[Closed] Highland Trail 550 2015

I'll step in first - rode and finished in 2013 when it was only 420miles.

Ride your MTB a lot. Ignore your road bike. Ride your MTB. Days need to be back to back. Loaded. With little food. Ride more. After a while you'll want to stop. Don't. Ride your MTB more. You need to be technically good, like really good, especially when you've had no sleep-food-water. Hike, lots, with your bike.

The bike you ride, and the kit you carry mean nothing if you're not fit. So ignore kit fetishising and train. Be fitter than you have ever been. Stronger than ever mentally. Then do it.

You may fail. About 50% of people do.

Pretty much what Greg said. Days of 100 miles should be easily attainable, and repeatable. I finished 2nd in 2013, but DNF'd in 2014. It's that kind of route. Some much to get right, and so much to go wrong.

I blame it on the gears Ian 😉

Well, yes - 3 singlespeeds in the top four in 2013 can't be wrong 😉

Totally agree - lets ask Phil in year one too.

Hence, why I've been riding one a lot of late.

Tom's not far behind now.

I've got to stop waiting up to see who makes the last move - I can't stand the pace 🙂

Minipips training has consisted of going out on his bike lots to avoid tidying up the swamproom that he sleeps in. He has combined this with plenty of playing in the park and eating his own body weight in cake and sweets, with crisps as a savoury accent. He has also done extra thumb specific training on the playstation.

😀

He missed the turnoff to the off road singletrack approach to Lochinver. Easy to do, I did that last year

Morning blue dot junkies.

No overnight change in our leaders positions - Phils record (LSH) is still safe.

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scotroutes - Member
He missed the turnoff to the off road singletrack approach to Lochinver. Easy to do, I did that last year
I'm almost afraid to ask, but how do the "rules" handle that if it's a genuine mistake?

You backtrack, then go the right way.

If you cut it out, a GPS trace - which you need to provide to have a completion - will be checked to make sure you didn't.

Overnight Scratch Update:

Giacomo Maltman has scratched at Oykel Bridge with an old Achilles injury kicking in.

When looking at the track history files I assume that the green wedge shaped icon is a tent and that's where the individual stopped for the night? If so then Josh and Tom appear to have paused (I hesitate to use the word rested) very close to one another, it looks like Tom used the road past Drumbeg to his advantage.

Josh is now back at Oykel Bridge, that's 313 miles in 48 hours!!

As Greg says, practice pushing your bike up and down big, steep, rocky hills. A failed ITT in 2013 left me unable to walk for a fortnight.I might have been unlucky but to a degree you have to make your own luck out there.

That Ledmore road section can be a right bugger because there's usually a strong headwind funnelled through the valley, but if it's going your way it's great. (Done it twice in the last couple of weeks and cursed it all the way 🙂 )

Right now the wind is in the right direction so they'll get a well deserved push along.

Invercassley Stores has a rush on.

do****cher - you have been cool, calm and collected considering that not only is your other half doing this daft race but your son too. Have to take my hat off to you for being so supportive and you must be so proud of your lad who will remember the adventure for many many years. Do hope that you're managing some sleep away from the tracker! 🙂

+1 ^^^

Rich knows that if Tom comes back in bits we will be getting a BOGOF deal at the undertakers.

They have shit hits the fan contingencies in place - although I do worry when the tracker doesn't update for a while. On board the bike is 11,000 calories, Tom has had the call emergency services drill down to a fine art (both phones are registered with 121 and whistling was practiced until the deaf neighbour complained). He can also set up the tent by himself so if something happens to Rich he is OKish. My biggest worry is the river crossings - Tom is not a strong swimmer.

If he wasn't doing this I would have to worry about childhood obesity and the long term health effects of sofa surfing & playground bullying because he is not very good at ball sports...

Invercassley Stores has a rush on.

😆

Needs must if Ocardo won't deliver.

do****cher - Member
Rich knows that if Tom comes back in bits we will be getting a BOGOF deal at the undertakers...

The way he passed me in the 'Puffer, I don't think you have anything to worry about. That's a gifted young lad with a great future..

Looks like he'll meet the other Tom fuelling up at Oykel Bridge Hotel.

We will find out in the next hour or so if Minipips is going for the full 550 or will decide that the top loop will get him a unauthorised absence from school.

