Up North

Training has been going well over the last few months. I've been out and about getting some great millage completed in some amazing places. Easter weekend I decided to take a trip up to Scotland again and run for a couple of days along the West Highland Way.

So the plan was to start in Drymen, run the Way to Tyndrum, kip overnight at By the Way hostel and reverse the run the following day. So... that's what I did. Day one was great running, weather was cold yet dry and conditions underfoot were great. Hardly a soul about. Conic Hill is/was having major work completed on it, there is now a new path up and down both sides, so no more sliding down the wet grass :( The volunteer conservationists as well has a bunch of other folks were there working hard to get the Hill safe and repaired as they were running out of time. What a great job these people have done. An enormous task. 



















New path on Conic Hill, all very runnable now

Views from Conic hill









These girls were stuck in the sheep creep. I didn't save them as obviously they wanted to kill me






Loch Lomond











So 41 ish miles later I arrived at By the Way hostel. Kirsty (the owner) is also a runner and we'd arranged to have a few miles the following day along the Way together. She has a race this weekend so didn't want to do too much. So I arrived looking bedraggled, injured after a fall, just missed out on a fractured cheek bone and jaw. She mopped my brown and looked after me so so well. Thank you for being an amazing host Kirsty. So I had a dorm to myself... whoop :) I ate loads, read trail running mags and fell asleep. I woke several times in the night, not least because of sore shoulder and face, more because there was a plate of chocolate that Kirsty had left in the kitchen for hostel guests to help themselves, ahem.. I'm not responsible for eating all of the Easter egg, sure I contributed to most of it's disappearance though. 
Help yourself jelly beans... ahem!
My room 
My Gear for 2 days and the clothes on my back.



Day two, amazing, I ran stronger... what the hell is that all about.I should have been tired and heavy after a night of chocolate pinching, yet, those sugars gave me a spring in my step. Kirsty's company helpfully distracted me for an hour too so that by the time we waved goodbye I was nicely warmed up and settled into my groove.



Not as warm on day two however again a great day of trail running. Three hours before the end and I flagged, reduced to a plod and walking the smallest of ascents. I didn't beat myself up about that though, I'd had a great couple of days of it. 

Those familiar with the WHW will recognise cow poo corner




Comments

  1. Very excited to see what you can do in the Fling! Course record is up for smashing. I'll be out on the day...screaming like a crazy woman.
    Debs x
    Ps: Kirsty is a gem :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Debs, it's a beautiful course, you're lucky to live in a wonderful part of country. It'll be great to see you around on the day. Happy days :)

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