One.Tel Hebridean Challenge 2003 - Day 4

Day 4 Route Map

This was a more traditional Hebridean Challenge day but without the numerous shorter legs to spread the load amongst the whole team and keep everyone involved. During a nightmare briefing the previous night Gary (Race Director) had made it clear that he expected about 7 teams to be excluded from the big hill run because they wouldn't reach the start of the big mountain leg by the cut-off time. I was really annoyed by this - we had never failed to complete the whole course on any of our eight previous challenges and yet here was Gary telling us he didn't expect us to complete the day. Why were we starting as late as 8.00pm then - if time was such a problem then we could have started an hour earlier and gave everyone a fair chance at completing the day. To make matters worse one of the top teams started complaining about having to swim straight off a short hill run and asked for a timeout. Time was the one thing that seven teams did not have to spare! No-one else seemed too bothered about the run/swim but Gary agreed to the time out anyway. Once again the impression was of the things being changed to suit the top teams.

Why couldn't we start earlier in the day? Because the safety boats weren't in position? Possibly, but I think it was more to do with the fact that the owner of Eilean Ronaidh had agreed to let us swim to his Hebridean Island and he was on the summit to welcome the teams. It would have looked pretty bad if we had already passed through by the time he arrived! Gary (the Race Director) put it about that the owner was a famous actor by the name of Hugh Grant! I either Donald or Helen noticed that it was in fact a Hugh Grant lookalike - one Richard Atkinson - they never let on! I only found out about the Atkinson family later from the race webcast. Now who is winding up who?

Synchronised Adventure Racing around Eaval

The day started with a short paddle along Loch Euphoirt to Clachan Burrival. From there things got slightly complicated! The kayak had to be carried up a stream into Loch Obisary. Where the new sport of Synchronised Adventure Racing was born (don't hold your breath waiting for it to appear in the Olympics though!). Murdie had to paddle to the east end of the loch while I ran across the moor to the same spot. Murdie was able to watch my progress along the bank and timed his arrival to perfection! Next he had to paddle to the south end of the loch while I ran over Eaval (347m) to meet him again. I had an excellent run over and managed to overtake a couple of fliers who had passed me on the flat. I also caught and passed Katie from "In The Buff". As I stormed down the other side I knew she wouldn't catch me again - or would she? On the descent I was able to pick out Murdie and Robert (the other local paddler in the race who Murdie was having a very close race with) on the loch and was able to speed up across the bog at the bottom to arrive at the same time as Murdie. We then had a short portage into a small loch, an even shorter one out that loch into another loch (Murdie and Robert helped each other through this section). Finally we had another portage across to a sea loch where a marshal was waiting at the checkpoint. Murdie paddled south to chez "Hugh Grant" while I ran east to Claddach Carinish.

I made good time through the maze of inlets and lochans and was well pleased with my 1 hour 45m time considering all the messing about with boats! I jumped on the road bike to cycle round to Griomsaigh and was gob smacked to find Katie standing by the road side having finished ahead of me! How? There was no sign of her during the portage section and there was no way she passed me across the bog - nevertheless she had finished ahead of me. I fretted about this as I pushed the bike into a gale force headwind - annoyance putting fresh strength into my legs. Gary had been quite clear at the briefing no swimming allowed by the runner so how had Katie cut the corner? I later found out that they had not followed the route described by Gary - they had portaged straight into the final sea loch! Worse still, she had straddled the kayak and been ferried across the sea loch for a straighter and shorter run to the finish of the leg. Illegal? Well we think so! We had decided not to do the same thing because Gary had been quite specific about what was required. "In The Buff" had failed to follow the required course, taken liberties with Gary's no swimming rule (she may not have swam but she was certainly in the water!) and Katie had missed the checkpoint at the sea loch.

Gavin completed his hill run and then had to get on his bike! (picture courtesy of sleepmonsters.com)

I reached Ceallan on Griomsaigh and tagged Jim who sprinted 400m down to the sea to set off Helen and Donald. We had decided to give Helen this short paddle across to Eilean Ronaidh because it included a short hill climb - not because she wanted to meet the celebrity owner who was there to meet her! Murdie certainly wasn't complaining about missing a hill climb!. Helen acted as safety boat for Donald's swim to Eilean Ronaidh, then both of them had to climb Beinn a' Charnain (115m). At the summit, our multi-talented lady was able to meet "Hugh Grant" (resplendent in pink trousers for the occasion)! If only it had been the real Hugh Grant - I am sure the tabloids would have loved the picture of him on his Hebridean island retreat with a lady wearing nothing but rubber!

Helen preparing for her paddle. Is Murdie grinning because he doesn't have to do the climb?

