So, the (hastily thrown together) Carnethy Winter Social Ultra Series finished with the Alternative JMW on Saturday! Hurrah!! It really does take a lot of organization putting-on something like this, i.e. basically adding an ultra-distance run among three already-established journey runs. Don’t you dare thank us! Having done a few of them, I can honestly say It was an excellent way to spend some of the winter months, and an excellent way to keep up the miles in some pretty awful, and also fantastic, weather.
So here’s a quick summary of those who completed each of the runs:
Eskapade (24miles)*
Completed on foot: Jeff, Mark, Lee, Alan Hogg, John Ryan, Dave Harrington, Sarah Robertson, Billy & Dorothy, Willie, (and loads others)
Circo (33miles):
Completed on foot: John Busby, Jeremy, Dougie, Alan Hogg and Jim
Cyclists: Keith, Jonathan
Sea To Summit (26miles)**:
Completed on foot: Jeff, John Busby, Mark, Rachel Newstead, Jim
AltJMW (34miles):
Completed on foot: Jeff, Lee , Peter, Nick, Nicola, Jeremy, Jim
Duathletes: Dorothy & Billy, Keith, Mark, Hilary.
Well done to all! Jeff Roberts gets the greatest kudos of all, as he started all of the organized runs, completing three and partially completing one. From rough calculations he covered just under 100miles (97.3) on foot. Nice!! Mark also ran all four in part, completing two. The abysmal conditions on the Sea To Summit run was in complete contrast to the AltJMW, which was like running along the Mediterranean coast, bathed in sunshine throughout. Glorious!
Jeff, Mark, Jeremy, John, Lee, Alan Hogg, Jim, Keith, Dorothy & Billy all get a beer for completing at least 2. Nicola Dunn has made an excellent case for getting a beer too (one completion, another partial, plus an ultramarathon distance of 30miles with the AltJMW). I’ll bring them along to the handicap on Wednesday. And then drink them if you don’t appear. Feel free for anyone else to argue their case!
So, the runs included: beaches, rivers, hills, railway lines, country parks, towers, castles, moors, estates, rubbish tips, harbours, golf courses, tramlines, dams, promenades, links, canals, canal feeders, garden centres, building sites, viaducts, aqueducts, fields (planted and grazing), woodlands, roads, sand dunes, and maybe the odd section of good ol’ generic mud.
Weather included: Rain, snow, sleet, gales, and glorious, glorious sunshine!
Food included: Bacon rolls, egg rolls, sausage rolls, cakes, coffee, naan-pizza, tea, juice, beer, crisps. i.e. nothing healthy.
Expletives included: “What the **** are you doing on this building site? How did you get in?! F*** off!” (Sea to Summit)
I don’t think you’ll find a more varied series. Many thanks to Mark Hartree for pulling most of this together, and forming a nice wee Sea To Summit route, too!
Jim
* Yes, I know that an ultra needs to be more than 26.2 miles. Who asked you, anyway?
**Arguably, nobody completed the Sea To Summit route due to extremely bad weather, but we all finished together and I guess that’s enough. Well, it’s enough for me.