Should I ? Really? Ach, go on then.....

The Cape Wrath Trail

When you're feeling blue about the future (sports and health-wise) it's great when friends come to your aid....be it for cuddles and cakes, walks and cakes, chats and cakes, or just being there for you. One of the people that rang and planted a naughty seed in my mind was my friend Shane. I'd said to him that I just wanted to get away from people asking me why I wasn't training, racing or even running.....and I just fancied heading to the hills for some softer terrain and beautiful scenery. He suggested walking the Cape Wrath Trail, which is 400km from Fort William to the Cape Wrath lighthouse (the most northwesterly point on the British mainland). He and his wife Heather had taken a couple of weeks to do it, carrying packs.....and although I'm a big fan of solitude, that sounded rather excessive, even for me. My alternative was to join the event that he runs....the Cape Wrath Ultra....which involves covering the distance in 8 days with your overnight bad being transported from camp to camp while you only carry your day bag (and compulsory kit etc). 

THE Event!

This planted the idea of trying to run/walk it, and then, if I failed to make the cut offs....dropping it and joining the support/medical teams as I've been part of those for his events in the past. Having looked at the distances and time limits.....my main worry was that if I was out walking for 16 hours a day (that was the max time allowed) how on earth I would be able to carry all the food I would want to eat in that time?

A late entry meant a substituted number

After managing my run/run-walk in Georgia, I decided to give it a go.....there's nothing like entering an event with a week's notice so you don't have the time to freak yourself out by wishing you'd trained for it.

I hitched a ride up with my friend Jim who was also taking part, but as I'd left it so last minute, I hadn't found accommodation the night before the event, so was planning on sleeping in the back of the car. Another friend, Iestyn, who had done the Dragon's Back with me 3 years ago, came to my aid and suggested using my sleeping bag on the spare bed in his hotel room rather than the car. That (and a shower) was a definite bonus before 8 nights in a tent!

Your transport awaits...

Jim and I dancing our way onto the ferry

There's nothing like a good Scots welcome

We started off with a short "ferry" ride (no duty free available on such a small boat!) across the water from Fort William, where we were greeted by a piper and filled up on coffee and biscuits whilst gathering for the start. Everyone tried to hang around inside before the official photo and countdown as the weather was typically Scottish (mizzle with a touch of rain), but before too long we were off and heading down the road.

A clean fresh-smelling (!) set of runners

Unusually for such an event, we started off with about 6 miles on tarmac. I saw Jim and Carol fly off at the front but had no notion of trying to run with them (yeay.....sense prevailed!). I started off about 1/3 of the way through the back but soon caught up with Eddie and the miles ticked by easily as we caught up on 5 years of chat (she and I had run together in a race about 5 years ago which couldn't have been more different ....it was hot, sunny, all on road, a single stage, and had beer at the end). I knew she would be strong and fit (she has lived in the Alps for the past 2 years) so I urged her to go on ahead and not hang back for me. She was also being sensible and pacing herself for the week ahead, and so was quite happy not to floor it along the road. 

Running with Eddie a lifetime ago...

We reached our first checkpoint (numbers are scanned rather than using a dibber) and turned off the sealed road onto a forest one. We would chat as we passed guys along the route (or as they passed us, but usually it was the former as we'd started so steadily). I stopped for a hug and kiss from one of the support/forest response crew which prompted Eddie to check that I knew him, but I reassured her that I hadn't lost it in the hills already....as we'd known each other for years.

Heading into the magical glens

Without me noticing when it happened, I was suddenly running alone.......I only realised Eddie wasn't just behind me when a guy passed by, complimented me on being able to remove my waterproof and put it in my pack without stopping running and asked what I done with her. I guessed she'd come flying past on the next section as the path narrowed to single track and headed uphill. I felt rather unfit but as my leg wasn't hurting I decided to keep on and just enjoy the freedom of being out in the hills. 

"Gary's" coos

I managed to keep running all the way up the climb and surprisingly caught up to Carol (Jim had disappeared off into the distance along the track in the previous valley) but as we summitted, I knew that would be the last I saw of her. Not only does she fly down the descents, but I was consciously going to look after my leg and take it gently. So gently that I actually had to climb back up along a fence to a gate I'd missed (well, the marshal I saw did tell me to follow the forestry road down when I hit it, but actually I needed to carry straight on before going down).

Home Sweet Home

My leg survived the descent but I could no longer see anyone ahead as the speedsters (and even the normal descenders) were well out of sight. Gary (one of the course organisers) ran alongside me to chat for a little bit.....he wanted to make sure that the highland "coos" and their calves hadn't been an issue in the previous valley. I was now on a rough road that would up and down in the final kms of the day. I nearly came a cropper twice.....once as several vintage cars raced round a blind corner towards me.....and twice as some cyclists decided to bomb along in the opposite direction without wanting to break "formation" to let a mere runner through.

The lovely camp volunteers
picked up your bag and took it to
your tent for you on your arrival

As I turned off the road I found myself on boardwalk with chickenwire....this, combined with the weather and scenery, really reminded me of Tasmania (chatting later, Iestyn, who now lives in Tassie, agreed 100%). Back to a road and suddenly there were signs up, and although I did wonder if my fitness would give out before I finally saw the tents, I made it......5mins behind Carol and 5 mins ahead of Eddie.

The Hogwarts Express!!

It was time to tuck into the chips and cake that Shane's events provide by the bucketload (why do you think I take part?), meet my tentmates (Eddie, Kirsty, Kate, Kat and Claire), catch up with old friends, make new friends, avoid looking at the guys strip washing in the stream.....and watch as the Hogwarts Express crossed the (Glenfinnan) viaduct behind camp!