Jim Holmes, Sandy Hayden, Chris McCarron and Alan Cullie had driven through to Strathmiglo whilst I had driven to Falkland a bit earlier and had an easy, low level 2.5 mile run back to Strathmiglo to intercept the EK arrivals. Kenny would join us later after a ski lesson (a year too late though as there were no blizzards this year!).
On arriving at about 9am the temperature was about 9 degrees C; very pleasant but the headwind running from Falkland to Strathmiglo almost stopped me in my tracks. I wondered just how bad it was going to be 1000 feet higher up where we were heading! I met Jim, Sandy, Chris and Alan as planned about a mile after the start of leg 2 and was immediately met with a barrage of self doubt from Sandy who didn't believe she was fit enough to keep up or was worried she would hold us back. We carried on regardless and within a half mile had caught and passed a group of one man and three ladies also doing a DB recce. Within a matter of seconds, Sandy had befriended this group and decided she was going to join them for their recce (Sandy was clearly faster than three of the four). I am not sure that the other group had much choice in the matter (Perth Road Runners I think) but the decision was made so Alan, Chris, Jim and I carried on and left Sandy with her new club and an agreement to update by phone. This was the nearest we came to losing anyone during the recce.
The climb up West Lomond was as challenging as always but we hit all the checkpoint locations without any problems. However the wind on the summit was incredible (not as bad as the race conditions last year though). I temporarily lost my beanie hat. We didn't hang about long. A compass bearing led us off the summit to the fast and fun descent over the Devil's Burdens themselves. A largely wind assisted but mostly runnable climb took us to the next summit on Bishop's Hill and from there the long descent down and around to the end of stage 2 just above Kinneswood. In a sheltered sun trap, we stopped to eat our sandwiches whilst watching 8 gliders overhead enjoying the windy and clear conditions. At this point we received the text message from Kenny to say he had arrived in Falkland and was starting off in reverse to meet us somewhere on leg 3. So onwards and upwards back up the very steep climb towards Bishop's Hill that starts leg 3 and back down into the valley floor below the Devil's Burdens. Before we descended, Sandy had called to say that her group was now at the end of leg 2 so were not too far behind. As we continued along the valley floor we met a very jovial Kenny. I did suggest that he could continue on to run the hills we had just covered but he declined and chose to run to the finish of leg 3 with us. One more big climb to go and then it was 3 miles downhill to the finish in Falkland Estate. I am pleased to say that everyone managed it fine and we definitely have a team for the race in two weeks! Its looking like Sandy for leg 1, Chris and I for leg 2, Jim and Alan for leg 3 and Kenny for leg 4 (which we did not recce as Kenny knows it like the back of his hand; famous last words!).
Finally, there was time for a sandwich and tea in the cafe in the square where a half hour later Sandy joined us. A successful recce and a Calderglen team ready for the race.
Alan
2 comments:
Yup,I know this route like the hand of my back.
It's a fantastic race and day out but unfortunately I could bot put my name forward this year.
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