The weather on Sunday morning didn’t look too good at first, but by the start the rain had gone and it was getting warm and a bit humid.
I kept a stead pace up till Derry Lodge, where the going was starting to get a bit harder.
The crossing of the Luibeg Burn after a night of rain was a bit tricky but refreshing.
The route from here to the ascent to Pools of Dee was the usual mental and physical challenge of intense concentration and varying pace and running style.
I managed to find a bad route through the boulder fields at the summit – there are only bad, very bad and horrendous. The trick is to go high and to the right.
The sun came out after I’d reached the top and it was getting quite warm. I took extra care to avoid the tree roots on the descent (hundreds of the little blighters), but probably lost a bit of time. I felt strong until the final road stretch where I was starting to flag, but still managed to pass a couple of runners. A look at my watch told me if I increased my rate of shuffle I could break 5:30, which I did .
I was 11 minutes faster than last year, so reasonably happy. I didn’t fall over this year, but there were a few “nearlies”
There was a bit of a stiff headwind in parts and some rain, with lots of puddles and mud on the route, but all in all conditions were quite good.
Other Carnethies were:- David Hanna, Euan Mackinnon, Gio Macdonald and Krysia Smyth.
This is the best I could manage for a team photo.
Results here: http://www.deesiderunners.com/?p=2757
Sam Hesling won in 3:15.18
Technical details. I ran in Asics Gel Foundation II trainers. I’ve found trail shoes uncomfortable on the sharp stones and road section. I’ve also had fell shoes literally torn from my feet. I just wore vest and shorts. A lot were overdressed and suffered in the heat. For water I carried a home -made scoop from a water bottle and I filled a small bottle at the Lairig Ghru burn to see me through the oppressive heat of Rothiemurcus Forest. I carried two Bounty Bars and a Mars bar, which remained uneaten.
Brian Howie