Monstrous Good Fun Old Boy.

I'm not dead, just been doing more interesting things than blogging :)

The most recent interesting thing was the First Monster. When it was decided that we were entering the team I immediatley aired my preference to do the hill climb out of Fort Augustus, not because I was the strongest cyclist but because it had beaten me once before.

This year there were 278 teams of four each person doing a running stage and a cycling stage. Other team members were:

Jean

From FirstMonster2009

Saunders

From FirstMonster2009

Brian

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Here's the area of the event with my stages highlighted in red.

From FirstMonster2009

Right lets get this done so I can go and do something more interesting.
Saunders completed the first stage in a great time, although fortunately behind Nell so I got to see her hand over to Gavin Hastings at my transition point. I don't know how celebrities are supposed to act but just milling about and chatting like everyone else was in line with the relaxed friendly atmosphere.

I then ran slightly faster than I though I would though not quite Olympic material. I averaged 5:06 min/Km over the 8.3Km stage. I have cycled the route before but running it was actually more enjoyable.

I then handed over to Jean who ran off, thinking back I cannot even remember that transition. My brain must have been fried ! Quite worrying. I then got changed into my cycling kit and set off on a bus to Fort Augustus. Where I tucked into a lavish meal of a cup of soup and a bread roll ! After a few phone calls I determined just about when Saunders would arrive but he was quicker than expected so my trip to the toilet was abandoned !

I set off up the hill.

From FirstMonster2009

It was hot. I kept the pedals turning. No cramp ups. I topped out :)

From FirstMonster2009

Elevation, speed and HR tables follow for your perusal.
Elevation

From FirstMonster2009

Speed

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Heart Rate

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After the hill I got the head down and went for the stage end and survived the scary descent into Foyers. I handed over to Jean once again.

From FirstMonster2009

Team Mackay support vehicle had arrived by now hence the photos. At Foyers I didn't need to wait for race transport and was whisked off to Dores, the next transition. We passed Jean on the way.

From FirstMonster2009

Jean had had a good cycle too so we were moving up the rankings.

Now Brian sprinted to the finish, arriving before us in the car !!

From FirstMonster2009

We met up with Nell again.

From FirstMonster2009

We finished 77th out of 278, not bad.

From FirstMonster2009

From FirstMonster2009

My only criticism would be the rather random nature of the food distribution. I needed more than a cup of soup and a roll in Fort Augustus. Fortunatley Team Mackay support ( Karen ) went off and bought me a sausage roll.

This was outweighed with the sheer brilliance of the event and the organisation.