The Fling
First let me thank the Team - Al, Sprocket and Tony as without them I would never have crossed the finish line(or the start line!)
Was awake at 2am and could not get back to sleep. After 3 hours sleep, this did not give me a lot of confidence. At 4am when the alarm went off I had 2 poached eggs, some toast and a double espresso and I was feeling more up to the job. Met the team in Milngavie car park. The weather appeared to be holding but the forecast was for rain. At 6am the whistle went and we were off. Within a few mins the rain was pouring down. The team met me at each of the road crossings all the way up to Balmaha. Tony was standing at the top of Conic hill and followed me down into the car park. The steep grassy and worn stones were treacherous with the asic road shoes - next time it's something more grippy. A refill of juice at the carpark and off to Rowardennan. Was starting to get the beginnings of cramp just before Rowardennan and even 'though Chef Sprocket had created some rice dish I only managed a few fork fulls.
Then it was on to Inversnaid. The weather was giving the false impression it might clear up. Cramp really started to take hold of my legs on this section but I still didn't realise that I had not eaten enough. After Sprocket and Al had extricated themselves from the warm hotel tea and scones, I ate a banana and headed off to Inverarnan. After 10 mins I met Tony coming down the path - he had run down from Inverarnan. We managed to get to Inverarnan before Al and Sprocket had driven from Inversnaid - they claim that they drove straight there. Thankfully Tony had spare juice and I headed on to Derrydaroch. This is the halfway point for the full race and where I had to get to in 12 hours (to get into the WHW race). It was now 9 hours 30mins. I was really starting to feel the pinch and was not moving well. The path had been abused by a herd of cattle and was more like a swamp for long sections then the hill over the back of Crianlarich nearly finished me - not so much the up but the down was playing havoc with my cramping legs. Thankfully I met the team again crossing the road and got another banana. After 10mins this appeared to do the trick and I started running again. The finish line at Tyndrum was a welcome sight and I crossed the line in 11 hours 39mins.
Lessons Learnt
- Team photo Start and Finish!
- Change out of wet clothes at the pit stops and get warm kit on
- Eat more a lot more - I have to learn to force down food on at least 3 pit stops.
- Having kit made up in prepacked bags for each stop will save time and patience
- Need a grippier trainer for the wet grassy sections.
- Tony meeting me and running short sections with me was fantastic.
I have a suspected digital extensor tendon sheath inflammation that is painful so will have to be careful this week. I already irritated it further today by running on it.
