Last run of the year, Ben Bowie, met Lins at the pool and took the easy way up via the Three Lochs Way, quite a few walkers out and a couple of cyclists wary of the ice. Fought the cool breeze on top of Ben Bowie with a wee dram before a relaxed run home as the sun set.
A fine blue sky morning for a run over a couple of Luss hills, ground frozen and snow from a few hundred feet up, snow on the tops from a two to 8 inches with drifts a few feet deep meant I could run most of the way.
Took my time with a few stops to take in the views. Quite a few walkers out today.
Cold wind picked up as I reached the top, on with themal hat, gloves and buff before setting off along the plateau, views soon open up to the Arrochar Alps, the top of Loch Lomond and snowy hills beyond.
Visited both the small cairns then back along the plateau to Beinn Dubhs top, the wind had dropped by now and it was pleasantly warm, followed my footsteps back to the start inside 2 1/2 hours.
Boxing day run over my local hills, made my way through fields to the track up behind Carman Reservoir, up beside the quarry through soggy ground to the trig point, running in constant wind and rain with low clouds, only a few of the islands on Loch Lomond visible.
Followed the 3 Lochs Way towards Helensburgh cutting off for the short climb up Ben Bowie. Even less of a view here.
Took the same route back to the fort on Mount Mallow.
Ran down to the radiomast and home in just over 2 1/2 hours.
Slept in this morning, set off up Loch Lomond side about an hour later than planned not sure where to run, decided to try the Finlas Horseshoe and add in an out and back over Beinn Tharsuin and Choarach, two hills overlooking the Fruin reservoir.
Easy run up the road to the dam and onto the track on the north side of the reservoir, left the track at the far end of the Finlas reservoir and set off up beside a fence to the flat col between Creagan hill and Beinn Ruisg, walkers paths, sheep/deer trods and fence lines to follow from here on. Above the cloud base so not much to see.
Over Ruisg and Creag an Leinibh then the unnamed 693m top that I would return to after the out and back.
Cloud cleared on the way to Beinn Tharsuin confirming my location, not that I was lost. Quick visit to Beinn Choarach's Cairn and Trig before turning back.
Soon back at the 693m top and set off undulating down over Balcnock towards Loch Lomond.
Usually I drop down to the reservoir and down the glen road, decided to stay on the ridge and maybe get some good pictures of the islands on the loch.
Not ideal to run over, lots of gullies, ditches and bogs. Clouds are closing in again so views not great by the time I get there, ran down past the radio mast using the bouldery access track to get back to the road inside 4 hours, good morning out.
Last race in this years club championship, three laps round the park, start and finish up at the castle, round the grassy slopes, over muddy paths and a couple of undulations. Good turn out with 7 of us setting off, started out in third, soon up to second then back to third half way round the second lap, stayed there to the end, finishing outside 37 mins, good fun with enough mud to call it a cross country.
Another Scottish Athletics Virtual Race, options for 3k, 5k or 10k, I stuck with the 3k, same route as my last two attempts, this time I managed to break 13 mins by 1 second, currently sitting 110th place out of 140, and 3 out of 5 in my age category, good fun, next one is an 8k in January.
Easier run this week, a shorter Luss horseshoe, Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill and Coille-Eughain Hill. Set off just after nine as the sun rose at the Balloch end of Loch Lomond. Ground half frozen meant my feet stayed reasonably warm and dry.
The Ben looked good, snow and cloud capped across the loch. A few patches of snow on top of Beinn Dubh, bitter wind with fantastic views to the hills at Arrochar, Crianlarich and beyond.
Second pair of gloves on running along the ridge to Mid Hill gradually thawed out my fingers. Warmed up again as I got out the wind on the descent into the glen. Across and up Coille-Eughain Hill.
Thankfully CE Hill is not so high and more sheltered from the wind, easy run down over the Paps couple of detours, one to go around a new deer fenced area the other to help a sheep stuck in a gate.
Finished in about 3 1/2 hours
