The end of the Start...

So leaving Beinglas we knew we were behind time and needed to make a real push for Milngavie.. I have always found the section to Inversnaid tough, all those boulders and tree roots and tangled path. We pushed on.. Tried to make good pace coming down the top of the Loch.. Now feeling it really warm, it is about 1PM and we have been going for well over 12 hrs. Everything seems to feel fine, we have been keeping the food and the liquids up and topping up with Nuun and really striving to get through the miles...
But try as we might, the pace still slipped.. Ran past the bothy’s and put a message up for Richie on the bothy door “Beetroot Rules “ ... When we finally got to Inversnaid it was looking well behind schedule. Came in and really needed to stop... Had a lime and soda, a pint of cold milk, a 500 ml of nuun and a visit to the gents.. Inversnaid at its best.. People sitting out in the sunshine enjoying the cracking day . We must have looked pretty full on. Got myself under the hose and had a good shower to comments like “Are you a bit hot then mate ?” from the people on the tables. “Aye”
Kept having a crack and was able to run lots of the next section.. Really nice running, 60 odd miles in, up and down the forestry track picking the points to run to.. Oh just get to that tree, that bit of shade, that next little rise. Me and George running separate but in sight at this time. Just running at different paces so both needing to do our own thing.. Still trying to get to Rowardennan still pushing the pace.
We had arranged to meet John Kennedy and the Lovely Karen at Rowardennan.. Due there by 16:30 to give us 8 hrs to make it to the start.. Finally made it in at 17:15 and the questions and reality became apparent. Sat down with John and had a discussion.. Working out that we needed to do a sub 7 27miles to Milngavie to make the start. Then we would need to turn around really quickly and do the same again for the return leg to make the cutoffs.. 4 miles an hour is the pace .. So we needed to work out what was the priority. Was it to do the double regardless , because if so then that would be done. If it was to do the double but keep within all the time limits then that would be challenging.. The early cutoffs mean you need to push on and we just did not want to do it and constantly be worrying about getting cut out.. John and Karen really supportive and offering perspective and support.
I looked at George and we both knew what we wanted. The race was always the priority .. the plan should have changed the previous night, but at that point, sitting in the sunshine and getting eaten by midges, eating a tuna sandwich and drinking soup on the bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond, we needed to change the plan.. Once the decision was made, it was a weight off both our minds. We would get to Milngavie, to the hotel, regroup and get ready ..
68 miles done, 95 to go.. Body’s strong, mind ready, people to support us, game on ..