West Highland Way Race 21/06/2014

The West Highland way race starts in Milngavie (Glasgow) and finishing in Fort William 95 miles later with 14000ft of ascent.

This was my 2nd start at this race after completing it last year so I knew what was ahead.

Training for this race started at the begining of the year building up the miles which included the D33 and hoka highland fling ultras.

Preparation started about 5 days before the race eating lots and resting as much as possible, the Wednesday before I had a massage to loosen off any tight muscles and Thursday night was spent sorting out all the gear and food that was needed for the weekend. On Friday I managed to get home from work early for some extra sleep as the race starts at 1am on Saturday morning.

Faye managed to get away early from work too so that we could get our jeep loaded.

We headed to Aviemore first to meet up with the rest of my support crew for supper (Ryan Becki and Chole) who were also going to be supporting my dad who was also taking on this challenge.  At this point race tactics and timings were still being discussed even though the race plan was already written out by Faye.  We set off to Glasgow trying to get some more sleep on the way down and still stuffing my face with food.  At Milngavie train station at 10:30 pm we meet up with my dad and his pal Jake who are part of the support team and we head for registration to get our race number, wrist band, timing chip, goody bag and to be weighed, as there is three weigh in points along the course.  It’s now midnight and I start to get my kit, snacks, drinks, clothing and head torch ready.  The minutes are ticking away and its almost time to start, just enough time for some pictures before we all line up under the underpass.

1am and we’re off heading out into the dark to the first check point Balmaha.  I soon get into an easy pace making sure that any hill is walked to save energy for later on in the race.  I get chatting to a few other runners on the way, listening to all their training and stories that have led them to this race, this passes the time quite quickly and the miles start to pass.  One of my favourite things about running in the night is looking back and seeing all the other runners’ head torches winding their way along the course.  I get to Drymen where I meet my crew and grab a quick drink before Faye ushers me on.  Last year I stopped at check points for 10-15 minutes at a time to refuel and drink so this year the plan was to have the same race pace but just take less time at checkpoints to achieve my sub 20 hrs.

I’m soon climbing up through the forest on my way to the first big climb of Conic hill, it has been a clear night, so by the time I start the ascent the head torch is switched off as sun rise is not long away.  Once at the top Loch Lomond comes into view and you can see the route away in the distance.  The descent from here is quite steep, so just a gentle jog down to save the legs, I arrive at Balmaha, put my timing chip over the reader and I’m now 24 minutes up on my plan, how that happened I don’t know as I thought I was taking it very easy.

My support crew are waiting for me and help fill up drink bottles and food into my race vest while I have a quick bite to eat.  I’m off again and its only 7.7 miles to Rowardennan, the next point I can meet my crew, now the runners are starting to spread out, so it starts to get lonely from this point but the stunning scenery helps pass the time.  This section was horrible while running the fling 8 weeks earlier, as they were upgrading the path but all works had been completed so the path was good.  To keep myself amused I often started singing to pass the time so I don’t know what the people sleeping in their tent would of thought of that at 5am, hey ho.

Rowardennan arrives, chip over the reader and I’m off to find my crew for refueling again.  I’m now 28min up on race plan and all is going good.  I have my breakfast which consists of my usual Weetabix and cornflakes, a quick talk with my crew and I’m off again.  Next checkpoint is Beinn Glas farm at 40.5 miles in, the first few miles is along a vehicle track climbing all the way then the path starts.  This is my most enjoyable section as its quite technical and soon passes.  I arrive at Inversnaid, a kind of half way checkpoint where you can have a drop bag as it’s difficult for crew to access this place.  I quickly grab my bag, top up my bottles and stock up on snacks and I’m off again.

