26th July. Station To Station- Your First Ultra Marathon.

This "Event" was pretty much a homage to one of Pete's Dad's hillwalking buddies, Peter Binnie, who apparently conceived of the idea in the 70's.

The gist was to catch the 8.04 train to Inverness alighting at Aviemore then simply make ones way on foot through the Lairig Ghru and Glen Tilt to Blair Atholl, a distance of 40 miles, in time to get the last train back to Perth 

Of course there are no shops or mobile phone masts in the Cairngorms I took  proactive steps by buying a pork pie rich in trans fats, whilst passing the local petrol station 

Things went well enough until about the 35 mile mark.

The pace then slowed to something less than Buster Martin (103) the oldest man to run the London Marathon.

To be honest part of the reason had been to experience the altered state of consciousness, part and parcel of going beyond one's limits.

I felt a bit sore in the lower limb area and a bit sick, despite putting all available clothes on I still felt cold.

Finally emerging at the back of Blair castle there were tourists taking an evening stroll clad only in tee shirts? It must be me then.

Anyway I could hear a train coming so I had to run like the world's oldest runner so I didn't have to wait another hour for the next one and risk hypothermia.

This event had been billed as a doubler with The Otter, but with all that romance business going on you can't rely on anything, and now I was one up in the Ultra stakes. 

Back on the train and now with a signal, I relayed the news of this 12 hour triumph of endurance.

Although we shall see about knee cartilage later (in life).