Corbett bagging around Braemar,Saturday 30 August

Time to re-visit some Corbetts via old and new routes. First up was Sgorr Mor - dunno why this is called 'big peak', when it's the smallest peak around. The southern approach is a pain covered in thick heather, better to come up from the west. Next up is Morven or Morrone - I found an excellent path aiming up from the back of the golf clubhouse, which is much more enjoyable and scenic than the bulldozed track that starts just west of Auchallater. Lastly Creag nan Gabhar - a very pleasant walk east following the burn is left behind to reach the summit of a fairly dull hill, still the views on descent are fine looking over Glen Callater to Carn an Tuirc and Carn an t-Saigairt Mor.

New back-pack, 24 August

Prior to the Ochils 2000 race, I treated myself to a new back-pack. I needed a pack that was light, went round my waste and held fluid which could be accessed on the move with a tube. Run-4-it stocked the new Inov8 Race pro 4 with the H20 bladder. This is just excellent - comfy, didn't move around and could carry up to 2litres. I found carrying 2 litres was a bit uncomfortable, 1.5litres was fine. So on the race, when some guys were stopping at the burns to top up, I could run past and sip on the uphill.

Ochils 2000 race, 23 August

Around 200 runners were booked onto the Ochils 2000 race this year - that's what being a Scottish Championship counter can do to a race that attracted 61 last year. I started off well on the track through the forest, but once on the hill, I just got into a contsant fast jog along the tops. Weather held out well, but I was still grateful for the recci the previous weekend as in the second half of the race places changed more than one due to people taking different routes. I managed to take a good line most of the way and, from Blairdenon Hill to Dumyat, picked my pace up. At the finish my team mate Jon and I had sprint to the line - same time, but Jon just pipped me, so he got the prize for being in the top team ! More info and photos here.

Be the best at ...runningGuardian 23 August

Dunno if you saw this brief article in the Guardian on Saturday. The one part of the article that really caught my eye was the bit about stretching before a run. Basically you don't ! And after an easy run, stretch immediately, but after a long run don't stretch for a few hours.

The last munros are in, 21 August

At last, routes for all of the munros are now up on my website. I was leaving Etive Mor and Etive Beag until last as I was hoping to put in a route description up Curved Ridge. I've not been up it yet, and was hoping to scramble up this year, but it's just not happened. So I can't put the route in. In the meantime if anyone has been up this way and wants their breif description put on the Etive page, then feel free to e-mail me. 'What's next ?', I hear you ask. The existing pages need some more info added (eg ratings and GPX files), then the Corbetts will be gradually added. If there's anything else you think should be there, then let me know.

Lomonds of Fife Hillrace, 17 August

Ok, this isn't my kind of race (1000m over 18km), as after the initial climb and drop, it's a fairly steady trail race. I actually lead for a bit onto the summit of East Lomond, then the elite guys passed me before we entered the forest. It seemed to take quite a while before I was caught by anyone else...then another...then another. Onto West Lomond was fine, but then that fall I had on Snowdon a few weeks ago seems to have affected me and my right side started to stiffen up - it was hard just holding on to the final pull uphill. Manny Gorman caught me just before the ascent, then my team mate Bruce Smith (who is now obviously over his injuries) stormed up the hill past me. The descent is brilliant fun, and the reason you must wear lycra for this race - you just throw yourself of the hill and bum-slide down through the thistles. I ended up 11th, but Carnethy won the team prize (Bruce, myself and Lucy Colqhuoun) and I was 3rd vet.

Ochils 2000 recci, 16 Aug

The Ochils 2000 Scottish Championship race is to take place next week, and a few hillrunners decided to give the entire route a recci today. We were lead by locals Andrea and David who shared insider knowledge with us. Once out of the initial forest, most of the route follows fences and faint paths, with the occasional boggy sections. Weather started a bit dreich, but improved throughout the day. A very runnable, but in some mist, navigation-testing route it was and I'm glad to have been given the chance to give it the once over before racing it. It took us 4:30 to jog over it, so I think 3:30hr to 4hr on race day is possible for me. Details of the race are here .

Caerketton Hillrace 2008, 13 August

This quick steep race is such great fun ! Made really easy for me, since it starts practically from my back garden. A junior event takes place at 7pm and the senior event starts at 7:30. Conditions had improved over the day, but ground underfoot was sodden. I'd been hoping to do the race in under 14mins (last year was 13:36min), but somehow just didn't get into the rhythm. However consolation came in winning first vet40 (since Adam Ward was 3rd), being a member of the winning team (Carnethy - Adam, myself and Ronnie Gallagher) and winning the Bog-and-Burn Vet40 category. So I came home with quite a bit of wine and beer ! Al Anthony won the race in 12:47mins and claimed the overall Bog-and-Burn series. Photos of the Junior and Senior race are here .

Glenshee 9, 10 August

Never been done before, a race was organised to raise funds for the Braemar Mountain Rescue. Over 70 runners turned up for a run over 21miles and 6000ft of ascent, bagging Creag Leacach, Glas Maol, Cairn of Claise, Tolmount, Tom Buidhe, Carn and Tuirc, Carn Aosda, Carn a'Ghreoidh and The Cairnwell. Various route choices were taken at the start, but then on the approach to Creag Leacach, everyone converged on the route described on the Glenshee page.

I managed to do the route in 4hr 12min. However, the winner, Andy Symonds, did it in 3hr 26min ! A few people pulled out and some, like myself, started to suffer a bit from cramp. A very successful and well organised race and to be run again next year. Photos are here and here.

Assynt, Hope and Klibreck, 2 August

4 Munros to try and get nearer finishing the 14th round.

The midges in Inchnadamph were really awful at 7am as I left to run up Conival and Ben More Assynt, but the sun was starting rise over the hill and would hopefully chase them away. Cloud on the summits came and went to allow occasional fantastic views. Took over 30 minutes of my previous pb.

Drove around the north-west to reach the base of Ben Hope, stopping at Cocoa Mountain on the way. Again more midges ! Rain chucked down, but still managed a pb of 1:02 up and down.

And lastly Ben Klibreck. Just walked this one. The 'path' is becoming more obvious to the upper lochan. Lots of tasty blaeberrys to eat on the way. No views as mist was right down.