Yes! I did make it up to the event and survived to return - just!
My friend Boab Simpson was working on the Friday, so it was a late start for us and we didn't arrive at Glencoe until about 11.30 p.m. But late as it was, as soon as we got out of the car we realised that we had forgotten one of the essential requirements of the trip - insect repellant! The West Highland midges were out in force. So for anyone thinking of coming on a future event, remember to put at the top of your list the best bug deterent you can get! (although a reliable flame-thrower might be a suitable alternative.)
As is usual we arrived to find that there had been several last minute call-offs and rearrangements, which required changes in the spreadsheet - but Paul (another 'volunteer' in the timekeeping crew) had taken care of that - so we retired to the bar for some anaesthetic for the midge bites.
Saturday, the day of the event started rather earlier than originally planned, one of the organisers (I won't say who, since we left him without a name) very kindly banged on the hotel room door at 6.30 a.m. to make sure that we wouldn't miss the cycle start. Unfortunately, we weren't needed until the canoe finish and had booked our wake-up call for 8.00 a.m.
The cycle start was actually handled by David Buchan and Paul Goldberg, the cycle finish and the canoe start were the responsibility of Billy Cameron and Neil Overton with Bob and I doing the canoe finish and the run start. Paul and David took the times for the majority of the runners to finish until Bob and I could relieve them to return to the hotel and start putting times into the computer. Neil and Billy made themselves useful at both the canoe finish and the run finish. Okay, that's the important people (timekeepers) mentioned, I suppose I'd better put in something about the event itself -
1st. Kevin Littlehayes.
2nd. Hamish Irvine.
3rd. Maggie Creber. (also 1st. Female)
These results are provisional - for the absolutely Official and final results I'm afraid you'll have to wait for Boab to get them entered on his site.
I must also make a mention of three rather special competitors -
Karen Darke from Aberdeen University, who became the first wheelchair entrant to complete the event.
Matthew Brown, who did the cycle stage in one of the relay teams - at 13 the youngest competitor yet.
Georgie Read, a sprightly 70 years young, who did the run (walk, with a stop for coffee) for her relay team - the oldest competitor so far.
(Incidently the organisers of the event certainly seem to believe in keeping things in the family, Matthew is Ray Brown's son and Georgie is Brian Read's Mother!)
As you might expect there were other incidents of note, such as the three cyclists who were spotted by the side of the road stopping for a quick cigarette break, or the competitor who did the run in his kilt (as the rain came on after he had started, he must have been about the only one to finish the run weighing more than when he started). There were also three entrants who unfortunately had to pull out of the canoe stage in mid-loch and be returned to the start point, one of them decided that this wouldn't put him off, got transport to the other end of the section and despite the fact that the timekeepers had disappeared (O.K. I'm guilty - but we had made sure that all the canoeists had finished) did the run section in a very creditable time.
Incidently the runner pictured on the poster above (No. 123) is John Allan who used to have a full head of hair before he started organising this event! And if you're wondering about the weirdos in the double canoe then check out Boab's Bunker.
