My last descent run was three weeks ago, another coast run, this time off Aberdeen. I intended doing a full report but never had the time so here are the pictures.
I parked at Garthdee and followed the river to the harbour.
It was a beautiful Saturday evening, perfect for a wee jaunt.
The path is easy to follow, sticking to the contours of the coastline all the way to cove.
Pass Girdle Ness lighthouse and the disused fog horn.
Drilling activity in the bay of Nigg.
The coastline from here is perfect for rock fishing, something I used to do back in the eighties.
I did pass some people fishing at some of the popular spots.
After Speyside my season was finished, just too busy to pencil any other races in. The family did consider a visit to the G24 but the house scuppered that plan, with maintenance required at the well over that weekend. It's amazing how much water is used until you don't have any, always reaching for a tap that's not supplying water.
As the title suggests, I'm back to the bonny Braes O Gight, my much photographed and visited training area. Here are the latest shots and I intend posting more as the seasons change.
I'm hardly doing any running at the moment, DIY takes precedence at this time of year. The result is weight gain and a loss of fitness. I'm not too concerned just now, I think the body and mind needs a break now and again. Hopefully I'll manage to do the Fraserburgh Half this year then it's time for Marcothon.
Sometimes, nearer the end of an ultra, I will ask myself questions, like - What the hell am I doing? and When am I going to give this crazy pastime up? Each time I do briefly consider chucking it in, but at what cost? As I've already said, weight and fitness would be an issue but there is something else I would miss and I can't quite put my finger on it. Of course, there is the camaraderie, meeting fellow ultra runners at races and social events, but there is something I would miss deep inside, something gnawing away. When asked by family, friends and colleagues why I ultra run my response is "you need to have something that scares you" but where and when do you draw the line? Well for me it's not going to stop next year and I suppose that could be quite a selfish decision to make as I have decided to do even more.
Here are my plans for 2014, as long as I am accepted in any balloted races -
15th March - D33
26th April - Highland Fling
17th May - Cateran
21st June - WHW race
24th to 27th July - Kieth Insch to Ardnamurchan Point (a personal challenge)
23rd Aug? - Speyside
06th Sept? - G24
So there it is, the cats out of the bag. Something to scare me. I'm in the early planning stages of an East to West ultra run of Scotland, I'll post the proposed route and details later.
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