This was my second Carnethy 5 race, previous race was under Portobello colours. We arrived in plenty of time as I was kindly allowed to hand out my leaflets about my run at registration.
During registration and preparation at the school, I had to be chasing Greg (son) as he almost did a demolition job of the Run4it stall, Monika laughed and said at least your warming up. We met up with the usual lot from Carnethy, Portobello etc, the usual banter was there as well. We boarded the bus which reminded of some old soviet bus as it made some interesting noises during our short journey.
We got to the start, Greg had the freedom of the bog/field which he loved. I warmed up and we met up with fellow Carnethies, for Monika it was the first time she attended a race where theres so many of us. I introduced her to many fellow members as she and Greg are social members. Then it was the quick team photo before the start.
So the start gun went of, the first climb I thought I take it slightly easy as I knew what will come, maybe I was bit cautious? So Skald law over and done with, great just the little ones before the big one Carnethy itself. After Skald law I began to push it and felt quite comfortable.

Carnethy Race Organiser Olly Stephenson had a problem, nobody could help, so he called in the HB Tea Tent Team (cue signature theme from Saturday night action series of the 1980s).

Not being a Carnethy member, you must forgive me for not beginning "I was born at an early age…. then listing my 3742 favourite hill running routes in chronological order".

Instead, arriving at the scene reminiscent of the Marie Celeste, the Tea Tent was there, in the paddy field below the eponymous hill looking exactly like, well a big tent used for scouts or village fairs. It had weathered the winter well since the previous year's race, and just needed a few Tibetan flags on the guy ropes in funereal black to set the scene and honour those garrotted by said guys in previous years. Amidst the mist rising from the field up popped Andy to check whether we possessed the correct credentials. Reassured by our Trotter patter, he was able to depart happy, presumably to help by banging sticks into the ground or some other such marshallish activity.

Lighting the burners was a thing requiring a safe pair of hands, the sort of hands that would not lacerate small children's legs at a school fair with tandem terror rides. Being Trotters though, the job was given over to Jamie Thin… Ollie not being around!

The only guidance given for the tea tent was to ensure the First Aiders did not scoff all the biscuits. After a tentative foray, they scuttled off with their bandages between their legs… great bit of deterrent although you may need to source some different first aiders next year. (To be fair, they had their revenge, holding a Trotter Damsel hostage later in the day and only after a visit by a delegation of YP, Nixon and Big Dick was the hostage released).

The arrival of the first bus of runners brought our first customers. Despite our best efforts to offload the whole lot of biscuits and tea before the race so we could make best use of VDT* post-race we still had plenty left. Quite a few offered to pay for their tea. Knowing Carnethy was footing the bill we would have none of it! Given our tea making skills I was surprised we did not have to pay them to drink it.

When I did a final run round the course on Tuesday it was still frozen and icy
and it took me nearly two hours to get round. Temperatures warmed up, most of the ice turned to mud but I could still feel underlying frozen ground, especially on the descents, so automatically I took caution. Others did not seem to notice but perhaps they had not been round the course under ice or fallen off bicycles going to work.
Getting past through the trees after the start was as congested as ever. Having a gate at Charlie's loup just meant the congestion at the gate went up onto the path. There was some relief for me being able to pass others till the narrow path higher up. From the top of Scald Law I seem to be passing and repassing others till the ascent of Carnethy where I gained ground and was relieved to pass over-60s rival Martin Hulme.