Glencoe Skyline (52km/4750mtrs) 30th/180 overall, 2nd MV45

This was A-race number 2 for me this year. Tromso was the main event for me but Glencoe was important as I was keen to bag the full route after having to settle for the poor weather route last year (32km/2700mtrs) due to high wind.

The Buchaille and Curved Ridge the day before

I was preying for good weather or at least no wind and it was looking good with Ben Nevis Ultra and ROS both getting blue bird days on the Friday and Saturday. However Sunday the weather deteriorated and although not particularly windy it was wet and dull which isn't a bat thing for a long run.. Well maybe not for Curved ridge!

Not even 7am..

I started steadily but was very aware not to push too hard, there was a lot of climbing ahead! I picked off quite a few folk between Kinlochleven and the A82. Legs felt fresh and strong on the path up towards Curved Ridge.

Glad to get to Curved Ridge and find it reasonably dry and managed to blast up with no big delays queuing. Love this scramble, nothing too tricky but there's some nice exposed bits that give you a nice "out there" feeling. However it does feel less stressy racing it, there are other folk in front and behind, climbers are tethered to the crag doing safety and watching you, a false sense of security, you are there to get up as fast as possible, you are in a race after all!

I got an unexpected surprise half way up when I heard a friendly, jovial voice - "alright Ayron?" Looking up at Charles Sprosan of Mountainrun.com and RO of the Lakes Sky races doing safety! Priceless!

Curved ridge

Up onto the summit of the Buchaille, poles out and I was off picking off a couple of folk here and there. The ground is very loose here with some good solid running scattered in between.
The decent into Lairig Gartain was fast and flowing and then back to a slog once I started the climb up to Etive Beag the 2nd big climb then back to flowy running down into Lairig Eilde.

There was plenty water in the burns so I started with only 500ml MF RAW to keep weight down then just filled as I needed but this is the last place to get water for a while so I filled up here. Throughout the whole race I probably used 1.5ltrs Mountain Fuel RAW in 3 pre powdered flasks. I used the same plain water flask on my other side and probably had the same 1.5ltrs. I also used MF jellies every 45 mins/1 hour plus NAKD bars and some home made cocoa/nut balls.

The weather turned nasty near Bidean nam Bian with some rain squalls and the wind picked up but thankfully didn't last. Once I got Stob Coire nan Lochan done and back to nam Bian I was starting to get hungry and legs were tiring. The descent back down to the A82 and aid station was hard going, the lower path was wet and like glass and I took 2 bad falls here.

I briefly stopped at the aid station and took a potato and a handful of sugary sweets and I was off.

Aonach Eagach awaits from just after the road aid station

The climb from the road up onto AE was brutal and the start of my low time! I really struggled on this after the pounding descending off of the south side of the road to go straight into another huge climb! By the time I was onto the ridge and running again I was very weak and realised I'd stopped eating. I had to slow and get calories in. This isn't a great place to feel bad, especially on the Crazy pinnacles where you have to be sure footed!! I was super careful not to slip/trip on this section. I wanted to stop so badly but I wanted to get past the techy bits and then stop and sit and eat.. I took a Jelly and a full NAKD bar, loads of water and slowly got going again and then I came back to life with a bang and managed to make good time.

Anoch Eagach ridge

As I was starting to get going I was passed by a lady but I managed to catch her up and pass her before I realised it was Katie Kaars Sijpesteijn who I know through Rob Sinclair. Only 2 days earlier she finished 3rd at the Ben Nevis Ultra and was now running GS and going very well considering! Great to see another friendly face on route!

I had absolutely no idea how I was doing as my watch had died after 8.5 hours but I just  kept chipping away trying to keep pace up and actually made some good time between AE and Kinlochleven. Katie and I swapped leads a couple of times but she eventually took me in the last couple of kms descending back down into Kinlochleven.

I was very very surprised and very happy to finish under 10 hours in 9hrs 39mins and placed 30th/140 finishers from 180 and 2nd MV45!

Katie and myself 

Awsome day out in the hills and glad to bag the full route this year. I did Ring of Steall in 2017 and managed 2nd MV40 so maybe I'll tick the trio and do Ben Nevis ultra next year gunning for 2nd MV45 or I might just bin the Glencoe races altogether as the prices are becoming ridiculous! I'll see.