26 September 2010

rab mountain marathon

sometimes experience can breed complacency. mostly though, it raises your exceptions, not just of yourself but partner too. we had a bit a bit of though one this weekend at the rab. lost half our points on the saturday, realising too late that we weren't fit enough for our chosen route. sunday we finished nearly 15 minutes early, slightly broken with not much to show for it.

if it's just the racing that matters than this was certainly our worst result yet. we both had a few wobblies. there were nearly tears on the fell side. but, and this is the most important part, after over 11 hours of hilly challenges the over riding feeling is one of quiet, contemplative satisfaction.

finishing with smiles and though hobbling, the crags and tarns have reignited our desire to get back out there. more hills, more camping, more wild and wind swept times please.

15 comments:

"e Brutto" said...

11 hours that is hardcore.
That said I have just run for 11 days if only 60 minutes a day.

ultra collie said...

its the joy that matters yes?

Simon said...

Spot on Kate, great stuff :)

Fiona Rennie said...

Yep, it's all for fun regardless of results :-)

sbrt said...

Could have been much worse. There were a lot of big fat zeros, on the Saturday result sheet.

Shame we didnt get to meet up. See you next year?

Emma said...

well done Kate, we all have bad days at the office and it's more than a bonus to take a positive from it - well done :-)
Are you doing the OMM? B class for us, would rather do C or D but it was the compromise for not doing the A!!

get back on those hills soon :-)

kate said...

brutto- 11hrs over to days though. don't wear your legs out ;)

uc- sure is. think we got a bit caught up in trying to do better than we could-if that make sense.

simon- easy for a champ like you to say ;)

fiona- thanks, do you ever do these events? you'd walk it!

sbrt- yeh, you're right. stunning weekend though wasn't it? look forward to reading your report. might do the mini in nov...

emma- hola! going to a wedding instead of the omm :( highlander is our next one. you'll be fine in b- we did b last year. maybe see you on tanky's?

Unknown said...

kate - we collected 125 points on the saturday - my knee went after 3 hours and were 20 mins late - that left us with 5 points!! but u are spot on - we had a great weekend on the hill, great experience and still a feeling of satisfaction at the end!

swiss said...

not fit enough? after your two weekends of hard training? surely not!

kate said...

lou- hi there! the score format is so hard. finish late and you're rubbish, finish early and you're also rubbish! hope you recover quickly. maybe see you the hill sometime :)

swiss- yeh, maybe my 'taper' wasn't quite right ;)

Pedalling Polarcherry said...

more hills, more camping, more wild and wind swept times please.


Here here!

ps. well done!

ForwardMotion said...

there's a lot to be said for just getting out and doing. well done, you did it!! x

Beardy said...

Oh yes ...your tale brings back memories this years Highlander for me and Joe.

What is it they say ....

"Experience is the thing you gain just after you actually require it"

Anthony said...

The slow realisation and then the struggle to get back in time is horrible!

Got a few minus points hidden away in the past myself but its all part of the fun.

Despite it all you have got to love the knackered satisfaction of a mountain marathon.

kate said...

ppc- cheers mate. we'll have to help each other get out in the winter months.

lesleyh- totally. there's no way we'd drive all that way if there wasn't a race. so in fact, we won ;)

anthony- hello! yeh, it was horrible, counting down from the final summit, minus 1 point, minus 5 points etc... hope you're still getting out there, even if it's on 2wheels.