Saturday, to kick start the season, the Carnethy 5. Arrived at Beeslack school without any detours. Registered, changed and off we went. The guy who thought up the race and has run them all wearing No 41.
Wet underfoot with blue sky overhead and a cool breeze. At 2 pm 500 runners set off across a boggy bog, the field soon spread out on the 1st climb up Scald Law, around 22 minutes of puff pant wheeze for me to reach this first top, brief respite to re-oxygenate on the run along to South Black Hill then two sharp intakes of breath that make up the Kips. Steady descent and run along to the Howe before the struggle that is the gulley on Carnethy's western side, the slope eases for a jog then one last push to the top. Round the trig point and downhill all the way, through heather, scree and don't forget the bog to finished 307th in 82 minutes. Lots of pictures.
Sunday, the clubs rescheduled Cross Country, 2 laps round Polaroid Industrial Estate, cloudy and wet although similar underfoot to yesterday. Good field of 13 runners and a few helpers made the effort on this cold and sodden morning. Jogged to the start to help get everything moving again. Felt my way round the first lap looking for the best way round the puddles, usually straight through. Our small group of five runners broke up, one away in front, one off the back and we were down to three by the end of the lap.
Lap 2, slower run along the side of the Leven then back to a steady pace after climbing the steps. Round the pond, eased up the short climb closing in on the runner in front, tucked in until we turned down the road towards the finish where a few short bursts of pace took me clear over the last couple of hundred yards, 4th in 36:18.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Luss Horseshoe, Sat 5th
Return to Glen Luss for another medium horseshoe, same 12 miles and 5000' feet of ascent but the reverse from a couple of weeks ago, Beinn Eich, Beinn Lochain, Doune Hill, Sith Mor, Beinn Dubh, Creag an t-Seilich. Start and finish at the bottom of Glen Luss.
Set off just after one and an easy run up the glen before plodding up Beinn Eich from Edentaggart farm, the ground now thawed out so cool toes again. Stopped to put my jacket on towards the top just as the weather closed in and a snowy squall appeared from the North West, luckily only a short burst and it cleared up as I reached the top.
Not stopping in the chill wind I ran over Beinn Lochain keeping to the highest and hopefully driest ground. Slowed going up Doune Hill's steep sides and ran past the trig point down into shelter of the gullies behind. Stopped for a break and to plan the route into Sith Mor.
Picked out a narrow ridge that snakes its way into the glen alongside a small stream, crossed to the North side of the stream to avoid rougher ground then further North to avoid a large flooded area where the stream was joined by a spring bubbling from under a rock. You could see pools of water lying on grassy terraces all the way to the valley floor.
Another pause towards the bottom to pick out a line up the other side, the climb went well avoiding the steepest parts, but not for the first time I found myself pushed off line by the dreaded peat hags probably adding a couple of hundred yards to the climb.
Reached the small cairns in a couple of minutes over three hours, followed the path as it meanders down and round the corries and more peat hags before the short steady climb to Beinn Dubh. Easy run down to the bottom of the glen to finish around 3 hours 45.
Quiet afternoon on the hill, only met two walkers and that was 100 yards from the finish.
Set off just after one and an easy run up the glen before plodding up Beinn Eich from Edentaggart farm, the ground now thawed out so cool toes again. Stopped to put my jacket on towards the top just as the weather closed in and a snowy squall appeared from the North West, luckily only a short burst and it cleared up as I reached the top.
Not stopping in the chill wind I ran over Beinn Lochain keeping to the highest and hopefully driest ground. Slowed going up Doune Hill's steep sides and ran past the trig point down into shelter of the gullies behind. Stopped for a break and to plan the route into Sith Mor.
Picked out a narrow ridge that snakes its way into the glen alongside a small stream, crossed to the North side of the stream to avoid rougher ground then further North to avoid a large flooded area where the stream was joined by a spring bubbling from under a rock. You could see pools of water lying on grassy terraces all the way to the valley floor.
Another pause towards the bottom to pick out a line up the other side, the climb went well avoiding the steepest parts, but not for the first time I found myself pushed off line by the dreaded peat hags probably adding a couple of hundred yards to the climb.
Reached the small cairns in a couple of minutes over three hours, followed the path as it meanders down and round the corries and more peat hags before the short steady climb to Beinn Dubh. Easy run down to the bottom of the glen to finish around 3 hours 45.
Quiet afternoon on the hill, only met two walkers and that was 100 yards from the finish.
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