Oh eh....

Scratch Update:

Tom Gibbs confirmed as a scratch, is all fine and is going to spin home nice and easy.

Rich and Tom are going down the HT440 route.

Oh eh....

It is one of the planned get out clauses. See how he is doing at Oykle Bridge, if he won't make it back for school on Monday morning then turn south. They weren't too impressed when he took a day off for Strathpuffer. Having said that the top loop looks as if it is a goer on his times so far.

I am always the last to know.....

Scratch Update:

Darren Koslicki - cold, wet, not enough kit.
Amanda Brooks - GPS failure
Two riders are together and ok

do****cher - Member
I am always the last to know.....

Twitter innit'

Luddite moi...

On an aside is a remedial Twitter user = a Twit?

re fuelling at Oykell Bridge Hotel. Stayed there one night, all you can eat buffet, by lord it was immense (and great). Great hotel if not cheap.

It is going to be a bit of a head swivel moment for the field as they pas Team Pips for a second time....

More photos up on my blog http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/highland-trail-race-2015-riders-as-they_25.html - this set are on the first day, the other side of the Devils Staircase.

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Not that I want to worry anyone, but it looks like the pips took a wrong turn off towards Seana Braigh but now seem to have corrected themselves.

it looks like the pips took a wrong turn off

A case of take the right turn.... no the other right! Or Rich was ahead with the tracker and had to go back and find the boy...

Great to see the pics nikk, good work getting them up as they ride.

Looks like Josh has 12 miles up on Tom. Tom has yet to hit Braemore which is Scottish for effing big hill.

It looks as if it is going to be tight to the end - who can stay awake the longest?

I am so impressed by the back markers too... Jenny G looks to be having a hard day, but she is still going and Chris A is plugging away. I don't have that sort of will power.

Official Scratch Update:

Dave Barter (@citizenfishy) with some serious knee pain. Otherwise ok.

Hated to scratch, but as mentioned started the race (with doctor's OK I will add, for the benefit of my wife looking over my shoulder just now...) with suspected Lymes disease and on meds. That might have been the reason, or it could just be a lack of manliness. Was feeling good until Struy, then lost all energy.

Anyway - will try again next year, and wanted to say a big thank you to Alan and Greg.

@nik - for what it's worth, I'm photo 38 in the section around Glencoe ski center, and 32 on back side of Devil's Staircase. Not sure if you caught me before or after my stack, but in any case was nowhere near as bad as Steve's.

Is it my imagination, or have there been less scratches so far this year. Better weather?

epicyclo - Member
Is it my imagination, or have there been less scratches so far this year. Better weather?

Not your imagination - but not better weather. Less wet, but way colder and windier

[quote=krixmeister]@nik - for what it's worth, I'm photo 38 in the section around Glencoe ski center, and 32 on back side of Devil's Staircase. Not sure if you caught me before or after my stack, but in any case was nowhere near as bad as Steve's.

I tagged the photos, hope it is correct!

Mark McPhillips is currently tucking into a nice pie at the Lochinver Pie Shop. Planning on a few more miles before biving

Glad I got an early start from Glen Cassley and got the last b+b in town. Enjoyed my pies in a hot bath.

Last bit before bed.

We have another starter tomorrow - ITT rider start John Fettis - due to go at 8am.

[url= http://trackleaders.com/highland15i.php?name=John_Fettis ]http://trackleaders.com/highland15i.php?name=John_Fettis[/url]

First time I've really looked at this race WOW! big respect to them all out there! Interested how easy is it to navigate a course like this just with a garmin? Also what type are most using? battery life must be a nightmare for so many days?

An update on Rich & Tom's detour. Apparently Rich went wrong around there last year too.... so all the fault of Pips the Elder.
Tom is looking forward to the steep hill push
The river crossing (Rich is going to take his bike across first and then spot Tom so he isn't eaten by a Loch Monster) and then
The Fisherfield section of doom that seems to take ages to cross, but is flat(ish)on a well ironed map so has us armchair dot watchers screaming at the screen.

They are loving all the support they are getting here and on Twitter - even better than the May Queen entourage doing a pre teen scream (at Tom thankfully) as they passed by the other day.

Funny that, as Rickie Cotter and Steven Sloof did exactly the same thing this morning on the Ullapool track...

