Three weeks before the Ben Nevis Race I accepted my last minute place with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Places for the race are limited strictly to 600 and usually fill up within a couple of days of the applications opening in January. Having spent all year on the reserve list it was a bit of a shock when I got the phone call in mid August to say a place had become available. It seemed rude to say no and so began the emergency training…
The race is one of the most formidable on the hill racing calendar and attracts runners from all over the UK and abroad. It is the oldest race on the Scottish hill racing circuit with a record set by Kenny Stuart in 1984 of 1hr 25min 34secs that still stands today. 1360m of ascent over 14km with some notoriously steep, loose terrain it is not a race to be taken lightly.
The route starts with a lap of the Claggan Park games field to the sound of the local pipe band, after a bit of jostling it’s a quick uphill mile on tarmac to the Ben Nevis Inn where the road is left behind and the route starts up the “Tourist Path”. There are several short cuts on the lower slopes and the fastest line is a topic of many an animated discussions among local runners depending on the exact conditions on the day of the race. The secret is to follow the white and blue vests of the Lochaber AC!
After a steady uphill run with the odd hands on knees section the route veers away from the walker’s path across rough boggy ground to the Red Burn. Here is the last chance to swig a few mouthfuls of water from the stream before the uphill grind begins. It’s a long, seemingly endless slog, hands on knees for about 2km up screes at an average gradient of 28 degrees. This is the time to nibble at jelly babies and get some energy on board before the gradient eases for a final trot over the plateau to the summit cairn where a numbered wrist band is handed in and the fun begins.
A fast, furious descent ensues down the ankle breaking screes of the Red Burn, before crossing the path and starting off down the infamous “Grassy Bank”. This steep slippery slope has sadly become heavily eroded by the shoes of thousands of runners over the years and is now like running down a dangerously steep muddy stair case. Due to concerns about the state of erosion a route was taped out this year to minimise the damage and there are talks in progress about the future of the race route. Just when you feel like your quads are about to explode the gradient eases with a short section of uphill to the tourist path which is rejoined and followed to the Ben Nevis Inn. The final mile on tarmac often sees runners reduced to a crippling limp as hamstrings and calves cramp up and the winding road seems to go on forever with minor undulations until the 30mph signs are reached and the tannoy can be heard in Claggan Park. A last “sprint” round the games field seems like the longest 400m in the world but before you know it you’re stumbling through the finish line and a cup of tea and slice of cake from the Nevis Bakery beckons.
My training consisted of one recce of the route a fortnight before the race where my husband showed me a few of the key short cuts on the lower slopes, I was also able to tag along with the Lochaber AC on one of their training nights where we did a pretty heavy session doing 3 minute uphill efforts on a series of steep hills around Fort William including the lower Ben path. I also managed one steady run up to the Col on Lochnagar and in between these runs squeezed in a few good days hill walking and biking to keep the legs moving.
Local runner Finlay Wild won in a time of 1h: 34m: 43s after a close fought battle with Rob Jebb with 13s between them. This was Finlay’s 5th win and a new record for number of consecutive wins anyone has ever achieved in the Ben Nevis Race. The first female was Lindsey Brindle of Horwich RMI AC in a time of 1h: 55m: 36s.
Having set a rough target of 2hr 45min in my head after my recce I was delighted to cross the finish line in a time of 2h: 28m: 16s and in position 265. MRR also had Neil Alistiar Laing running who finished in a time of 2h: 44m: 13s.
Despite being unable to walk down stairs for the week after the race without whimpering in pain I’m already looking forward to next year. It’s a must do race for the connoisseur of Scottish hill racing!
Report by: Gemma Munro