Winter training (Tyndrum & Glen Coe)...and rest!

Back to back rest days, my head is wanting to run (especially as I'm watching UTMB YouTube videos!) but I feel super tired so sofa and blanket on a lazy Sunday it is!

At the moment training is consisting mainly of running to and from work each day (7 miles total) at a steady 7.30 min/mile pace which is great, not hitting huge weeks in terms of mileage but consistency seems to work for me. I've found that anything between 50 and 60 miles seems to be my max.

I had been struggling since the Mourne Skyline with a dodgy knee after taking a fall - it had got really bad and painful when running, but as with most of my little niggles, a weekend in the hills seemed to sort it right out! Last weekend I drove up to Tyndrum on the Saturday morning mainly because I knew it would be a good weekend weather wise, and a good opportunity to pick up some more Munros.

Saturday's run - Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh - started from Bridge of Orchy, just up the road from Tyndrum, along the WHW a little. Ever since I passed Beinn Dorain for the first time on the train heading for Fort William, and subsequent times in the car it had looked majestic and one I've wanted to run. The run was going to take a T-shape route, with a 1900ft climb up to a saddle before climbing up to Dorain on the right, dropping back down and then climbing up an Dothaidh.

The initial climb up to the saddle was quite boggy to begin with before the final section being very loose scree on a steep slope which almost felt like two steps forward, one step back - I looked forward to the descent! After the saddle, from which there were great views to Loch Lyon, the climb up to the Dorain summit was relatively easy. Climbing into the mist meant very limited views, and after a slight detour I reached the high point of 1076m, quick bite then a nice descent back to the saddle.

Climb up to the saddle.

Looking toward Loch Lyon

Beinn an Dothaidh, Rannoch Moor, Beinn Achaladair.

The climb towards Beinn an Dothaidh was technical enough to start then got very boggy - lots of hopping and trying to keep dry. Managed to make the summit relatively mud-free, with great views north over Rannoch Moor. The descent back to Bridge of Orchy was loose, fast and extremely boggy, good fun! 9.7 miles with 3863ft of ascent in 2h28m.

Back to Tyndrum for food, beer and rugby, and a very cosy night in my new (2nd hand) Rab sleeping bag, and up early to drive a bit further north to Glen Coe. Buachaille Etive Mor looks absolutely stunning from the road, but even after having planned a route up I still couldn't fathom that it did exist, going straight up the coire.

Straight up (above the bothy).

Setting off from the car park in Altnafeadh it was so bloody cold - merino and primaloft were packed! Really should have brought poles (conveniently in the boot) as above 700m is got very icy, definitely wasn't going to be a day for running as such, but still moving as fast as possible and staying upright! Getting to the summit of Stob Dearg at 3250ft gave amazing views northwards to the Mamores and Ben Nevis but it was bitterly cold, and very treacherous underfoot. The plan was to head along the ridge to Stob na Broige and potentially drop down and back up over the neighbouring ridge of Buachaille Etive Beag. Running the ridge line was fantastic, with crystal clear views over towards Bidean nam Bian.

Dusting of snow on Ben Nevis. Blackwater Reservoir to the right.

Stob na Doire.

Ridge along from Stob Dearg.

Great views to Bidean nam Bian.

Reaching the second Munro of Stob na Broige I was feeling pretty tired and couldn't see a clear way down into Glen Etive, so I followed back about a mile to take the path down to the Lairig Gartain path. I knew this was going to steep, didn't think it would involved climbing down wet slabs of rock beside a waterfall, but it kept things interesting - wee caffeine gel kept me on my toes. Once it flattened out onto the path in the valley 2 and a half miles were very runnable and any previous heaviness of legs was gone and I was able to skip nicely along back to the car. 9.7 miles (same as the previous day) with 3792ft of ascent in 3h27m

The Lairig Gartain path.

Buachaille Etive Mor from the road.

Another trip in the works for next weekend, perhaps to the Crianlarich Munros. Other than that it will be steady mileage with the aim of possibly running the Irish 50km champs in February - that will mean a lot of seriously fast running in December and January! Also, I'll try and get an entry for CCC in August, but as always, the Highland Fling in April will be the target :)