River Ayr Way Challenge

River Ayr Way Challenge:

The 13th saw me head down for the River Ayr Way Challenge , this year the field was back down to around 50 entrants, i don't know why this is but its a great race, the route has in previous years moved the finish line from the Citadel to Dam Park Running track, this year the finish would be the latter.

We headed off on the coach to Glenbuck Loch which is where the race starts, on the way i got chatting to Craig MacKay, Carol Martin and Mark Caldwell, i think i was the only one not chasing points in the SUMS series, due to my lack of running throughout the year, before we got underway i said a few hellos James McPhate and Alan Tait and his wife Gayle, who would be first Female home, after a short spell of hanging around the race got underway. Myself, Craig and Mark set of at a steady pace, around mile 7 the gap opened slightly and before i knew it i had missed a turning, as i tried to get back on course i could see in the distance the Orange top of Craig as i shouted he gave me a wave and now i had to make up ground, chasing the guys back in,  i eventually caught Roger Greenaway and then Craig and eventually Mark. Mark and i decided to run together for a while before the gap opened up again just before Sorn.

After passing through Sorn i would remain on my own for the remainder of the race, passing through the villages of Catrine, Barskimming, Failford, Stair, Annbank and Auchencruive before arriving back in Ayr, the route was not without a few mishaps where i took a further 3 wrong turns, the worst one was at Tarholm Bridge one where i was guided by the marshall straight across road and ended up in the River Ayr on a dry sea bed, don't ask me why, i should know better, i have run the course a few times before, perhaps i could blame what can only be described the hottest day for racing, something i have not experienced since the Highland Fling a few years ago, it was only by chance that as i climbed out of the River and ran back to the road a cyclist following the race, George McLaughlin showed me how to get back on course which i was grateful for, George advised me that the nearest runner was around 17 minutes behind me,  from that point in there was about 8 miles of running still to do, so as i was on my own i just kept the head down and knew that all i had to do was not lose control of the race and try to remain focussed, once over the second last bridge i saw Tim Downie on his bike which gave me another boost, finally it was back on the the path and over the last bridge before arriving into Dam Park Stadium to finish with a win which would only be my second ever over the ultra distance.