Trossachs Night Trail Race

First race of this years series, Aberfoyle, cold and raining as I arrived to register, a quick change in the car park then back into the registration hall in the Forth Inn for a heat.

The rain had stopped when we emerged for the start and 170 plus runners set off along a roller coaster of trails, forest roads and muddy single track. The route undulates up for about 3 1/2 miles from the village round the David Marshall Lodge, along behind the golf course then drops down and across the golf course, hole #7, onto a track beside the 11th finishing with a short section of single track and forest road, good fun.

Tinto Hill; Race

Late morning drive down the motorway turning off at Abingdon for Tinto, new set up this year, park and register at Damn Delicious beforw a short warm up across a couple of fields to the usual start.

Slightly smaller field this year, about 200 set off, a bit muddy on the lower slopes.

A minute or two slower than my best time to the top running all the way, turn and pick up pace, each mile faster.

Finished inside 50 mins and back to DD for some hot soup.

Beinn Dubh

Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill and back this morning, another early start, head torch required for the first 20 minutes or so.

Steady plod up avoiding the boggiest bits, sealskin socks helping. Surrounding tops with a light dusting of snow, bigger hills, Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps with their heads in the clouds.

Ground starting to freeze on top of Beinn Dubh made for easier running on the out and back ridge to Mid Hill.

Clouds starting to clear on the way back to Beinn Dubh, snowy Arrochar tops start to appear.

Slippy run back down into the glen finishing inside 2 1/2 hours.

The Cobbler and Narnain

Early start just after 7 am, another runner past me in the half light with his head torch on, it wasn't that dark! Ran up the two sets of zig zags past the Narnain Boulders to the Cobblers back stairs, managed to run up them with only a couple of rest stops, onto the short plateau section running easier then a last jog walk to the middle top. Didn't hang about, cold cold wind, dropped down for a bit of shelter, jacket, hat and gloves on, quick photo.

Soon feeling more comfortable. Down the stairs and across to Narnain, run up with another few rest stops, through the boulder field on to the top, although higher, stopped for a few pics as it isn't as windy here.

Back down to Bealach a Mhaim running down the path beside the Buttermilk Burn to the zig zags.

Warming up now, hat and gloves off, finishing in just over 3 hours.

Roon the Vale

PWWHSM, a mostly off road run round the Vale, taking in Pappert Well, Whinny Hill and Stoneymollan. Tried to take it easy at the start as my legs always suffer on this run. A mile of road to start then up and round the Whinny Hill trails crossing a couple of fields and the Golf Course to pick up a trail into the back of the Haldane, another mile or two of road up past the Hospice behind Balloch Park onto the Whinny Hill trail, coming back down through Balloch Park and another mile or so of tarmac onto the Stoneymollan to finish inside 3 1/2 hours.

 View up Loch Lomond from Whinny Hill

 The Ben and the Loch from Stoneymollan

Carman Reservoir over Dumbarton Castle from the Fort

10 mile handicap

Clubs 10 mile road race, run as a handicap, 1st time I have run it since 2014, was looking for 80 minutes, route is just over 10 miles, pace on my app gave me 8:01/mile and finished in just over 81 minutes, so not too far away.

Eich Doune Mid

Luss horseshoe, parked at the top of the Glen, slowish run up Eich and over Beinn Lochain onto Dounes double top. Good run into Sith Mor, found a new quad bike track up the first part of Mid Hill, made for an easier start. On top visited the two wee cairns before turning back down Mid Hill to finish in about 3 1/2 hours.

Beinn Ime and Narnain

Started off clockwise round the Glen Loin loop, left the trail at the disappearing stream for a trudge towards Lag Uaine. Climbed up the back of Ime beside the Gnarly ridge, up to the minor top and on to the summit. Tried and failed to shelter from the wind and set off for the Bealach before the short climb to Narnain. Another short break to take in the stunning views, left the top through the Spearhead and the interesting descent to finish in about 4 1/2 hours in Succoth.

Beinn Dubh

Easy run this weekend, an out and back to Mid Hill over Beinn Dubh, about two hours. A few walkers out. Quiet on the out and back from Beinn Dubhs summit cairn.

Ben Nevis Hill Race

Back at the Ben for 15th race in 16 years, great weather, maybe a bit warm. Usual weekend in Glen Nevis, registration, 2nd breakfast then back for the race.

Reasonable pace to the end of the road, kept it going up the tourist path, gaining a few places on the first Melantee short cut. Windy corner usual stress as the gradient increases, good drink from a pleasantly cool Red Burn, up the screes ok at first then a bit of cramp cut the pace, struggled to get back running as the gradient eases, time to take in the views, hand in my number to the summit marshals and down we go, took it steady as it was very busy with walkers, found some good lines going down the screes to the Red Burn crossing kept me ahead of a couple of keen runners behind. Down the rough trod from the high to the low path round Melantee, ignored the short cuts and picked up a few places.

Road slower than the way out running round the track to finish just over three hours.

Ben Lomond

A run up the wee Ben before next weeks Big Ben. Another run where the rain stopped within the first few minutes. Went up the tourist path, busy with walkers despite the poor forecast. Took it at an easy pace so that I could run all the way and take in the views. Too warm and stopped after 5 minutes to take my jacket off once the rain stopped. Onto the plateau, wind getting stronger, jacket back on at the base of the climb up to the summit ridge. Stopped at the trig point long enough to put my gloves on, went down via the Ptarmigan ridge.

Peace and quiet here, except for the wind, more exposed than the tourist route, only a few walkers coming up. Finished in about 2 1/2 hours and stood in the waves for a few minutes to cool off.

5 Mile Handicap

Next race in the club GP, 6 of us set off, slowest first, steady run but eased off slightly in the 4th mile and lost about 30 seconds, good run.

The Cobbler and Ben Narnain

Longer run before the Ben race in a couple of weeks, earliesh start up the zig zags and past the Narnain Boulders to Bealach a Mhaim, ran up the back stairs to the Cobbler, stopped a couple of times to catch my breath. Reached a murky summit, the Needle appearing through the mist. Didn't hang about, back down the stairs to the Bealach. Bags of boulders have been dropped up Ime's muddy path in preparation for more path construction.

Steady progress up Narnains newly constructed blocky path using the same approach as the Cobbler, jog and rest and jog, reached the summit cloud swirling around giving brief glimpses of the surrounding tops.

Stopped for a couple of pictures then off through the spearhead and the twisty rocky descent back to Succouth in just over 3 hours.

Ted Baker Pappert Well

Good night for the next race in the club GP Series, just over 5 miles with nearly 900' of ascent and descent. Quite muddy on the hill section, good turn out with 9 running in handicap format, times from 40+ to 60+ minutes.

Beinn Donn

A day out at the Appin show, muddy underfoot but plenty to see and do, tractors, a variety of old combustion engines with examples of belt driven washing machines, steam and paraffin engines, lots of animal stock showing, lamas, cart horses, highland cattle, sheep, with dogs and shearing, hens, a dog show, 4 classes and champions, flowers, crafts, home backing, home brew. On the racing front pig races, ferret races and a hill race, almost 3 miles with almost 1000' of ascent, a beer tent too. A good day out.