Petestack Blog

So who could describe a 55 mile trail run as ‘an attractive-sounding short ultra’ and how attractive (or short!) might that still be sounding when you’re standing on the start line seven months later? (more…)

So here I am, five miles up some private road up Glen Fyne when I should have been leaving it for the open hill after four-and-a-half max, acutely aware that absolutely nothing squares with my recollection of the map (which I haven’t actually looked at since leaving Kinlochleven). So why didn’t said road start from the east side of the bridge where I parked the van? Why did I run past a fairly substantial lochan when I don’t remember it being marked? And why is this road now taking me steeply and obviously east when I should be leaving it to the west? (more…)

It’s a year to the day since my post announcing my withdrawal from the 2009 West Highland Way Race, but it’s not last year now! From December 2008’s write-off to December 2009’s icy trail runs… from spring 2009’s sporadic, ‘pretend’ training to spring 2010’s solid, committed build-up… everything’s quite simply different. Last year the fire just wasn’t there (never really got lit and couldn’t be fed), but this year it’s raging and it’s now or never for that coveted PB because I never want to have to work so obsessively at this again! (more…)

Not much to say about today, really, but I’ve got another nice 900x900px map to go with yesterday’s and thought I might as well post it. (more…)

Time to try the Mizuno Wave Harriers, and a nice wee outing up Binnein Beag looked like some good ground to give them a whirl… but I swear that my subsequent ascent of Sgurr Eilde Mor and descent to Luibeilt (what, Luibeilt, again?) formed no part of the original plan! (more…)

So I bought all these sale-price shoes a few weeks ago, but the Flyrocs were a mistake and I doubt I’ll be buying any more Inov-8s. (more…)

Most of my regular runs have names, or at least labels I use to identify them for logging purposes. But I don’t really know what to call tonight’s (to Loch Eilde Mor by Leitir Bo Fionn and back by the big hairpin, Mamore Lodge, mast and West Highland Way) except ‘nine mile loop’… (more…)

Wanting a good run this afternoon but not sure what to make of a strange day (alternating sunshine and heavy showers), I settled on a fine-looking scenic route to Luibeilt over the isolated Corbett of Glas Bheinn (which I’m afraid to say I’d only been up once long before my serious running days) and back by the track. (more…)

Must be about a week of dry, spring weather we’ve had now, and those hill tracks and paths below the retreating snowline all seem to be in just about optimum running condition. (more…)