Wow what a weekend! I'm so very happy to say everyone who took part in the WOC annual endurance challenge successfully completed it! A massive congratulations to them all!
We had the most beautiful weather for the weekend, I think we were truly blessed after the horrible weather we'd had during the 2012 endurance event.
The drive up on the Friday was great, the roads were quiet, the sun was shining and the singing was happening in the car! It took around six hours to get up to Oban where I'd decided to stay. What a gorgeous place it was too. I know by staying there I'd have a drive of just over a hour to get to our meeting place the following morning at the Ben Nevis visitor centre just outside Fort William. But to be honest it was worth it, the scenery was spectacular and worth the extra travelling time.
The major downside for me was discovering on our arrival that the in car charger that had been plugged inot my phone the whole trip ( sat nav ) was broken and consequently had not been charging my phone. My battery for all intense purposes was a gonna.
My eldest sister Caroline and I had decided to camp and I'd found a great campsite just two and a half miles outside Oban. It had a great view of the sea and wasn't too busy. When got there the Friday evening, got the tent pitched and drove down to the town to grab some food. A cheeky Gin & Tonic and we were ready to hit the sleeping bags.
Saturday am saw us up ready and off. I had been very good and had packed my hiking rucksack before I'd left home. We set off in plenty of time, but it all started crashing around our ears when we got stuck behind two very, very slow drivers. Anyone ever been to Scotland can attest to the roads and the lack of spots for overtaking. Then to add to the problems don't ask me how, we didn't end up on the coastal route to Fort William for our 8am rendezvous, we were the majestic route up into The Highlands to Fort William! - don't get me wrong it is really spectacular.....just not when you are running late for a meet up!
We did finally make it to the visitor centre really late. The other were waiting for us to get there ( they were all a little late, but nowhere near as bad as me, could have done without the extra two hours driving! ) We finally set off at 10.30am on a gloriously sunny and hot day. The Ben Nevis challenge was upon us!
So we set off the six of us that made it from the very many more who had pledged themselves to the challenge of raising money for WOC and the climbing of Ben Nevis. So Andy, Angela, Caroline, Bec's, Ali and our two furry mascots for the day Harry and Bess were on our way. Challenge accepted! My sister Caroline had been having problems with her knee for quite a while, she wasn't sure how'd she get on, but had actually paid to have some acupuncture done prior to us setting off. So it was a big good luck with the knee and let's see what the day brings.
From the get go you are practically straight into uneven rock steps of different sizes, and the ascent is pretty steep straight away. It was a glorious day, but that did not make for comfy climbing, our fluid intake was going to be crucial for sure. Everything was going really well, we weren't marching up the mountain, we were being sensible keeping a nice steady pace, stopping to take photos, a drink and chatting and laughing along the way.
About a third of the way up I started getting little telltale twinges in my right calf, they only lasted a couple of seconds but I was thinking, no don't do this today of all days! My right ankle is the one I ruptured and ended up on crutches for five months, and if I'm going to have any trouble it's always the right leg. On wards and upwards we went, the first of what turned out to be endless cramp attacks happened, yep my right calf. I was a little ahead of Andy and Caroline when it hit, I sort of threw myself on a rock and was trying to grab the muscle and my foot whilst being impeded by my walking poles! I shouted out in pain as you do, and bless a young guy came charging over ( he was on his way down ) to see what he could do. He was pushing my toes towards me to try stretch out my calf.
My brother got to me and took over, I thanked the young man and my brother massaged the cramp out of my calf. Like I say it was an endless round of attacks, my brother/sister massaging them out, me getting a few minutes relief before the next one built up. Was no fun for sure! I think the fact my right foot doesn't flex as it used to before the rupture contributes to a lot of this. I don't ever fully stretch out the calf muscle.
There's a section of the climb coming up towards the halfway part that is really tough, it's not just stones to step up, they are big, uneven, at different angles and they make for a really tough time, you are literally scrambling up some of them. The view certainly helped to distract from the terrain when on a mini couple of minutes breather.
By this time our fittest in the group Bec's and Ali were off ahead of us with their dogs Harry & Bess, just below the halfway point is a lake and the girls were off to take the dogs in to cool off, everyone was feeling the heat! Ahead of us but behind the girls was Angela on her own, she'd found her pace and was steadily getting on. It was poor Andy stuck with two of his sisters making sure we were fine.
