http://runya bam.com/glen-lyon/
This year it was actually advertised as 31miles so there’s no freebie mile this year. The big change for the weekend was the addition of a 17 mile trail race on Sunday, with a loop around Loch Lyon on the same route as the utra. I’d entered both races but to save temptation of running, I officially withdrew from the trail race after taking a leg on the Highland Fling relay.
You see, ultra runners can be sensible! The weather was looking good for the weekend, so I’d decided on camping again. The high light of the drive down was stopping at the Glen Lyon post office for a coffee and a huge piece of carrot cake which I shared!!! a few crumbs with the Chaffinches that were table hopping for some easy pickings.
Crystal clear skies on Friday evening
meant the overnight temperature fell well below freezing leaving droplets of ice on the tent first thing. The temperature quickly picked up once the sun climbed over the Ben Lawyers group and like last year, t-shirt, shades and sunscreen were looking favourite. At the start of the race, as usual I set off fairly steady and let lots of people pull out a good lead as they attacked the hill. I was one of the first front runners to break into a walk and Charlotte who had beaten me at Glasgow to Edinburgh caught up so we had a chat about recovery from the race whilst run/walking to the top of the hill. We crested the hill somewhere around 20th place and picked off a few places over the first 6 miles. She was quicker on the downhill and I closed the gap again on the flats so we were yoyo back and forth until we got to the water station where I stopped to refill my pack.
This was almost a rerun of last years race, except the river levels were lower so some of the crossings could be covered on
the stepping stones and it was only the deep stream before the water stop that was a mid shin paddle. The headwind, sun and wee roller coaster hills were a bit of a slog back towards the dam. Others were feeling it too and I made another few places, including Charlotte who was having some calf pain and was forced to slow.
Crossing the dam wall, I added the Tailwind powder to the hydration bladder, so it was ready to fill with water at the checkpoint and get going as quickly as possible. Pitstop complete and another couple of places gained. The long climb over the Glen Lochay saw a couple of guys catch and pass me early on but there was hardly anything in it by the time we arrived at the water station where the ne
xt loop starts. Heading up the top track of Glen Lochay, we were running with the wind on our backs and it was baking hot, I managed to regain the lost places. After the switch back descent I could only see one other runner ahead and I was gaining slowly on the long run along the bottom track towards the final climb.
At the water station, another runner was sat in a chair, cooked and exhausted! I’d finished my water on the climb, so refilled and set off to tackle the last part of the hill and final leg to the finish. Other runners were coming down, ready to start their loop. One of them said I was 8th place, which meant 7th place was possible. The guy ahead was walking the same speed as me, but I was gaining a few metres when the gradient allowed a short run whilst maintaining a moderate effort, so a slow and gradual catch before the top of the hill.
After the final false top, it’s a long downhill. I hate down hills, so tried to make most use of the grass verge to save my knees. Part way down, you can see the finish line and sub 5 hours was looking like a comfortable target. Crossing the bridge at the bottom of the descent, I could see that the leading lady had made up a lot of ground. At the top, she wasn’t in sight but had gained to within 300m. A last wee climb and the finish arch comes into view ready for one last run to the line. 4h 49min and 7th place, which knocked 20 minutes off last year… Well happy with that, especially with it being warmer than last time.
After a dunk in the river to cool off and wash away the salt, I headed back up to the finish to watch the rest of the runners come in. The winners are super fit and blast round some races in unfeasibly fast times, with 5 seconds being shaved off last years phenomenal time. Meanwhile BAM also have a “Lantern Rouge” trophy to celebrate the effort made by the last runner home. Well done one an all, to runners, marshals and the BAM team on another great event.
Report by: Neil Purdie