Ben Lomond

First time up the Ben for a couple of years, beautiful day made for a busy hill, parked in the overflow carpark taking the new race route on a track that leaves the back of the car park, slightly longer but avoids the first part of the refurbished path and steps. Out the trees onto the open hillside, good views over Loch Lomond although hazy meant a lack of definition in the surrounding hills. Left the path from the 2nd gate to the plateau, should've gone farther over to pick up the race route trod, line I picked was a bit tussocky. Steady jog up the plateau, walked up the zig zags to the summit ridge and ran along to the top. Short stop at the top for a couple of pictures. On the way down I stayed off the walkers path as much as possible, avoiding the hill walkers and the worst of the rocky steps. 

Arrochar run

The Cobbler and Narnain today, using the argo track to avoid the zig zags, forecast about right, showers gradually easing, first couple of hours it was a shower every 10 or 15 minutes, by the time I finished the sun came out for the drive home. Argo track to start, walked most of the ups, then jogged along to meet the tourist path at the top of the zig zags. Not many out today. Ran up the trail to the back of the Cobbler walked up the steps then jogged and walked to the top. Didn't hang about straight back down to the Bealach and another brisk trudge to the top of Narnain, climbing done for the day, easy run down to the Bealach and past the Narnain Boulders, the Buttermilk Burn frothing away in full spate. Finished down the argo track, a pleasant grassy alternative to the stoney walkers path.

Club 10K

After a couple of postponed races we finally managed another race in this years Club GP, a road 10k. Only 5 of us tonight, Started in second place, dropped to third within the first half mile, stayed there until the end. 30 0r 40 seconds slower than last year, need to try some more regular and faster road runs if I want to improve. Lucky with the rain, stopped just as we started running, staying off until we finished.

 

Beinn Donn, Appin Show Hill Race

Back at the Appin Show, dry on the day but a wet week meant a muddy course. About 18 of us set off from the middle of the show field, started near the back, passed a couple as we started to climb through fields at the bottom of the hill, onto the open hillside a muddy rutted track winds up the hill onto the ridge, leave the track through tussocks for a short steep climb to the flagged turning point. Picked up a bit of pace on the way down, a bit wary of the ruts and holes, managed to catch a couple of other runners on the way back with a face plant between overtakes, thankfully soft mud and no rocks. Finished in about 11th or 12th place about 30 seconds slower than last year, short sharp race, good fun.

Beinn Donn from the Show Field

100th Narnain

Noticed from my run log spreadsheet my next Narnain would be #100, Hadn't had a hill run for a couple of weeks and set off towards the top via Cruach nam Miseag, not many out today, early on a cloudy Sunday, couple of showers on the way up, made good time without any view distractions, brief stop on top for a couple of pictures, wet and windy so didn't stop for long. Easy run back to Bealach a Mhaim and down past the Narnain Boulders, couple of stops to share some route advice then along the argo track back down to Succoth, good to be back out on the hills.