Highland Trail 2015

[ScotRoutes]

Looks like Steve Field might have gone off-trail on the way into Ullapool where the route goes up the hill rather than past the quarry. Easily missed!

And now Jean-Louis has gone the same way

[FLV]

Glad to see Steve Large out of Ullapool and rolling again, hopefully well fuelled and rested.

I chatted with Steve this morning on the Ullapool to Garve road. He's aiming for six days and looking forward to overtaking a lot of people. Meanwhile I'm now on the train to Inverness, not as broken as I was earlier but feeling worn out anyway.

Hope you recover swiftly pal. Very strong ride up till that point.

[GregMay]

Scratch Update:

Jonathan Edwards & Bryan Singleton have both scratched and are returning on the road together.

[GregMay]

Ok,

So far these are all of the scratches I have recieved:

Jonathan Edwards
Bryan Singleton
Josh Ibbet
Steve Heading
Bert Platzer
Mark McPhillips
Darreb Kosliki
Amanda Brooks
Tom Gibbs
Alasdair McClean
Chris Alder
Giacomo Maltman
Ed Procter
Ashraf Kame
Kristan Rivers
Dave Barter
Steve Robbins
Andrew Hutchenson

[GregMay]

Also confirming the following:

Pete Lumsden will be starting his ITT tomorrow at 9am.

[GregMay]

Scratch Update:

All three French riders have scratched together. Oh mon Dieu!
Fabien Frohlicher
Nicolas Senie
Jean-Louis Doridot

[Ian]

Sorry to hear you had to knock it on the head, Alasdair.

Any comments on the weather / route conditions over the past few days?

[FLV]

Looks like Tom is about to become the second person to have completed 2 Highland Trail Races (440 or 550). Mr Goldsmith being the first.

A few other vet's on the course so hopefully hes not the last on this occasion.

[Ian]

An interesting observation Dave - will borrow that for the Twitter commentary if you don't mind!

[ScotRoutes]

Is there a Strathcarron SPOT blackout zone?

[Dave Barter]

I'm home, sore but glad I set out anyway.

Ian weather went downhill from Sunday PM. Monday was a brutal westerly as a lot of us were heading that way on the northern loop. On top of the Bealach Horn I could hardly stand in the gusts and cold persistent rain. From what I can see it has been pretty cold and wet for most of the north of Scotland, I've driven/trained it through constant showers.

I did my damage pushing too hard a gear from Rosehall into the wind. After the long push out (which I strangely enjoyed) I tried riding at the top which was very painful but decided to push on anyway. Leaving Loch Stack there is a short steep ramp and I could not ride it as the pain in my right knee was so intense. So I had to make my usual ride of shame back to Lairg, which was no fun at all. The injury is inflamed tendons as the knee is creaking like a door.

The farce continued as I could not get my bike booked on a train to Tyndrum, so had to fetch my car then drive all the way back to Lairg to get the bike. Strangely I'm not gutted at all, just really glad I was in the race as I met so many f**king great people on the way. Special shouts to Ed,Giacamo, Amanda, Darren, James and Rikki for chat along the way and the most special for Rich and Tom, it was truly joyous to catch them along the route and I nearly shed a tear watching them ride towards Contin.

This time I really have shelved all ambition to get round. Might go back and leisurely tour the bits I've not finished one day.

[Ian]

Thanks Dave, interesting. Sounds hard too!

Right, that's Tom under the A82. Off road to the finish. One small push if I recall under the railway. 45 mins back to the finish I'd say, maybe less.

[Chew]

Has Tom finished?

If so top job

[jay91]

Has Tom finished?

If so top job

looks like he has on track leaders

[GregMay]

Non confirmed time - but looks like Tom has finished.

[GregMay]

UNconfirmed time: 8.19pm, so 4days 10hours and change.

[Mart]

fantastic effort :)

I'm still glued to the dots as the race for 3rd. Tactics tactics

[Chew]

I'm still glued to the dots as the race for 3rd. Tactics tactics

The battle for 3rd is hotting up isnt it?

....patiently waits for tracker to update......

[ScotRoutes]

The Strathcarron wolf pack must have full bellies as Fraser has made it through unscathed.

Or maybe he's not involved in the "musn't let anyone else know where I am" game.

[Ian]

Fraser MacBeath is now in 3rd. Everyone else is in the hotel for the night, with breakfast book for 4am.

Well done to Tom - great ride from beginning to end.
Still waiting a confirmed finish time, but assuming 8:19pm is reasonable accurate, he's beaten his 2014 time by a slender 26 mins.

[GregMay]

I wonder who is going to be the cheeky git and get up first and then bail at full speed.

Taking bets it's Alan :)

[kbrembo]

The 2 Highlanders Fraser and Jenny are still going...both in tough terrain for a cold wet and windy wed night!

Has Alan+Rickie stopped or have there spots not refreshed in hrs? This time last year I was sitting in Dornie with him having apint..then I pushed onto Glen Affric

Its great watching it especially when you feel there pain and know every bit of terrain that they are passing through!

[kbrembo]

Monster all nighter shift from Fraser!

[Ian]

Yeah, he's got a long way to go to the end. 27 hours riding so far, and best part of another 15 still to do...

[FLV]

Monster all nighter shift from Fraser!

Animal... Surely a trail side nap might be in order

An interesting observation Dave - will borrow that for the Twitter commentary if you don't mind!

Of course

Whats with the orange coloured vs blue coloured markers?

I noticed theres the odd orange one that isnt yet reported as scratched