Ben Nevis

Weekend in Glen Nevis campsite with the Ben Race thrown in as a wee bonus. Forecast of 75 mph gales didn't quite come to fruition. Sat started damp with the top of  Melantee well hidden by cloud, by the time I registered the cloud was lifting. Just before 1 o'clock the usual plod round the field behind the pipe band, through kit check and the Race started with the news that half way was perfect and the summit windy with visibility down to 30 metres. Reached the Ben Nevis Inn in an easy 9 mins 15. Steady run up the tourist path, probably too steady arriving at the Red Burn Crossing in 57 mins. Straight up from here, started ok then faded about half way up and lost a few places. Jacket, hat & gloves on in the cold damp wind, felt a bit better and pushed on as the gradient eased, caught a few who had just gone past. Jogged over the jagged rocks to the summit checkpoint in 1 hour 53 and turned for home. Picked off runners in ones and twos down the steep rocky trail before the grassy bank. Only one got past me here, better than usual. Running down the tourist path I stuck to the path rather than any of the possible short cuts and didn't lose any more places. A bit stop start past the walkers going up and down though. Reached the Nevis Inn and onto the road for the last mile, managed to pass another three and keep ahead of those trying to close behind. Finished in 2 hours 53. A runners pictures from the weekend here. Picture set where I can be found gasping for breath here and smiling here. I'm only in the uphill pictures as I didn't run quite fast enough!