The race was won by Stewart Whitlie in 3:34:10. This is the first year the race has been run since 1992.
Ellie and I marshalled on the summit of Ben Ime for just over 3 hours in moderately unpleasant gale force winds and torrential rain. The tent was barely up to the job and was repeatedly flattened as we tried to put the thing up with numb fingers and trying not top let all our stuff get blown away. Definitely a different experience to running in the race.
My first official hill race on the Scottish mainland since Ben Lomond on May 12th.
There was some controversy at the sharp end of the race where leaders Kenny Richmond and Matt Bell both crossed the fence and cut the corner after the gully, rather than returning up the fenceline to the stile. Since they apparently both broke the course record with this shortcut, they were both disqualified. This left Matt Williamson and David Riach battling it out for eventual race winner, and Matt got the better of David on the final descent.
I had been level with Matt and David at the summit of Cort-ma Law, but they both got away from me on the boggy section to Lecket Hill, where there was an unusual diversion to the cairn at the true summit. Angela Mudge also pulled away on this section with John Stevenson chasing.
I was passed by John on the descent to the gully, only to immediately pass him again on the climb back out. I wasn't making any ground on Angela. But come the final run in John passed me strongly again, and I managed to latch on just enough for him to pull me past Angela who set a new women's course record of 53:17.
Complete and utter midge hell in the car park afterwards.
Fairly comfortable running temperature, but rather windy. I think the race was won by Chris Mackay in 14:23, with Robert Russell 2nd and Stephen Wylie 3rd. First lady was Susan Finch in 17:32. I finished 20th in 16:50 and was 4th V40.
Not sure why my heart rate graph was all over the place for the first 6 minutes.
The last of the 4 Polaroid races was won by Chris MacKay in 30:59. First lady was Susan Partridge in 34:38. I finished 30th in 35:33, and was 5th V40.
There's quite a long climb and descent through the park by Loch Lomond in the first half. The second half got hotter and hotter as the clouds melted away, replaced by strong sunshine.
The race was won by Robert Gilroy in 31:01. First lady was Lesley Chisholm in 37:14. I managed another sub-35 minute 10k, finishing in 34:38 for 25th position, and 5th V40. All the gun times seem to about 3 seconds out. My watch time was 34:35.
Deja vu from Clydebank, spending second half of the race running with Scott Kennedy.
The race was won by Ian Holmes in 2:42.
I felt completely awful for most of the race - totally washed out with no energy. Tempted to pack it in on the first climb up Harter Fell, but somehow struggled on and finished in 3:32.
I don't normally get any trouble with my ankles, but in this case I was getting jarring pain on every descent. I was also eating on every climb, including the first one up Harter Fell, but this had little or no effect at boosting energy levels.
Time to skip a few races now, and buy some frozen peas. I don't want to feel that rubbish again at the next one.
And by the way, the Duddon route is nowhere near 20 miles. I've no idea where that figure came from. The actual distance is more like 17 miles.
The race was won by Robert Gilroy in 31:07. First lady was Susan Finch in 36:45. I finally scraped under 35 minutes for a 10k, finishing in 34:54 for 20th position, and 5th V40.
It was pretty rainy and slippery underfoot when we started, but dried up nicely during the race. I started off steadily enough and picked it up after about 2k, then from halfway onwards I tracked Scott Kennedy, hoping he would be running sub 35.
Ian Holmes won his 5th Jura Fell Race overall and 3rd year in a row, finishing in 3:18:31, closely followed by Lloyd Taggart in 3:20:45. Angela Mudge was first woman in 4:07:55. I finished 13th in 3:57:53.
I resisted doing my usual sprint start up the track, inside sitting in behind David Riach and Mike Robinson. I ran with these guys, more or less to the first Pap, or until they took a poor line up a boulder slope. I found the normal route along a terrace to the right up easy grass and heather and caught Adrian Davis at the summit of Beinn a'Chaolais.
After the quick scree descent, Mike and I followed Adrian up Beinn an Oir with Dave Ward in hot pursuit. Dave promptly hurtled past on the grassy descent. Mike went after him, whilst I went through a slight lull on the climb up Beinn Shiantidh.
After blagging a drink of water at the summit of Shiantidh I felt slightly better and enjoyed pottering down the jaggy scree on my own, but aided by a line of walkers to aim for. Once across the broad lochan-filled col, I could track Mike, Dave, Adrian and Adam Ward up Corra Bheinn.
Descending towards Three Arch Bridge I opted for the river crossing, since I could see that I was catching Adam that way. I passed him just before the bridge, and checking my watch was relieved to see I had a full 26 minutes to make the road section to guarantee the sub 4 hours.
There wasn't really much point in rushing the road, with nobody in front to chase, so I plodded along at just over 7 minute miles, trying to avoid onset of cramp, and succeeding but for the final short climb to the finish which sent my right aductor into spasm - exactly the same as at the end of Stuc a'Chroin.
Dreadful run at Goatfell. Easily my worst race since Two Breweries 2006. Legs and body not functioning at all. Gave up racing halfway up the climb and just bumbled along, slipping further and further down the field.
Finished about 5 minutes slower than I'd have expected based on Ben Lomond and Stuc a'Chroin - but I had been feeling completely done-in for the past few days, with a chronic feeling of fatigue and desire to sleep.
Momentarily got into racing on the descent after passing Bella runners Elke and Matt, but once we hit the fast runnable forest section they both tore away from me, showing why they ran such great times at London Marathon.
Felt completely washed out and barely able to keep my eyes open on the ferry back, but at least I hadn't wasted my time with the abandoned Scottish Island Peaks Race
- see Damon's excellent report
