Being Taught A Lesson on the WHW

I had been looking back at old blog posts and  I did one back in May 2016 for a day out on the Way. That one was a run from Glencoe Ski center, through Bridge of Orchy and up to Tyndrum. That had been my original plan for this trip but the Citylink bus being sold out put paid to that. (I should maybe have booked earlier than the day before) . 

So with a bit of rearranging the revised plan was to get the Mallaig train to Bridge of Orchy, run back through Tyndrum, Crianlarich to Beinglass Farm. I had originally planned to go down the A82 to Ardlui but as there is no footpath I was strongly advised against this when I phoned the lady at the Drovers to check.  However I realised I could continue down the WHW on the lochside and get the ferry across to Ardlui so that I could catch the train 

So with Plan B worked out I headed off for a Day on the Way. 

I've heard some of our ultra runners (not that I'm claiming to be an ultra runner but the point is the same) say that you sometimes make one mistake and never recover. That happened to me. Like a good boy scout I had prepared for all eventualities. Spare running gear, change of clean clothes, food, 2 phones, battery bank, map ... there wasn't much I didn't have. And as I walked to EK station I knew my rucksack was too heavy.

Anyway the journey up was enjoyable, although the train was packed - mainly with tourists and pensioners - so I would consider booking a seat in future. The scenery was amazing and we then pulled in to Bridge of Orchy station.  

First leg from BoO to Tyndrum was quite tough. It is mostly uphill but although the sun hadn't quite broke through the biggest problem was the wind as it was funneled through the hills. It was a tough slog into the wind but a very enjoyable downhill couple of km into Tyndrum (about 11km) . At this point I was buoyed and even treated myself to a mint Magnum. 

I filled a 500ml soft flask with water and an energy sachet, ate half a protein bar and I was off again. This was where my original mistake caught up with me. Even though I was soaked with sweat I decided I didn't want to carry too much water due to the weight so all I had was 500ml. It's a fairly nice 5k through out of Tyndrum and through the Wigwams but by the time i got to the road crossing I had drank most of my flask. There's no other way to describe the roller coaster section other than brutal. It felt like I was climbing for ever and although its only about 5k I was already low on fuel and liquid. I hadn't really though through that the WHW doesn't go into Crianlarich but instead is about a mile away so when I stopped at the Harriers' check point I had nothing left (20km in). The sun was up by this point and I was out of fluid. I couldn't eat anything either. 

This was my sliding doors moment. I should have jogged down to Crianlarich, enjoyed a couple of pints in the sun and caught the train home. Of course I didn't do that! I convinced myself that Crianlarich to Beinglass was downhill, when in fact if is generally downhill but like all of the Way could be classed as undulating at best. 

At 23km I got my first cramp, a muscle just above the knee on the inside of the leg that I didn't even know that I had. I briefly considered turning around but it was 3k back uphill so I cracked on. At 25k I was really struggling as cramp kicked in all over both legs. No water and I couldn't eat anything. Joking aside I wasn't in a good place. I soaked my hat in a couple of streams but the only ones that were flowing fast were down steep embankments. Eventually I found a small "waterfall" near the road crossing and knew I had to get a drink. It was either cramp out or take my chances with an upset stomach if the water turned out not to be to as clean as it looked (it turned out to be fine). 

The backstory was that I had to make the 3.10pm ferry as the 4pm ferry doesn't connect with the train. I remembered that I had a gel so I took that and pushed on. The next 5k or so wasn't pretty, especially annoying when I cramped up on a downhill runnable section. I thought Beinglass would never arrive but I was so delighted to see those tents after about 30km. It was now 3pm and it was clear I wasn't covering the remaining ground to make the ferry. In some ways this was my first positive break as it took the pressure off . So I got full fat juice and refilled my flask. It was great in the beer garden chatting with the walkers all sipping cold pints. However I took my eye off the clock and had to rush out of the Farm. I had no idea the route south had such a steep climb and this section was really slow. I was still in walk-run mode although the refulling had reduced the cramp.  

At one point I asked a couple of ladies how far to the ferry. She said it was about 20 mins away, and I only had 20 mins to catch the 4.10pm ferry. I was now back under pressure but I wasn't lifting my feet and tripped more than once. Eventually Ardlui came into site and I was one happy  many to eventually raise the buoy on the flagpole to signal the ferry. 

My drama wasn't over! The train was at 4.15 and by the time we got ashore at Ardlui I had missed it. I sat in the hotel gardens absolutely burst. I checked Citylink. No buses until 8pm. I checked Scotrrail. Next train 7.50pm, but what's this? The 4.15 train had been delayed and was due at 4:35. Watch check, 4:30, oh man. I scrambled everything back into my bag and "sprinted" to the station , probably a couple of hundred meters but felt like the end of the Auldhouse TT. 

Over the A82, up the stairs and onto the platform just as the train pulled in.  

So what are the takeaways?

• don't run 10 miles in the heat the night before 
• respect the WHW. I had allowed for covering the 30km at an easy road pace. No chance. 
• if you make a mistake (my heavy rucksack), take your medicine and don't compound it  
• I don't have the experience regarding fueling and made just about every mistake in the book
• don't try and run 30k on 500ml of fluid and 1 gel. I came home with an untouched packed lunch. 

There were some lighter moments, like reapplying Vaselene at the sinks in the Green Welly as all the cubicles were full. I'm not sure the pensioners on the Lochs and Glens tour bus understood what they had walked in to. 

As I write this my legs are aching and I have a face as scarlet as a beacon. 

Will I be back ... hmmm! 

Stephen