A 2.30am alarm means only one thing! It’s Fling Day!
Pauline arrived at mine and Mags picked us both up at 3.45am then we met Iona in Kincardine and we arrived in Milngavie just before the first bus from Tyndrum arrived, nicely timed to get registered, hand in drop bags and a visit to the loo before the queues began. Now just to decide what jacket to carry, I’d brought two, the big bomb-proof one that has seen me through Tsunami conditions or the lighter one which doesn’t have a hood, the forecast I’d seen was for showers and it was mild, with no mention of weather with a girls name! I was dressed warmly, two long-sleeved tops under my club vest, long tights and my kilt, I wasn’t even wearing gloves, if anything I felt slightly overdressed so I opted for the light one. (No plot spoiler but the weather didn’t do what the BBC or XCWeather predicted and with hind-sight I wished I’d chosen my big coat!) While faffing with my bag, I checked my phone and foil blanket for the umpteenth time, I even made Mags and Iona check I had them, how embarrassing would it be if I was disqualified for being an eejit. I handed my kit-bag into the baggage lorry then just hugged loads of friends until it was time to head into the starting pens just after John’s breifing for the 6.00am start.
For the last few years there’s been one mass start in three waves, two minutes apart, awfy fast folk in the first wave, fairly fast folk in the second wave and rest of us waited in the party pen for the final wave.
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| photo from Richard Newall |
Woohoo! At last we’re underway, under the tunnel, up the stairs and through the cheering supporters lining the street,
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| photo from Monument Photos |
I scuffed my foot along the pavement and gave a wee squeak, Pauline shouted “Don’t fall yet!” I laughed and replied that I didn’t really plan to fall at all! That set the precedence for any time either of us stubbed a toe or bobbled on a boulder we’d shout at each other “Don’t fall yet!”
It was nice steady running to Gartness where walking up the hill I had my second breakfast, a Weetabix milkshake, my first one was ages ago at around 3.00am! Then swiftly through the kit check on the grassy hill at Drymen with no worries.
Conic hill loomed, so did the dark clouds, the wind picked up and I put my gloves on, Pauline put on her jacket, I stubbornly held off, I was wearing cosy layers and I was sure that as soon as we’d be heading down into Balmaha I’d be taking it off again... Aw stuff it! This is daft, no point getting soaked and freezing, I got my jacket on!
Well Done Graeme! I wasn’t sure if you’d be at the top of Conic to take photos in this weather, lovely to see you!
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| photo from Monument Photos |
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| photo from Kay Roxby |
Balmaha and a big hug from Big Davie, you’re are looking well and great to see you, I paused briefly to down another milkshake so I could bin the empty rather than have to carry it to Rowardennan.
I love the ups, downs and steep wee climbs through the trees of this section, yes, the jacket did come off...for a wee while! The bluebells were showing promise of the lilac carpet they will be in a couple of weeks, we scampered along and Rowardennan was soon in sight, the support was great and I again paused at the bin as I polished off another milkshake and picked up a squeezy sachet of custard.
Heading towards Inversnaid we could feel the chilly wind bite and the rain was persistent, the jacket was back on. At Inversnaid we hung around just long enough to drink my bottle of coke and to blether to Egle and Graeme. Pauline has been recovering from a duff achilles and not done a lot of running recently so she felt a bit out of practice along the technical loch side, but with it being so wet and having had a horde of runners tramping along before us the boulders and tree roots were slick with mud, care was needed so we took it easy. One of our group bashed their head on a low branch while concentrating on their footing, we all waited, feeling pretty helpless, while she held her hands on her forehead until she gathered herself together and managed to get going again. We made it to the end without losing anyone into the loch.
Once we reached the flat grassy bit we paused briefly, Pauline sorted her shoe, I faffed with my jacket and zipped it up to my neck, I was wearing my peaked Buff and I added another normal Buff over it to keep my head cosy, the cold was giving me a mild headache, I wished I’d brought another pair of gloves, the ones I was wearing were soaked through from hanging on to soggy trees and boulders. I wasn’t hypothermic but chilled through and cold enough to make me feel miserable... if I chose to be! This is the West Highland Way, I could never be miserable running here no matter the conditions! My freezing fingers, still worked but only just, it took an effort to move them but I managed to unscrew the lid on my hip-flask when we paused with Dario.
