Karen Fletcher and I drove to Aberfeldy on Saturday. The race started at 10am but we arrived just before 9am in time to wish Karen C and Ros good luck for the Marathon event that started 9:30am.  Brian McGibbon was also running.

This is the 3rd time I’ve run this event so when the hooter went and I started jogging towards the start line, I suddenly realised I wasn’t hearing any beeps as people crossed the start because it was a gun start and chip finish! That soon quickened my pace as I realised this error.

I’d said to Roy before the race that i didn’t think I’d be able to beat my Dundee Half time as this was a hillier course, and I would be happy with a course PB. The first few miles I had Brian well within my sights but then he was off . I’d set off a bit fast with my first mile clocking 7:41 so I eased off a bit. My pace was steady ’til the 8 mile hill just after leaving Taymouth Castle Estate. I managed to keep running all the way up the hill, gaining on others runners at this point. After that I enjoyed the downhill and then the last few miles were mainly flat . At 11 miles I passed my friend Karen Capewell, doing the marathon event. I gave her a big hug from behind but she had her music on and was in the zone and almost jumped out of her skin! At 11 miles I was running side by side with a girl called Charlotte ( a barefoot runner but today she had her vibrims on!) she was trying to pass me but each time she picked up pace, so did I. After about 1/2 mile she slipped back only to sneak past me a bit later! In the last 200 metres just before the bridge I started picking up pace and zipped past her and another runner and crossed the finish line in a chip time of 1:49:02. Yay! A 16 second PB! Although I had said I would be delighted with a course PB , Karen F had a chuckle at me when I was cursing the gun start as I realised my time could have been a sub 1:49 if it had been a chip start! Oh well, maybe next year I will remember to get nearer the front for the start!

Brian had been in well ahead with a super PB finishing in1:42+, Karen was delighted with her 2:07:57 finish. We paid a £1 to have our medals engraved with our name, time and date- lovely medals and a great idea to have engravers on site!

We had a post race massage and refreshments and watched Karen C collect her prize for 3rd FV in the Marathon. Her and Ros did fantastic, both smashing their PBs and Ros getting her dream sub 4 Mara! Well done.

We didn’t stay for the evening Ceilidh but we stopped for a late lunch at the Redhouse Hotel on the way home. This is a lovely well organised event and would recommend to others.