Day 2: 'They weren't lying when they said it was a hard day'
During another day of warm sunshine, the Cape Wrath Ultra runners enjoyed some remote and stunningly beautiful landscapes, including great glens, majestic mountains, shady forests, winding rivers and picturesque lochs.
Today provided an introduction to a wilder terrain with rough hill paths and tracks, technical descents – and bracken taller than participants.
While the overall emotion of runners remained up-beat, there were those who found the going hard and slow, especially in the later hours of this stage under a hot sun.
Runners in Glen Dessary. ©No Limits Photography
Day 2: At Glen Dessary
We caught up with some of the competitors as they headed through Glen Dessary, during the first half of the 57km day.
Mags McHardy (no.54) said: “It has been gorgeous so far. The bit of single track down the bealach to Glen Dessary was beautiful. I survived yesterday and I am still going today, which is good. I’ve just got to get through to tonight and hit the big one tomorrow.”
Sharon Dickson (no.8) said: “It is just stunning here. Every time I take my eyes off the trail and look up I go into a bog but it’s worth it because the views are amazing.“
As Sharon then reached the part of the trail that looks straight down into the glen, she added: “Wow! There are no words to describe this. It is very different from my home on the south coast of England. I just need to keep one foot in front of the other but this is just fantastic.”
Bee Leask (no.2) said she was very happy to be in the mountains today. She added: “It is stunning and gorgeous. I need to remind myself to keep looking around and stop looking at my feet or just ahead. I feel I am a bit quicker than I thought I might be but all is good so far.”
Dolf Darnton (no.94) said: “I loved last night’s campsite at Glenfinnan Viaduct and the steam train as well… it was such a great setting. Then today is beautiful so far, too. I am from Bath and it’s a long way to come for a race but this is one of the most stunning parts of the UK and I thought the race would be a good opportunity to put my love of running and scenery together. Plus, the organisation of the event is fantastic.”
Jim Moyle (no.82) described the race so far as “absolutely wonderful”. He said: “I have loved every single minute. I have been stuck in London all through lockdown and all I have seen is the middle of a big city for 18 months. It is absolutely wonderful to be out here now. The scenery is getting better and better.”
Jeff Cohen (no.101) is 69 and the oldest competitor in this year’s race. He took part in 2018 but his performance was affected by an injured ankle. He said: “I wanted to come back to do this race again because I only did the first and last day in 2018.
“The scenery is brilliant and wonderful. I just hope to be able to keep going although I am starting to feel age creep up on me. These days, I run close to the back of the field like I used to run close to the front. It’s hard today.”
The atmosphere was up-beat as runners headed through Glen Dessary. ©No Limits Photography
Day 2: Finish line soundbites
Many competitors voiced their relief at finally making it to the finish at Kinloch Hourn after a very hot day of running in tough terrain.
Alasdair Moore (no.85) described a big mix of emotions. He said: “It was amazing, horrendous, beautiful and tough but I loved it. I had forgotten what it felt like to climb 1800 metres in one day. I love it now I have finished.”
Catherine Bunn (no.50) said: “They weren’t lying when they said it was hard today. I am absolutely exhausted and the undergrowth was over my head in places. But it was enjoyable, too and very beautiful. I just had to plod up the hills and keeping going on the flats. Now all I want is a cup of tea.”
Geoff Osbaldestin (no.26) finished with a nose bleed. He said: “I was alright until half an hour ago when I got a nose bleed due to the heat. I thought we were meant to be in Scotland but this is very hot weather. I took it a lot easier today and I was bang on the time I wanted to be.
“The route was so beautiful and some of the views are absolutely spectacular. You just stand there and think, ‘So few people ever get to see this.’ It is pretty epic.”
Richard Lander Stow (no.73) suffered in the heat today. He said: “I over-heated. My stomach wasn’t quite right from the start and with the heat I had to grovel for the last few hours. I need to get some fluids in and find somewhere to lie face down on the grass somewhere.”
Roy Linden (no.52) described the day as “incredible”. He added: “What an awesome trail. I am tired now and I could do with some water and chips but apart from that it was brilliant.”
Kirstine “Kirsty” Oliver (no.24) described the last section of day as horrible. She said: “It was already a long day and then you get to Barrisdale and there is ‘only’ 14km. But then you’ve got bracken, craggy ends, so many climbs but you think, oh, it’s not that far, so you forget to drink water or eat.
“I kept thinking, when is this going to end. It was still so hot at 6pm and I was burning up. It took three hours and it was so hard. I hadn’t eaten enough or drunk enough water. I was fine but it was so hard.”
Bee Leask (no.2), who completed her longest run today, said: “It was awful but great. It was my first ultra distance and it was hard but fine really. I am very pleased to have got through it and now I can focus on tomorrow, which I know will be a very long day.”
Participants on day two of the Cape Wrath Ultra ©No Limits Photography