Sunday 12 September 2010

West Highland Way - The December 2009 Attempt


The following was written following our first attempt to run the West Highland Way (North to South) in Dec 09.  What will be interesting is how our next attempt pans out in a few weeks time!

Back in November 2009, I decided that I needed to kick start our training for the expedition.  So with 3 weeks notice, our somewhat ambitious plan was to complete the route of the West Highland Way in under 30hrs, although I was privately hoping that we would complete the 96 miles in about 26 hours.  We decided to to run the route north to south, as it was felt that it would be easier to get home from Glasgow rather than from Fort William especially given the inevitable sore legs which would be crammed into a mini-bus.  Although the plan envisaged the 3 man running team moving through a series of checkpoints along the route, the checkpoints being administered by our support team who would ensure that we had sufficient food and water.  However, as should have been expected, the execution of the plan was somewhat different.

Leg 1 Fort William to Kinlochleven – 14miles (Ascent 735m / Descent 737m).  

The team started running in darkness with the initial part of the route along a road, although it was not long before we began an inevitable climb.  As the sun started to rise, it became clear just how much snow there was on the hills around us.  The route was clearly marked, but more worryingly we all found it difficult to keep our running speed down, although the Garmin GPS 405 training watches (kindly loaned to us by Garmin)  helped to ensure that we were able to gauge our speed accurately and slow down.  We passed just 2 walkers on this first leg, buy more importantly the weather remained dry although very cold.  Arriving at Kinlochleven, the support team had expertly set up a mini café, with seats, hot food and drinks.  We quickly attempted to eat and administer our feet, before the inevitable call was made to start running again.  

Leg 2 Kinlochleven to Kingshouse – 9miles (Ascent 423m / Descent 659m).  

The route out of Kinlochleven is a steep climb along a fire track past a water station to the start of the path which leads to Glencoe and the Devils Staircase.  We made good time along the fire track, although once we started on the footpath we were slowed down by the conditions underfoot, with snow, slush and ice preventing any real speed.  The route was clearly marked but the weather conditions made it hard going.  Once on the Devils Staircase, we had Kinghouse in view and we made good progress in expectation of (and very much needed as we were all cold) hot food.  However, and for very good reasons, the support team had moved the location of the RV a mile further up the route, which caused a drop in morale and the requirement for us to walk from Kingshouse to the new RV.  The RV was at the start of the short climb up to Rannoch Moor, the leg which was filling us with most dread given its notorious and frequently changing weather.  The support team had plenty of hot (in fact too hot) drinks and food ready for us, although i was less interested in eating and more interested in getting started again.  A quick change of running tops and after 15 mins we started again.

Leg 3 Kingshouse to Inveroran – 10miles (Ascent 336m / Descent 270m).  

The route across Rannoch Moor was the one, which at the start that filled us with most dread.  However, although the weather started to change and we started to experience intermittent snow, sleet and then finally rain, we made very good time across the moor.  We arrived at Inveroran to find that the support team had just woken up from some sleep, so the planned food stop was quickly scrapped in favour of a larger meal (of fish and chips) at Tyndrum.  We changed tops again to warmer running jackets and got the head torches ready.  The weather was also starting to deteriorate rapidly with snow falling in greeting amounts. 

Leg 4 Inveroran to Tyndrum – 11 miles (Ascent 358m / Descent 418m).  

Head torches were on from the start, and although we followed the road to Bridge of Orchy, the weather conditions were deteriorating quickly.  The path from Bridge of Orchy to Tyndrum follows an old military road along the route of an disused railway.  We made good progress, although we were all head down as the snow was being blown directly into our faces.  Head torches were in use throughout the leg, and although the weather conditions were against us we made good progress, despite a number of navigation mistakes.  On arrival at Tyndrum we quickly made our way down to the main road in search of the legendary fish and chip shop (which Jules had been talking about from the start of journey) where the support team were waiting.  The fish and chip shop was due to shut but the support team had talked them into staying open while we quickly ate some large and very impressive sized portions of food (although again I was struggling to eat and just wanted to get on with the run).  On leaving the café, Tony decided that he would not continue as he was struggling focusing on things; a stirling effort given his pace over the past leg where he was at the front for the duration.  This left Jules and I to quickly sort ourselves out before we set off again.

Leg 5 Tyndrum to Crianlarich – 6 miles (Ascent 248m / Descent 263m).  

The maps were out very quickly, as the route out from Tyndrum in the dark took some finding, although we were not lost we didn't necessarily know where the route was or where we were in relation to the route.  However once on the route we started to make good time.  However, the weather was continuing to deteriorate and after about 40 minutes, at another map check (where Jules was told where he was by the old lady who lived in the house we had stopped outside) we decided that the we would not continue and called for the support team to pick us up as we made our way to the main road.  The decision was not taken lightly but was made for a number of very good reasons, not least due to deteriorating weather.

Afterthoughts

It was clear afterwards that we needed to do a number of longer runs to prepare ourselves physically and mentally to complete the route.  None of this comes as any surprise and merely reinforces past experience.  Yet, having made the decision to attempt the route only 3 weeks before the start of the trip, I feel that we performed well given the obvious constraints.