There are a number of recurring themes in this blog – poor grammar from me, dull stories from Andrew and an epic quest to be the fastest Todd up the Stornoway War Memorial.

You can read about it here.

https://twinbikerun.com/2019/04/11/second-best-on-stava-andrew/

https://twinbikerun.com/2019/04/26/second-on-strava-again-andrew/

https://twinbikerun.com/2019/11/04/third-best-on-strava-iain/

https://twinbikerun.com/2019/12/22/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-strava-king-of-the-mountain-andrew/

I was the fastest until Andrew beat my record but now we are both slower than a local runner. His time looks difficult to beat.

I wasn’t going to beat that this week especially on the last run of my 100 mile week but I could do something else….I could become a LEGEND!

The Strava ‘Local Legend’ achievement is awarded to the athlete who completes a given segment the most over a rolling 90-day period regardless of pace or speed.

This is one I could win! All I had to do was run the war memorial segment enough times to get it. I also needed 8.8 miles to complete my 100. So I decided I’d run the segment again and again until I became a LEGEND!

I managed 10 times which added to a couple of others over the last 90 days put me into an unassailable position.

Andrew took the news well

101 miles done. I had to add on 1 to walk home from the War Memorial.

Overall time was 18 hours 17 minutes. Elevation was 3,324 meters.

Now time for a rest!

Run 6 complete – 11.7 miles. Only 8.8 miles to go! Single figures. Wooohoooo!

Sron Ulladale is the biggest inland cliff in the UK other than Cliff Richard.

Despite living on the island I’d never hear of the cliff until I saw a BBC show called The Great Climb Live. A five and a half hour live climbing marathon showing two climbers will attempting to climb it. The climb is tricky becasue the cliff is an overhang.

After watching the show I went down to Harris to see the cliff. It was so spectacular that I vowed to come back. That was 2010. It is now 2020. I thought I’d be back sooner but better late than never.

The weather looked bad on the drive down to Harris but I was hopeful it would clear as the morning progressed. Luckily the sun came out and I got some spectacular views on the run.

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I didn’t see anyone on my run but I did hear seer stags bellowing in the valley. I thing their loud groaning is their way of saying “anyone fancy a shag?”

I ended my run with a nice dip in the sea.

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I look forward to finishing but what should I do for my last run?

Run 5 complete – 17 miles. Only 20.5 miles to go!

After day 4’s hard run I decided to something a bit easier. So it was back to plodding around Stornoway. No hills, no trail, no fun!

It wasn’t too bad, I ran to the nearest beach which is also one of the most scenic graveyards on the island. Which is probably not something the tourist board will mention but it should. Lewis has amazing graveyards.

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But it would help if graveyards had maps. The previous time I was home I spent thirty minutes wandering about trying to find a “Mackenzie with a fancy headstone” as that was the only info mum had!!

Lewis and Harris is famous for its wildlife. I spotted a deer and a golden eagle.

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Overall I’m feeling good and I’ve built in enough leeway to the distance covered so that I can do two shorter runs to finish.

Run 4 complete – 13.5 miles. Only 37.7 miles to go!

For centuries, the only way for the outside world to reach Rhenigidale on the Isle of Harris was by boat, or by a path that threads its way along the Harris coast and over a mountain pass.

The path is known as the Postman’s Path as it was the path the postman used. I mentioned in a previous blog the very mundane naming convention used by Gaelic speakers. The same is true of the English names here.

When Rhenigidale was finally connected by a road in 1989, it was claimed to be the last community to be linked up to the UK network. The cost of the road was £750,000. Which would be about £1.8 million today. I always thought it would have been cheaper to offer the few residents who lived there £100K each to leave.

The route was tough. 700m of ascent over boggy rough ground. Strava claims it took me two hours. It must not have added in all the time I stopped to take pictures of the beautiful views. It was closer to four hours!

Due to a battery fail the run was recorded in two parts but done as one. I must have been taking too many selfies. My iPhone couldn’t cope.

Run 3 complete – 14.8 miles. Only 51.2 miles to go!

Each day of the challenge I try to vary the running surface. 100 miles on just one type of surface would give me a injury. A mental injury. I’d be bored out of mind.

So, for this run, I varied the surface by running on a beach. The downside to this plan is time. I would cover more miles in less time on concrete than on a beach but I wouldn’t enjoy it as much. It is a balance of fun versus miles.

I choose Traigh Mhor beach which translates in English to ‘Big Beach’ Gaelic is quite a straightforward language when it comes to naming things.

Some exampes are:

Conic Hill: Cnoc Còinnich – ‘mossy hill’

Creachan Mòr: An Creachann Mòr – ‘the great bare rocky hilltop’

Meall Reamhar: – ‘hill of large circumference’

I wasn’t sure how long a length of the beach would be but but I fancied trying to do as many lengths of it as possible until I got bored. Although if I got bored of a beach with amazing views then that means I am bored with life itself.

