New race for me and one of the 6 races in this years Scottish Hill Runners Championship. The race is over 11 miles and about 3400' of ascent over and around East & West Lomond (WL twice). Not huge hills, West Lomond is just over 1700' and East just under 1400' with a few miles of undulating terrain in between and as they are surrounded by flat ground attracting a glider trying to catch the updraughts.
Championship status means a large field and usually someone to follow in poor visibility, about 130 entrants but good weather as well, bright, cool, with the sun breaking through at the end.
The race started with a run up towards WL across a couple of fields to reach the hill and a walk to the top, the leaders streaming back down past as you toil. About turn at the top and half way back down hang a right for a descending traverse across streep slopes taking you to the start of an undulating forrest track for 2 or 3 miles.
A narrow path on the right was marked for the next climb, a zig zag path / stream through the forrest, just about runnable for me. No time to stop and look at the sign on the old tower as you get to the top of the steep track onto a twisting wet boggy run up and down (mostly up) through trees popping out on a moor 2/3 of the way to East Lomond.
Unusually for a hill race a water station and then a short descent on forrest road before the Climb up EL. A short steep sheep track gives way to a runnable farm track, a mixture of stones and 2 foot deep bogs to cath the unwary. As you approach EL its back onto narrow steeper hill paths, a few minutes effort and you're on top.
The return route to WL via an old Hill Fort (now a square mound of grass) is clear as you start the descent from EL back to the water station where you leave the safety of the farm track and head over tussock and soaking ground to the Fort followed by a strength sapping climb back up to the track. The track winds its way up towards WL and as usual the last climb is v steep with a hang glider about to take off as I reach the top.
The descent of WL is infamous, a runnable 1/4 mile or so then over a fence to the top of a near vertical green slope. No chance of staying upright so sit and slide down at a fair rate. Luckily no thistles on this "path". Its a few minutes before the slope eases and I can stand and run back through the fields to the finish in just over 2 hours 20 mins.
Jogged the mile or two back to Strathmiglo village hall, changed and the usual Fife post race hospitality. Tea, biscuits etc.
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