It’s a long story but will keep it as short as possible.

This was my first ever Ultra 2007 and had no clue how to run it, well this year I’ve done 2 more and thought I was pretty clued up on what was needed. I set my myself the time of 9hrs, a whole 57 mins faster than 07 but thought it was a reasonable target in terms of my fitness. I now sneer at my utter niavity!!

By the time we arrived Friday with my wee team of Bryan (driver) Anne (runner) and Munro (dog) I was already hyped up with nerves and excitment. Could barely eat my fish supper, my beer in the pub (wee half pint) literally stunk. Back to the cottage. Tim & Muriel hadn’t came to the pub and Geroge Ian & Alison stayed on a while longer (all back up). Early to bed, but I couldn’t sleep, was that the nerves or Munro barking at every sound?? up and down to the loo, coudn’t sleep rotten night. Must have dropped of at some point as the alarm woke me up. 0430 I’m first up, coffee, weetabix, dressed, another toilet visit, up to the green welly, registraton, another toilet visit, pre race talk, another toilet visit.. oh just the usual nerves I thought.

All excited and were off, usual back of the pack stuff, plodding along chatting to fellow runners and feeling glad to be started.
Tim was away slower than normal and at first I thought he was pacing himself, then he took off as usual

Ok.. thats all the good bits gone, by 4 miles I’m starting to feel the stomach cramps, not bothering me too much as I know I can nip into the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. I had not planned on this as a stop, but stop I did. Feeling slightly better and a wee cheer on from the crew I’m off up the hill, down the other side feeling ok but still getting cramps. I managed 2 wee tatties and 2 spoonfuls of beans, which I was boaking on..yukk… little did I know this was going to be the most I eat all day. I had to take of my bum belt at this point as I was finding it was making my stomach 100 times worse, so all I had for the moor was a bottle of water with nuun.. Onwards to Victoria bridge, by this time I’m ill and under the bridge for another toilet stop, but thinking positively and still hopefull things will get better.

Onto the moor and here is where I lost all the will I had to live. Every step hurt my gut ??? when I tried any effort at all I was repayed by seering cramps that were doubling me over. I walked/plodded and met Karen Donaghue, she really kept me going, lots of advice, lots of support and lots of taking my mind of things, just bimbling along . 3 toilet stops on the moor and my feet are soaked tramping through the grass to hide and my butt bitten to pieces by those bloody midges, I was covered Soon seen Anne coming running towards us, she was trying to get 30 miles in for the Speyside Ultra. The 3 of us ran to Glencoe chatting and I was feeling a lot better mentaly if not physically. Anne ran to get Bryan to meet me at Kingshouse instead of the checkpointn as he had had to go back to the car with the dog cos the midges were eating him alive!!! poor Munro.

At this point I realised for sure my race was over, there was no way I could force myself to eat anything, I was glad I had made up a couple of complan drinks, not full meals but I was hopeful it was enough to keep me going. After downing a drink and a crisp .. yep 1 crisp, changed my socks and shoes I was on my way again. The next part to the Devils Staircase hurt but was ok, I was shuffling and struggling on the rocks but thanks to Karens previous advice and Anne’s constant encouragement I was now more determined I was going to finish. Up the staircase was a slow drag, but got there we did, took a photo for another runner, scenery was spectacular. It is what makes the run after all. I did manage to run most of the way down the rocky path but it was taking it’s toll and I was back in the ferns at the side of the road. Walking at points as my legs were now aching to the point of drawing tears and the thought of another 14miles from KLL was unthinkable, so I stopped thinking it, had to, I was already pretty rock bottom without scaring the sh*t out myself with thoughts like that.

Into KLL was just another shuffle and we had already decided we were going to walk/shuffle the rest of the way. Food stop again, had another wee drink of complan and a crisp. We had to walk to the hill cos all my concentration was going on keeping it down. Felt so sick but knew I had to keep what I could in me. We walked and chatted all the way up the hill, still couldn’t run at the top but we tramped on and eventually got into a decent shuffle. Thinking about it now we probably shuffled more than we walked, at the time it just seemed way much harder!!!

Only one person passed us on this part of the route, the guy who fell and hurt his head, that looked so bad, we still didn’t put a dent in his lead though!!! The mountain medics were amazing, happy and cheery, just what was needed at low points.
We went through Lundavra, met Bryan topped up the water wee natter with George Ried who had pulled out due to cramp and on we went for the last stretch. I do like the forest part and even though it hurt like hell I was still managing to move forward, wouldn’t say I was enjoying it as by now the legs were like chip board and I felt like an auld bag of shite, as I kept telling Anne when she enquired how I was The stomach problems had been relegated to 2nd place in the pain list by this time

Onto the road and I knew I was almost there, is there anything that can describe that feeling.. when you just KNOW you are going to finish!! We truged, we sung, we shuffled, we stopped while I got myself together a few times, but we got there. Down towards Braveheart carpark and we saw Munro bounding about, he came charging when I shouted him Bryan at his back then we all ran down towards the road together. Bryan ran on so he could get a photo at the end (on facebook, a calamity)!! Anne dropped behind so I could take all the credit of running it myself… when I so didn’t!!

All in all it was a very difficult race, I’m glad I struggled on but not sure if it was the best idea. A very big thank you to my back up, to Anne and everyone else who encouraged and congratulated us as we made our way to THE END