TOF DAY 3: UP HELL TIME TRIAL

After 2 days of trail racing my legs were tired. I was looking forward to this one being really short, which would give me a bit of a well needed rest. I know it's pain as we are running up a ski slope, but it is only 1.4 miles.

This is the race that probably has the most atmosphere. All meet at the village hall in Falkland to declare yourself, confirm your start time...we are off in two's at 30 second intervals, selection amongst the mere mortals is random to prevent any advantage being gained, although they contradict this by leaving all the fast guys to the end.
It's limited car spaces at the mast on East Lomond, so I was car sharing with my Las Vegas best buddies. The warm up was ideal with a 20 minute run down the hill to the start.
At the bottom, they line you up ready to go by calling your name, there's always 3 sets of 2 waiting...2 ready to go, 2 with 30 secs and the last 2 with 60 sec. There's over 100 people here warming up in a small area and plenty of banter combined with the natural apprehension of having to run up what you have just came down.

I had a start time of 8.05 and 30 secs, a bit late as I have done it twice before and I'm usually up early enough to see most of the others crawl up behind. There is a threat of getting wet tonight, as I'm told that the 2 organisers will be in costume "the grim reaper and the devil (think we have our own version of these guys at out club too)" and have water guns!

Anyway, the runners disappear in pairs, up and round the corner, and out of sight, until there's only about 10 of us left. What am I doing still here, I ask myself? Then I realize that there's a good chance that I'll be last, as these guys will fly up it. My previous times were 14.36 then 14.07. A young U20 was going 60 secs behind me and was trying to set a new U20 record of 10.20.
My turn and I'm off, hell, hell, hell! They all pass me as expected and I could sense the sweeper car behind me. By now everyone is up and cheering away, with a few already starting to make their decent back down and giving me a supporting shout. I finished like a train (well, last 200mtrs anyway)....to have the devil squirt me in the face with a high powered water pistol. Just what I needed!! 14.53 for my efforts. A bit disappointed as I was at 7.11 when crossing the halfway marker on the road, but it just gets harder as you climb.
Hope legs are no worse for beach race tomorrow.
George