Event no. 40
Trip Start
May 25, 2008
1
29
Trip End
May 25, 2009
Durness, United Kingdom
Saturday, May 23, 2009
I got the train to Edinburgh where Ian picked me up and we drove to Durness. A lovely evening meant excellent views. I was amazed at the views from the cottage that Audrey had found for us all. She was there before us and registered for us all. I went to bed early as I was tried after the midnight walk that morning.
Monday 18th was perfect. The wonderful sunshine turned to rain as the bus took us to the start of the half marathon but it was dry for the race and a perfect temperature. The sun came out for the afternoon. We explored a craft village and tasted the local chocolate. Not sure yet what I think to it, will have to go back for another taste test. Odd looks when I asked for hot chocolate with my truffles!
Tuesday was the hill run but wasn't too bad. Fantastic views over the tops. Another good run and time. We spent the afternoon at Sandwood Bay. We had to do a 4.5 mile hike to it, but the views were wonderful. We had a barbeque and played in the sea. Just the perfect temperature to cool race legs. These Scots still keep wimping out saying it's cold or something. Tan nicely topped up.
Wednesday 20th. 8.4 miles running past our cottage which is very close to the ferry to Cape Wrath. This was more hilly than yesterday but was a tour around the town. At last I've found a use for golf course, excellent springy ground to run over (tee hee!) I loved the whole run but Audrey struggled. I'm here with 3 of the people I met in the Hebrides' last year when I started this challenge. Great to do the last event with them. We ate out at a fish restaurant and then saw Sula a Danish/Scottish band that happen to be touring, excellent.
It was fancy dress on Thursday. No prizes for the best dressed. I wasn't sure whether to wear the fishnets with the nurses tunic or not, but did. Just a quick 3 (approx) miles along the beech. You had to predict what your time will be and the person closest to that time wins. I put down 25mins 39secs. Birthday the 25th, age 39. I was just 49 seconds too slow. The winner got spot on. We ate at home but went down to the beech for the barbeque and fire later. Lovely evening but showers took us home early.
Friday a lazy day with a short warm up walk to the village hall whilst Audrey got a massage. We had to register for the marathon and get the information we need for start time. Lunch at the Smoo hotel and then a visit to Smoo cave. We took the boat trip into the back cave. Very interesting, the guy obviously loved his job. Another trip to Cocoa Mountain. Excellent hot chocolate but I've had better, we had sneaked in a trip yesterday too. Back to the cottage but we had a nice coastal walk to a beech nearby to paddle in the cold water. The sun had really just come out which was perfect. A seal watched us for a while, we think we were on it's beech. Audrey made copious amounts of fantastic pasta.
