and I was quite miserable at this point. Luckily, I knew that once at the top, it was downhill all the way. Although tortuous, I managed to make it to the finish line without serious cramp although every little rise seemed to morph my muscles into undulating quivering spasms of putty. I crossed the line at 1:51:28. Utterly exhausted.

I had promised Andrea that I would walk back up the route to jog her in. Och – the regrets of life! After a 10 minute rest of drinking the rest of my Camelpack and eating anything I could get my hands on, I looked back up the hill and started walking. After about 10 minutes, Andrea came running down the road not looking too dejected despite having got slightly lost (again!). I jogged with her for a while, until an old bloke passed us and Andrea realised she had slowed down so I could keep up. She left me and then battled with the man to beat him over the line at ~2:16 – a PB ~9 min improvement on last year.

Moral of the story – expect to be a little tired after lots of travelling – but at least eat properly and wear the bloody appropriate clothes. It at least was a good training run.

Rob