Birnam Classic Hill Race

Big field of about 200 for the 1st of the SHR Championship counters, a short, 4 miles with 1700 feet of ascent. The race was the second of three in the Highland Boundary Race Series over the weekend. Sadly I could only manage this one. The race starts in the centre of Birnam beside the Beatrix Potter Garden.  For the first few hundred yards we ran jostling our way on a narrow road and winding track before the hill slowed us all down. Familiar jog wheeze walk up a steep zig zag path through trees before the slope eased and we had to run again. The top section best described as undulating up took us through a few false summits before cresting the Kings Seat and on to the descent which contoured round under Rohallion Castle. Gained a few places on each of the short steep sections then tried to keep them as the gradient eased. The race finishes with an undulating flat mile where I lost two or three of my hard fought places, managed to keep it going to finish in about 44 minutes. Post race reverie with soup, rolls, tea and biscuits in the Birnam Institute.

Ardgarten Loop

Hopeful looks revealed snowbound Luss peaks so it was back to the Arrochar trails on Sat morning. We decided on the 20 mile Ardgarten Loop, clockwise of course.

A couple of miles on the road to start then forest tracks for the next 5 as the trail winds its way up to the Dukes Pass Trail over to Lochgoil side. We stopped for a couple of minutes to watch a large Stag peering at us from round a corner before it ambled off down into the woods. Kept a steady pace going to the Lochan then ran over the cycle track and down into the forest on Lochgoil side.

Back onto the road for a mile or two from Lochgoilhead before the long climb on forest tracks to the top of the Rest and Be Thankful. The run back to Ardgarten down Gleann Mor has a couple of good ups as well just to keep you working all the way to the end. Finished in a minute under 4 hours, perfect day for running, cool and sunny, only a small shower in the last couple of miles.

Snowy Glen Loin

Snow return kept me off the hills this week, drove up to Arrochar for a 16 mile/3000 FOA run on the forest trails. Left Succouth in driving sleet and joined the track above the car park and ran towards Ardgarten, took the low track which comes out beside the Visitor Centre, ran  up the road for a mile before returning towards Succouth via the higher track. Into the teeth of the wind and a bit unpleasant for a mile or so until the track starts to wind its way up the side of Glen Loin, trees offering respite. As I climb the sleet turns to snow and makes for good running, working hard, 4 inches deep by the top of the Glen. Snow covered rocks make for an easy crossing of the stream and off down the undulating track to Corriegrogan. Back into the wind now, head down and plod it out with my own snowy peak. Meet my first people of the day on the way down the glen, a few groups of walkers. Tired now on the run into the lower glen, the extra work in the snow taking its toll, stop and stretch a couple of times which releases the legs and keeps me running. Jog back into a cold windswept sleety car park in about 3 hours 25. A few blurry snowy pictures here.

A Team Challenge and Bishop Hill

Saturday and the first team race of the Millies Grand Prix, didn't run instead helped and harassed the runners as they worked their way round the 12 miles from Balloch to Cardross and back to the Vale Leisure Centre via the trig point overlooking Bromley Muir, route included 2000' of ascent and three team challenges, a few pictures here. Hopefully the runners had as much fun as we did. At night we all got together again for the clubs AGM and a wee social after. A good day.

Sunday and 2 of us went along to the Bishop Hill race, a short one at 2 1/2 miles with 1000' of ascent, a bit of a lung buster, if you have time to catch your breath you are not trying. Undulating woody start where they send you through a ditch to join a narrow path winding up and around Bishop Hill, mostly runnable only the first and last parts of the climb reduced me to a walk. Fresh breeze when we got above the tree line, several gliders from the local airfield wheeling overhead as we pant and pech uphill.

Gradually force a jog between the two summits at the top then plummet off the edge thankful as gravity takes over, a couple of good grassy descents with a few jumps if you like that sort of thing then the trail levels off for a couple of hundred yards before rejoining the outward path for a couple of minutes of good fast downhill running. A steep descent back into the woods and a sprackle through the ditch to finish in just over 27 minutes.

Soup, rolls n tea in the village hall while you catch your breath. Photos here.