Along the Fionn Loch

Race day (back blip 2)

As we were staying in the village we only had a short walk to race registration so didn't have to have too early a start.
Mr Rat (and other friends from the running club) left just after 9am on the bus to the race start at Dundonnell and I left about 45 mins later for a shorter ride to the start (which were both at 10.30am).
We set off on time and the run was on a rough, gradually rising track inland  for 5 miles to the Fionn Loch. The track got rougher and muddier as we progressed, the feet didn't stay clean and dry for long! 
A welcome drink at the loch and then the toughest bit, 2 miles of uphill bog. This bag is the "Bad Bog" on the map and we had to go up the hill to avoid sinking without trace. (Was it necessity that there was a coastguard marshal at the top, 6 miles from the sea?). The bog wasn't just soggy, it had rocks, pools, tussocks, mud, all very hard to get through, even walking. The downhill section was a little better and most was run and, although fun, it was good to reach a good track and another drink.
It should have been straightforward after this but the first steady hill was into a squally shower, short-lived for the length of the uphill (you can see it coming in the pic).
After that the sun came out and there was some great running, and good views, back to Poolewe. A bit slower than my initial estimate but hadn't factored in how hard the bog would be this year after all the rain.
Mr Rat had a tough route with lots of climbing but fabulous scenery. They crossed the loch on a causeway somewhere in the distant part of my pic and joined our route about 3 miles from the end. He finished 2 hours after me and won the over 60's prize. The rest of the friends were a bit after that.
A great event (there are lots of other options for walking and a shorter run, and walks for people with limited. mobility