DNF fling!

As you might know, DNF means Did not finish and is a hard thing for me to write on the blog. It is particularly hard as I was having a fantastic race. Lying in 34th position, I was half way between Inversnaid and Beinglass farm feeling strong and in good spirits when disaster struck. A searing pain in my left knee made me stop. Fearing I wouldn't be able to even walk to Beinglass (where Craig was waiting) I sat for a few minutes to assess the damage. This is an area which has troubled me before, but I've not had pain like that before. After a couple of minutes and an icing in a waterfall, I managed to hobble on to Beinglass. Andy Cole (looking good) passed me after a while and once he knew I was OK carried on to record a good finish (cheers Andy). I had to weigh up my options. I could have hobbled on to Tyndrum, but why? This race was not my main focus - that's in June, so why risk any further damage by finishing? I threw the towel in at Beinglass and headed home.

There are lots of things to take from the race however.

Positives:
1. Had I not been injured, I could have easily finished in a good time and actually porbably could have completed all the way to F.W as I was feeling very fot and strong.
2. I now have a much better appreciation of this part of the route for June.

Negatives:
1. Got a nasty injury now and worried it's not going to heal in time to let me train properly.
2. Loch Lomond is SO long!
3. Couldn't eat much on the run without feeling nausious (a new experience for me)

So now I have to rest my knee for a week and then assess the damage properly. Perhaps then a week of cycling and back into running after that. I have been thinking a lot about what I'd do if I couldn't make the June date through injury (worst case scenario). The plan B would be to push the date back and attempt a solo (but with support of course) WHW run in September after the knee gets better. Fingers crossed that won't be necessary.

Well done to all that finished. Good times I noticed from Brian, John K and Andy Cole. Well done all and thanks to Craig for driving there and back and being a great support 'team'!


Phil Robertson 03:04:00 04:39:00 06:19:00 08:26:00