Brig O' Turk

What do you do when you have run all the local routes a million times and just need a change? You head north of course. On the suggestion of a friend, to the Trossacs and complete a mental bit of hillrunning, with no build up or training.
After Rory's footy, which alas was a narrow defeat, that's just what I did.

Parking at the Brig O' Turk I headed off this was the route plan
With the words of Hannah Montana in my head (yes I have just been to see the movie with my 10 yr old daughter) 'It's a tough climb but the views great' I was unperturbed by the constant incline...that's what I came for after all.

As the view of Finglas Reservoir appears life feels great. Till you realise that that hill was the small fry and there's worse to come.

Determined as ever I did continue, although by 5 miles I could happily have turned back, I began to realise what a hellish route this was! But stubborn as ever I ploughed on, the sun was out and 15 miles is not really that far...is it?

There was a noticable lack of walkers, possibly put off by the showery forcasts, but as I ran past the highland cows and freshly made lambs I was still glad to be there.

After what seemed like forever I finally reached the top of the ridge ...but by then the weather had started to turn and the clouds were descending the view was more moody than great. Not to worry, it's all downhill from here surely? It may have taken a while to get up there but surely the trip down will be fast and exillarating...downhills my thing!! (delusional by this point)

The weather worsened and as I rounded the ridge the wind picked up to hurricane levels nearly knocking me off my feet..I am so not exaggerating honestly! The rain turned to hail and was blowing horizontally whipping into my face forcing me to run cupping my hands round it, just to be able to see the path at my feet. I really wanted to sit behind a rock and phone a land rover to get me but I really think I would have died of hypothermia waiting! My lace came undone at one point, I stopped to tie it and realised how cold I was, it was like watching someone elses hands in slow motion!! I just kept going and eventually as I descended the trail the weather started to calm down a bit and I started to regain a bit of body heat.

The last 5 miles seemed to go on forever. Some mischievous pixie had put extra inclines in that I swear I had not come down on the way out??

Knowing the route was 15 miles I was searching for signs of the final stint where the rough trail turns into road and the reservoir appears, then I realised I had started from the tea shop on the road, NOT the Glenfinglass car park as per the instructions. The extra half mile was nothing at the start, but now checking my garmin stats and realising that I had to get a whole extra mile out of my body I was less than happy!

What's more the sun came out mockingly bursting through the clouds, just like a summers day. No hint of the arctic conditions I had just battled through!

As you will have guessed by now I did make it to the car. I felt like I had run a marathon..in fact I think I felt worse. The evidence of this is that of the four marathons I have done I have never been so cold and so knackered that I have stripped to my undies in the middle of the car park too tired to care about the passers by. (Sorry to the two ladies who got a full on arse view on the way back from their stroll.) (It's not easy to get out of skins when they're wet even when you're not tired)I pulled on dry clothes glad I had remembered to bring some.

All I can say is thank god for little tea shops that take debit cards...the Cullen Skink and the Plum pie with custard gave me the strength to drive home!!
All in all it was just the sort of run I love....afterwards!

16 miles-3hours