Carnethy Hill Runners stood at the top of the Scottish Hillrunners Championships before this race. This was the last race in the series. With not knowing how the scorings actually worked, I thought I'd better get my ass out there and score some points to help ensure our teams won the championships. Definitely not my type of race - too long at a fast pace for me. Still I was aiming to do the 18 miles and 5,000 feet of ascent (and descent) in under 3:15hr - 3:14:39 it was, so happy with that. More info on the day is here. Some people say this hillrace is a classic - I don't think so !
Time for a new Corbett ! I'd been up Conival and Ben More Assynt 14 times, Breabag, Suilven and Stac Pollaidh more than once, but shockingly never up Quinag. We headed in from the highest point on the road up the east ridge of Spidean Coinich - really easy ! From there on the walk and views reminded me of Beinn Alligin. No difficulties at all, just great views. The walk out has a fine view to Conival, but otherwise a bit of a trudge.
With only a few munros left to do for my 14th round, and most on Skye - time to get out scrambling ! I started out as in the South Cuillin page, did Sgurr nan Eag and Sgurr Dubh Mor in fine conditions. Getting up to Sgurr Alasdair was much easier than I remember. From this summit looking south, dark skies were moving in fast, so reluctantly I headed down the Great Stone Shoot. And just as well, as the rain came in - drizzle at first, then heavy. I can't imagine doing the In-Pinn in wet conditions !
We were staying at Glencoe Campsite , so after the Ben race, I was thinking of what to do locally. I hadn't been up to Sgor na h-Ulaidh from Glencoe for a while, so cycled up the track through Gleann-leac-na-muidhe. On my return I was confronted by someone as I cycled back. The guy had been waiting on me, having watched me through binoculars - how pathetic ! He wanted me to dismount through his "garden" - had I not seen his sign ? He said he "reserved to right" to refuse people entry through his land !
This year, the Ben Nevis hillrace was part of the Buff Skyrunner series, therefore there was serious international competition at today's event. I set off and once past the road, got caught up in the snake of runners going uphill. Gradually, I passed people, but was behind fellow team-mates at the summit and around 5mins slower than last year. I expected to make up more ground on the descent - and did, but still ended up a few minutes down on last year at the finish. An excellent race - entries for next year are not out until January.
Video clip of Adam and myself running uphill at the halfway point and taken by Bob Johnson is here :
