"Wan Dae"

Welcome to Adventure Racing in Scotland!! Superb fun as always, the "Wan Dae" race in the Pentlands yesterday was the first of a 3-part series in Scotland.

8-hrs of kayaking, mountain-biking and running while navigating to different checkpoints (of varying values), some with activities to ensure our brains were still functioning :)


After the Race: Graeme, Pete, me, Robert

Our team name was "Total Strangers" - appropriate considering three of us had never met until the night before the race. We ended up third overall, and were the first mixed team (but there were no race categories so no extra prize for that!)

We had to inflate the kayaks before the race began (a good warm-up), then carry them 2k to the dam, kayak twice around the checkpoints in a strong wind (Pete & Rob had a little swim as well...but not by choice!) and carry them back to the transition. It was a cold start. The biking section was draining in the wind - at times it was a real effort just to stay upright - and had a lot of steep sections we had to push/carry the bikes up. We only left an hour for the run, but tactically that worked out well because as a team we were stronger on the bikes.

The activity checkpoints were fun too - we had an orienteering section; a small obstacle course to be completed with all four of us tied together at the ankles while standing back to back in a circle, a rope climb up a tree (only one had to do it) and a maths puzzle with water containers in the reservoir (which I'm pleased to say I managed to work out, despite being the only non-engineer on the team :) ) Rob & Pete did a fantastic job navigating most of the day (especially as the maps were awful to start with, and worse after their swim) and we all had a great laugh competing. I'm keen for the next one, so I'm hoping the others are too!

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Happy Easter!!

A fun family weekend up in Braemar for Easter - Dad, Mum, Gran, Auntie Katie, Gav, Jen & I, plus Uncle Gavin, Auntie Lynne & Tory at Mill of Coull.








Biking group; Ready to Raft; Egg line-up

I cycled to & from Ballater on Friday morning where I met the others to look around - mum & dad picking colours & designs for the 'new' living room in Kdy (ripping it apart was fun but choosing how to put it back together again is hard work).

The weather was beautiful (if a bit windy on the way back) so I really enjoyed it. In the afternoon mum, dad, Jen & I went for a bike ride through Mar Lodge and around by the Quoich. Great views of Lochnagar and across the Dee...plus this beautiful old stone cottage.




We had an egg-painting competition at Dubrach which became quite intense - a great effort from everyone, some with more help than others...(my artistic skills have never been too special). Kezzie Koala won (Jen) but the others were all pretty impressive: Chef Fabian (Gav), Auld Mactavish (AK), Greyfriars Bobby (Dad), St.Ninian's Head Girl (Mum), Abel Mable the baby (Gran), and Martina the tennis player (me).



Had a walk through Balmoral Estate on Saturday - fantastic views of the Castle...









Balmoral Estate; Mar Lodge; Balmoral Castle


On Sunday we had a classic boat race which was hysterical - from the Victoria Bridge that enters Mar Lodge Estate to Mill of Coull. It was a closely fought competition with a tight finish and some problems were encountered exiting the vessels :) It should definitely become a yearly event, but a new set of paddles and less 360 degree turns would probably help next time.

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Decorating

I went home to Kirkcaldy and helped to strip the living room which mum and dad are doing up themselves (well, partly anyway). Tearing up the carpet and ripping down the wallpaper, shelves and fireplace didn't take too long - then I left them to put it all back together :)

Not quite finished my 'carpenter duties' I came back over to Edinburgh and helped Gav wallpaper the bathroom - he spent most of yesterday and today painting, laying the floor and stripping the wallpaper. Dad was over helping after work, then I took over as 'assistant' (!) so he could go home and get some sleep! The room is tiny compared to mum & dad's living room but unfortunately putting things back together takes far longer than tearing them apart - we finished just after 2am :)

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Davis Cup

It was a good atmosphere at Braehead Arena (Glasgow) and most of the matches were pretty exciting but the result wasn't what we hoped for. Great Britain will have to play Israel again (in Israel) this summer to remain in the group, and that'll be really tough.

Was a shame Andy wasn't playing in the singles, although he got a bit angry in the doubles and said a few things he shouldn't have...quite loudly, next to the microphone on the umpire's chair. He'll definitely get a fine, but hopefully not a ban - more work needed on controlling emotions perhaps?! Leon Smith who I used to work with when Judy coached me was part of the coaching staff, and Colin Fleming was in the hitting squad so the Scots are definitely earning their places!

Stayed with Fiona on Saturday night so it was nice to catch up with her - nice flat, me likes :)

Triona, an Australian friend of Gav's was through staying on Sunday so we showed her a fun time in Edinburgh...except for the part when she got left behind at Finnegan's. Makes for a great story though, especially the cute policeman who helped her out :)

Really like the smoking ban in pubs - no more stinking clothes or hair after a night out makes a nice change.

Ross, Jonny, Roscoe, Gav, Jen, Triona, Becs

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