2nd place at strathpuffer 2009.
Not a bad result, feels a bit galling as i lost what feels like loads of time with mechanicals (lights conking out part way through a lap, punctures, exploding gas cartridges and the like).
Would proably have dropped out if angela hadn’t been there every lap (ie 26 times) waving cups of tea and anything else i felt like I’d need at me.
Didn’t kill as many brake pads as I expected – think it was about 3 pairs and the ice tyres i bought specialy still haven’t been used, which just goes to show how unpredicable the race is.
Shaggy won, nearly lapping me by the end, Alex Slavin came 3rd (he beat me in 2007), Kate came 3rd in the womens cat IIRC, Angela became known as “bag lady” in the registration tent due to her tirelessly running round for me carrying bags of, well, anything i wanted really and I think everyone had a laugh and a proper “experience”.
We took the scenic route home round loch ness and over the highlands, it was awesome. Seriously impressive stuff with the recent snow just adding to the remoteness of it all.
The new tent is huge, I can stand up straight even in the lowest corners and you could quite easily lose someone in there. the phrase “maybe even Too Big” was uttered (but quickly forgotten).
The car did brake down on the way there, but was fixed by another nice AA man simply by pressing a big red button under the bonnet, after which it’s been fine (and even quite sure footed down the icey highland roads).
I’ll do a proper write up, either here or over on on-one in the next day or so, once I’ve finished eating left over food 
