Better the Devil you know

Another month has passed and another John K run is upon us.  As I have said to John I hope that after the WHW race that we continue running on the Way as apart from great training it is fantastic meeting up with like minded people.  Well other nutters that think running 42 miles from Tyndrum to Fort William is actually a good thing to do when the rest of Scotland are supporting either half of the Old Firm or shopping.  Neither wind, hail, sunshine or snow would keep me away from today's run and believe me we had all that weather and more as the run went on.

I have ran this section before.  The Devil o the Highlands race on a beautiful June day and without a London Marathon in 2 weeks time.  That day I ran it in 7hrs 3 minutes.  I wondered how I would get on today.  I am definitely a lot fitter and have much better endurance but I had to take care and make sure that I didn't need the months recovery that was needed the last time.  No I had to run this and be able to make it to training on Tuesday without any aches or pains.

 

Debbie and I drove up to Tyndrum early and were there a lot earlier than normal.  I think that this was because Debbie was driving and so for once we were on time.  Debbie had decided that today she wouldn't be running the full 42 miles because of the London Marathon and so would be dropping me off in Tyndrum before heading to Kingshouse to run to Fort William from there.

 

                                                      DEBS AND ME (BEFORE RUNNING)

AHH, THE MOTLEY CREW STILL SMILING AND ITS STILL SNOWING

Running from Tyndrum today was John K, Ian B, Thomas, Neal, Davie, Gavin and me.  Jon C had left earlier in the morning.  Tim and Jim where running from Bridge of Orchy and Debbie and Allyson from Kingshouse.  I had asked Thomas's wife (and support) Silke if she could support me (Thank you so much Silke) and Neal's wife Caroline and her Dad were out to support Neal.  Most people seemed to drop something off in the cars apart from Tim who was being totally independent.

We started off at 8am and ran the easy section to Bridge of Orchy.  This is always a great warm up but I had to tell myself to remember to slow it down.  Because I haven't seen the people that I was running with since the last run over a month we are always so pleasant to each other at the beginning.  Watching our P's and Q's, dotting our i's.  That was until Neal said " I am gonna need a big sh1t soon".  The etiquette broken and more on that one later.

As we headed into Bridge of Orchy, Neal, Thomas and I were again at the front.  The whole of the section we hadn't and it just seemed to be when we came into the village that we were.  I could see a disapproving look from Caroline to Neal.  It is her job as support to tell the runner he is going to fast, too slow, not eating/drinking enough but she didn't need to worry as the rest of the group were only 30 seconds behind.

As usual everyone stopped and made the most of the break until John said that 5 minutes had passed and he was off.  Today John was really good at having short breaks and has made me realise that I need my support team to time my breaks and move me on as soon as possible.  After running 40 miles I am sure that what feels like a 5 minute break will actually be 25 minutes.

Over to Victoria Bridge I carried no supplies as Silke was meeting us again here and being only 2 miles away I thought that I wouldn't need anything.  At Victoria Bridge I refuelled for the Rannoch Moor section.  John was again quick off the mark and we all followed knowing that this was the way it should be done.  After a couple of miles Ian turned back as he had to be in Edinburgh for the cross country championships.  No he wasn't running but was having a slap up meal there.  We said our goodbyes and then I managed to catch up with John.  We had a laugh as I spoke to him about how he was now the most experienced in the group as the rest of us are race virgins.  John was like a rapper and we were his biatches, listening to his every word. 

SNOOP JK AND HIS CREW

On the days leading up to a WHW training run I think of so many questions to ask the likes of Ian or John about the race but when it comes to the run I can never remember them.  So John and I spoke about Everton FC and I told him how my mums side of my family are from Liverpool and they all support Liverpool FC.  Hopefully that doesn't put him off me too much.

As we started to drop into Glencoe I was running with Neal and Thomas.  This was when Neal started to have his toilet issues.  They way he was holding his stomach I thought he was going to give birth and to be honest perhaps he was.  I told him that he should run ahead and try to get to Kingshouse out of fear of what was going to come out and the hope I wouldn't be witness to it.  I immediately felt guilty as any runner knows when you have a runners trot issue the worst thing you can do is run quicker.  Neal stopped about 20m ahead of us gripping his stomach.  Thomas and I made a quick getaway and left whatever devastation was coming for the rest of the group to clean up.

We reached Kingshouse and started to refuel.  The rest of the group minus Neal not far behind.  Eventually Neal arrived, white as a sheet, teeth and bum clenched.  Only stopping at the car for some ermm clothes before heading straight to the Kingshouse toilet.

NEAL CAUGHT HAVING HIS PRIVATE MOMENT

It was a quick stop and then off again towards the Devils Staircase.  Neal only just getting out of the toilet.  I hate the section from Kingshouse to the Devils Staircase.  The track is horrible and appears to go up a hill that you don't need to go up.  At this stage you just want to be on the Devils Staircase not messing about below.

