Going solo

With 35 days to go till Ultra Race Romania, this was an important weeks training.  I'd checked the weather forecast and took the Friday off work to spend 3 days running in the Cairngorm mountains - the weather was meant to get worse on Sunday so I had my fingers crossed.
Once again my pal Michael planned 3 days for me based on his extensive knowledge of the Cairngorms and managed to join me on the Friday.  I got up at 3.15am and met him at the start just outside of Aviemore at 6.45.  I was wearing my new (investment!!) watch, a Garmin Fenix 6 Solar Pro and loaded onto it was the route for the day - 43km with 1,897m of climbing.  I was able to follow our journey on my watch which will give me great confidence when out on my own.  The route starts along a very long valley and massive boulder fields so was slow going.  Then we climb into the mountains and WOW!  Three out of four of the summits were over 4,000 ft with the small one being a mere 3,300 ft.  The views were spectacular.  At one stage we were passed but ultra running legend Donnie Munro who was flying - glad to see he thought this was a worthwhile route.  We were out for 7 hours 40 minutes so were refilling our bottles from the fresh flowing streams.  On the finishing run out along a track I felt strong.  Michael headed home and there I was, solo for the next two days.  What could possibly go wrong?
Well for a start the maps weren't downloaded to my watch because I hadn't managed to do it before I left and I didn't bring my lap top so in short, no maps on watch. Day 2 I headed off following Google maps to the start.  It took me 3 attempts to find the start point having been driving through a private estate at one stage - stress city.  Eventually I get to the correct starting point and then lose my car keys and can't leave till I find them - in the car FFS!  200m in I get a missed call the 5 text from home.  So walking up the start I'm on the phone sorting something out - more stress!  But I settled down as not even I could get lost on this path.  Kept up a good pace and had a lot more running than the day before because the terrain was better/safer under foot.  Unbelievable views at the top with a shear drop from the edge of the path to the bottom and looking over to the mountains we'd been on yesterday.  On the way down I lost the path and had to improvise - for that read going straight down till I found the path again.  It was a fast descent of 1 hour and I felt the 17.61km with 1,004m of ascent was a good effort. Today Michael had gone to an extra effort with his instructions to make sure there would be no hic-ups.  Good try!  I left the car park via the wrong trail (my fault) but within 0.4KM realised it and reversed my path.  My OS Maps were worse than useless and I really need to get a grip with that app.  I asked a few people if I was going in the right direction and surprisingly I was.  It was a good path and I ran a lot of it.  When it started climbing I started power walking.  1hr 45 mins later I was at the top and the storm clouds were building as forecast so I did my "Deek TV live", took some pictures and got the hell off the summit.  Again a fabulous descent and I even overtook two cyclists who had to stop for the high edged drains across the path.  I'd set myself a target for the descent and was well on it when I got to 300m from the carpark, and got lost!  I knew it was close and even waded across a river twice but to know avail so I ran the long way round having wasted over 15 minutes fannying around.  Had my watch been loaded with the map it would have been stress free - every day's a learning day but 25km with 856m of climbing so not to be sniffed at considering it was day 3.  The good news is my body held up and that gives me confidence for URR.
My Garmin told me after day 1 I needed 4 days recovery!!  It probably wasn't wrong but sometimes you have to over ride the heath and safety aspect as I am pushing the boundaries.
Going solo isn't easy but I'm getting there.  Just got to sort the technology and the technology operator and I'll be fine.  I know my friends are "willing me on" and hoping I'll return safely and I appreciate everyone's concern.  At my age I really should be able to go out without getting lost but at least I make it back without falling.  In some ways getting lost is quite liberating as it's down to you, no one else.  When I get to Romania there will be regular markings on the trail but I'll have the back up of my watch if, and I'm sure it will, those markers disappear!  I've rediscovered my love of the Cairngorm mountains.  They are totally awesome and a great escape from this crazy pandemic we are all living through.  Get into the mountains (with a map!).  They will remind you about what's important!  Breath in that fresh air and relax.