After strong winds had turned the uphill race into an up n down last year, I was quite glad to see the forecast looking favourable for the gondolas working this year. Again, the roads were quiet but the drop to around freezing temperatures made for a few slippery patches for the drive down to the Aonach Mor ski area.
The carpark was definitely busier than last year, unsurprisingly as last year was lashing with horizontal rain and today was clear and bright, if a little bit cold. The top gondola station was in clear view and above the forest line, you could see the track parallel to the line of cable car pylons before it veers left towards Sgurr Finniosgaig.
At registration, we were again reminded of the full body coverage (hat, gloves and full waterproofs) requirement for the race, which could be worn or carried. On the start line, gloves were a near universal favourite but a total mix from shorts and vest through to fully wrapped up showed the varied expectations of the field. Knobly trail or fell shoes are a must and a few had gone for screw in spikes as well.
With the starting marshal on her phone to the timers at the finish line, a quick shout of “GO” started the race and a stampede of 100 runners heading for the first corner. The first 500m is a nice introduction, being good trail underfoot and still a modest gradient. The short rocky sections start to get longer, steeper and now slippery. A thin covering of glassy ice on some smooth rocks making foot placement important. By the time I left the forest, my legs were feeling decidedly heavy and the bacon butty for second breakfast may not have been a good idea. Hands on knees and a quick power walk worked well, pushing up the steepest parts of the course. Most runners were staying off the now very slippery path and a good line of safe footings could be followed up the side.
Near the shoulder of Sgurr Finniosgaig, everyone had cut the corner, avoiding a steep and presumably icy section. Now, the gradient had backed right off and was runable again. Shame that my legs weren’t keen yet, although the finish line was at last insight. A final push let me cross the finish line at a respectable run with a time of 33:42. Not quite the 30mins I was aiming for, but room for improvement next year.
The view from the top station was definitely worth the effort and it was quite good-looking out whilst having a bowl of soup and a coffee. At the start of the gondola ride back down, the bottom seemed to be much further down, putting the climb into perspective. At least we didn’t need to run back down this time.
Report by: Neil Purdie