A nice short race to start the year, Calendar Crags, about 3 miles with 800' of ascent. Big field of about 130, congested start helped to keep the pace sensible up the narrow zig zag path, ran where I could, it is a race after all, towards the top the gradient eases as the ground gets rougher, roots, rocks and mud, so you have to balance pace and effort, 18 minutes to the top, pass the cairn running now along and down the short ridge path into the woods where the path slalom's round the trees for a hundred yards or so before your sent along a short road section, slightly uphill at first then gets steeper downhill for about half a mile before the last half mile or so back on forest trails, finished in 35 and a half mins. Sunday's crag was the Cat Crag Loop with a few extra miles. Starting at Ardgarten I ran three quarters of the way round the CC Loop then continued up to the top of the Rest and Be Thankful on the trails on the South side of Glen Croe.
View from the Cat Crag Loop to Arrochar
Should have brought some money for the Tea Van in the car park at the top of the Rest. Ran back down the old road into the wind past deer, cows and then horses clad in padded jackets.
Looking back up the old road
A loop on the high trail on the north side of Glen Croe to finish, it was tough running past Ardg 400' below before coming back via the lower trail.
Nearly finished! The Brack from the lower trail on the approach to Ardgarten
Finished the 14 miles with 2800' of ascent in just under three hours, got the first couple of hours dry then drenched for the last hour.
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