Rob Roy Challenge - a gloomy start

I'd crocked my back at the School barbecue the night before, which didn't make for a good sleep before the alarm went off at 04:30, and my back was too sore to jump out of bed. But I hauled myself up, gathered my stuff and headed along to Mark and Sadie's in considerable discomfort.

When we arrived at the start near Drymen, the drizzle was thick as were the clouds of hungry midges. Our team got split up before the start but I found a couple of team mates to start walking with. After a couple of miles, my Monster energy kicked in, I hit my stride and went on ahead. Walking alone was fine but fairly boring. It was quite wet at times so I was glad I'd worn my waterproofs. The photo wax taken during this stint.

Not long after the checkpoint at Aberfoyle I caught up another couple of Banana Reivers and enjoyed their company from their to Callander.

I was very glad to get changed and get on my bike, and set off cycling with Jamie and Caroline. Within a couple of hundred yards of the start, Jamie had a blow-out, so I waited and helped him change his inner tube while Caroline went ahead. Despite a good pace, we didn't see her again until Balquhidder!

My back was quite sore again by then so I had a massage which helped, and some soup. The sun came out and we headed along a nice path to above Lochearnhead where a steep ascent and a monsoon dampened our spirits a little! By the time we reached the water stop near the 'Burger Van' I was in pain to the extent a Marshall suggested I needed a doctor! But the good descent from there to Killin cheered me and another massage and some physio there helpede again.

The sun came back out and shone on us for the last 17 miles along the side of Loch Tay. We made it in to the finish at Kenmore just about 5 o'clock, so 10 hours all in, not a bad time considering we'd taken our time at the stops. And a good sum raised, my sponsorship totalled over £1000 and the team will end up about £8k total.