Deil o' the Hielands Footrace
9th August 2003
Hilary Spenceley
After my interesting Speyside way race in
April, ( having a stormer, then decided to do a few extra miles
!) Andy suggested I have
a bash at this new race, covering the second part of the west
Highland Way from Tyndrum to Fort William. Seemed a good idea
at the time. I'd really enjoyed the WHW race in 1989 ( gulp- how
time flies) but certainly couldn't put in that sport of training
in the next few months, so 43 miles seemed a manageable distance.
Problem was I then filed the idea away , continued on my 20 miles
a week… ish, and suddenly woke up a couple of days beforehand
thinking "Cripes...it's this weekend...better have an extra
sandwich for lunch" and some puddings.)
We drove up to Tyndrum on the
Friday night - to discover the campsite was shut. However some bollard
shifting and scrambling down the
river bank for water was all that was required to salvage the situation-
if only the midges and humidity had been so easy! The forecast was
for a scorcher. Rudely awakened by the alarm at 4.45am, in a lochan
of sweat, I donned full body armour, charged off to the car and
drove to the Green Welly shop to register. Anyone who's seen me
before the statutory two pints of tea in a morning will appreciate
that I growled my way through registration, snatched a bunch of
bananas (nothing to do with reaching for neanderthal roots- Fyffes
were sponsoring), grunted at Murdo and Jo- his Auld Nick get-up
barely prompting a twitch of the lips, and sleep- drove back to
the tent which with stove at full blast, and damp midge coils trying
hard was like a sauna.
My mood lifted swiftly after the 6 am start-
luckily nobody seemed greatly in the mood for conversation, and
I began to take in the
splendid scenery. My footprint series map was my handrail for the
day. Used only once (for 22hours 12 minutes) and subsequently requiring
much taping together, the legends, myths and landmarks highlighted
in the margins had kept me alert 14 years ago, and continued to
spark interest. Today though, the scenery and wildlife dominated
my thoughts. First came a hieland coo 20 yards a way from the path
licking its calf with rasping tongue. Soon after a horse stood proudly
across my way. A big horse. Was it riled by the fast men who'd passed
through shortly before? "Hello Neddy", however, seemed
to be the right greeting. It snorted and moved aside.
I was passed in the muddy steep
descent under the railway by Ben Odhar but I went by again as the
incline rose. The Harry Potter
fans were not yet out near the viaduct at Auch, and the mist lifting
off Ben Dothaidh and Ben Dorain was in all senses uplifting. It
doesn't get any better than this! At Bridge of Orchy Andy seemed
surprised by my fig roll craving after 1 hour's running, but was
subsequently well prepared for odd requests - and at least a pint
of water every time I saw him. The wildlife proper started now.
The air was thick with midges climbing onto Mam Carraigh. I stormed
passed amazed and sensible competitors walking up the hill but if
you think I was stopping in that cloud/crowd you'd better think
again. On top the splendour of Rannoch Moor was laid out before
me. Sparkling lochans, wispy clouds s floating off the Black Mount.
The place has fascinated me since childhood reading, and looked
very different from the last time I crossed it in torrential rain,
welcomed by Bill Gauld at Ba Bridge with a golf umbrella!
Smothered in midge repellent at Victoria
Bridge I continued past the forestry, feeling it was too fast
but otherwise in danger of
asphyxiation by solid midges. By Ba Bridge the hard baked earth
was taking its toll and "Change my socks, vaseline my feet" was
the refrain going though my head till Blackrock cottage. Cheered
on by the lads fae Fife who told me my well trained spouse had the
rice pudding waiting, I shovelled it in, did the necessary foot
soothing, which lasted me to Fort William, took instruction to run
straight through Kingshouse, and headed off. Watch the road I warned
a fellow competitor who was enquiring about the next bit of the
road, then dashed across as he observed the Tufty Club code.
A welcome cheer from Jo and Joanne saw me
through Kingshouse, then on up an unremembered climb to Altnafeadh.
The Buchaille baked through
the shimmering heat haze, looking very different from my last Munro
of 5 years ago. I subsequently discovered a colleague was on it
as I passed! At Altnafeadh, Joanne told me I was leading the ladies
race and there was a fair gap- a long way to go now I said, as the
first indication of cramp began. Crisps please at Kinlochleven I
told Andy as he threw a mug of water over me. It must have been
about 26° C. Made no impression on the runner I saw ahead, and
lost a couple of places pussyfooting down to Kinlochleven. Swithered
what to do when I found a Highland Council diversion sign " Construction
site" but decided to keep going & didn't find it. Something
clearly happens to my common sense at around this distance ( similar
to my Speyside diversion). For some reason I ignored the tiny fingerpost
opting instead for the " Best campsite ON the West Highland
Way" one & found myself in the smelter carpark where disembarking
minibus passengers hadn't seen any other runners. U-turn to find
two confused runners wondering where to go & unimpressed by
my suggestion that they do the extra lap in return for my directions!
Andy went wild as I tried to explain
all this at the checkpoint - "where've
you been? - you've lost a lot, have some food, forget that now " and
I found myself running out along the road having clean forgotten
about the salt I'd needed and the arnica I'd planned to start popping.
Consulting the map I realised it was further than I'd remembered
to the next meeting opportunity. The melted biscuits in my bumbag
would have to keep me going. The path up was better than I remembered
and I was on the Military Road in no time.. but it seemed to go
on, and on, and next time round please can there be more streams!
The walkers were out in force and it was good to get encouragement.
Just as I was convinced I'd missed Lundavra I came across the carpark.
You're going well, folks said. "I feel crap" said I..
(and how!), as someone passed me going strongly. The lack of training
and the heat were really taking their toll. I didn't know the rest
of the route. When I ran the WHW "in the old days" race
they took us down the road from Lundavra. The novelty was pleasantly
surprising- the softest going all day on a carpet of pine needles,
shaded by the trees with a lovely foray into a clearing with a hillock
and great views. But if Fort William is at sea level why were we
climbing?
By this time I was popping opal fruits every
minute( yes I know they have some new fangled name but someone
has to keep these traditions
alive!). Andy met me on the hard track through the forest & ran
with me for a bit but I was frantic about pacing accusations and
packed him off. Passed Laurie Anderson from Fife which seemed cruel,
but he almost overtook me again when I followed the WHW instead
of descending the main track( the perils of skipping the pre-race
briefing in favour of another pint of tea).
The finish was a welcome sight and I doubt if I could have gone
another 20 steps. Couldn't walk for 2 days afterwards and lay under
the riverbank in Glencoe for shade the next day when Andy climbed
Bidean. I assumed the nausea which lasted a few days was heatstroke
related, but when Andy too had a dicey stomach we wondered if it
was the Tyndrum river water we'd been drinking all day. My immediate
reaction was never again- certainly in that heat and without training,
but 2 weeks on the memory of the pain has faded, so you never know!
Many thanks - once again - to
Andy who did a wonderful support job, and to the organisers - Gary
Milne,
family
and friends who put in
huge effort. Support the race in force next year, and take the midge
cream & sunscreen!
Hilary
1st Nigel Holl u/a 6.30.49
1st SV (7th o/all) Murdo McEwan Carnethy 7.05.00
1st V( 8th o/all) Eryk Grant 7.24.50
1st F(11th o/all) Hilary Spenceley Carnethy 8.00.50
2nd F (15th o/all) Louise Provan Fife 8.20.16
46 starters, 44 finishers
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