An email in the week from an old friend Dave Walker said he was too injured to run and as plan B, wanted me to join a late formed relay team for the Artemis Great Kindrochit Quadrathalon. This race involves pairs swimming across Loch Tay, running 17 miles over the Ben Lawyer range’s 7 Munros, an 8 mile kayak along and across the loch and then ends with a 34 mile cycle around Loch Tay to finish. Father and daugher Dave and Iona Walker did the swim, kayak and bike with Lottie Cameron and I doing the running leg. Lottie and Iona are school friends and had done a bit of racing though Lottie had only run one hill race before, but both are fit and motivated. The huge event site was the most impressive I have ever seen with two 60m long maquees, hospital tent, shops, hot showers, massage tent, clown and events to keep you busy like archery, double axe throwing, spear throwing, fireworks, bands… and enough food to feed an army, all included in the price.
Friday night saw glorious weather and views of the hills across the loch from the campsite, but Saturday was miserable with cloud above 450m, cool drizzle and rain forecast. The swim was split into a 6am and our 7am start and my team ‘Dragon Fly’ was not the fastest so probably ~120/142 teams were ahead of us. The running leg started at the lochside below Lawyers and once into the cloud on Meall Greigh, saw the inexperienced experience the challenge of racing in the clag. Having had lots of physio recently building up my running again after RR, I went cautiously initially but encouraged and coached Lottie who seemed to cope well, taking direct lines to save time. Certain points saw collections of mistified (sic) teams who needed pointing in the right direction and letting others follow us if they could keep up. Many were clearly not used to the drizzly pea-soup conditions but the route was extremely well marshalled. It is a ridge run with a few sharp ascents and is quite runnable and would make a good hill race route. No-one overtook us, and those who tried were soon ticked-off as we upped the pace as my knee seemed fine and Lottie seemed to be a natural hill runner. A food stop at the dam before the final steep and direct ascent of Meall nan Tarmachan was welcome in the rain and on the top the marshals said we were the 34th team, having left several teams in the mist to go via the longer path route. A soaking but fast descent ticked more teams and on to finish the run leg at Morenish and we were now ~25th. Dave and Iona took the Kayak as Lottie and I took advantage of the free massage, cake and tea. Back at the event site we met them off the kayak saw them onto the bikes before taking advantage or another hour of free massage (thanks Sarah from Sports Angels). Dave and Iona finished a wet ride and we all ran to the finish together letting the girls split the melon with the sword to stop the clock.
Team Dragon Fly won the first relay team in a time of 11hrs 27mins (equating to 21st overall). This is a great event with 5star organisation in a great format if you fancy a quadrathalon. Thanks to the organisers and the many volunteers in support, and my great team mates.
Info at: http://www.artemisgreatkindrochit.com/ and results here
Mark Hartree