Going the distance and eating CAKE

[swanscot]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to do a long off-road run, so I headed to the Cairngorms National Park to tackle a route I've planned for a while.

I really enjoyed the run and am pleased I managed to complete a Half Marathon distance - although I've no plans to do a HM race any time soon. I loved the experience of running slowly through the woods, landing softly on the pine needles on the path, stepping over tree roots, dancing around mud, running through puddles, slowing to snap the view at small lochans, listening to the chorus of the finches, siskins and tits, hearing the loud shrieking of some large bird (?), catching a glimpse of a red squirrel disappearing up a tree ahead of me, and wading through a deep river where no bridge existed.

And cake? Oh yes, thanks to nannon82 and her recommendation, I indulged in a big slice of cake (and she'll know what I mean by big) from her near neighbour, 'The Cake Shop' tea room.

I've shared my thought and photos on my Wordpress blog: swanscot.wordpress.com/2013...

BTW Nannon were you out running yesterday? I passed a young women running on the Glen Feshie road as I drove back from the Nursery sometime after noon.

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Super Sheila! Distance apart -- finches, tits and pine needles. The best part of running must surely be being in touch with good old Mother Nature. Love from Italy, Delia xox

[TJFlute]

Sheila the star! you are incredible, achieving these distances after all the challenge through at you. I agree with Delia, being in touch with mother nature whilst we are running and with our hearts pumping, is one of the reasons it feels so good! Lovely photos too xx

[Hidden]

I cannot tell you how envious of you I am! Running in Scotland (the home of my forefathers) with a soft carpet under your feet, whilst I only managed W2R2 on a road leading up to a reservoir on Dartmoor where it was steep*, cold** and very windy.

Your description is spurring me on to complete the course (with my wife who couldn't run last night) and get back up to Skye and run in the Cuillins, finishing off at the Sligachan hotel.

* All relative, but for tired walk-weary legs it was!

** Rather stupidly I wore shorts at 8:00pm and my legs felt tight as I ran.

Congratulations on the distance and thanks for the pics.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Hidden]

A Cuiilin route finishing at Sligachan would be wonderful.

We did a walk to the Quiraing on the Trotternish Ridge on Saturday, but it was very windy and the mist was very thick:

flickr.com/photos/swan-scot...

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My son and many other of the hill runners who were competing in the Trotternish Ridge Race bailed out early due to the terrible weather conditions.

[Hidden in reply to swanscot]

That's not thick mist; that's atmosphere! Great pics, and am I envious! Reminds me of the October half-term weather we have had at Allt Dearg, the cottage we stay in at the foot of the Cuillins.

I can't say I blame them for bailing. Have you seen the 2008 OMM video on Youtube? If you do watch, go right to the end for the car park shots.

[rosn123 Graduate]

Well I can do 50% of what you did - the eat cake bit ;-). Seriously though it sounds wonderful. It really does do you good hearing and seeing the birds, smelling the trees etc etc. I am quite lucky that although we live quite near the centre of London we're by the entrance to the canal, by a marina and near the river so lots of bird life to be seen and wild flowers by the canal side. Moving back to Scotland soon though I look forward to seeing your photos on your blog.

[Rollertoaster Graduate]

Well you certainly earned that cake! Brilliant stuff, well done swan!

[greenlegs Graduate]

Really enjoyed reading that, and your blog - wonderful photos, as always. Loch an Eilean looks ever so like Loch Garten - it made me go and dig out my photos from five years ago, to see whether I'd actually been to Loch an Eilean or not! Though now I've seen where they are on the map, maybe not so surprising, as they're not far distant.

Wonderful place to run - the river wading sounds exciting!

[Malcy Graduate]

I'm totally gobsmacked! To do a half marathon equivalent is great. But I can't imagine doing it on trails such as these. that must at least double the effort! And those photos ...

You realise I can no longer be the God of Hell Fire! I bow down before you!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Malcy]

Ach, didne be daft laddie!

I'm just a slow, plodding-along wifie who can keep going for hours in low gear. And with occasional stops to take photos and check the map, etc.

I'm more the Goddess of smouldering peat!

[Malcy Graduate in reply to swanscot]

I think between us, we're good examples of the Scottish Presbeteryian / Calvanist ethos that we can't possibly be any good at anything - or at least not be seen thinking we're any good.

[wilmacgh Graduate]

Lovely - well done on the half marathon distance on rough.

terrainReally envious. Loch an Eilean was a favourite picnic spot for my family when I was a kid growing up in Elgin. Used to go on field trips there as a student too.