Cateran UltraMarathon - Part2

4.30am alarm is no biggie for me, i get up at that time everyday during week, early race starts are great,that's my normal running time :)

Thing is, i was still drunk when i woke up, i have no recollection of getting dressed before heading to breakfast :-o Remember eating it though, and was reminded for first hour of race too , lol so not used to eating that much that early. Wasn't sick, was just *reminded* of it occasionally.
Anyway, Breakfast eaten and timid mouse Soph arrived all perky, we went back to room to get drop bags n stuff and for final usual rituals.

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before we knew it we were being herded out door and to the start. eeeep!

Karen gave wee speech and booof, we were off.

Everyone charged off but i stayed fairly nr back as all i could think of was the 23miler last week, and i couldnt remember any downhills from Blairgowrie onwards. Not even at first mile and we come across a deer fence and sign pointing runners through gate, so me and about 5 others went that way after hesitating, cause EVERYONE in front went the other way. George shouted from the back to head that way so we knew we were right at least. Clearly they should all be disqualified, our way was longer for sure, we went all way round field before heading back towards other runners! At this point i had 2 guys in front of me, one who took off and 2 girls with me. And whoever was behind with George and Keith so i was nearly at back of field.

After couple miles i lost the girls and was on my own til first checkpointt, i was actually fairly worried by now, had i gone off too slow? Would i ever catch up? Did the race last week tire me More than i thought? Panic city.

Great to get to checkpoint to see Karen & Jane :) They assured me people weren't tooo far in front and that everyone had gone off too quickly. Phew! I said my farewells to them and headed off happy. By mile 7 i was now hitting hills and could see folk snaked up them, first person i caught was Karin McK quick hello and we admired the stunning scenery and this house then headed off again.

Saw someone ahead on fluorescent yellow and i knew it was Lesley so i kept her in my sights and caught her at mile 8, overtaking her half mile later. I also overtook Sarah here but didn't know her at time, but i do now lol

Few more miles in and few more hills and more snakey folk! oooh, it's Soph this time, could tell cause she was dressed for Antarctic as per usual, caught her at mile 12ish i think and she shouted at me to go girl! Phil was just ahead of her and i took a bit of sprint and ran up to whack his arse but he caught my hand just in time and hugged me. Ran on ahead and just around the corner was 2nd checkpoint. Gave a big wooop to them and they all started cheering :) Quickly ate a muller rice, swapped my lucozade bottles and water and was ust about to go when Soph came in, she needed a spoon and luckily i had a spare :) Gave her that and took off, wasn't to see her again til end.

I was on my own for i think whole section til next checkpoint, and coming through sleepy little village of Aylth i was convniced i was lost til was lovely pink arrows which could only have been painted by Karen, didn't see a soul in entire village and ran into lovely little Field for next checkpoint where they were all leisurely enjoying the sun, i wooped once more and got another cheer ;) Off through the forest with instructions to keep water to my left, even though i questioned myself after seeing no signs and the path taking several other ways i stuck to water on left principle.

Caught up with an old blokey and asked him if i was on right route. "it depends where you're going lassie, are you going to the end?" He said. "well yes, i am" i said, quite surprised he knew, this random old man with stick. He said, "well i don't want to send you wrong way, my laddie runs you know, i don't though" and with that he started running! lol wtf? I ran after him and he said, "here we are, we're nearly at end" I said "errm, no, the end is at Glenshee" his face was a picture, it looked like this :-O lol. Anyway, by then we were at end forest he tried to send me to the right, but once again i saw karens arrows and knew it was to left. I also saw Karin McK's support crew and they also pointed me in right direction. So off i took up the hill.

Wasn't too long before i was catching folk again. I adored the foresty section with the eyes, and the spiders web, and the big scary bears! Loved it, couldve stayed there all day.

As i came out of there i saw another sign from Karen Really made me LOL.

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Then as i left there we were treated to *2miles downhill from here!" sign! There was a girl reading it as i came out of forest and asked me how far i had to go. I said, oh i think about 25miles or so. She went :-o and asked where I'd came from, then how far i was doing altogether, another :-o heehee, it's funny seeing the expressions on folks faces when they look at you as if you are potty.

The 2 miles downhill to Blairgowrie were painful, my knees and ankles were hurting on the tarmac and i was glad to see finish. Luckily a lovely Marshall stopped all the (non traffic) and i got across road safely and into checkpoint 4 where RD from last week was manning it. He told me i looked far too fresh for running 33 miles :) Donald & Elaine were there too, great to see smiley support enroute, i love it. Quick changeover there and off i went, kinda dreading the next 23miles, regardless of how fresh i might have felt or looked!

I got onto the trail then started to remember last weeks race, i got halfway up one hill and was looking in my bag for something, when i put it back on i realised I'd lost camera! Saw it halfway down bloody hill and had to run back for it, i decided to put it into backpack as i knew I'd taken lots of pics week before so no need for more on this half. As i ran/walked the hills i started to realise it wasn't as hard as i remembered! I was careful not to get lost in Field of sheep this time and started bouncing along really enjoying myself again, why on earth was i dreading it? This was flipping great.

I also had it in my mind that Gav would be at next checkpoint and i knew I'd get big hugs. In fact it was double bubble with Jane as well as Gav and i did my usual *wooop!* coming into checkpoint and got lots cheers and claps, and massive lift of feet twirl around like rag doll hug from Gav :) my foot had been hurting for last couple miles, dunno if it was a knock or the downhill but i got some drugs at that checkpoint and took off again.
<<<<< href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z7t_T-tsmH4/S_L834tTuYI/AAAAAAAAAt0/WDpiKk2WIpI/s1600/cat+2.jpg">o convinced myself the climb was amile longer than i remembered so when i got to top quicker than anticipated i nearly peed myself with glee :)omg omg i was delirious. I bounded down the hill like a loony, bouncing and laughing and had huge smile on face, as i neared the last wee gate and saw hotel i gave out a big WOOOP and ran down and into Karen's arms

11hrs 9mins and 37 secs. 5th Lady. 1st FV GET.IN.