You are right DJD, the course was an absolute monster, the road up to Connell, especially the first mile of it, but all of it really! was just too steep. It did remind me of heading North on the Leerside with Cruachan instead of the Arran mountains in the distance. The road back from Connell was just as bad! the underfoot conditions awkward but perfectly OK.......it was a dry sunny day, if it had been raining things would have been different on that section and pretty unpleasant.
There was a lot of moaning and muttering about it in the dressing room, I did not join in as the young organisers are so pleasant and friendly and I know how difficult it is to get things right but I do feel it was a mistake to set the course SOOO dificult. The winning time was about 8 mins slower than usual and that says a lot............I will be back next year, with a different race strategy! but I'm not sure there will be 76 others unless they change it back!
Yep, that was a fantastic welcome from the Jog Scotland girls
I heard the cheers and shouts as I was running down the hill and thought it was the local hero getting cheered home........turned out it was DJD!! and then when I came in I thought the other local Oban hero must have been just about to overtake me and only realised it was our lassies cheering for me as I crossed the line! thankyou very much, it was wonderful....quite moving even!!
And then DJD and I added our cheers for Iceblue coming in just after.
There is great camaraderie at these events, especially when Campbeltown folk meet away from home! but in general as well.
I met up again with a man I first met at the NY marathon in 1996 and see him every year at Oban....Jim Duff fae Callander if emdy knows him........63 he is now but he got 2nd place in the super vet category this year....his first prize ever......but he was not there to receive it.....away home for a Scotland on TV Rugby party!
Oh and sorry Katefer for making you admit you are now a vet runner!
And the T Shirts.........emdy want a T Shirt? really!! one or two spares came down the road....!! legally of course!