I arrived at Badaguish outdoor centre opened the car door to be greeted with strong winds.
I headed over to registration to find that the race has been changed, so instead of heading to Meall a’ Bhuachaille then along the ridge to Craiggowrie and back to Badaguish, 8miles and 720m accent. The race was now changed to two out and backs, so the ridge section was missed out due to the gale force winds.
This new route added 2.7miles and an extra 100m accent. Once I collected my race number and meal ticket for after the race it was back to the car to get ready.
These races are quite strict with kit so you have to carry full body cover, a map and compass.
The race started at 12:30 and the first 1.8 miles was on a forestry track before we headed up the path to the summit, the further up we got, the stronger the wind got.
The first summit was in sight and we turned around at the cairn into what I can only say was a fight with nature. It was almost harder to get down as it was to get up fighting with gale force side winds, heading down I went over on my ankle but managed to run through it.
I was glad to get back down to the forest path and then the run back to Badaguish before we head up to the next summit.
This route followed a forestry track then onto the path or should I call it a very boggy path.
Heading up here still feeling strong I started to pick off a few of the other runners on the way, and again the further up we went the stronger the gale. At the summit it was round the cairn again and then bang, straight into which I can only say was a hurricane. At one point I’m sure i was lifted off the ground and pushed back up the hill, wishing 
at that point that I was just a bit heavier.
To say I was glad to get to get back down to the bog before the final down hill forestry path to the finish.
A quick change out of some very muddy clothing before heading to the cafe to use the meal ticket which consisted of either burgers, pasta, soup, tea and coffee.
There were 90 finishing the race and i was 20th with a time of 1hr 39min 31s.
Report by: Steven Morrison