Bog & Burn - part 2 ...

Cort ma Law Hill Race (6mi 1700ft – AM)

… post 70 Wild Miles and motivation was lagging. In fact it was blown completely. As a result, the Ben Shean race was binned in favour of fast food, beer and rest. From discussions regarding conditions, I am glad. One guy even commented it was like a “midge last supper thinly disguised as a hill race”!

A week later and the world seemed a better place … the legs seemed much better as well. The Campsies are just to the north of Glasgow and can be seen from most parts of the city. Whilst I have walked in them a fair bit, it had never really crossed my mind to run in them - mainly due to the boggy nature of the bits I did know. The Cort ma Law Hill Race starts from the Campsie Glen car park on the Lennoxtown to Fintry road. A very pleasant warm wind kept the midges at bay. The race route follows the ridge line up to Lairs before heading over Cort ma Law itself. It then continues onto Lecket hill from which you follow the fence line to a marshall before dropping down into a fairly deep gully. The last significant climb takes you back onto the ridge where you retrace your upward route back to the car park and finish.

A quick race briefing and we were off. The first 1km is steep but on good short grass. Once onto more level ground the pace increased - only being dropped when trying to choose a line through the small bogs that seemed to be every few hundred metres. I was just holding position when just after Lairs I went into deep into bright green bog. Thankfully only one leg was sunk up the short line but it took me the best part of a minute to pull free – by which time two folks had passed. A few minutes later I regained a place when one of the guys did the exact same in another bog. From that point on we both were a little more cautious ! Over Lecket Hill …it was time for a little more effort. The descent into the gully was fantastic fun – big grassy tussocks that allowed you to go as hard as you could “safe” in the knowledge that even if you were running slowly …you couldn’t see where your feet were going anyway! Starting to climb out the gully was murder – a steep traverse line that the calf muscles did not like at all. Still this section is just less than 1km and the easiest way to get it over with is to keep moving forwards (the same applies for most crap in life). Back on the ridge is was almost all downhill to the finish. It sounds silly but the best line was not immediately apparent (to me anyway). I thought things were going fine until I looked left and saw to runners (who I thought were a safe distance behind me) running parallel but maybe 50m to the left…apparently I was too far to the right. I started to correct my line but it was too late. One guy was well gone and the other not far behind ! Crossing the line was good – my legs and lungs had about all they were up for. Once again, Moira was there to provide support (and my fleece).



In pursuit of a westie !