Comments on: The West Highland Way Race 2008 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/ I'll Never Say Never, And I'll Never Say Never Again! Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:25:00 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Brian Mc http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-380 Brian Mc Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:24:31 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-380 Great report Neal, and a great run. You'll easily be sub 21 if you run the Way again. I thoroughly enjoyed your company throughout the race - many thanks. I just couldn't keep up on the descent to Kinlochleven from the Penstock - my knees just said no! Say hello to your folks for me, we got to know each other a bit as we kept bumping into each other at support stops. The can of coke was divine the day after the race by the way! :-) Great report Neal, and a great run. You’ll easily be sub 21 if you run the Way again.

I thoroughly enjoyed your company throughout the race – many thanks. I just couldn’t keep up on the descent to Kinlochleven from the Penstock – my knees just said no!

Say hello to your folks for me, we got to know each other a bit as we kept bumping into each other at support stops. The can of coke was divine the day after the race by the way! :-)

]]> By: Thomas http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-363 Thomas Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:42:06 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-363 Neal, great report. Great run. But most importantly: you have got spirit and talent! You have just started with long distance running and here you are high up the field in the WestHighlandWay Race. Unbelievable. Thanks for your comments on my blog. Will you race me next year? I think I have to work very, very hard to keep up with you... Neal,
great report. Great run. But most importantly: you have got spirit and talent! You have just started with long distance running and here you are high up the field in the WestHighlandWay Race. Unbelievable.

Thanks for your comments on my blog. Will you race me next year? I think I have to work very, very hard to keep up with you…

]]> By: Debs http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-362 Debs Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:38:20 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-362 Congratulations, Neal. Great report and fantastic time. You should be very pleased with youself. Especially for not pushing the pace ;-) Happy recovery. See you Saturday. Apologies in advance if Sonic gets his feet out to compare ;-) Congratulations, Neal. Great report and fantastic time. You should be very pleased with youself. Especially for not pushing the pace ;-)
Happy recovery. See you Saturday. Apologies in advance if Sonic gets his feet out to compare ;-)

]]> By: pacepusher http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-361 pacepusher Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:56:23 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-361 No worries Tim, I agree with you regarding having people carry stuff anyway, and I know the Marshals are just doing their job. Call it a rookie error... won't happen again on my return! The feet were very painful, I could feel every stone that they landed on... stay tuned for the photos! Cheers! No worries Tim, I agree with you regarding having people carry stuff anyway, and I know the Marshals are just doing their job. Call it a rookie error… won’t happen again on my return!

The feet were very painful, I could feel every stone that they landed on… stay tuned for the photos!

Cheers!

]]> By: Timothy http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-360 Timothy Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:20:09 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-360 Hi Neal, I didn't mean to have a go at you. It was just that I was surprised at your surprise. You have to see it from the marshals' point of view. They've no way of knowing how long a runner might have using someone to carry water (and possibly food etc.) for them and they can only judge on what they see. It just seems pretty fundamental to me that using someone elses muscle power to carry anything that a runner ought to be carrying is unfair, even if it's only a water bottle. Anyhow, brilliant performance. Having seen your foot briefly, I'm just astonished that you finished as well as you did. That must have been soooo painful. Regarding my performance, yes, I think I did set off a wee bit quick. ;-) Hi Neal, I didn’t mean to have a go at you. It was just that I was surprised at your surprise. You have to see it from the marshals’ point of view. They’ve no way of knowing how long a runner might have using someone to carry water (and possibly food etc.) for them and they can only judge on what they see.

It just seems pretty fundamental to me that using someone elses muscle power to carry anything that a runner ought to be carrying is unfair, even if it’s only a water bottle.

Anyhow, brilliant performance. Having seen your foot briefly, I’m just astonished that you finished as well as you did. That must have been soooo painful.

Regarding my performance, yes, I think I did set off a wee bit quick. ;-)

]]> By: pacepusher http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-354 pacepusher Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:25:45 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-354 John - Thanks, I have and I can't wait. Allybea - Thanks, and I am being nice! Tim - The feet might appear soon, I have the photos! My water was only carried for a short while and I carried everything myself over the rest of the race - except for when the car was the mule. I saw support runners in the middle of nowhere several times, how is this different from somebody holding your drink for you for a while? Next year I'll carry everything at all times, but I'm not going to feel bad about not carrying my own water for a short while this year. Pete - I know, but I'm thinking I could make some money out of it at a later date! John – Thanks, I have and I can’t wait.

Allybea – Thanks, and I am being nice!

Tim – The feet might appear soon, I have the photos! My water was only carried for a short while and I carried everything myself over the rest of the race – except for when the car was the mule. I saw support runners in the middle of nowhere several times, how is this different from somebody holding your drink for you for a while? Next year I’ll carry everything at all times, but I’m not going to feel bad about not carrying my own water for a short while this year.

Pete – I know, but I’m thinking I could make some money out of it at a later date!

]]> By: Pete http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-352 Pete Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:25:19 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-352 Can't believe you did not use the photo of Brian in his underwear! Can’t believe you did not use the photo of Brian in his underwear!

]]> By: Timou http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-351 Timou Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:24:19 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-351 Terrible report Neal. Not a single picture of your blisters! ;-) Just kidding of course, well worth waiting for. Have to disagree with you though regarding "muling". Using someone else to carry stuff you should be carrying is just plain unsporting and probably against the rules. It may just have been water but I saw many support runners with rucksacs carrying goodness knows what whilst their runner ran entirely unemcumbered. The winner ought to be the best runner, not the one with the best support. I was not at all pleased to be running alone and carrying my own water to see other runners using mules. If it was up to me I'd ban all support! Sorry about the rant but having your water carried is the thin edge of an unsporting wedge. Terrible report Neal. Not a single picture of your blisters! ;-)

Just kidding of course, well worth waiting for. Have to disagree with you though regarding “muling”. Using someone else to carry stuff you should be carrying is just plain unsporting and probably against the rules. It may just have been water but I saw many support runners with rucksacs carrying goodness knows what whilst their runner ran entirely unemcumbered. The winner ought to be the best runner, not the one with the best support. I was not at all pleased to be running alone and carrying my own water to see other runners using mules. If it was up to me I’d ban all support!

Sorry about the rant but having your water carried is the thin edge of an unsporting wedge.

]]> By: allybea http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-350 allybea Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:23:46 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-350 Fab report Neal. Well done on a great time. Your first WHW race will always be special. Be extra nice to your backup ;) cos remember you can't do it without them. Ali x Fab report Neal. Well done on a great time. Your first WHW race will always be special.

Be extra nice to your backup ;) cos remember you can’t do it without them.

Ali x

]]> By: John Kynaston http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/the-west-highland-way-race-2008/#comment-349 John Kynaston Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:04:40 +0000 http://pacepusher.wordpress.com/?p=284#comment-349 Great report Neal. You had a great race and will have learnt so much for next year. John Great report Neal. You had a great race and will have learnt so much for next year.

John

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