Fling recce – leg 4

What an absolutely beautiful, brilliant day! Allan drove up to Beinn Glas and “Carnegie Ladies in 4 fun”(Fling relay team, Val, Loiuse, Gillian and me) got out the car, it was just before 10.00am, we faffed about a bit getting ready, it was going to be a cracking day.

Ditched the rain jacket, took off my long sleeved top and just went for one short sleeved layer!!! First time this year, (had my gloves on for a wee bit at the start though) Had a bit of a bother with my camera, it turned out the batteries were duff, they are rechargeable ones but they must be at the end of their life, gave my camera to Allan, no point carrying it if I couldnae get it to work properly, I had my phone, so did Louise but the quality on my phone isn’t so good but it’ll have to do.

Eventually after the faffing with my camera we were off up the new track from Beinn Glas, but not too bothered with it, the wee chippy stones will have bedded down by June. Started off at a lovely pace but soon Val was pushing on, this was going to be her leg in the Relay and I thought she was practicing race pace. I quipped to Gillian, “Is the Real Food Café closing half day today?” We got reprimanded for doing picnic pace. Louise ended up with the short straw and kept Val company, Gillian and I continued at picnic pace, I’ve probable still got a bit of the D33 in my legs, (my excuse for a gentle pace) besides I wasn’t wasting a smashing day pushing the pace, anyway I came to the conclusion I can only run on the WHW at WHW race pace and for some daft reason I had my backpack loaded with enough food for a full day out but only ate one wee Mars bar but drank a fair bit of the litre and a half of my diluted ginger beer, only because it was so warm!


Photo pinched from Louise, a heidless chicken going through the crack yer heid tunnel

Heading into Tyndrum I felt sweat trickle down the side of my face, that was a novelty and the first time I’ve broke sweat this year.


Allan drove to Tyndrum then ran down and back, and enjoyed his day, it’s a quality run doing the rollercoaster both ways.

When Gillian and I approached Tyndrum Louise and Val were near where near where you cross the water, we slowed when we reached them we were told “Keep going, we’ve been up to the road and just came back to see where you were!” I said “Ok, we’ll keep running until the road then!” Then out of ear shot of Val, “Well, until Val can’t see us!” But we did keep running until the road though.
When we finished I looked over to the Green Welly, I think it was bring yer bike tae Tyndrum day. I suppose it was the best day of the year so far, I have never seen so many motorbikes and leathers in my life! I have never felt so under dresses in t-shirt and lycra amongst all that protective leather!

We strolled over to the Real Food Café after a quick rub down in the loos of the Green Welly, there were signs in the lavies saying these sinks are only for washing hands and face, that’s ok ‘cause that’s all I washed!! Just as well it was a roastin’ sunny day, we sat outside for our fish and chips. On the way home we stopped in Callender for ice-cream.

I really enjoyed today, brilliant weather, a brilliant route and brilliant company. There was another reason why I thought today was so special. It was five years today that I had a brain haemorrhage; I have never lost the novelty of being glad to be alive. (Oh here she goes, harping on about her health scare again!) I make no apology for that. For one simple reason, when I came out of hospital and was taking tentative steps back to “normal” life the only comment I got was “Oh! I knew someone that had a brain haemorrhage but they died!” Well, now if you know someone who has been in the same boat you can now say “Well, I know someone that went through that and they’re doing absolutely bloody brilliantly!”

I now have a strength that I didn’t have before, there is a bit of a catch 22 going on though, the strength I had from running the WHW gave me the strength to recover but the fact I have overcome my health scare makes me feel invincible, running the WHW or a 24 hour race is easy compared several weeks in the high dependence unit of Edinburgh’s Western General.

There are no limits in life except those that we impose on ourselves. The way I see it, there are no limits only hurdles, you can get over them or kick them down, your choice. Just don’t let anything stand in the way of your goals.