2nd place in Trossachs Night Trail Race

I haven’t made it on to the podium many times in my adult life so it is always a lovely surprise when I do. On Wednesday night, in the second of a three-part night running series I managed a second place in the Female Vets category (age 40 to 49).

I had no idea that I might have won a prize and so, as I have done before, I left the event to go home and didn’t get to collect my prize. (Thank you Gregor from the Westerlands Hill Running Club and Glasgow Tri Club, who took third place overall in the race and collected my prize for me). Apparently I have won a nice Craft beanie!

The race was at 7pm. It extended to 5.4 miles on trails in Coilhallan Forest, just outside Callander, starting from Invertrossachs car park. The weather had been wet but mild most of the week yet on the night it suddenly became very cold and windy.

I wasn’t sure how many layers to put on and I slightly overdid it because it felt so chilly on the start line. In fact, the race turned out to include a lot of uphill running and I ended up overheating a bit about half way round.

As I usually do during races, I managed to push thoughts of discomfort to the back of my mind and simply focused on the running. The elastic lace on my left shoe also worked itself loose in the first 1km and this would normally annoy me to distraction but I refused to stop to sort it. I just kept on running.

For once, I felt pretty good. I found I could push fairly well up the hills, although not as fast as the many hill club whippets. They flew off at the start only to be seen again after the finish line. They looked light and fit – and I envied their speed.

Mainly, however, I ran my own race. Because it’s at night, you only have the limited beam of a headtorch to guide you (a Silva Trail Speed Elite with 660 lumens, if you are wondering!).

To start with in a night race, there are lots of people with torches so the dark isn’t as noticeable. But as the line of runners spreads out you are left to guide yourself.

It’s both spooky and exciting – and I really enjoy night-time running.

After a bit of uphill, a short loop on flatter singletrack held me up a bit. I ended up behind quite a few runners and had to ask to pass them. I was convinced that they would all catch me up again when we reach the next uphill section but I don’t think any did.

The run suited me. I don’t mind running uphill and I just keep on telling myself that soon enough there will be descent. In some cases, the descent didn’t arrive quickly enough but I managed to keep going at what felt like a fairly good pace.

The hint of the headtorches of people ahead me acted both as a guide to the undulating terrain and also as a way to push me on. I could see several people in front of me and within close enough range to catch if I could only push myself a little harder.

I did manage to catch up with a few – and I overtook them. I was keen, then, not to be overtaken again and that gave me an extra oomph.

For once, my stomach didn’t bother me and my legs felt fine. I had visited the chiropractor that afternoon and my back was far, far less painful than it has been in recent months. (Age, an old injury and general inflexibility has caused me a lot of lower back issues lately.)

The last third of the race seemed to be mostly downhill. This was welcomed but a constant descent is tough on the thighs. For the runners who were not racing whippets, our speed was also hampered by a headwind and the onset of sleet.

A headtorch and sleet do not make happy running partners and I could hardly tell if I was running up, down, or sideways.

Several times I weaved across the trail and almost ran off the edge. I cursed a bit to myself but reminded my frustrated brain that everyone who was still running would be in the same position.

Afterwards a runner told me his tip: “Take off your headtorch and hold it in your hand lower down because this makes it easier to see where you are going in driving sleet.” Hmmm, next time!

On the whole I enjoyed this race. The distance, hills, conditions and terrain seemed to suit me. I was thankful for my brilliant headtorch (yet again) and for the better level of training I have been doing over the last few months. I am back enjoying my running after a couple of years of despair over my stomach and various injuries.

I have been told by a friend that I make too many excuses about my performance in races and that I do not believe in myself. So, for once, I will say that I think I did quite well!

After the finish line, I met with a few GTC friends and headed along briefly to Wheels Cycling Centre where soup was on offer by the event organisers Carnethy Hill Running Club. I can never eat after running hard so I declined, chatted a bit with Gregor (he had been so fast he’d mostly missed the sleet-in-the-face) and headed home.

A surprise message from Gregor on Facebook later told me I had won a prize. I am delighted! I am at the wrong end of the vets 40 to 49 category so second place is great.