2 Club trail races this week, Tuesday Fairy Glen, Thursday Ben Bowie. Fairy Glen is short, 3 off 1 mile laps, with a short down and up to keep it interesting. 6 of us set off, a couple of us had started earlier. Ran in second place all the way to the finish. Ben Bowie, an out and back from the end of the tarmac up Stoneymollan to Ben Bowies double top, only two of us made the start, same second place again. Slower than last year in both races but an improvement on Ben Bowie.
Back to the original route after some kind lumberjack cleared the trees and remade the path. 6 of us set off, some a bit earlier than others. Tried not to go too hard up the initial climb then pushed on towards the top. Hard work going up through the forest on the remade path and up to the ponds, after that mostly downhill with only the odd short climb. Kept a steady pace on the way back eased back through the woods on the new path and again towards the bottom on the rocky path down Stoney.
6 of us set off on the Ben Bowie Trail Race, just under 6 miles with about 1000' of ascent. Warm evening until the skies opened and a refreshing downpour hit us. Starts on Upper Stonemollan Road at the end of the tarmac undulating up via the Three Lochs Way with a stunning rainbow on show on the short deviation up to Ben Bowies double summit, should have stopped for picture. Undulates down on the way back. Managed to get everyone to stand still just long enough to get a picture in the swarm of flies at the finish.
