and the fasties – | ||
Archives for July 2014
Sunday 3-2-1 ride
Arrived at KB for the monthly faster ride. Craig was waiting and leader Robin arrived shortly after, having completed his warm up ride in to town from the new Haynes residence in Drem. And there were 3. A plan was hatched and wheels began turning in the direction of Lasswade, Carrington and Temple. The wheels were rather more moist than the forecast had suggested – both the bbc and the metoffice were sure it would be dry – in fact it was a day of short sharp (cooling) showers. After a brief stop to attend to the needs of the Haynes steed, the best fed member of the group took up rear gunning duties and we headed up into the Moorfoots. After a regroup at the top of the climb there was a long descent to compensate. At this point Robin peeled off to to head back to Haynes towers – needing time to dress for duty and get to the airport to collect the Haynes ladies. And then there were 2. Two somehow became a small peleton as we headed over to Innerleithen with everyone we overtook seeming to tag on behind. The minor road to Peebles on the south side of the Tweed followed and included a stop for homemade flapjack – a good excuse for hiding under a tree whilst a particularly heavy shower passed through (the last remnant of the peleton peeled off at this point as i was too stingy to offer my flapjack to the unknown person who had spent several miles drafting us). At Peebles Craig met up with rest of the family – human and animal (newest addition is very cute and fluffy) – and peeled off for an afternoon of diy. And then there was 1. After an unintended scenic tour of Peebles and surrounds I found my bearings and headed out to the Meldons, Eddleston, Lamancha, Moor road, Penicuik and home. A most jolly ride indeed.
Paul Ritchie
Tranter Round
With rain due to arrive early afternoon, our good weather slot wasn’t long enough for a go at the Ramsay Round, so we (Jasmin, Konrad and me) decided to try the shorter and sweeter Tranter Round instead. Anti-clockwise, as Charlie Ramsay’s ‘proper’ way, saving the biggies to last. A 3.02am start from the Youth Hostel allowed us to turn headtorches off before the top of the first munro, Mullach nan Coirean, and enjoy the gentle pre-dawn light over Stob Ban. Not much wind, not too warm, the Mamores went by smoothly, with ‘sacs dumped for the three there-and-backs. Jasmin and I pushed ahead whilst Konrad took some photos and dropped back. Looking east from Sgurr Eilde Mor, the Loch Trieg hills of the Ramsay looked far far away in the haze. We decided to tackle Stob Ban via the east flank, and crossed the Abhainn Rath at about 9.27am, downstream of a big herd of cattle (which postponed our bottle fill-up). Jasmin powered up the big climb, and I hung on as best I could. The Grey Corries ridge running was exquisite, great rocky terrain, masses of exposure, and big mountain views with the 4000ers looming in the distance. We passed a couple of backpackers, the first folk we’d seen all day. Then some worryingly blood splattered rocks, and a few moment later with a sort of relief, a sheep tootling along with a red woolly backside. The predicted rain started as we scrambled up the airy ridge to Aonach Beag, and by the summit it was waterproofs on and compasses out. Aonach Mor was murky and it took a moment to convince ourselves that the cairn was the true summit. I paid for a lapse in regular eating on the CMD climb, and needed a wee sit down to gobble some nuts. Energy returned surprisingly quickly, and we sped along the arête to the Ben, with no views to distract. It was exciting to reach our final summit, and slightly odd to be suddenly amongst lots of people. We pushed on down the bouldery path then the worn scree-runs of the race line. The walkers didn’t seem to mind us weaving through them on the stone path, and seemed amused when we bum-slid down a muddy gully corner-cut. Tap tap tap of the studs down the final stone steps, over the bridge, and then we were done: 15.43pm. What a great day.
12h41min – just under Mark McDermott’s old record, well under Nicky Spinks’s 15h10min womens’ record, but some way off Stephen Pyke’s 2012 clockwise time of 12h17. It’s a elegant and dramatic route, readily doable in daylight (for the non-early starters). A sub-12 hour time is certainly possible – anyone?
SHR info here
Jon Ascroft
Purse found on Castlelaw
This lunchtime, The President tripped over someone’s purse which had been dropped on the track below Castlelaw. Despite our best efforts at the time we were not able to find its owner Abby McD. Its a very pretty purse and contained quite a lot of pocket money. If you know Abby, then get in touch with Carnethy.
Joel
(Update – the purse has been returned to it’s owner via the power of social media)
Adidas Thunder Run
This is a 24 hour trail race held in Derbyshire, a huge event open to teams and solo runners on a 10k lap course. I was nursing a Glute injury but fortunately some others in my team were also afflicted by illness and niggles and we were there largely as a social meet up anyway with some running thrown in. At first I was very doubtful that I would make my planned 50k contribution but soon discovered that if I ran incredibly slowly my hip stopped hurting – this had the added effect that while trundling around my night time laps and using poles i was repeatedly congratulated by passing runners who thought I was doing it solo.
The whole event is very well organised, with plenty of space for the hundreds of tents, sufficient numbers of portable chemical toilet cubicles (what are they called again?) and some nice wooded areas for the kids to happily go feral after being abandoned by running parents. It was bloody hot, though!
Nicola Dunn
Lochearnhead Games hill race
Sounded fearsome reading a couple of accounts on the web but ultimately quite a tame beast – 2.6 miles, not very high,not so steep and not terribly heathery. Unique in having the turning point signalled to the assembled runners by letting off an orange flare some 400m up a nearby hill. Having entered and resoundingly come last in a couple of the track events I was not very optimistic; but once into the groove of a hill race things went a lot better. A refreshing shower came along at the right moment to cool us off, but annoyingly carried on afterwards, raising the spectre of a repeat of the great car parking quagmire of Kentmere. I have no idea who won and judging by the state of the finish recorder’s paperwork, we may never know the overall results.
Digby
Thursday Hill Reps
Thursday Hill Reps, on a perfect Edinburgh evening. What a bunch of posers!
Wednesday training
With the news that the Royal Edinburgh is now an impassable building site 2 hospitals were deleted from the Hospital run. A quick Blackford Duckpond to The Hermitage and then on to The City Hospital, and a dive to Gillie’s house for a water stop, before heading over the Craiglockharts and back over Blackford. 8 reduced to 7 then 6 as Mary joined the fasties at Firhill, Gina and I slowed in an effort to save the knees for another day before regroupong at KB and heading to Leslie’s for a decent pint or three. Another great Wednesday run with Carnethy! Willie G |
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Fastish run – | ||
In such heat last night, it was hard to run hard, so we just took it a bit easier and went for a plod to the Craiglockarts and then on to the edge of the Pentlands. More trails than hills last night, trying to get some shade as the sun beat down. Over the bypass everyone congratulated me on my route choice through a thick patch of tall gorse….well, I think they were congratulating me, it was hard to tell what was being said as they were also trying to wipe the blood pouring from their eyeballs. Ah, Willie would be proud! Back in along the usual Swanston route to the Hermitage, just as the haar was rolling in from the coast, back over Blackford and then home. Jim Hardie |