Tour of Fife, Day 5, Arso Vertitus Race.
Tense before the raceLast day of the amazing Tour of Fife. Counting last weekend's double this is my 7th race in 9 days.
And they had saved the best for last – somewhere between a cross country, trail and hill race with a stretch of road at the beginning and end. And we were warned beforehand about running through pitch black tunnels and under waterfalls. Sounded a little more than required for the fifth day's racing in a row but they were all short courses and I wasn't required to race for more than 30 minutes in any race. However looking at yesterday's photos people are running with tired, forlorn expressions and there is definitely a weariness accumulating. I noticed I was a bit cranky this morning and Mary was quick to confirm this.
We set off up the gentle gradient that is also the start to the Falkland Trail Race so I felt on familiar ground. A lead car had a girl hanging out the hatch back videoing the first mile which I look forward to seeing. I set off towards the front knowing it was a short course and I had my work cut out.
Yesterday I frolicked in the surf with a light heart because I finished 90secs ahead of any Dundee Hawkhill vest. Until that point I had been nip and tuck with Matthew Strachan (v45)(Hawkhill) who had finished right behind me first 2 races then taken a massive 17secs off me at the uphill time trial. This put him ahead of me in the overall results and I was expecting a head to head in Tentsmuir. No sign of him so last night I was just beginning to think about kicking back with a beer when an email came through from Brian Cruickshank saying Matthew had got stuck in traffic, arrived late and was so gutted, he was allowed to run and timed from when he started late. So it was a surprise to find out last night that he had run one second faster than myself leaving me trailing in his wake by 8 seconds overall at the start of today's race. No beers for me last night.
Today I had the feeling that I could beat Matthew but to do it by 9 seconds was a tough ask. The course was less than 4 miles and we have been finishing within seconds of each other.
It becomes apparent speaking to those taking part in this five race event that loads of folk are checking their results daily and noticing the competition around them; what they need to do to stay ahead of so-and-so, who they would like to keep up with. And not just the front runners and those with a chance of a prize. There has been a lively rivalry throughout, and it all adds to the fun. In a way it kept me more focussed having Matthew back in the race, though last night I wasn't thoroughly overjoyed by the prospect of having to thrash myself round today's course.
Lewis Millar won every race of the Tour.
Chris Russell - 2nd today, 2nd Overall.After turning off the road we ran some gravelly dirt trails and soon met up with the Falkland Trail Race course. Out onto the road briefly we then set off up a small path to Maspie Den, which tracks a stream up the hill but never too steep to keep going at a steady pace. A few times I resorted to a stomp with hands on knees. We came to a tunnel. About 6 or 7 feet wide; 10 yards in and you are plunged into total utter darkness before you reach the left hand kink and the light silhouettes the runner ahead, in this case Grant Wilkie.
More narrow paths and I moved to the left to allow the up-hillers past: Baza of Pitreavie and then about half way up, Matthew my nemesis. However I am not disheartened knowing the strengths of my colleagues and knowing that 5 days ago I passed them on the last downhill at the chicken run. I know there is a mile plus of downhill once we get to the top of this hill. Which concludes by going under an outcrop of rock with a waterfall which we run behind. Moments later I am gasping as the up turns into down and I try to recover myself knowing its now or never. I begin to catch those that overtook on the up but its only when we get back to the tarmac that I begin reeling in the group of Baza, Matthew, Campbell and Grant.
Baza, Campbell, Grant, me and MatthewJulia is taking photos and cheers me on. I go past all four. The finish is the same downhill sprint as the Falkland race and I know I have got to put 9 seconds between me and Matthew. I light the blue touch paper and think about Tuesday night intervals and that in 5 minutes the pain will be over. Death or glory. 200 yards. 9 seconds. Not possible? Possible? I look up and see I have started too early, there's still a long way to go and the needle has gone from red to off the dial. I am on the point of leaving the planet. Intelligence ebbs. I aim for the funnel but am so beyond help that I can't put off my watch and time those behind to see if I won those nine seconds. When I went past Matthew he was in pain and making noises. Now he runs in but was that 6 seconds or 10 seconds? I don't know nor really care. I ran out my skin and if I live, it will do. I lie like a corpse on the grass breathing in the grassy smell knowing that the worst is over and maybe it was enough. Not many people on the grass around. I seem to have managed to come in 6th – highest result all tour. Life is good.
Back to the village hall and a mountain of cakes. After a load of spot prizes from sponsor John R. Weir the prize giving gets under way and I am given first v45. Matthew is given second v40 so I don't know until we've driven back the last of the 482 miles since Wednesday and sat around drinking prize beers and a bottle of red looking at photos Julia took, that in that last few hundred yards I put 12 seconds and 4 places between myself and Matthew. Result. I have moved up a couple of notches to 8th overall, immediately behind Baza.
Mary also had a good one today.The Tour of Fife is a profound experience. Curiously my accumulated time is less than 2hrs running – the sort of time I'd normally clock up at club on a Wednesday, but way more intense. And I've got chatting to loads of new folk – drawn together by the mutual endeavour of racing five days consecutively. All that for £17. (With a tech t-shirt thrown in, not to mention the traditional Fife Tea today.) Better value than fr'instance a (slow) Gassy 10k for £13? Big big thanks to Fife AC and the organisers – particularly Brian – for putting on this extravaganza. I think I may be hooked. A near spiritual experience!
Its going to be difficult returning to normal life. Where are the flour arrows to lead us through the Monday to Friday? (Next week Largo Law anyone? Or N Berwick Law Wednesday if you can't go 5 days without a fix.)
Cheers pbps thanks to Julia H for capturing the races so well with our camera.
Today's race may make flickr as did yesterday's if we can find the time and energy.Results here
Overall final results here
Mary's Blog
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Fife Blogs
