After a pretty glorious Summer by the
standards of the last 2 years, the weather looked set to crash in
time for the WHW 95 mile race. We hoped the dreadful forecast
wouldn't be a repeat of last year's wash out. We were going to
crew for RD, but he pulled out in the second half due to said
weather.
Loch of the Legend of the Lost Sword
The River Fillan
Ben
Kemp had asked us to crew for him. We were unsure how fit he would
be, given his more-relaxed-than-usual effort
at the Fling, 2 months ago: (a young family and work naturally coming
higher on his totem pole than running this year.) Having crewed this
monster a couple of times we knew the best way to go about it is to
break the thing in 2 and have Richard do the first part in the dark,
and we would do the daylight hours. This worked well and allowed us
to sleep in till 5am at the By the Way Hostel, Tyndrum.
We had arrived on Friday night and as
Mary was tired from a long week she had something to eat then went to
bed. I went out for a 90min run tracking back along the WHW to the
river crossing the other side of Auchtertyre Farm. I took the camera
and saw many things I don't normally see when hurrying past in the
Highland Fling. There are signs for the Holy Pool that have always
seemed attractive but until now I had never had the time to explore.
(Don't bother, but the Loch of the Legend of the Lost Sword is
better.) It was all very pleasant although I felt these may have been
the last rain-free photos of the weekend. I would be back in just a
few hours.
Beinglass.
midge hell
I showered and ate and was reading the
Kindle by headtorch until after 11pm. (Note for next time: take own
dinner and reheat on kitchen facilities.) We made breakfast in the
well appointed kitchen, before heading along to Beinglass for 7am. A
locked gate blocked the car park entrance until a key was found. Only the
first runner was through. I had realised Ben would possibly be coming
in about 8.30am and he was sharp around 8.23. The midges were
appalling – everyone was wearing a hood and those without gloves
had their hands in their pockets. I had considered this and took 2
pairs and several hoods which M and I were very glad of. Any small
patch of naked skin was attacked and polka dotted.
Ben came past,
swiped his chip and pin and had a cup of tea. We replaced some of his
night kit with more water and snacks. Next stop Auchtertyre just down
the road where we repeated the process but also changed his wet Rapa
Nuis (and socks) for dry Mafates (and fresh socks.)
sun and rain all day
Mad Mike Raffan
New tyres and fuel stop.
I had been hoping to run with Ben from
Bridge of Orchy, however despite Paul G putting in a record breaking
performance at the head of the field, Ben was still too close to him
(within 4 hours) to allow support crew to run with him. We gave him
various things to eat and sent him on his way. I think my adrenalin
for the day was telling me to prepare for a big task and the early
start encouraged feelings of weariness and hunger. I would sneak
various Ben treats and snacks when preparing stuff for him. He told
me he had done the UTMB on mainly sports bars and Mr Kipling snacks.
I was concerned this would not be enough and so we had taken along a
few extra things: noodle pots (not the slag of snacks) to which you
add boiling water (hopefully neither too soon, nor too late) and
noodle soup. He very obediently ate virtually all we handed him. This
was a relief. I felt if Ben ran out of steam due to low blood sugar
it would be our responsibility.
B of O
Richie - 3rd this year
Rannoch Moor
Topless Mike meets topless Mary
Ben completed the first section of the
course around the same time as he had done for the Highland Fling 2
months prior which would be a dangerous move if he hadn't been having
a much better day. As he went on he seemed to be holding his place
and composure and every time we met him, he was running at a steady
pace. Sometimes a bit pale-faced and staring but compared to a lot of
the runners, looking pretty good.
Dave T 7th had a great run.
Ben, in red, is further away than this looks.
He didn't even see us.
Ben is 30s off appearing at far end of this path...
Plan B was put into action. If not
running from Bridge of Orchy with Ben then I would drive with Mary to
Glencoe where we would run South for 5 miles then back to Glencoe and
await Ben. As we ran the day brightened and the views were outstanding.
It is one of the more desolate and spectacular points of the course
and we ran 4.5 miles before catching sight of Ben in the distance
coming towards us. We turned around and legged it back to our support
role in the car park. We couldn't believe he didn't see us a few
hundred yards ahead, although we gained ground all the way back to
the Ski Centre.
checkpoint Glencoe
Everything peachy.
More food and drinks and then he lurched off asking
folk the way across the main road as we drove past, along to the
bottom of the Devil's Staircase. I produced a small carton of peach
and pineapple pieces (and spoon) and he remarked later how much he
enjoyed it. I hoped the sweet fruit would power him up the long climb
(in the heavy rain) and it seemed to, as he arrived looking
determined in Kinlochleven although a bit more spent. He was still 28
minutes ahead of the 4 hr allowance so was going to complete the
route solo. No chips in Kinlochleven!
The Buachaille
on the way to K
the glamour and excitment of crewing
Tiger
Next up Lundavra. We drove into Fort
William then back out the Lundavra Road which gets more extreme by
the mile until it is a thin single lane snaking up into the hills. At
the far end is a marquee and a bonfire and a small group of support
crews waiting for their heroes coming down the forestry tracks. The
sun came out and we sat around the fire chatting to the same folk we
had been moving in parallel to all day. It's a long day having to
stay focussed and in butler/chef/masseuse* mode for a 12+ hour shift
with a strict time schedule and some canny navigating, but the later
sunny weather made it pleasant. (*Technically there wasn't time to
give Ben a rub-down but Mary did dry his corpse-like feet at the tyre
change.)
A runner approached and the bonfire
dude played the Rocky theme over a large amp. It was a special moment
and must have been very strange for the runners who have spent 90
miles running mostly on their own in their own worlds of pain. Two
runners later and Ben appeared. He was looking pale and ragged but
determined not to cock things up at this late stage, asking about
directions and routes. He was also concerned that Alison was made
aware of his progress and could make it to the finish line. As soon
as we were back within phone signal range we called and texted to
give an idea of when Ben would get to the line. Actually he was a bit
quicker than predicted and when he got near to Braveheart car park I
called again anxious I might have mismanaged their timings. Mary
drove me along the mile to the finish - I jumped out at the last
roundabout to make sure Ben went the right way.
shoe comparison site
It was brilliant to see Ben finish in
19.16 way ahead of any estimate for the day, and in 10th
place. He had run with an impressive mental determination and
crossed the line looking like he gave it his all. We kept an eye on
him in the showers (so to speak) in case he flipped out. There were a
few casualties collecting post finish line, when the body is finally
allowed to flop and fall to bits. Occasional howls of pain echoed
around the building. Its funny the things we do for fun.
Mike R, 6th, delighted!
There was a great sense of elation for
Ben, having outrun even his own high expectations, which he was able
to enjoy briefly while we ate and had a beer at the hotel before he
retired upstairs for a snooze. (The benefits of finishing at a
civilised hour. Others would finish in the desolate middle of their
second night, an alien end to an exhausting and brain numbing day.)
Alison and her brother David chatted to Mary and I for a while before
we called it a day as well. The hotel staff seemed anxious to be rid
of us so they could start their late night bottle-bank emptying which
was done as we slept, sometime around 1am. I suspect Ben didn't hear
even that. He was looking a lot refreshed and back to normal for
breakfast though his walking was a bit formal. A tremendous
and impressive performance.
Results here
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