Looking forward to see how Rich and Tom go today 🙂
Carnmore bothy might make a good target, given the severity of the terrain.

Brilliant stuff.

Surprisingly, no scratches over night.

We will see what happens when people get into signal around Ullapool.

Now they are at the bottom of The Inverbroom push would it be wrong to shout "Push! Push! Push! just PUSH!!!". I seem to remember something similar being said to me 10 years ago.

Great photos nikk! But why are so many of them smiling? I suspect there are lots of folk like me watching this, who have done bits of the course at some time but not in one massive heave. respect to all.
One equipment choice question though, I notice most if not all have opted for SPDs rather than flats. If there is so much pushing would there be any advantage in non -cleat footwear? Or does the advantage gained by clipping in for the road and easier sections outweigh any better grip pushing up big climbs?

The things I do for you lot... rushed, but you get the idea.

2014 on the LHS - 2015 on the RHS. It'll take a HUGE effort for Josh or Tom to catch Phils pace knowing what's coming next speed wise from Phils race.

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It looks like the gap at the front is diminishing. About seven miles of tarmac between them right now.

Steve Large has stopped - not scratched - as he has had to order a new freehub. He will get going again tomorrow.

Steve Large has stopped - not scratched - as he has had to order a new freehub. He will get going again tomorrow.

I would suspect Josh has stopped at the cafe on the way to Torridon, good spot before a long push and really technical traverse.

Nah, zoom in further and you'll see he's in the facilities next to the campsite. Perhaps he's considered not subjecting fellow cafe users to four days of race sweat and taking a swift shower.

Anyone know what Ilan Rubinstein is doing? Assume he's got some very different plans or is very, very lost!

It was mentioned somewhere that he was using the HT550 as a basis for riding round the Highlands if he didn't feel like continued participation.

Looks like Josh has just started the ascent from Annat.

Wonder why he changed his mind?

I'm routing for Mark McPhillip's, he's a local to me. I've told his wife to tell him that he's got to be back and in shape for the local midweek XC series, starting tomorrow...

r8jimbob88 - Member
Wonder why he changed his mind?

Lets go with fear. Fear is always a good reason 🙂

Scratch Update:

Really sorry to announce that Steve Heading is pulling the plug. Head not in it.

love this. Just properly bonkers.

<edit> not the bit about your man dropping out, just the whole thing I mean </edit>

Looks like we might be in for an epic battle out front between Josh and Tom.
Can Tom catch him?

Wonder if he knows he's just ahead of him? Might be able to smell him...?

My Hero is out! Enjoying this thread but shame that Steve Heading is out.

Keep going everyone else.

That is a shame.

The Pips are either having a navigational or packing it in. They are currently scooting along the A832...

Is the bit over from Torridon the last of the serious hike-a-bike sections? I know there's the climb up to and past the Falls of Glomach which considering what they'll have done to get there is likely to be a push but is there anything else?

Ilan looks to be heading in the opposite direction so hopefully he won't spill the beans about the time gap - though of course it's hard to keep everyone in the dark about relative position these days.

Looking like Rich and Tom are taking the road around Fisherfield:

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There could of course be something else going on, maybe they know of a cake shop I don't.

Ahhh.... very sensible given Toms ability to sink like a stone.

They have an encyclopedic knowledge of cake shops and pubs so that is also a possability

Really sorry to announce that Steve Heading is pulling the plug. Head not in it.

I train with Steve quite regularly and it's safe to say that he's harder than several bags of nails. If he's not feeling it then he must be really suffering.

Saw Tom and Rich this morning riding past the garage in Ullapool. They didn't stop but sounded in good spirits.

Real shame about SteveH.

Mark Mcphillips has just eaten and is aiming for one of the bothies in Fisherfield. Sore knees but good spirits.

Alan G and Philip FraserT also in good spirits. Just leaving Ullapool.

I am waiting for a new free hub then hopefully crack on tomorrow.

It's a brilliant race, but a bit tough....

leaders a mile apart after 3 days.. exciting stuff!

3 guys in Tesco in Ullapool. This is bordering in stalking now, I have to stop!

Wow its close! maybe josh's early pace is catching up with him!

c_klein87 - Member
Wow its close! maybe josh's early pace is catching up with him!

Josh going out to hard...why that never happens...