On my way again

WHW TRAINING RUN : BEINGLAS TO INVERSNAID, BACK TO BEINGLAS, UP TO CARMYLE COTTAGE AND BACK TO BEINGLAS

DISTANCE : 22.74 miles,    TIME (RUNNING) : 4:07:21,    TIME (TOTAL) : 4:31:36,   PACE : 10:53 / mile,   ASCENT/DESCENT +582.8 –589.2,  WEATHER : CLEAR, ICY, 1C

201 Days to go

It was strange to be going to a WHW training run by myself.  My usual partner in crime has hung up her running shoes and is now indulging in the usual pregnancy delights of swimming and chocolate.  It didn’t feel good to be with out her but also I didn’t have someone making sure I was there in time or packing my gear for me.  So 20 minutes before I was meant to be at Beinglas Farm I raced out of the house and raced up to our meeting point.  I think I may have cooked it too much as my dashboard is now lit up like a Christmas tree and telling me it needs some loving care at the local Honda garage.

Back to the run and it was great to be meeting everyone again.  The usual faces there again apart from Neal.  Caroline informed us all that he had the flu (not manflu I fear as Neal would not have missed this for anything).  In the next breath though Caroline pointed out that there was three footy games on and he was watching them.  Perhaps it was a case of manflu after all.

We all lined up for the mandatory JK piccy.

(courtesey J Kynaston, Someone (not JK) complained last year about me using one of their photos. Hopefully this helps)

John counted at least 35 of us.  A turnout that Garscube would be proud of on a training run. I have to admit that I was very dubious about doing the route to Inversnaid with so many of us.  In the end I didn’t need to worry as we broke up quite quickly into a few different groups.  I spent most of the run to Inversnaid, talking to John.  We spoke about training for next years WHW race and were it went right or wrong last year.  He had such a wonderful run this year and so it is good to talk to him and see what helped him.

I was telling John that today I wanted to take it easy.  That all went to pot when we met Murdo just before Inversnaid.  He told us that a group of three was well ahead and before I knew it I was saying “no problems JK and I will catch them later”

At Inversnaid we caught up with the fast group of 3.  Sharon, Davie and Russell.  A quick gel and we were off again.  I ran along with Caroline for a bit and then caught up with Sharon and Davie.  Sharon was rocketing along.  I chatted with them for a while before I saw another group just ahead and so I started to try to catch them up.  The path was very icy and a lot of people were falling so you had to be very careful.  Just when I caught up with the two fast guys I slipped and bashed my toe.  The big toe that I had lost the nail from during the WHW race.  Immediately I thought I had done some real damage.  I was nearly in tears as one guy asked if I was okay.  Trying to be macho I nodded and made it look like it happens every day.  I limped on and came back into Beinglas again and straight onto the section to Derrydaroch.  I hate this section.  Most people hate the section before from Inversnaid but from Beinglas to Derrydaroch is just a nightmare.  You feel like it should be easy but being predominately uphill it is very tough. 

I struggled on but I was worried that I made an error.  There was no-one in front of me and no-one behind.  Had everyone stopped at Beinglas and not told me?  By now I thought what the hell.  May as well run all the way even if they have.  Passed Derrydaroch and on my way to Carmyle cottage.  The snow was deeper and the path was icier.  Some bulls decided it was good to stand on the path and wouldn’t move.  I had to weave inbetween them thinking that at any moment one of them would kick out and end my hopes of competing in next years race.  At the underpass I turned back and headed towards Beinglas.  At last I saw some runners and knew I was doing the right thing.  The run back down to Beinglas is really easy and at last I really started to enjoy myself and pick up the pace.  Then I met Caroline going the other way to Derrydarroch.  I have to admit that I thought she might find the run hard but she totally proved me wrong and had a terrific run.  Well done Caroline. 

Slowly we all finished and gathered in the Inverarnan for a pint and tried to warm ourselves up.  Here I managed to catch up with a few people that I didn’t get a chance to talk to during the run.  Thomas and Silke and Ian as well.  All of them looking like they had excellent runs.

Note to John.  The name stickers were a great idea in theory.  The only thing was that everyones stickers fell off apart from mine.  So every time I passed someone they said “Hi Marco, How are you?”   I didn’t know if I knew them or they were just reading my name badge.

Cant wait for the next run.  :-)