At Altnafeadh (at the bottom of the Devils Staircase) I met Silke who gave me my bottle with energy drink for the next section.  The Devils Staircase isn't too bad.  To be honest it is a great chance for a rest as you need to walk up it.  I noticed that John was off like a bullet, he said later that he really enjoys the uphill sections.  This was where I met Peter Duggan for the first time.  He was full of beans as he came down to shake my hand.  That's one problem about blogging, everyone knows you and everything about you as he beemed "You must be Marco".  Peter had done the race before and lived in Kinlochleven.  Although half of the year the village is in near darkness due to the hills it is a WHW runners paradise with 2 of the best sections right on your doorstep.  No wonder he flew up the hills like a mountain goat.

By Kinlochleven I was feeling great.  Much better than I did in the Devils.  I was amazed at how little this run seemed to be taking out of me.  "Looks like the training is paying off" I was saying to myself triumphantly. Yeah right.  If only I knew what was going to happen in the next section I may not have been so cocky.

The hill up from Kinlochleven is the hardest of the West Highland Way, The Devils Staircase gets a great name but this one has so many others.  Most of them are private whimpers as the unfortunate runner climbs through the trees with Kinlochleven far below and far too obscene to print here.

On the way up I spoke more with Peter and then he turned back once he got to the top.  All the way up I was waiting for Thomas to start to set the pace.  He had run a magnificent time in the Lairig Mor race 2 weeks before which takes in the same section and I could see he had been running strong all day.  The one thing I kept asking myself was should I or could I keep up with him.  And then he was off.  I let him go and was satisfied that I had done the right thing.  I have London in 2 weeks and I can't throw it away when I am this close.  I spoke with John for a bit as one minute he overtook me and then the next I overtook him again and then as Thomas got further away I decided to catch him Thomas up.  I did but could feel that it had taken a bit out of me doing so.  I was glad when I reached him and could take some rests on the hills.

At Lundarva, Neals support team gave me an energy drink that I had left with them but I just couldn't stomach anything else.  Again on the hill I was the slowest and I knew it wouldn't be long before Tom would be away.  I stopped for a comfort stop and that's when it first hit me.  My vision went black around the edges and I felt dizzy and a bit sick.  When I started to run again I couldn't get a rhythm going and any incline just gave me an excuse to stop.  But Thomas was ahead of me and wanted to catch him.  Past the woodland the WHW starts to drop down towards Fort William.  I got a second wind and again started to catch up with Thomas who was ahead talking to Tim.  I caught up and we both spoke for a bit with Tim.  He was talking about Mars bars and I was nearly attacking him for one.  No, I was nearly at the end.  Surely I could make the last mile.  Feeling better Thomas and I again started to pick up the pace and then it hit me again.  Just before Braveheart carpark.  The same tunnel vision and dizzyness.  This time though Tom was talking to me and his voice was just echoing in my head.  I couldn't understand what he was saying and I just felt away with it.  Completely drunk.  I just wanted to be by myself, crawl up and hide from everything.  Goodness knows what Thomas thought so I said to him, "I think I am bonking"  Being from Germany I didn't really think that this may be a new word for Thomas but by that time I didn't care.

Into the Braveheart carpark I couldn't believe it.  The support teams where there.  My eyes couldn't focus properly so I couldn't tell who it was.  The only reason I knew it was our support was because Tom said.  As I got closer I could see a small figure with a blue hoodie on.  It was Debbie and I have never been so relieved to see her in my life.  I just wanted her to hold onto me and tell me it was all over.  I needed food desperately and got some out of the car.  Anything.  It didn't matter.  I went over to Debbie.  "That's it I am finished."  "No, you need to get to the end still" was the reply.

The run to the end was the longest hardest run I have ever done.  All half a mile of it.  I felt drunk.  Totally fatigued.  Not wanting to run and watching Thomas running to the finish as if he was just out for a quick jog about the park.  At the end all I could think of was food.  I cant even remember what I ate.  I just ate it all.  And within 5 minutes I felt fine.  No fatigue.  My legs felt great and I was over the moon to finish in 7hrs 20mins.  Thomas had an absolute cracker of a run.  Everything went great for him.  Pace, nutrition, clothing.  He looked very strong as crossed the finish.

We got changed and met up with everyone else who had finished not long behind us.  Everyone was happy at how the day went.

 

On the way home Thomas talked a lot about bonking.  I quickly realised that perhaps he wasn't too sure that the word has two meanings.  My guess was correct as he later looked it up and posted a comment on Debbies blog later that night.  But just in case he forgets then here is some links.

Sports bonking : Sports Bonking

And what everyone else thinks bonking means : Urban Bonking 

For more blogs on the day and of course John K's videos click below:

Debbie

John K

Thomas

Davie B

Neal (I added your link Neal)

Neals Wife

 

 

John K Videos: