The Fling - Part 2

Quick briefing from Murdo and we were off. First stage is up the steps and through a shopping precint, then down onto the WHW. I remember running this stage last yr for first few mile thinking, ffs is this it? what was the fuss about, a few traily bits and random hill, woopdedoo. I was with Soph for first mile or so and really couldn't get into a pace it was too crowded and i thought about shoving a few folk into the water but i resisted. First mile was sloooow (11.08) far too slow .Yeah i know i had 52 more miles to run but hey ho i'm impatient ok? Next few miles it started to even out a bit and i got into my own pace, left Soph behind and did my own wee thing, which basically carried on for duration. I cant remember quite so much road on this section last either and i now laugh at where i got lost (3times!) haha, truly blonde. Passed a wee house for sale with a hammock in garden overlooking a babbling brook, heaven on earth. Living on WHW, perfect. Before i knew it was heading across the hill where i stupidly thought i'd take shortcut last yr and sank into bog, but i went proper way and as i got to top of hill there was the welcome smiley face of Iain (shanksi), gave him hug and ran onto checkpoint, only stopping to flash by bits (my chip, what on earth did you think i meant?)

Checkpoint 1> 1hr56 perfect.

I can now understand and see why everyone told me it was the easy leg, last yr i was insistant that there were *plenty of hills actually!* well, no, not the kind if hills i know these days...

So i took off up towards the forest , i love this part. 5 undultating miles taking you towards conic hill, as yuo come out of the forest you're met with vast openess and cold blasts from the wind that picking up, just ahead of a big gate i spooted a familiar figure, it was Donald, was very surprised to see him, thought he's be waaaay ahead of me, i soon lost him as I stopped to put on my jacket as i only had vest on and was starting to get chilly. and the sky look foreboding. At least in the forest the trees protected us, here we were battling wind and drizzle and foggy patches. Short descent over down towards the bridge and it was time for the proper hard work to begin. Conic hill, how glorious it look as it disapeared into the mist. All the people snaking up it looking like tiny ants on a mission. Up, and up it went. I stopped regularly to take pictures, last time i was up here it was bone brakingly dangerous with layers and layers of ice so it was actually a very pleasant but hard climb. I stopped halfway up to take jacket off as i was sweating buckets lol

I cant remember climbing all this way on traning run, maybe it's because there was so many of us, slippping sliding and laughing our damn heads off that the climb up was forgotten? Up and up it went.. The mist lingered wihch although was beautiful it hampered those stunning view whch literally take your breath away when you first cstch sight of loch lomond.

Before too long it was descent time, give me the climb anyday! It's so damn steep, some people just bound past me, far braver than me and i remember Karen telling me once that someone doing this for first time walked down it and saving his quads for later in race and got cracking time. This was my saving grace as i yelped my way down and before too long i was bouncing down the big steps and galloping towards the tress and again and checkpoint 2> Balmaha.....