With so much rain the waterfall at Inversnaid was quite impressive and wee burns appeared where usually there’s none and at the burn just before Beinglas there was no point trying to use the steppy stones, it was just a wade across, “Oh well, that’ll get the mud out my toenails!” Even the primroses, usually little rays of sunshine, had their heads bowed and looked weather weary.
Into Beinglas and into Julie’s arms, she hugged me so tight, my feet left the ground, I closed my eyes and drew in her warmth, I stayed there as long as possible feeling like that moment when you’re cosy in bed on a winter's morning and you know you have to get up and you don’t want to.
We stood and chatted with Julie and Neil, Julie was surprised I was standing still, not a normal occurrence for me on the West Highland Way but since this was the Fling I don’t have a support crew to pander to my needs and walk me through checkpoints to take my empties, I was willing to hang around for as long as it took me to drink my wee can of coffee.
There’s a fair bit of climbing from Beinglas some you just have to walk, others were “sloggable” we used Pauline’s technique of run 100 paces then decide whether to walk it or shuffle on, we made steady progress along hoping to warm up a smidge with the effort. Through the crack yer heid tunnel then under the road and up that nasty climb to coo poo alley... nae coos... nae poo and the upgraded path a veritable carpet! Wonderful! Then the wee colourful oasis of Bogle Glen with Katie and Graham and onto the rollercoaster, we kept a steady effort on the ups and came down hill in “I’m saving my quads for later” mode for no real reason other than I haven’t pushed hard all day so no point starting now.
Pauline and I put no pressure on each other to stay together but we do run well side by side I wouldn’t say I waited for her along the loch but I felt it easy, I wasn’t for rushing anyway, besides Pauline has form for pushing the pace after crossing the road towards Auchtertyre I thought she was bound to drag me from there. There was a car approaching as we stood waiting to get over but it stopped for us and shouted encouragement as we crossed, it must been runners, they've finished and on their way home, lovely of them to let us over.
Pauline looked at her watch and said that if we wanted to be under 14 hours we’d have to push on, I replied that I was happy to maintain but wasn’t for busting a gut, this was going to be the slowest Fling for both of us and I was quite relieved when Pauline confirmed that she was happy to trundle in without puffing and blowing, Pauline’s then said “Well, if we didn’t stop to hug marshals, pose for photos and spend time with Dario we would’ve been under the 14 hours.” But it wouldn’t be the Fling is I didn’t get to do all that! Despite the weather we were having a brilliant day out and time wasn’t on the agenda, more important for us to have a grand day without any problems, building up for our big races. From Auchtertyre it was a bit of a slog into the wind and our shout changed from “Don’t fall yet!” to “Don’t fall now!” mainly because we didn’t want to lose our rhythm or if one of us went down it would’ve been a huge effort to get back up again!
Yay! The piper, a big smile and a thumbs up in thanks, and onto the red carpet.
As soon as we rounded the bend, Pauline took off and stole two or three yards, I chased her down matching her pace, she wasn’t getting it without a fight and she knew I wouldn’t just give her the win, she pushed on, so did I, but I couldn’t make up the head start she had, as hard as I tried!
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| photo from Graham Milne |
But it’s all in fun, there were hugs all round, I received my medal from Mags, Sue took my dobber and brought back my slip with my splits and finish time, a pose at the finish line for the giggles, another mugshot at the finishers backdrop, a can of beer from Ken, a hefty goodie bag and another special hug from Julie, then a cup of tea. Phew, a moment to catch my breath with more congratulatory hugs in the tea tent before a shower and food.
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| photo from Graham Milne |
Mags was off duty now after her long day and it was time to head home but there was no nodding off in the car as Mags recounted loads of finish line stories, from the do or die PB’s to a marriage proposal and dreams realised. I hope everyone has taken away a memory to cherish.
Thank you Johnny for another fantastic day, you and your team produced another brilliant race in challenging conditions, which would’ve been pretty tough for you guys, hanging around in checkpoints getting chilled to the bone but still smiling. Outstanding effort just so a bunch of folk could scamper up a beautiful trail. Us runners had the easy job!
Sooooo, if all goes well next year and Pauline and I run together again, I’ll be ready for the best of three, it’ll be gloves off and elbows out as soon as we hit the red carpet!
