5x5

For the 5th year we did this intra club event. I had leg 3 again which is a smidge over 6 miles and a climb of over 1000 feet. It was warm and v humid and I lost pints in sweat on my way.
I felt good in the 1st mile or so but that evaporated with my sweat as I took a bad route choice after the hole in the wall and plunged into a forest of thick bracken. I must have lost 1-2 minutes and the next  2 miles were a struggle. I did recover my enthusiasm after hitting the water board road and quite enjoyed the run to Loch Turret.
Time was 53.16 which is slow and then I ran down to Crieff.
The whole race was a success in that most seemed to enjoy it.

Right 1st time

I had an ultrasound on my heel last week. It showed quite clearly that I have plantar fascitis.
I have the option of a steroid injection on Wed and not sure whether to have it or not.
Today I did 15 miles in the GO33 route north from Lochearnhead. The heel was a bit sore in the last 3 miles and sore now.
On the plus side that's 40+ miles in a week for the 2nd week.

A new running injury

Turns out it wasn't P.F. after all but something called fat pad atrophy. This happens when the fat pad under your heel thins and feels like you are running on bone, nice! Think it heals eventually but what to  do meantime?
I ended up with 32 munros in May. Some good days, some terrible and some great.
Since then I have been building things back up slowly and for the last 2 weeks have been wearing a hard plastic heel cup on the sore heel. Amazingly it helps. I did 42 miles last week and that included a 13 mile run. I still look like I've been shot in the foot when I get up but I'll take the current situation.
Probably foolishly I have entered the GO33. It only costs £17 and gives me something to aim for. I f it doesn't work out, so what.

Winter in spring

In the last week I have managed 7 new Munros but it's not been easy.
Last Saturday on the back of a decent forecast I decided to make an early start and headed north to Glen Shiel with the intention of staying north for 2 days and practice camping with my new tent.
It's a 3 hour drive and once the correct starting point had been found I emerged. TBH I had been hoping that the white stuff wasn't going to be too bad and had been dismayed to see the S Clunie ridge plastered. The day I had planned was the Saddle and Sgurr nan Sgine which includes the Forcan ridge which has a grade 2 scramble. Feeling I might be biting off more than I could chew I set off up the excellent stalkers path which takes you to the base of the Forcan ridge, so called because once seen you might exclaim Forcan hell!!

I had spotted a group of 4 climbers, caught them up and atached myself to them. They were v v careful and slow which suited me and we slowly made our way along the airy, exposed ridge covered in soft snow. We spent the next hour crawling over the stunning rock until a point was reached where a down climb was needed and we headed down before that point , came back up at which point I bade them farewell and headed down to walk below the difficulty. A hard march through  deep snow to the top of the Saddle followed and I sumitted at last. Not sure how this bear got in my bag!

Then is was back down through the snow to the bealach, up to the 2nd summit, where a strong wind had picked up. My heel was now hurting and I spent a long time working my way off. Finally over 8 hours after leaving the car I was back. It was late, raining and I decided I was going home. I finally made it home at 11pm, 15 hours after leaving.

On Tuesday I drove north again. A good forecast lured me a day earlier than planned. The day's targets were Meall na Teanga nad Sron a  choire ghairbh. A 2 mile drive down a decent track from Laggan locks to Kilfinan and I was on the bike for 2 miles then up the great route to the bealach at 600m. Two unremarkable hills later and a cycle back and the day was over in 5.5 hrs. I headed to a campsite at Roy bridge called Bunroy. On a lovely evening my tent was at last erected in anger.
After a fairly wet night I headed off to meet John King at Spean bridge. Burnt porridge is OK btw. Then we had a v wet drive north to Torridon and found the lovely hostel. We changed plans as the day was now looking good and headed for Beinn Eighe.

 At 1pm we set off for Coire mic fearcher. What an amazing spot!

We took a v direct route up to Ruadh stac mor and were rewarded with stunning views.

Then it was a lovely traverse of the ridge to Spidean coire nan clach.
Now the descent it has to be said was dodgy. For the 1st time we encountered ice and had to dig the heels in hard to get down as we had left the crampons in the car!

The off was down to the right of the ridge on the below photo and then a scree run and eventually back to the car. It was a stunning late evening and we got back to the hostel at 9pm. A truly stunning day, I cant remember a better one.

The next day the weather was very different. Snow was forecast. We headed up Ben Alligan but it was thick clag by 300m and haevy snow by 600m. The crampons went on at 700m and we did make the 1st munro before a sensible decision to go down was made. The weather just got worse after that. So  will have to return to Ben Alligan but we had a full on winter experience in May!

5 weeks and no work

As of today I am off work until the beginning of June.
My heel is still sore but I am hopeful I will be able to do the walking I have planned. No Balfron for me so it's off to Glen Shiel tomorrow to do the saddle then 2 hills next to Loch Lochy on Sunday. I am camping tomorrow night to see how the new tent is so that will be an experience of some sort.
An orthopaedic friend reckons it's not PF but a traumatised heel fat pad. Dont know whether to be pleased or not but I guess the treatment is the same ie no running. I have ordered some heel gel pads.
Check in after the walking

You can go now PF

This sore heel has stubbornly hung around. I am doing all the right things apart from complete rest.
Here's the equation. I think I am in good shape and the balfrom 10K is 2 weeks today which has been my target race this year. If I do nothing then I will probably blow a decent 10K but the PF might get better, the  again it might not.
Also the day after the 10K is the start of my 5 week walking odyssey. Dont want to be incapacitated for that.
So I have done 3 treadmill sessions totalling 10 miles this week but all quality speedwork. I reckon if I can keep the speed up all will be well and hopefully the PF will be rested enough to get better.

Tom Scott Memorial 10 miler

63.02

The Tuesday before this, so a week ago I felt some pain in my right heel. I thought it had largely settled and did 3 miles on the treadmill on the Saturday
Anyway, I went over to Strathclyde Park and felt OK.
It was a top quality field and the pace was  v fast at the front. I settled OK and felt average.
The 1st 5 miles went by in 31 mins so fast for me. 10k was 39 min.
By 6 miles I could feel my heel and it didn't settle after that.
The last 3 miles were a bit of a struggle and I was pleased with the time.
Now, I just need to sort this PF out