Ord Hill and beyond

Sunday was just one of those days when it is hard enough getting out of bed, let alone thinking about going out to train. The cloud was down to 100m, it was raining and about 2C. However, after cooking Kath a suitably large 'Scottish Breakfast' and a rather less traditional version for Emily, that horrid nagging feeling of guilt made itself known. I 'needed' to get out for a couple of hours so I decided to head out to Ord Hill (a great place itself for off-roading running and biking), just North of Kessock Bridge, and run along the coast for a bit. A true sign of bad weather is when you get fully kitted up in the car, and although I hate running with full body cover it was too wet and windy to contemplate anything else. To add to the fun, despite the rain, some of the tracks were still covered in sheet ice and even snow.
My route was initially through Ord Hill (counter-clockwise on the landrover track) before dropping down on the signposted route down to Kilmuir following the shore line path (tidal in parts). From Kilmuir I climbed a bit on the road until another track branched off just by the farm buildings down to the shore again. After a couple of minutes on a indistinct track along the frozen salt marsh I headed up a vague path through a gate slanting up left to the hill side. After a short while this turned into a track (not marked on the map) which I followed steeply to the top. At the well made driveway I turned left through some manicured grounds to Taindore. From here I picked up some great single-track through the woods heading back SW towards Kilmuir. There seemed to be quite a few distinct trails weaving around in these woods above Pitlundie. It would be definetly well worth exploring the area on a mountain bike or on foot.

Somehow, I ended up back at Kilmuir and followed the route back to the car, adding in some hills in Ord Hill on the way back. The OS 1:50 000 map really isn't that useful and the area really does have a lot more trails (and also feels a lot more extensive) than it suggests. The car park at Ord Hill does seem to attract 'doggers', but as long as you don't flash your lights or using your wipers at inappropriate times you should be pretty safe.

Time: 2hs Max HR: 165 Av HR: 141

Fun in the sun

The high pressure is still sticking with us and the frost is so heavy in places it is almost snow-like. It has been hard working in the office when the skies have been blue all day (well at least when we have daylight). Long lunch beaks with mountain bike rides (about 1h10min in duration) over in Ord Hill and Culloden Woods have helped keep me sane.

On Tuesday I went up for a quick run around Meall Mor, a superb little hill that is prominant on the east side of the A9 just before Daviot about 10min from Inverness. The deer have been busy and there are a whole host of narrow tracks once you manage to get above the forestry belt. With the good weather we have been having, the views from the cairn stretched from the granite tors on Bheinn a'Bhuird in the south to Caithness in the north. Another reminder that size doesn't (always) matter. The 5km run was suprisingly tough and took me about 40min.

On Friday I couldn't stand it any longer and headed out past Garve to Strath Rannoch, and did a bike (10km) / run (7km) up to the Graham of Carn Loch nan Amhaichean. The weather was superb and the ground so frozen that my feet stayed dry even in running shoes. The stalkers track from the farm marked on the map wasn't quite as good as expected but the heather was managable. I sat around on the top for while and enjoyed the views over to Scaraben and Ben Wyvis. The run down the SW ridge was very quick and was followed by a very cold bike as the sun had left the glen. Back at the car parked by the bridge at Inchbae it was -7C despite it being just above freezing in Inverness.

On Saturday I headed out to Torr Breac just past Garve and climbed a couple of short (10-15m) easy pitches on a frozen waterfall. I was surprised that it was in such good nick despite being only at 100m AOD. All good fun. I am feeling fairly bushed after all the biking, but the weather is forecast to hold so no doubt I will be headed out tomorrow.

Off-season!

Its been a while since I have done any proper running. That really is the great thing about having an off season. I know 'season' sounds very grand and much more scientific than what is really boils down to is the fact that I can't face anymore hard training or races this year. Not having to go out for a run and then feeling guilty about it.

So with this in mind the past couple of weekends have been superb. Mountain biking in Glen Feshie (trailmaps available from Bothy Bikes in Aviemore) along superb narrow swooping single track in the sun, Munro bagging in a snowstorm in Glen Doll with an overnight camp,

watching waves,

and more midweek Munro bagging in Glen Lyon (Inveran). Cheshunt Estate (on the web too) must surely figure amongst the most obstructive estates in Scotland. Of course that nutter up in Alladale Estate (more info on their website) takes the biscuit with his 30 miles of electrified fencing. But what really bothers me about the Cheshunt lot is the fact they try and make walkers (I assume they tar runners with the same brush) guilty for taking legitimate access due to the damge we cause. Strange, I thought over-grazing was one for major issues which is caused by the huge number of deer, not baggers, in the hills. Of course Argocats ferrying fat, gun-totting 'huntsmen' up to bag that stag has nothing to do with erosion. I went up the hills anyway on the assumtion that most of these idiots need a standing target for them to shoot and that I should be able to out-run them. I had a great day in the hills on superb running terrain and met one walker and no deer or 'stalkers'.

Today I was up over in Tomintoul to try out some biking there (trailmaps can be down loaded from the Glenlivet Estate website). Not as good as Glen Feshie but still worth while whilst the bigger hills are storm bound.

Just a couple more weeks off then back to training proper. I even have a traingin plan which I will post soon, along with a target race plan, when I feel brave enough.