I'm sure the dogs were well and truly ready for this. We made it to the lake area , it's the only flat area apart from the plateau at the summit. Bec's and Ali had moved on about 10 minutes prior to us getting there, but Angela was having a well earned rest. We joined her to and had a little something to eat. My calf was not good and Caroline spent ages massaging it for me. It felt loose and great!
We got up to crack on up to the summit. I'd only been walking a couple of minutes when the quads just above both knee's started spasming and cramping. I couldn't move, it was very painful to say the least. I got sat down and was squeezing them to try and relieve some of the pain. It wasn't working....my brother said to me, did I want some medical advice, I said don't dare say I have to stop - my brother started laughing and rolling his eyes ( I like to think with fondness! ) and said no I wouldn't say that, But you are going to have to walk through it sis.
So for the rest of the steep climb I alternated between having moments of painfree bliss and either quad spasms/cramps and calf cramps. It made for a really long climb for everyone. The section of loose rocks were really telling on the body and didn't help anyone's toes when feet were slipping and banging into other rocks . When we finally were up close to the summit, the first lot of snow we'd have to cross came into view, it was about a foot deep, bit was slippy from all the climbers who'd gone before us.
We all managed to get over it, my sister Caroline had fallen back down into it in her shorts, she shouted me who was struggling to lift my feet an inch off the ground due to quad cramps ( ever tried shuffling feet forward up hill on slippy snow? - a difficult feat indeed lol!! ), but a lovely young Scot in his kilt when and helped her up - made her day!!
We got to the summit and I was so,so,so happy! we had all made it! Bec's and Ali had passed us on the way down about a hour before. They were descending so they could get the dogs home and rested. Great effort girls.....and Harry & Bess!!
The view was breathtaking, I didn't feel cold at all, not even when I took my rucksack off and my soaked t shirt hit the cold air. There was about a foot of snow on the summit. Here we were at the highest point of Great Britain, and we loved it!!
Angela had at one point got her foot jammed between two rocks and fell in the snow, she luckily managed to wriggle it free!
We had a swig of bubbly to celebrate our success, took in the views, posed for photos and looked around the observatory ruins. We stayed up there about half an hour and then gathered our things for our climb back down.
Going down was so much harder than going up, I think the fatigue really plays a part in that. You don't have the spring in your step, it's so much harder on your knee's etc walking down the steep rocks. Caroline lost her footing and ended up hitting the ground hard. She got up but had hurt the top of her leg. Graham told Angela and I to carry on and he would follow up with Caroline.
We laughed and joked coming down, my legs had never stopped cramping from about a third of the way up and I was struggling to climb down the rocks even with my poles because I couldn't bend my knees properly. We were about a third of the way from completing our descent of "The Ben" when Angela rolled over her ankle and hit the deck, she was laughing so no to cry ( exhaustion and pain ), I was trying to get down some rocks and was shouting I'll be there as quick as I can! - it took me ages to get to Angela who was still sat on the floor - we did laugh, she was throwing little stones with temper! hilarious!!! Another bruise and scrape to add to her "playing out legs", the irony of the situation? Angela had actually gone over on a piece of flat ground about 6-8 feet long!
Further down the mountain it was my turn, I had come down a rocky zig and was turning a steep bend to start the descent of a zag when I stood on a rock and my left ankle turned......I actually didn't physically have the strength to stop it happening and down i went. It was all such slow motion, or felt like it....luckily I got my hands off my walking poles to brace for impact. One of my poles ended up under my body and it actually slowed and cushioned my fall. i would have face planted on a rock if not for the pole. My left ankle didn't even hurt, but as I turned over to start getting up my right calf started so I was pulling my toes when Angela said about seeing me go right over on my left ankle and she couldn't believe it didn't hurt! I got more bruises on my arms and that was it really!
We finally made it back to the visitor centre and Andy and Caroline came in half an hour later. A fantastic but tiring day where each and everyone of us successfully conquered "The Ben".
I want to say a massive thank you to those that came and took on the challenge, it was so worth all the pain and discomfort, I feel so very proud of myself and believe it or not even though the aches and pains are still in the body -- I'm already looking at next years challenge!!
Thank you to everyone who sponsored someone doing this event, every penny helps!
Until next time
Tracy
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