Training Log Archive: Jon X

Walked up from home to trig point at Carleatheran with Marie Claire, still some snow left but weather stayed mainly good - haven't been up there for a while so surprised to find the wind farm south of the summit has appeared already, didn't think it was done yet!

C • Marie Claire 3

Gentle jog down from Carleatheran back home with MC, happy for an easy jog as feeling pretty lethargic. Ideal way to be feeling when finally have to go back to work tomorrow....

pre/post race jogging.

Callendar Crags hill race, 14:23 to the top, got there just behind Jase. He was 8th in 28.30ish, I was 13th, couldn't go quick enough on the road section in the middle of the descent and lost three places there. Brad walked away from me up the hill whilst I was still trying to run and finished 4th in 26:59.

The rain pretty much held off for the race but there was still snow lying for the off-road section of the descent - very slippery but good for passing people! Elspeth was at the race too - great to see her there - think she found the descent pretty tricky in road shoes though!

Easy run round Leckie loop, left it until the afternoon by which time it was snowing again. Nice proper snow up in the woods, ankle deep snow with no other footprints, nasty wet snow lower down turning to rain at the end in the village.

Lots of walkers out near the village, one of them could do with learning to control her dog.....

Left ankle still sore from whatever I did to it descending off Moruisg on the 2nd, same old pain in right hamstring and knee tendon hurting today too. But still glad I went out!

not back at work until the 7th but felt the need for a rest day - almost tempted out by the prospect of quite deep snow on the hills - but then it started to snow again...

Relatively short walk but with long steep ascent to start, up Moruisg and Sgurr nan Ceannaichean with Beccy, Ollie and Pete. Sheltered from the wind on ascent/descent but it was freezing on the ridge! Got some good views in many directions - could see the Cuillin Ridge very clearly. Cloud closed in at the second summit - Ollie and I dashed up the last bit and just got there before the visibility changed - the mist made for some good atmospheric photos on the top though.

Counted my Munros today - looks like I have been up 119 of them - nearly all in winter I think! Not sure it is worth keeping a tally unless I can find a better head for heights to let me do some more of the Cuillin Ridge though....

New Year Score Event at Ord Hill by Inverness. Felt okay running and thought I was going to get them all, couldn't find number 10 though - in thick veg amongst some pretty dodgy mapping (seven JOKers from the bunkhouse looked for it at various times, only one found it!). Time spent there meant I missed two others too and was 15 seconds late - should have given up on it quicker!

Good walk up Beinn Alligin with Phil, Ed, Pete and Ollie. Set off late to avoid the rain and hope the cloud had cleared - avoided the rain and got some good views on the way up including of our mountain, but somehow attracted the cloud to the entire ridge whilst we were up there. Then good views of it again and a great sunset on the way down.

Went up Tom na Gruagaich first and then round to Sgur Mhor, then came back over the Horns of Alligin - the ice that was there when Brad climbed it the day before was all gone - which helped! We had faffed around a lot at the start so pushed the pace most of the way up the first hill and felt pretty good, found it much harder work coming down the craggy stuff from 650m to 450m on the final descent though, back almost in the dark again.