Highland Fling 2016

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Jan 2016
2:47pm, 3 Jan 2016
2,742 posts
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STOOSH
Can't help you there FR, i don't take caffeine when i run!

After a quiet December running wise i'm looking to kick on over the next couple of months with more focus on miles and endurance and less about speed. Mainly as i didn't do many long runs last year and need to work on it as i move towards the WHW race in June:)

Hope everyone is training well!!
Jan 2016
10:05am, 4 Jan 2016
16,241 posts
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flanker
FR, when I feel I need it. I always carry caffeine gels for when I hit a bad patch.
Jan 2016
7:38pm, 6 Jan 2016
7,415 posts
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FenlandRunner
Thanks flanker. With your running pedigree and experience I take that as excellent advice
Jan 2016
12:24pm, 7 Jan 2016
9,667 posts
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_andy
FR - I start with caffeine at about 4:00am so that I can wake up to drive the car. Flat Coke at BeinGlas (42 miles) is usually in the dropbag
Jan 2016
12:53pm, 7 Jan 2016
7,419 posts
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FenlandRunner
Thanks _andy, I don't want to use caffeine before I start running as I will start too fast!!! ;-)
Jan 2016
1:31pm, 7 Jan 2016
2,603 posts
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Triplet Dad
I really wanted to do the Fling again this year but I have a deferred place for London and I wouldn't be fit to do both. I'll hopefully be back next year.

I only recced the first half of the race ahead of time and afterwards I wished that I had done the second half too as I was taken aback by the technical nature of the section from Inversnaid to Beinglas.

The last section over the "roller-coaster" is extremely tough on tired legs so you definitely need to keep your energy levels up - my wife and kids met me en route with a big mac and fries covered in salt which kept me going to the end :-)
Jan 2016
12:00am, 8 Jan 2016
16,247 posts
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flanker
Most people who have run this say it's reasonably non-technical and flat compared with, say, the Lakeland 100. However, as I'll be doing it blind, does anyone have a garmin trace from a previous running they fancy sharing so I can get a feel for things (if they did it without leaving the course, better still, as I can stick it on the watch as a navigational fallback!)
Jan 2016
10:04am, 8 Jan 2016
7,426 posts
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FenlandRunner
I think that traces are freely available if you search for routes near Milngavie Railway Station. But failing that can make my route public.

From memory aside from a short sharp incline in Mugdock Country Park the first 13 miles to Drymen is easy. The next stage has a pull out of Drymen into the forest then undulates until the only proper hill, Conic hill. With the descent being far worse than the ascent.

The next stage is undulating with some beach shingle but also some road to Rowardennan.

After Rowardennan you have a gradual incline by the side of Loch Lomond after the descent the other side you start to get to the path by the Loch which is challenge.

Above Inver (forgot the name) it gets really unrunnable and does involve climbing a ladder. The path opens up at the end of the loch and if you're in good shape can crack on to Bein Glas.

The last bit from Bein Glas is easy but I've never been able to take advantage, however it does have cow pooh alley which can be challenging dependent on the weather.
Jan 2016
3:25pm, 8 Jan 2016
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_andy
Flanker - there's plenty of blogs to help you get a feel for it (I've written six for sure - one for each of the last six years for the fling). There's a trace on the race details too. Unfortunately this year's race wasn't copied from last years so didn't have all the correct details, but I've just added that. You can export a .tcx file from there http://www.fetcheveryone.com/route-1750881

Comparing with the Lakeland 50, it's a lot easier. Just much more runnable. Yes, the section north of Inversnaid (35 miles) is "technical" and nothing on the LL50 compares to that, but I'd say it's still very runnable and if you still have bounce for that section, you'll pass a lot of others. I had a few conversations about Fling vs. LL50 with others, including the experienced Andy Coles who felt they were comparable. Fling being 3 miles longer, but LL50 have much more ascent and descent. My own experience is that the Fling is about an hour quicker (depends on you overall time of course) - the long climbs of LL50 being the reason for that.

Any other questions? This is the place for them!
Mar 2016
8:07am, 15 Mar 2016
2,761 posts
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STOOSH
Good morning all - how's training coming along since January? Only7 weeks to go!! :-o

About This Thread

Maintained by wheezy1973
Hi folks. Can anyone tell me when tickets usually go on sale for the Highland Fling? Hoping to do it...

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