Final long session was a tale of aiming for the ceiling fleetingly
glimpsing the light switch before finishing just above the skirting
board. Sunshine made a cameo appearance Tues 7th May. We planned
7peaks 19miles 7hrs a good test before tapering. The deck was stacked
against. 2 hop alongs (A+RG) and 1armed bandit (R), forecast was
heavy rain followed by very heavy rain, wind speed 29-44mph... why do we
live in Northern Ireland?
Seven days ago Ralph's head of humerus was moonlighting as
a left breast enhancement. Sedation to reduce the dislocation a
couple of brufen and he was at work eight hours later, running again
day three... me thinks he is robocop. Leaving a deserted Donard carpark in
driving rain Ralph was making a comeback as improbable as Lazarus.
Soaked just nipping into the carpark toilets but enough
of RGs walnut bladder and incontinence. Always a sense of nervous
anticipation starting the brute that is the seven7s... the Glen river in
torrent reminiscent of RG's 2008 humiliating DNF. Twitcher A
spotted a heron... even the birds get lost in the Mournes. With the cloud
base at 500m the bog crossing was already playing on our
minds. Comentators curse1 as R suggested 'there is no way we could get it
wrong again'... a balls up was now on the cards and concern R had also
dislocated his frontal lobe.
Left arm tucked into his ruc sac belt admiral
nelson was moving well. Long John Silver and that other well
known one legged giser made it to the saddle. Donards summit is
always hard labour. Breaks in the Mourne wall hinted at the ferocity of the
wind. A had to superman angle himself to stand in the summit blast
(attached) Camera moment alarm as A credit card whipped out of
his hand thankfully a vortex slammed it back into the wall... relief for R + RG as
their meal ticket could so easily be in Newcastle....upon tyne. RG
was moving like a timmerous wee beasty on the descent. Commedagh was uneventful
until crossing the wall... we were almost base jumping without squirrel
suits. RG connected a few sensible head synapses (cos clearly R is a
bit short of these) and called a retreat to Tollymore forest. All hail
broke loose dropping off Commedagh.The high speed ice
exfoliation was painfully laughable. A recorded a first tumble which
no one saw as eyes were unopenable.
Below the col the wind abated. R+A took 70yrds out of an
embarassingly cautious RG. Commentators curse2 RG suggested a bit
Ralphesque hypnosis would improve his lamentable descending... 50 yrds
later and over went robocop/nelson/one armed bandit/mountain
goat/butchers dog with 'a grazed left knee'... aye right... two deep gaping
gashes as deep as the Glen river and blood flowing as quick. Straight line
to the car was called for... one leg and one arm and still Ralph was fastest on
the descent... not funny. Pace was interupted for a galactically stupid
question from two edjits asking 'whats it like up there?' with rain +
trees sideways and claret flowing freely from R left leg... it required a
suitably insane RG reply 'aye not too bad just stay out of the wind'.
Boot of the car treatment table after debridement RG was
convinced he could see the bonic man's wiring until a
quick Greys anatomy tutorial from A pointed out screw heads from R
previous knee surgery... QED R is a machine. 'Patch and bandage
before he starts to rust' Do we suture or weld this? Casualty or Harland
and Wolfe?
2hrs 15min 7miles 2 peaks, yarns to dine out on and humour us in
our dotage.
Training has been eventful and fun. Thanks to all cast
involved in our panto especially Garth, Andrew and Ralph who have
literally given an arm and leg and added much craic. Have we done enough
of the right stuff to tackle the Mt Everest Marathon... time to go and give it a
lash.
Kindest regards
RG
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