That was one tough, but beautiful and amazing, race!
We started off at 5am on Saturday, from Grant Park in Forres!
Headed along the roads, up to the coast at Findhorne, then through the dunes, Roseisle Forest, and coastal trails, all the way to the beach at Lossiemouth. This is such a magical place, I could easily run here all day every day, and never tire of it!
The first checkpoint was at Lossiemouth, and then it was back on to the beach for a bit, followed by the famous "5km to hell" section. I've renamed this, as I think it's longer than 5km, and also there's no 'to' about it - running on that bl***y shingle for miles and miles I would say is like being in hell already. So, the "several miles in hell" section went on, and on.... and on, until finally we reached Kingston-on-Spey.
On leaving the shingle, I retrieved the tiny remaining part of my will to carry on from deep down within myself, and we headed inland, along lanes down to the next checkpoint at 35 miles at Fochabers (best name ever).
I topped up my bag with 1.5 L water, had 500ml coke, and also topped up my snacks from my drop bag. Then onwards down the Speyside Way. The next section was about 19 miles, and went up Ben Aigen. I don't know how (well, the heat I guess!), but even with all that fluid plus an impromptu checkpoint and water top up at Middle Earth....
....I was just so thirsty that I completely ran out of water about 5 miles before the next checkpoint. Obviously, got very dehydrated, started to feel sick, and that was that.
Made it to the next checkpoint at Carron, and had a wee rest and rehydrate. None of the foods in my carefully prepared drop bags were at all appealing anymore! I was very disappointed, as I was trying VERY hard to get my fuelling right this time, and had spent ages planning it all out and preparing my drop bags! But hey ho, we carry on....
The next section started off with lots of runnable miles along the old Strathspey Railway line, through whiskey country, and past several distilleries. Oh, how nice it would have been to stop at one!
Then (and as soon as I got there, I remembered this nightmare from the Speyside 100 a couple of years ago!) the new "several miles in hell" to rival the original shingle beach "several miles in hell" began. The farmer has rerouted the Speyside Way around their land, following I think the top of an old wall. The path is thus made up of random rocks and stones placed at cheekily jaunty angles, between grass, holes, secret holes covered in grass, etc. This all provides endless opportunities for lurching off your feet in exciting and non-vertical directions, and to make it even more thrilling, your face will end up terrifyingly close to the barbed wire fence the farmer has decided to enclose the narrow path with on both sides. Oh, and there are chain styles every so many meters, just to make it extra fun. I think it's about 10km that section, and I can tell you for sure, that by the end of it, I was dreaming of shingle beaches and wishing I was back there!
Anyway, I wouldn't want my excessive moaning to detract at all from how enchanting the majority of the route was. Aside from the evil farmy bit and the shingle beach, 93/102 miles were a complete DREAM!
After leaving the farmland, there was a few miles through forest, before dropping back down to the old railway line and then down to the River Spey.
Checkpount 4 was at Grantown-on-Spey at 74 miles. I was really struggling with feeling nauseous by then, and was feeling all out of energy. But, the checkpoint was in a village hall, and everyone in there - marshals, runners, crew - were all so lovely, and it also had luxury loos and nice smelling soap, so felt a bit better after a quick freshen up!
Then it was off out to the final 28 miles along the Dava Way back to Forres. The Dava Way is along another old railway line (the old Highland Railway), and the first few miles are a gradual up, to the summit on Dava Moor, then the rest is all downhill!
It was starting to get dark, but didn't need my headtorch until after 11, it's crazy how light it is almost all night here in midsummer! I've got a new one, as my old and tusty one was about as powerful as tealight flickering in a breeze, and it was so joyful to have such a bright view of the night! I loved this section, and managed to get back into more of a rhythm with my running. The most difficult part of this bit was trying to avoid all the frogs which were sat on the trail - it was mad, I've never seen so many before, for miles and miles! I think i managed to avoid squishing any! 🐸🐸🐸
The final checkpint at mile 91 was at Edinkillie. I tried a bit of kendal mint cake and a bit of a kendal mint cake gel, in a desperate attempt to take on some sort of energy. This did not go down well! About 7 miles from the end, in a dramatic finale, I started projectile vomiting, into the light of my headtorch, like something from the Exorcist. Luckily, no one else was around to see it!
Just keeping going, just keep going! Finally, it was off the Dava Way, and through Sanquhar Woods to Forres, where I got completely lost in the woods about a quarter of a mile to go. For the life of me, I could not orientate myself to work out how to get back on to the route! In the end, I summoned enough mental energy to manage to get back on track and in the right direction, and crossed the finish line back in Grant Park, phew!
I was so relieved to finish!
My time was 23.40.5, and I was 2nd female to finish, and got a lovely wooden trophy and a Moray Way Ultras coffee mug!
Met some lovely people on the way around, and had some excellent chats. At the checkpoints, some other runners' crews asked me if they could do anything, as I didn't have a crew myself; how nice is that! The marshals were all outstanding, and so very kind! The Moray Way Ultras community is so so lovely! Thank you Kyle, Debbie and the whole Moray Way Ultras team for a truely epic adventure! 🧡🧡🧡
Also 📸 : Steven Simmers Photography, Ray Liversidge, Andrew, and me.
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