Whatever floats your boat

My next challenge before the WHW race is the Scottish Island Peaks race.  It involves a team of five divided into 3 sailors and 2 runners.

The race starts in Oban with a 5 mile race for the two runners.  When they finish they join up with the rest of the team and sail to Mull.  The runners then run 23 miles up Ben More before again returning to the boat to sail to Jura.  The runners then run 18 miles over the Papas of Jura before the team sails to Arran and the runners have a 15 mile run up Goat Fell.  Over to Troon and the whole team has a 100 meter sprint to the finish.  The race starts at 12 noon on the 16th May and doesn't have a finish time.  We hope to finish sometime on the Monday.

This weekend was the first time that our team, the Firebird 5, had all been together in the same place at the same time.  In fact some of the team don't even know each other.  And so it was time for a training weekend and some male bonding but with no alcohol.

TEAM FIREBIRD 5 (L-R - PAUL, KENNY, ME, KEN, CHARLIE)

SATURDAY 19TH APRIL

Paul and Kenny picked me upon Saturday morning and it was off to Rhu to meet Charlie and his Dad, Chas.  We loaded the boat and after what felt like an eternity we where off.

The boat belonged to Charlie's dad and it was Charlie that appeared to be doing the driving most of the weekend.  As we reversed from the pier in Rhu I thought for a moment that we were going to hit it but Kenny pushed the boat away.  Chas hardly even raised his head. 

We used the motor to go to Inverkip and pick up the last of our crew members.  Ken Brown.

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER BUT COLD

And so our crew was complete.  Kenny our sailing captain, Charlie who has impressed me with his enthusiasm for the trip, Ken our new replacement who I used to go to school with.  The running team was Paul my wee brother and still on a high from the London Marathon last week and of course me.  Chas was the provider of the boat and of the knowledge that hopefully will see us through.

We sailed all afternoon to Lamlash in Arran.  Sailing is tough.  It's cold with not much to see or do.  What it does give you is a feeling of immense freedom.  Like a 17 year old with his first car and the world is your oyster.  All of a sudden every island is there to be explored, every coast, every nook and craney.

MAKES ME FEEL SICK LOOKING AT IT STILL

But when we got to Arran there was no exploring to be done.  The sea was too rough to attempt the planned dinghy landing.  It was infact so rough that one of the sailors, Kenny, was sick over the side.  Well at least I could be sick without fear of embarrassment.  We retreated to the relative shelter of the Holy Island and over dinner we discussed what we would do.  In the end we decided that we would make another attempt at landing and if it wasn't successful would continue sailing.  As we headed to ward the pier I started to get changed.  This was a big mistake.  Now I was turning green.

Again we aborted the dinghy landing.  I was pleased as I felt sick enough on the boat never mind the dinghy.

So we sailed out of Lamlash bay and I retreated to my bed.  Feeling sick and just wanting to sleep.  I text Debbie who was on a night out with her sister and then fell asleep in my stinky diesel cabin.

MY CABIN.  SICK BAG NOT INCLUDED.

Later on I woke up and felt guilty at not really doing anything on the boat.  I went on deck and although it was a cracking night with the full moon shining I immediately felt sick and so returned to my bed and back to sleep.  Later on I was awoken by the engine starting (right next to my head) but I was so tired and sick that I didn't care.

SUNDAY 20TH APRIL

I woke up.  A look at my watch and it was just after 6am.  I tried to move my arm.  I couldn't.  A sickly pain travelled through my shoulder and down to my elbow.  Damn.  Must have been sleeping on it all night.  The pain will go away soon I thought.  It didn't.  Then I remembered banging it the night before.  It wasn't sore at the time but that must have been it. 

I had slept all night in all my gear.  Waterproofs and even my lifejacket.  I needed to pee urgently.  I was surprised.  I had hardly drank anything all of the day before but it had been over 12 hours since I had been.  I looked out of the porthole.  The sea was calm and I could see a pier.  Where the heck are we I thought.  I staggered to the toilet in agony with my sore shoulder, disheveled from sleeping with all the gear on.  I woke Kenny by accident.  He still looked rough from yesterdays sail and throwing up over the side.  He laughed at the state of me and asked if I had slept in my lifejacket.  "I promised my wife I would keep it on" was my reply.  Not being a particulary good swimmer Debbie had made me promise that I would keep it on although I am sure she didn't mean in my cabin.  My pee was like treacle and I was embarrassed that someone might have to use the toilet after me.  I went back to bed a read my book.  The first time I was able to as it was now flat calm.

BREAKFAST TIME

A couple of hours later we were all sitting around the table having breakfast.  Another good meal prepared by Kenny.  The sailors had sailed us until early in the morning to the north end of Bute.  Did we still want to get out for a run?  I checked the maps and decided that we could run across Bute to Rothesay in about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  Just over 10 miles but a lot off road and Paul and I still recovering from the London Marathon.  In the mean while the sailors would sail the boat around the island and pick us up.

Kenny rowed the dingy with Paul and I in it.  I was so glad to be off the boat that I could have kissed the ground.  I felt sick, hungover and very fatigued.  How would I feel in the actual race?  No wonder that every runner I had ever spoken to had talked about it being the hardest thing they had ever done. 

OUT OF THE SAILING GEAR INTO THE RUNNING GEAR

The run across Bute was tough.  There was a lot of climbing at the beginning and with no trail to follow it was across heather and bush.  I had elected to wear shorts and so within an hour my legs were cut to shreds and felt like I had sunburn.  My shoulder was so sore that I was unable to move my right arm and that made balancing difficult.

Both of us were very tired after the marathon the week before and decided to change the planned course onto an easier road route.  But on the road the wind was a nightmare although we did overtake a couple of cyclists who were clearly having more trouble than us.

At last we were in Rothesay and met up with the boat for our trip back to Rhu.