Rob Roy Challenge

Well that's it all over - we finished in a very respectable 9hrs and 20 minutes. That put us well in the top 50% of finishers from the 500 that set out. (that's me on the left with my medal)

It was a toughie right enough: the 16 mile hike started easily enough along a fairly level track, before heading up and over a mountain pass. Due to the heavy rains, the ground was pretty much a muddy bog, and the streams and tributaries that we crossed were all swollen and fast flowing - necessitating a hop, skip and a jump in may places.

From there it was sur le velo for the 39 miles from Callander to Kenmore. This was a very hilly course that took in almost every road surface you can imagine - some of the muddy sections made things very tricky indeed.

The weather was awful: rain, wind and the odd burst of sunshine. And then there's the Scottish midgie to content with... For Blippers who are unfamiliar with this insect, let me explain: this tiny bloodsucker hangs around in swarms with a few million of his closest pals, and simply attacks you on every bit of flesh you have exposed. The marshalls were all equipped with head-nets, making it look like a convention for Greek widows. People have been known to go insane when being attacked, and if you see a person running about thrashing their hands round their head, you know what's going on...

Many thanks for all your messages of support - much appreciated, and I reckon we've raised about £2k for charity.