The Cape Wrath Challenges

A Totally Unique Experience

May 11th to the 17th 2008

As experienced by John Rudd & Richard Crompton

Ahhh, The Cape Wrath Challenges, what a fantastic week of running and socialising. For anyone who doesn’t know about this event, I will just give a basic overview of what it’s all about.

The Cape Wrath Challenges were established in 2000, missed 2001 because of foot and mouth, restarted in 2002 and has run every year since, growing in popularity. Originally, the runs in the week were not timed events, as these were just put on to make the week more of a challenge, and you can still do as much or as little as you want! The runs are all timed now, as pressure from the runners wanting to know their times for each event grew. This year is the first year that prizes have been given to the winners of the Half Marathon and 10k, as these have now been accurately measure by Scottish Athletics. Each day from Monday to Saturday, you have the choice of how far you want to run, myself, and training partner and fellow WRR Richard Crompton, being greedy and a little foolhardy, did the lot!.

This was the lot!

Monday a Half Marathon, Tuesday a 5.5mile Hill run, Wednesday a 8.5mile multi-terrain run, Thursday a 3mile beach run, a day off Friday and the Cape Wrath Marathon on Saturday. All together 57 and a bit miles of racing in 6 days, and the week went as follows:

Monday, Half Marathon

Start 10.30 ish, we drove in a convoy of four mini buses out to the start point half way round Loch Eriboil, 13.2 miles from the village hall. We were dropped of on a single track road with passing places - the gun went off, and we were away.

I had studied this run on the OS map, beforehand, to see what the assent/descent was going to be like, and had told Richard we were in for a fairly flat first days run! Not quite! We started at about 20m above sea level, then, over the first 2-3 miles, dropped back down to sea level. Then over the next 7 miles we climbed into a headwind to about 60-70m above sea level, before turning round the headland, for an undulating last 3-4 miles home. The one thing that took your mind off the run was the stunning scenery, and the view of the beach at about 10 miles was breathtaking. We had planned to run the whole week at a steady pace, with the main goal being to get through it with some dignity, and Day 1 started well with us striding over the finish line in 1:53.

Tuesday, 5.5Mile Hill Run

Start 10.30ish again and the sun shining again.

Now as I previously said, we had aimed to do the whole week at a leisurely pace, unfortunately, after a short spell on the road, we turned onto this delightful Scottish moorland, approached the first of two lovely little Lochs and the plan flew out the window! Our pace quickened and we were suddenly leaving runners behind who had finished the half yesterday minutes in front of us. We picked our way past a few more, along to the second Loch, across a burn, (Scottish stream), and then climbed steeply up to the highest point. The drinks station was a nice place for a quick pause to take in the views, and a nice long descent along a rocky track, on to the road, and back into the finish at the village hall. We had aimed for about 45-47 mins for this one, so 43 was nice! Two down and three to go.

Wednesday, 8.5 miles round Durness run

The sun shines yet again!

We had heard that this was the toughest of the runs apart from the marathon, so after our blast yesterday, (and bagging Ben Hope, 927m in the afternoon), we decided to take this one easy and take the camera along for some photos en-route. This was a tough, undulating multi-terrain run, but once again with some of the most breathtaking scenery along the way. We got a few quizzical looks from runners as we passed them, then stopped and took photo’s, only to run past them again, but finished this one at a canter near to the back of the field in about 1hour 23 ish.

Thursday, Point Zero 3-mile Beach Run

Once again a sunny day, and to top it off, less wind!

This race is intended to be a bit of a giggle. We had hastily thrown together a couple of fancy dress outfits and joined the rest of the nutters and all the local school kids on the sand at Balnakeil beach. It turned out to be a real treat, only 3 miles, a predictor race ( you fill in a card with your predicted time, and whoever is the closest to their predicted time, wins!), and no watches etc allowed.

So, as I said, we turn up at the start as the two Amigo’s, complete with sombreros, and run round a full minute under our predicted time. No prize then, but again a simply stunning run. Job done -easy afternoon and a beach barbi to follow in the evening. Fabulous!

Friday, DAY OFF!!!

Saturday, Cape Wrath Challenge Marathon

Last day running and the sun shines again although the wind had returned.

Once again, I had studied this route on a specially purchased OS map, I get one for everywhere I go, (yes, I know, sad b***er), and couldn’t work out where they got 2,474ft of climb from?

The alarm bells should’ve started to ring when the course record is a full minute and a bit over 3 hours! Anyhow, back to the race, a weird one, as you start “Cape side”, which means a short mini-bus ride then short ferry ride* across the Kyle. *Ferry in this case means a six seater rowing boat with an out board motor!!

Once you set off you run 11 miles to the Cape Wrath lighthouse, round the back of it and back to where the boat dropped you off, where you time is stopped. Hang on you say, that’s only 22 miles - correct. You then jump* back into the boat, and your time starts again landside, for the undulating 4.2ish back to Durness village hall. *Jump in this case, after 22 gruelling miles, the second 11 being into a very stiff headwind was not so much a jump as a pathetic stumble!

The finish banner at the village hall was a welcome sight, although tinged with some regret, as it would soon be the end of a fantastic week.

Now a couple of things I must stress, this weeks running was probably done in some of the most stunning scenery I have ever seen, and that includes last year’s Hood to Coast run. It is quite tough week, with over 57 miles of racing. The people are superb, and the locals really throw themselves into the whole week with a massive amount of enthusiasm. Both myself and Richard decided before we came home, as most others do, that we would be back next year!

P.S. Can you spot who turned up at the beach race as Elvis?

Written by: John Rudd

Submitted: 22^nd June 2008

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor