A couple of bowls of porridge, a quick kit check and it’s time to go. We arrived in the car park about 5.20am and already it’s quite busy. I sort out what I’ll be wearing, my Inversnaid drop bag and pack some goodies for the first stage. I don’t feel the need to warm up as I don’t plan to run fast enough to need one.
We’re given a quick briefing then it’s into the underpass for the start. Sub 10 hr runners and relay teams are asked to go to the front, so I hang about near the back. Infact in John Kynaston’s video I can be seen as one of the last up the steps.
Start – Drymen
Within about 5 minutes of starting the rain comes on, but once you’re soaked through you can’t get much wetter and if you’re running it’s not a problem to stay warm. I tried to really concentrate going through the park as the next time I do it will be at 1am, but there should be plenty of people to follow.
I’d no idea how to pace myself and found myself passing quite a few people which made me think that maybe I was going too quickly, so I settled down behind 2 guys that looked like they might know what they’re doing (one of them had a WHW buff on) and comfortably followed along behind them.
The descent at Arlehaven was exceptionally muddy in the rain but I didn’t see anyone go down, although I came close in my road shoes a couple of times. I had a quick stop at the Belltree Inn to change into my waterproof jacket then it’s a surprising distance along the road where I’m glad I’m wearing cushioned road shoes.
Drymen - Rowardennan
On reaching Drymen I’d already decided that I would change into my trail shoes and put on knee supports for the stretch over Conic Hill (or Chronic Hill as my wife appropriately mis-pronounced it). I also hoped to be at Drymen in around 2 hours, but was there in 1hr 45mins, so thought I was maybe going a bit too fast.
I plodded on through Garadhban Forest and for the 1st time that day found myself all on my own. After about 17 miles a girl passed me at great speed and looked incredibly fresh, which left me somewhat disheartened but after another couple of miles much to my relief, it dawned on me that she would have been a member of one of the relay teams.
The climb over “Chronic” Hill wasn’t too bad and given the weather there was a surprising number of people at the top giving support. The descent on the other hand was not terribly pleasant, steep, slippy and into a strong headwind, thankfully it’s not too long.
I arrived into Balmaha car park (3hrs 1min) looking lost, there were a lot of support teams and I couldn’t see mine, then when I found Fi and took a sandwich I’d no idea where the route went after that until I glimpsed a runner disappearing round a corner in the distance. I didn’t stop but shouted to Fi that my legs were on the verge of cramping so I would like a packet of crisps, to take on salt, at Sallochy.
The stretch between Balmaha and Sallochy was my worst of the day my legs my quads and hips were on fire after the Conic descent and I’m passed by a lot of runners who I just can’t keep up with so I slowed down to try and recover as there’s still a long way to go. I end up running with a guy (sorry don’t know his name) whose done a few ultras so I picked his brains to get some tips. On arriving at Sallochy I met the support team and the only thing they didn’t have ready – yep, the crisps. As I’d started to recover now I didn’t stop, shouting that I’d see them at Rowardennan.
On arriving at Rowardennan (4hr 26mins) Fi met me and ran with me to the car so I don’t get lost. As it was about half way I stopped here for a leisurely 10 minutes to eat and drink plenty.
Rowardennan – Bein Glas
On leaving Rowardennan I’m not sure where I’m going and there’s no-one to follow so I run for about half an hour not sure if I was going the right way, or wasting a lot of energy on the wrong path. Eventually I saw the chap I’d been running with before Rowardennan which confirmed I was on the right road.
Having never been on the Loch Lomondside path I’d no idea what to expect, but no-one seemed to like it on any of the race reports I’d read. I have to admit I didn’t mind it, it was difficult to get a rhythm but the walking at the rockier bits allowed my legs to rest. Inversnaid seemed to take an age to arrive and when it did (5hr 55mins) the heavens opened. I stopped for a couple of minutes and forced more food down which had kindly been brought over by members of the mountain rescue team.
I pushed on along the lochside still enjoying it and passed a few more runners here. I had told my support team that I should not need meet at Bein Glas farm but if I did I would call them, as I was feeling pretty good I pushed on through the checkpoint aiming for Derrydarroch Farm. The reception at Bein Glas farm was brilliant from everyone waiting there and spurred me on – thank you !
Bein Glas – Finish
I was glad to see my support team at Derrydarroch Farm, even though they did spill sticky Lucozade Sport all down my back when they were trying to refill my camelback. I didn’t stop long a quick change of t-shirt and soon was off again. This was where I began to realise that a sub-10 hour time was possibly on the cards as I had about 2 hours left to cover the remaining 10 miles, but it’d be close …
I would like to say that I upped the pace for the last 10 miles, but that was definitely not the case infact I felt that I was putting undue pressure on myself trying to beat the clock, when my body wouldn’t let me go any faster. It was very frustrating.
Running past Keilator Farm was particularly pleasant through the mud which was basically churned up, excreted, cow solids and liquids – nice. Once passed it was into Forrest, which was again frustrating as it wasn’t flat ….. not fair I’m trying to make up time here ! Coming down through the forest was just horrible on my knees and quads so I didn’t make up any time on the descents, of which there were many.
Fi & Ian met me again at the crossing of the A82 and in an effort to speed myself up I ditched my camelback, I felt like I was now floating. At Auchtertyre Farm I had 3 miles to go and half an hour to do it in. I know this bit of the A82 and in a car id doesn’t feel like 3 miles. I dug deep and pushed on; with 10 minutes to go I was on the outskirt of the greater Tyndrum metropolitan area, I knew it wasn’t that large so surely I could run from one side to the other in 10 minutes.
On seeing the finish I felt like I was floating towards it. The reception was once again brilliant, thanks everyone, and I crossed the line in 9hrs 55 mins 44s, well inside my aimed-for 12 hours - I couldn’t believe it. Having ran for almost the last 30 miles on my own I’d no idea where about in the field I finished, a quick enquiry with timekeepers showed I was 17th out of 137 runners. If I was on a high at finishing I was stratospheric now, I had no idea I was so far up the field, although I was miles behind the winner, who finished in an unbelievable 7hrs 24 mins and was probably home and had his tea by the time I came in – how is that possible ?
Post Race
Now I’ve finished my 1st ultra I have to say I fair enjoyed it and running 40 miles further than I’d raced before was easier than I had anticipated. That’s not to say it was easy, I had a few lows on the run itself, it took to Wednesday before I could attempt to walk down stairs, and when I finished I thought how would I manage another 43 miles now if I was doing the full WHW race.
So it has acted as a bit of a reality check and shown me what I need to do for the big race. Dario called me the day after to confirm my place in the starting line up on 21 June, so all I have to do now is loads of training and stay injury free.
The Fling itself was a brilliant experience but it also prepared me and my support for the big race. I now know the route from Milngavie to Bein Glas, which I didn’t before and the team know where all the checkpoints are. It has also shown me how to pace the big run, I’ll definitely not be at Tyndrum in under 10 hours then. Now if anyone has any tips on how to break the news about the midgies to the support team …..