I manged 4 laps which was about 15 miles. I started off slow as I was tired from the previous days log concrete run. Thankfully, I felt better as the run progressed. Lap one was awful but lap four was great.

The tide was in when I started but out on the last lap which meant I could visit the caves at the end of the beach. They are only accessible at low tide.

Run 2 complete – 18 miles. Only 66 to go!

Andrew previously discussed the run every street challenge here: Run Every Street.

I attempted here and its fair to say I underestimated the challenge. I thought it would be shorter and easier than it was.

This time I was mentally prepared. I realised I’d be seeing the same streets again and again as I crisscrossed Stornoway looking for elusive new streets and roads

I felt good after yesterday’s run, No aches or pains. I’d also done what many sportsman who doubt their ability do when faced with a problem. I threw money at it.

I’d bought a new pair of Hoka’s and used them on the run. The first run of any new shoe always feels amazing so I used it to my advantage and managed a long stint on the road.

Things I learnt today:

• Garden Road has no gardens.
• Percival Square is round.
• Seaview terrace has lots of houses that can not see the sea.

Whoever names the streets in Stornoway enjoys a joke.

My legs started to ache towards the end of the run. I’ve done more miles in two days than I normally do in a week.

Only 66 miles to go.

Run 1 complete – 16 miles. Only 84 to go!

To run 100 miles in a week I have to average 14.3 miles a day. Just over a half marathon length. I normally only run three or four half marathons a year so its a big ask to do seven in seven days.

My plan is to get some runs longer than 14.2 miles in at the start so I bank up some spare miles in case I need an easy day.

I started the run at 0730. I didn’t set off with a distance in mind. I also didn’t set off with any food, drink or my GPS watch! D’oh!

In my defense I had initially planned a run loop thinking I’d return to my car every few miles. But I didn’t stick to my plan! Double D’OH!

I decided to use a my patent pending running technique that always makes long runs easier – I call it the distraction technique! if I don’t have to think too much about running then I run better.

So I decided to give my self the challenge/distraction of videoing my run. This meant I was always thinking about

a) Why is it so difficult to talk to a camera when nobody else is there

b) Why is it even harder to talk to a camera when someone else is there

I think its fair to say talking to a camera is not a skill I possess. It will be interesting to see whether I get better at it as the week progresses.

I also had to set up my camera to record the run as it was taking place. This mean I would occasionally run, set up a camera, run away from the camera to get a running shot and then have to run all the way back to retrieve my camera.

No wonder Michael Palin does all his travel shows with someone else doing all the camera work! It is hard work!

I felt good on the run. The distraction technique meant my pace was slow and easy due to frequent stops to film. Which should mean I’m good to run again tomorrow.

The weather wasn’t great but it is Scotland in summer. Rain is guaranteed!

The highlight of the run was spotting the stone painted to look like a rabbit. It is so good I thought at first it was a real rabbit.

Tomorrow the aim is to a similar distance but all on concrete. I’ll try to run as many streets in Stornoway as I can.

It is 110 days since I last went to a shop. Now that lockdown restrictions have eased, and shop are allowed to open, I promise that I will wear a mask and only shop for absolutely essential purchases. Fudge donuts are essential purchases? Right?

The donut was a celebratory donut to as I’m on vacation. I haven’t had a week off since September 2019.

Normally, I would have a break at Christmas but my Dad took ill just before I was due home. I spent the holiday season in the Western Isles hospital. Which wasn’t too bad as they do delicious, cheap food there. One of the best places to eat on the island. So, at least I’d look forward to the food even if the reason for the visit wasn’t as jolly.

My dad is now in a care home in Lewis. He went in the week before lockdown began. Which means both he and I have both being locked up against our will. Thankfully we have both come round to it and we’ve tried to make the best of a bad situation.

Last week he told me he has a Tardis in his care home. Which is impressive, I didn’t think he even had a television. He say’s it takes him from Stornoway to Glasgow in seconds but its a bit small so he’s not allowed luggage.

I blame Tory cutbacks for care homes not being able to afford a decent sized Tardis.

He also mentioned that a Tardis is quite expensive so we won’t be getting one at home.

It took a few days before I worked out what he was doing. He was confusing the care home elevator with a Tardis. The care home is on two floors. He is on the second floor. He thinks his room is in Glasgow but when he comes downstairs and see’s my mum he remembers he is in Stornoway.

I could be wrong. It could be that my dad is Dr Who.

I’m heading up to see him this week and one of my aims whilst I’m there is to try and run 100 miles in 7 days.

For no reason other than – I’m not sure I can.

I haven’t worked out a plan yet. I’ll think about that when I get there.