Sunday 22 July 2007

4 hardy souls (Dave Mewse, Stevie Hards, Fraser Williams and Robin Scott) joined Donald on his 50th birthday run from Largs to Kilbarchan. The weather was great in spite of the forecast as we headed off up the track from Flatt Farm on the outskirts of Largs. The first couple of miles are good going along a track until it petered out then it was in to the long grass, tussocks, heather and bog we were to encounter for the next few miles. The first stop was at the ruins of Gogo Lodge for a feast of Jelly Babies, Gummy Bears and superb sweets which Fraser brought along and whose name I can't remember. I discovered to my horror that I'd left my Jelly Babies in Big Blue (my car), but kept my mouth shut and poached sweets off everyone else for the rest of the run! Result - I got away with it as no one asked for any of my sweets and I ate fairly well during the run!!! Beats me why anyone would want to build a lodge in such a remote location.

Then it was off up the hill to visit the ruins of a crashed aircraft (for aircraft geeks - a Devon VP969 which crashed in 1958) to show Fraser the down-side of joining the RAF! A few miles later of stumbling through the bogs and a brief but fruitless search for another crashed aircraft (found out afterwards the remains had been removed a few months ago after lying up there for 60 years) we arrived at the highest point in Renfrewshire, the Hill of Stake. The first rule of the run was that everyone must stand on top of the trig point on top of the hill, which we duly did, although Robin did struggle a bit! As far as I was concerned the run from the Hill of Stake to Muirshiel was the worst.

Although it was down-hill, there was a side slope going from left to right which meant my left ankle was being thrown over every step for nearly 2 miles. Groan!! Robin showed that age does count when he shot past the rest of us as we waded through a couple of bracken-choked ravines while he took a higher route avoiding all of this. Robin left us at Muirshiel to go and watch some golf match that was taking place on the east coast and John Kynaston, Anne Dale and my family (Amelia, Lisa and Gemma) joined us. Ann and my family ran with us for a while and then did a lap round Windy Hill and Craig Minnan before heading back to Muirshiel (needless to say we ran up both Windy Hill and Craig Minnan), while John set out to run to Kilbarchan with us.

Then it was off through the bogs and forest to Locherwood car park where we thought others might join us, but needless to say no-one was there, (wimps!) Then across across the fields (and through a horrendous overgrown marsh with a scary big black bull in it) towards Kilbarchan.

I haven't run over these fields for a few years and it's amazing how overgrown they are now. By now we were all getting tired and the number of falls were increasing. 4 1/2 hours after leaving Largs we arrived at Kilbarchan sore and tired but very happy.

What a superb day out. After showers in the pavilion we headed off to the Trust Inn where Dave and Stevie poured 2 pints of lager shandy down my throat. My first alcoholic drink for 3 years! Quite an impressive list of casualties for the run - about 30 ankles gone over, about 20 falls (mostly Stevie and Fraser), 3 runners drew blood and Dave fell on an electric fence and got 3 shocks (it was quite funny), oh and worst of all I tore one of my finger nails (must remember to book another manicure!!!).

You know it will be an adventure going for a long run with me. Stevie wants to do one of these mega-runs every month! Astonishing when you see the state of him in the photos on John Kynaston's blog! If there is sufficient interest then I'll plan another run and maybe throw in other delights such as a 'King of the Mountains' award for the person who's first to the top of the most hills during the run, maybe a few sprint stages across selected fields, and possibly a prize for the most falls.

Running is about adventure and having a laugh as well as trying to run fast times on the road and track. Stevie and I even managed to complete the Monday evening fartlek session and I got a record for the furthest out I have ever gone on a Monday evening - right into darkest Lochwinnoch!! Many thanks to those brave souls who came on the run to celebrate me becoming a super vet. Donald ('nice but daft' according to Hayley)

Donald Petrie