This was my first Ultra and I am glad to have completed it. The course is a 33 mile out and back along the Deeside Way (Aberdeen to Banchory). As I exchanged greetings of “Well done” with the runners ahead of me making their way back on the return leg I received a few “Surely too flat for you Carnethy?” All I can say is thank God it was flat or I might not have completed it. As advertised it was ~60% tarmac (not ideal) and unfortunately the nice bits of the trail are past the 10 mile mark out of Aberdeen and hence were missed by my cheering section on their walk. I feel I won the mental battle on this one and never felt that I wouldn’t finish. However, the physical battle of how long it would take to finish was another story. There was one other Carnethy running (David Hanna, 27th, 4:13:57) and a Carnethy by association (Seona Burnett 5:07:16). They were probably both well on their way back to Edinburgh by the time I ambled across the line in 6:56:19. As I said I am glad to have completed it because I know better what I need to do to prepare for the hilly one I am running in July.
Sean Walker