After discussion with my coaching team and sponsors last year, it was decided that the 2015 objective would be the Goatfell record, it being the oldest record in Scottish hill racing.
To prepare, it was decided that I would spend a year away from the gaze of my rivals, and a training camp in the city of Philadelphia (literally, “City of Hills” when translated from Native American) was duly arranged. Training went well, building up to a peak of 10 miles and 3 stair climbs a week, so I arrived on Arran in confident mood.
My 3 Yorkshire chums, who I had challenged to run the race, were in less confident mood, having never been in a hill race before. On Friday, there were dire warnings that it would be too windy to go to the top of Goatfell, and the mist was down to a couple of hundred feet. Miraculously, after an initial intense hail storm, race day was sunny, relatively warm and there was only a gentle breeze. A quick chat with Carnethies Mike Lynch (looking scarily fit) and Neil Burnett, and we were off.
My initial strategy was to shadow Finlay Wild, before accelerating past him on the playing field at the end. This was rapidly adjusted to shadowing Neil, then Mike, before settling on Brian Howie. As always, the race was fun, spiced up by the fact that a fall on the notoriously tricky descent should be avoided at all costs, due to my intake of blood thinners after a recent pulmonary embolism.
Finlay Wild won the race by a large margin, and only missed the record by 30 seconds or so. Mike Lynch and Neil Burnett both got PBs, I think, while I managed to get a PW. My Yorkshire chums all finished and loved it, so I have successfully created 3 new converts, and we will all be back for a fresh attempt on that elusive record next year. Results
Matt Grove