04/05/24 – I really questioned my race life choices today. New race for me tackling the Stuc A Chroin hill race. Over 21km and 1700m elevation.
Race started in Strathyre and headed up through forestry tracks and rough ground to Meall Mor overlooking Glen Ample. Descending into the Glen then straight back up with a steep (hands and knees using heather to pull myself up) climb along the west ridge of Beinn Each to the summit. Next was over to Bealach Nan Cabar. This was the cut off point but made it through to continue on the north ridge and eventually reaching the summit of Stuc A Chroin where every runner left a stone to help build a memorial cairn. By this point 11km done and 1500m elevation hit. Now about turn and back down a slightly varied route.
It was hard, I won’t lie. I think I swore my way all the way to the top and then some of the downs. I struggled on the technical downs as my bad hand lost movement meaning I couldn’t grab rocks. I just kept moving, eating all the sweets Marshalls offered and kept my head down. Each time I looked up I just saw hills and swore more. Marshalls did laugh at some of my language including referring to a bog as a ‘buggary bog’. Eventually the final downhill was in sight and I found my downhill legs and took off. I loved this bit I could actually run. I made it across the line in 3hrs 55min. It was then time to cheer on all the other fabulous runners coming in, eat soup (I had 3 servings it was that good) and try clean everything off all of me. Mud, blood, midges, ticks… I now feel slightly broken. Definitely type 2 fun. The events was amazingly organised and volunteers really helped with motivation on the tough bits.