After the climb, Helen towed Donald back across and Jim did the 400m dash in reverse. Once again, I was on a road bike heading south into a gale. I worked very hard for the first few miles thinking Donald would be taking over shortly - I had forgotten that they also had to pick up Murdie's canoe at Ceallan jetty! Once I remembered that I settled down to grind it out for as long as it took. I had to keep pushing because it looked like we could cover the 20 mile bike ride in time to allow Jim to start the big mountain leg that Gary thought we wouldn't make!! I found it really tough on the causeways - the gale force wind whistled straight off the sea and tried to push me back the way I came. I left Griomsaigh and had reached the south end of Benbecula before the van caught me! They drove ahead, Donald jumped out but as I drew level it became clear that they were not ready for the change over, another mile further on Donald was ready but he was going to jump on my bike. Why? The the quick-release mechanism on his front wheel had broken! Helen and I had had the same problem the day before - I shouted to Donald how I had got round it yesterday and carried on. A few minutes later, the van caught me up, Donald and bike got out and, at last, we were able to changeover.

He raced round to Loch Skipport and we tagged Jim with just 15 minutes to spare before the cut-off time. Jim was sent out into the wilderness for yet another 12 mile leg while we retired to Loch Druidibeg for a bit of sun bathing and a three course lunch - courtesy of the Co-op food sponsorship! Suddenly the race seemed a million miles away!

Jim had to run out to Usinish Lighthouse, then skirt Ben Corrodale before the steep climb up onto the ridge leading to Ben Mor (620m). I was envious of him - I had ran Ben More, Corrodale and Hecla several times before but never had the chance of approaching them from the east! Jim later said he had followed my suggested route and encountered no problems other than the fact that there was no control at the lighthouse. He circled the lighthouse a few times and failed to find it and then carried on. A feature of this course seemed to be that some checkpoints were virtual rather than real - bring back friendly, local volunteers at all remote checkpoints (some of them even supplied food and drink to tired athletes as they passed!) His time for the leg was around 4 hours. My only problem with him on this leg was to come at Pollachar Inn! But more of that later!

Jim looking far too cool at the end of his Mountain Marathon!

The final leg of the day was an epic 30 mile mountain bike cycle which we could start at a time of our choosing. We had to double up this leg to enable us to reach our bonus points target (this leg was worth 20 points giving us 10 more than we needed!). Helen didn't fancy the ride down the beach (I don't think she believed us when we said that the sand was usually rock solid!), so Donald and I were to start the leg then Helen was to take over from me at Pollachar Inn. The first few tarmac miles were fine then at the first checkpoint (no marker or card punch to be seen!) we cut down onto the beach for what we hoped would be a fast 10 miles down by the sea. It was an incredible experience trying to power our way south into the gale with the sea lapping our wheels in places as we sought out the hardest sand.

Donald and Gavin battling into the gale? (picture courtesy of sleepmonsters.com)

Sometimes the sand was blown into shallow drifts which were impossible to ride and I did not feel at ease on my bike. Donald seemed very strong and for once I had to tuck in behind him and let him do all the work. Last year, it had been the other way round with me leading him out! We had to be constantly looking ahead as we tried to read the beach ahead to find the best route. One stretch was just too bad and we went up onto the machair for a couple of miles. Here, I discovered why my bike didn't feel right. Helen had pumped the tyres up to be rock solid (her leg on day 2 had a lot of tarmac) - once I let some air out my bike felt much more comfortable and responsive. We again went down to the beach and took great delight in catching and passing three teams in one 800m stretch - they were all bogged down in deep drifts while we had found hard sand further up the beach. Just as we passed them, they realised we were on hard sand and turned up the beach to join us. Good move? Well not exactly, our hard sand had run out and Donald and I had already gone back to the edge of the waves for our final run in to Pollachar Inn.

Donald and Gavin on South Uist beach

By now, I was becoming very tired but all I had to do was reach Pollachar Inn and Helen would take over. Well that was the plan! Unfortunately for me, she was somewhere back at the foot of Ben More waiting for Jim to finish his leg. Oh well! Nothing for it but to carry on. We checked in with the marshal at Pollachar Inn and headed for Glendale. This nature trail has been in as a bike ride before but it is riddled with peat bogs and hags and large chunks of it are virtually unrideable! Some of the hags can be ridden through but others just eat your front wheel. After a couple of falls, I gave up trying to ride them and carried the bike. After another missing checkpoint marker, we turned west and hit the tarmac again for the final seven mile run to Lochboisdale. As we reached the main road, we spotted the van with Helen ready for action. Cheekily, I did not stop! After a day of fighting into the wind there was no way I was going to give up the chance of a downwind few miles on tarmac! I immediately felt really guilty and flagged the van down to let Helen finish the leg. She said she wasn't bothered and let me continue (but who knows what was said in the van!). I got my come-uppance in the end though as the last three miles to Lochboisdale were back into a strong headwind! But by then Helen and co had gone ahead to catch the ferry!

Another five and half hour day for me but one which I thoroughly enjoyed. Helen was the only one who had had a lazy day. But she had been given a paddle, a short hill run AND she had met "HUGH GRANT" and she wasn't complaining!

On the ferry to Castlebay, the queue for food was huge so we went for a couple of beers before eating. After days of eating pasta we were all ready for something more carniverous! But when we did go for food, we were told that they had nothing left except fish! The cafe staff said that they had not expected so many people on the ferry! Yet all 15 teams and all the race organisers had been booked on the ferry for some months. Our disappointment was short lived because when it finally came, our fish and chips were delicious!