It’s not a race… It’s not a race… It’s not a race…
On the morning of 17th of October I’ll be in Ft Bill at that bloody sign that says “Well done, you’ve finished the West Highland Way”. No doubt shivering in the rain with the prospect of riding to Crianlarich looking very unappealing indeed.
But this time I’m not alone. On an mtb beside me will be Phil, on foot will be Craig and Iain, and in lycra and on skinny wheels will be Paul and Pete.
What’s it all about? Well after last years WHW adventure I knew I wanted to go back, but as time went on I knew I wanted it to be different, so I thought of the bike. Others in our merry band have issues with WHW attempts going back years, so there are elements of this being a self help group, a co-dependancy and a grudge match. Brilliant.
We have an outdoor professional, a fitness trainer, a marathon runner, two blokes who just rode from John o Groats to Lands End, and then there’s me, the fat old heating engineer. I never knowingly make it awkward for myself, really. It won’t be fitness that gets me home, it’ll be the thoughts of the couch and cold Irn Bru from the fridge.
We’re not breaking any records here, it’s partly for fun and it’s also a big test mission. The biggest test will be for Crossfit. The guys of foot will have done no real distance training, it’s all lifting weights and shouting at yourself in the mirror.
Then there’s gear, we’ve all got kit to test, that’s easy as long as it’s good though.
Saturday night will be in the Real Food Cafe, getting the six of us there at the same time might be an issue. Weather, fitness, resolve, they’ll all come into it.
I’m really looking forward to this. I’m doing the WHW again, but this time with my chinas. Bloody marvellous.
More soon, repeatedly.
Oh, WHW*Falldoon? It’s autumn and we’re going down the way. I know, I know.
Good luck to everyone. It’ll be an adventure.
With all that planning though surely you’ve shot yourselves in the foot with the weather?!
Aye, the weather…
It’s the first weekend we could all make it one way or another. It should make it a better take to tell later :o)
It will be amazing sunshine and smiles all weekend !
Trust me I have all the luck with the weather in Oct on the WHW
Aye.
Here, I hope you’re keeping the beard for this.
eerrmm ! it is still there but a slightly trimmed version !
There’ll be words at parade in the morning.
Are you taking the SPOT tracker along again. I quite enjoyed the updates last year.
Ah bugger, I knew there was something else I had to do.
I’ll try and sort that out aye. We’ve got two SPoTs between us, so it would be good to track the runners and mtbers.
Adds to list…
Good to have something to work towards. I need a plan…
Can you have the two SPOTs appearing on the same map? That’d be great fun :-)
Plans are overrated Ange, I have a loose thread of intention putting this together…
I just spoke to Donald at Adventure Trading Post who sorted me out the last time and it looks like we can do a two-in-one map.
I’ll keep us posted :o)
I’ll be following the Crossfitters with an eye of joining Crossfit NI if they can pull off the WHW without hours upon hours of tarmac time! Never thought weights would enable long distance running, however the more I read about the whole crossfit getup the more appealing it gets.
BTW Cheers to craig for doing in depth replies on a previous post
Good luck to everyone, and hope the back is easing up for you!
Cheers Keith.
We’re doing good I think, I’m feeling better and I’m on the hill with Craig on Wednesday night to see how he’s doing.
Whatever happens on the weekend, it’ll be something to talk about later!
Good luck, chaps.
Look forward to reading all about it, hope the back recovers.
Plans are ok sometimes. When I was younger I had loads of plans. Now… nane!..
Bless you folks. I’m sure something will go awry to make it interesting :o)
Ange, I was once the same. But by the time I was 21 I was like a human pinball. 40 is okay though, I’m mostly heading in the right direction. Mostly.
All things are possible given time, circumstancee and luck.
Aye, I’ve no plans, but have a few ideas. Just need some of that time, circumstance and loads of luck!
The right direction… hhmmm, I’m not there yet.
I’m on the slip road coming off the 2 lane M80 from STG and joining the 4 lane M8 from EDI to GLA then finding that the lane I’m on heading into the City Centre is on a 30mph limit, chocka block and at a standstill whilst others who know the short-cuts are whizzing past, sticking their tongues out and waving…. but i’m on the road at least!
Aye, as long as you’re moving…
“Saturday night will be in the Real Food Cafe…” Hmmm…we might well see you in there!
Good lad!
All the best for this one….I’ve linked it up here:
http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/2009/09/testing-crossfit-endurance.html
Cheers Chris.
As we’re getting closer, and now that we’ve gone public, I reckon the boys will start feeling the pressure.
My biggest issue has been what lights to use on the bike.
Some of us will have it easy (you’ll never know it from my write up of course).
I’m looking forward to reading how it goes…..might even drive up and take the piss out of / encourage you from the sidelines if I’m about that weekend
Feel free!
Bring me some Irn Bru though.
Good luck. So what lights are you using on the bike? :)
Exposure’s top and bottom :o)
Ah, I never tried Exposure – I’d heard of failure issues at the time I was buying. No doubt all sorted by now though.
I’m still running Hope Vision LED and Lupine Edison HID – very bright even if it is old-tech now… but too much money to change until it’s been hammered.
I just bought a Dinotte rear light from the US though – WOW! Now that is a little red searchlight! I can’t wait for the commute to be in the dark – oblivion for drivers’ eyeballs! :))
Careful what you wish for Matt!
Having said that I charged up my faithful lumicycle battery last night ready for the return of riding in the dark.
Anyway, all the best for the ‘trip’ PTC*. I look forward to the write up.
Exposure lights are rock solid these days. I’ve been running a Joystick on my helmet for years and it’s been brilliant, issue free.
The bike light is a Maxx D, which is charging right now for tonights ride.
Exposure wins for me as it’s cable free, the lights just clip off and go in your pocket.
I’m still debating about a rear light, there are a couple of road sections that we’ll hit late in the day, so I’ll take something.
More-On, it’ll be a laugh. I hope.
WWF Smackdown – I just got the ref – I’m so slow these days, it comes with age, you know.
As Billy Connolly once said, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing, and let’s face it that’s not going to be an issue for you kit freaks, is it? So you should be fine, regardless (yes, I know that’s easy for me to say – that’s why I said it).
Enjoy it and come back in one piece.
And Petesy, you can’t keep complaining about starting at the finishing point if you keep doing it back to front (arse over elbow – lets hope, not literally – etc etc)
It’ll be a wee adventure I’m sure. Hopefull with a happy ending, if not I’ll settle for a big dollop of pathos as they wheel me off the battlefield.
Talking of kit, we have some stuff to debut on this trip, once it’s all settled what’s actually turning up in time I’ll get it up here.
Watches for couriers…