6.63 miles to Beinn Glass over what my sister called the obstacle course when she passed here during the fling relay.  I don’t think I saw anybody on this section but I was confronted by a Pine Martin who seemed to be bathing in the sun.  I did get a picture but go pro wasn’t working properly so its not in focus.  I reach Beinn Glas check in and find my crew.  I’m now 35 minutes up on my plan and still feeling strong, a quick bite to eat and drink, vest filled up and I’m on my way again, next check point Auchtertyre 50 miles in.  I remember this section well from the fling as I had to march this section as I had torn a ligament in my foot.  This section is all mostly up hill and includes cow poo alley, which was bone dry this time round, then the roller coaster, last year I walked all the section up and down the roller coaster so I knew I just had to do the same and keep the legs for later on in the race.  I reach Auchtertyre still running, check in, get weighed for the first time, now 41 min up, at this point I am 4 kilos lighter than when I was weighed at the start, maybe I shouldn’t have been wearing my jeans and hoody at registration.

I got a talking to from Faye telling me I haven’t been eating or drinking enough, so I’m forced to eat and drink plenty here before she allows me to carry on.  Faye has been more worried about me doing this race than I have been.

I have a change of socks, footwear and a fresh t-shirt here and I’m off on my way again.  Next stop is 9.26 miles away at Bridge of Orchy, 59 miles race distance.  This section is quite flat and on a decent path so most of it is runnable, it’s at this point I’m starting to have issues with my right knee, so I start to run for a bit then walk for a bit hoping that it won’t come to much.

There is now a lot of walkers out so I start using them as targets picking them off one by one as I get closer to the check point.  I arrive at Bridge of Orchy, cross under the railway line and Faye is there to greet me, we walk down to the car and have a chat about how I’m feeling.  I’m great but I’ve a niggle in my knee.  I quickly have a muller rice and some other stuff to eat and a quick drink as my support crew get my vest replenished.  Think I took a few pain killers here to help me on my way.  Ryan walks down with me over the bridge to the checkpoint and I check in then I’m off again, 10.55miles to Glencoe Ski car park, 70miles race distance.

First job is the hike up over a small hill with a reward at the top.  Every year there is a guy at the top who gives out jelly babies which I’ve been looking forward to for sometime now, it tasted good and was worth the wait.  The path now heads down to Victoria Lodge before the never ending uphill path to Glencoe over the moor.  I’m now marching up this section as running is starting to bother me now and my knee is slowly becoming more painful, I do stop a few times to stretch but it’s not doing any good, at this point all the relay teams are passing me looking fresh and fit and they just disappear into the distance one by one.  I’m now about 3 miles from Glencoe and I’m starting to think I’m in real trouble as the pain is really hurting now and my knee is almost not wanting to bend.  It’s looking like the race is coming to an end for me but I want to get to the end as I don’t want to let my team down who have followed me for the last 14hrs.

About 1.5 mile from the check point the path starts to descend slightly, which now increases the pain that much I get tears in my eyes and I now know the end is at the car park.  I’m met by Ryan a few hundred yards from the checkpoint and he asks how I am and all I can say, is “it’s over” I’m bubbling away like a baby feeling I’ve failed as this has been what the last 6 months have all led up to.  I limp up to the jeep and Ryan wants to see if he can massage the pain away so we drop the tail gate and use it like a table.  After a good rub I try to get back to my feet but it hasn’t worked and I now know its game over.  I still sat there thinking to myself, I’ve only 25miles to go, I’m so close, but as Faye and I talk about it, I take off my race chip and Faye heads over to the check point to say I’m no longer continuing and withdraws me from the race.

My first ever DNF at a race and my emotions are all over the place.  I manage to change my clothes before sitting back on the tailgate chatting to my crew and some runners that pass by with the thought still at the back of my mind, I’ve failed.  The worst part is that at that point I was 49 mins up on last years’ time and I was in 22nd position.  I was not having any other problems apart from my knee.

I would just like to say thanks to Faye for helping me get this far and to the rest of my support team.  Also a big well done to my dad who competed the race in 24hr 59min and a few seconds.  Even writing this report I’ve still had to brush the odd tear away.