Luss Highland Games

First time since 2015 when I had a slip on the downhill part of the hill race, damaged my knee ligaments and was out for 6 weeks. The games have changed since then, instead of two hill races they run one combined local and open race. I started with the local 90m handicap, coming 4th out of 4, then the local 200 handicap, 3rd out of 4 for a prize! A couple of hours later the hill race with about 18 starters. A lap of the games field to start, a short run along the road to a path that takes us under the A82, through a few fields where the climbing starts, running in about 11th or 12th place, a few just in front begin to take a slight detour following a track round the ferns, I head straight up the hill through them re-joining the track further up. Round the flag at the top and pick up the track for the first part of the descent, manage to pass a couple of guys on the way down, left the track cutting the corner across some tussocks fairly sure those just behind would follow and lose time. Down through the fields no one in front or behind, along the road and a lap of the track, happy to finish 5th overall and second local, another prize.

Conic Hill Race

Turned our for the Conic Hill Race last week. Local race with a sensible start time, 11:00 am. 5k and with 1000' of ascent a nice wee race, after a short section of forest track into walk mode up the steep steps about a third of the way up then onto the open hill up Conic's lumpy spine. A few false summits and we were at the top. About turn and drop onto the WHW path running back down, leaving the path running straight on just before we were to meet the outward route. We ran down a narrow spur before dropping steeply towards some woods, across a fence onto a narrow path for as short up and down a root covered path to finish just inside 39 mins. Results here, lots of pictures here, and here.