Mixing with the Elite

Donald came to pick up at 7.30am as promised, turns out he wasn't running as he'd been ill. Yet here he was taking me up anyway, what a complete gent!

I spent most of journey trying to persuade him to do the Cateran trail race next weekend, he was hesitant to say least

we took scenic route up and got there at 9am, time to pickup number and get pot of tea.There was sea of carnegie vests there with the lovely Fatboy holding court and keeping everyone in check!

Then it was wee walk down to start where Race Director did a roll call. We had Scotlands best there for this wee race with likes of Lucy Colqhoun, Scott Bradley & Richie Cunningham! Someone came up to me and said they'd read my blog and introduced himself, Ian Beattie i did wonder why i knew that name but Phils' just this minute reminded me (he was on phone, he isn't here) that he did the talk on WHW night thingy. *hi Ian* :) What worries me is that real proper athletes are reading my drivel about my mental life haha

Anyway back to race,quick talk from RD, who is lovely btw and off we went along the flat pathway. Oh, this is great, it's flat i said to myself hahaha that didn't last long. About mile in and the hills started, they were ickle ones mostly but i ran walked up most of them, not trying tooo hard, mindful of next week. Only got lost once here i climbed a gate and ended up in a field full of sheep, saw the trail next to fence but it had barbed wire over it and i darent risk climbing it so i kept plodding through the sheep. Eventually got to end of field and climbed another gate and back onto the trail. Time to take bit more care methnks!

therewas some really stunning scenery , so glad i took pics again, life is too short to worry about nt stopping and enjoying that i reckon

I was with 2 other women for a good half of the race, they were mainly in front of me as you can see in pics but sometimes i'd overtake. I was watching for the posts all the time and trying to not make stupid mistakes like i did on WHW first time.There were lots and lots of big styles to climb too, all higher than lil ole me !Saw Donald just before 1st checkpoint and i stopped to chat with him telling him about ending up in field etc but he shouted at me to bloody get running! lol so i did. The relay changeover points were great, loads of folk cheering and clapping, great stuff!

Karen had warned to me *save* something for hill in last 6 miles. I took this as, there is a hill 6 miles from end, then it'll all be downhill towards finish. I should d research now and again huh? Come to think of it, maybe it's best i didnt...

At next changeover point Donald informed me i was 3rd female! wow, i nearly fell over, then he kicked my arse and told me to run! Next time i saw him he said "other girl is only 1.5mins behind you, run!" fuck fuck fuck, this was meant to be recce run lol

Relay runners were running past me up the hills i was walking and they were brilliant, this is a very sociable race with everyne really encouraging you as they pass,makes such a difference.Few of them offered to take pics of me when they noticed i was taking pics al way. 2 carnegie blokes passed me at about mile20 on long long climb and said to me "dont worry, this is last climb"

now if i'd caught them back up i' might well have pushed them down one the bloody steep hills i carried n climbing for next 2miles! I'd have preferred the blunt truth ie - there's more steep climbs, but just keep plodding on cause last mile is downhill... that was the truth! the guy in that pic is wearing a kilt>





passed a runner coming other way and said, when does this stop??? he said, you're nearly there... and he was right, minute later i was on summit and saw this sight ahead. >>>>



So t took off down the hill which looked easy to run but wasn't, lots rocks n bogs but i was bounded down, happy to be on a downhill for first time in errm, whole race! then it was one more big stile and lovely grassy bits to run down for last mile. It was great finish with loads f smiley clappy cheering folk there, fab!

I actually clocked 23.51 miles not 23 but hey ho. I finished in 4hrs 25mins and was third female! oh.my.god.

Soon as finished we headed for BBQ and got lovely big cheeseburger and big glass wine and sat eating sat out in glorious sunshine. Got bit sun burnt too, forgot my 8hr suncream, silly girl.

Started to get shakes about 20mins later and we went inside and got warm. Had chat with the fabulous Scott Bradley and caught up with fatboy too. Before too long it was time for prize giving

nearly fell over when i was greeted with this lolol

RD announced there was raffle and prize was weekend for 2, for 2nights with meals in Hotel. I said oh, i could cancel the room I've got booked for next week if i win that! and I'm pretty lucky with prizes n stuff so i headed off to buy tickets, Donald came up and said get me 2 as weel. I went back with tickets and let Donald pick 2. we joked that he'd win now that I'd just done that.

And guess what? he did! lolol how brilliant? So now he had no excuse to not to Karen's race! it was fate i tell you, and Karma of course. He did a lovely thing by taking me up there and he was rewarded :)

Prize giving commenced , lots of happy smiley faces and lots of prizes! I ended up with cup for being 2nd Vet,how happy am i? my third trophy now, maybe I'll have to clear out my Edinburgh crystal and that cabinet in trophy one Went up to thank Race director for fab race, he said he'd see me at race next weekend. Then we set off home in glorious Sunshine

Brilliant day. just Brilliant, thank Donald it wouldn't have happened had you not been such a gent.

Look at race profile! worrying thing is i'll have to tackle that mountainous climb 50miles into next weeks race. Worried? errm HELL YEAH!