Got back from Coll last night after a great trip. We drove to Oban on Friday night, stayed in the van and got the 7am ferry. Colin and Helen accompanied us and were of good cheer. I was knackered after the night in the van and the previous night having been spent getting up to let Dougal out as he was whinging for a poo and then cleaning up after him as he ate a frog and spat foam everywhere. But we were cheered by the sight of Seonaid and the boys and hurried to the Community Hall to sign in.
The race began at 3pm - a great atmosphere and very friendly. There were about 70 people doing the half, and they set off at a hell of a pace. We quickly became strung out along the route and I settled behind a woman pushing a pushchair (yes, really - she was speedy!) and a woman in a turquoise top. Al stuck with me for three miles, annoying me by constantly asking about our pace. I think if you want to know your pace when you run you should make your own measurement arrangements! Luckily after mile 3 he dropped back. I was starting to enjoy myself on the undulating hills - just up and down enough to maintain interest. The head wind was a bit off putting but at least it was cool and I consoled myself with the thought that Alex had said it was all downhill and with the wind behind you for the second half.
The miles were also speeding by, and I suspected (rightly as it turned out) that they were measured short - there was no way I was doing sub-eight minute miles. At half way there was a mile off road on a compacted path through sand dunes, and as I emerged from this I realised that Alex had been lying and there was a good deal more undulation to go. With tired legs it seemed less interesting, and it also started to rain. Just past Seonaid's water stop the rain set in proper and the wind came round again to be head on. The last three miles were a real slog, with mile 12 being all uphill and into the wind. Al had disappeared from behind me but a woman in a pink top crept up! I was damned if I was going to let a place slip, so put on a spurt and distanced myself from her, managing to overtake Turquoise Woman in the process. But Turquoise deservedly regained her place on the last hill, where it was all I could do not to walk.
Finally the line appeared and I clocked under 1 hour 57: better than I expected at the start, though not as good as I might have hoped at around mile 6! Averages a fraction under nine minute miles, so that's not bad considering the lack of training. The best thing was the friendly atmosphere, encouraging water stops and great scenery. Al and Ailsa appeared within a few minutes and we headed back to the house for much needed warm showers and food. Helen had finished her 10k in under and hour, while Colin had achieved an annoyingly speedy 5th (I think) place.
Great ceilidh in the hall that night, though we weren't really up for much dancing. I did, however, allow Archie to take me on a turn around the floor. (Archie was loving having Helen around and she spent much of the weekend in Archie World. Al too, at one point, acknowledged that the van may indeed be a spaceship, Dougal's tether a dinosaur snare and Dougal's collar his magic dinosaur-shape-shifting-device.)
Al is much taken with Coll, especially given it is less touristy and a closer community than Tiree, where he's been before. He is already planning return trips and asking me when I can get a job there. Dougal, too, had a good time with beach walks and, in labradoodle Tally, he finally found a dog willing to play with him. They spent a good hour on Saturday chasing after each other.
Sunday was spent pottering around the island: we'd hoped for a surf but made do with driving Norman off road. No results for the race posted yet, but I hope to have made it in the top ten women. If not, then there's always next year!
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