Ted Baker - Doughnut Hill Trail Race

 2nd year with the new route, a loop over Doughnut Hill, start and finish the Totem Pole behind Overton House, mostly trails with a wee bit of hill in the middle, just over 1000' of ascent in 4.6 miles, its a virtual handicap race as people start when it suits them and we all finish roughly together, good evening for a run, 6 of us made the start, I finished last by handicap but was the quickest on the night by a few seconds, in second place on the way up to Doughnut Hill managing to get past the runner in front just before dropping onto the hill and managed to stay in front taking the win by 30 seconds about a minute slower than last year. Finished off with a Doughnut and a Tesla Disco!

Hel n Back

Trail race run by Helensburgh Athletic Club, back on the fixture list after the forestry work cleared the path. Always missed this due to the Ben or Merrick, decided to have a go with one other of our club members. 70 odd entered, 60 odd turned up. The route starts/finishes at the new Hermitage Academy, running up the Three lochs Way until it reaches the forest road that leads over to The Red Road, at the Red Road turn left and run up past The Black Third Farm to pick up The Three Lochs way again, this time towards Helensburgh, one more wee climb then a 2 1/2 mile down hill trail to the finish.

Ben Nevis Hill Race

Weekend in Fort William, Glen Nevis campsite, for the Ben race, a damp weekend, luckily the best day was Saturday, dry and sunny in the morning, overcast afternoon, race started at 1pm, fairly humid until we got to windy corner, thankfully a breeze, reached the Red Burn seconds inside 1 hour, straight up from there, into the clouds at about 3000', breezy and wet, getting my gloves and wooly hat on as I cooled down certainly helped, reached the top in about 1 hr 54, good climb, turned for the descent, took it steady I'm not as quick as I used to be on the way down, 2 or 3 local runners went past, they picked good lines so I followed until they disappear into the mist, let another couple past before the Red Burn, easy running by half way lochan then the cramp inducing steps round windy corner to my preferred short cut, very muddy by the time I got there, easier running again down to the Ben Nevis Inn and the last mile or so on the road and a run round the football pitch to finish, 1 second slower than last year. Carried more electrolytes to offset cramp this year didn't help that the small packets were difficult to open probably cost me a couple of minutes but they do work.

The Ben from Glen Nevis

Sgurr a'Mhaim and Stob Bhan from Glen Nevis

Melantee from Glen Nevis

Passing the BN Inn, nearly finished