Highland Trail 550 - 2018

[Bearbonesnorm]

As for splinter group - it's an ITT, do t :)

It is Greg ... but we all know how people are drawn to group starts with these things.

[ScotRoutes]

Oi! It's the Tyndrum Peoples Front.

A second division group would be an interesting concept but you'd want to run it Audax style with a rule preventing folk going too quick

[GregMay]

What about the Popular People of Tyndrum?





"He's over there. ... SPLITTER!!"

And so on.

[ianpv]

Not sure whether I'll try and get a place again this next year.

It was the highlight of this year's riding for me, so far, but it did pretty much fill 6 months to prepare and do enough long rides to be ready (managed the TCW, Braunton 150, & LL200 before the HT550 this year). Think it may be a but too much to ask the family to put up with that again next year, but will hopefully return in 2019 if my entry requirements are still valid .

[Zippy]

I'm in two minds about applying this year, I'm now fairly confident I could do it. The bar does however seemed to have been raised quite a bit, that I don't think i would be particularly competitive at the group start - and if I'm part of a group start I'd like to be competitive - not just dropping off the back of the pack.

Currently I think the reality is that there's a 50:50 chance I'll ITT it in 2018, probably not on a 26er rigid like I did the CG loop on though - I'm so over rigid bikes for multi-day stuff

[fatbikephil]

So Alan has raised the bar - not surprised given how competitive this event has become and the interest from the international racing community.

Hopefully this will mean more entries for the Borders 350 .

No Highland Trail as I'll be focussing on the B*******350!
Might do an ITT if we end up having a stunning summer or something but the thought of schelpping round again a la 2015 does not appeal....

[landel]

I'm going to focus my year on training for it and hoping to get a place in the group start but if not then I'll do an ITT. Time to start training

Liam

[ScotRoutes]

Hasn't Alan said that a good time round the HT550 northern loop will be taken as a qualifier? I guess the problem for 2018 is that all the qualfying rides will need to have been completed in the next few weeks, before entries are open so, if you do t already have one, you'd better get busy!

Automatic entry for previous finishers will also reduce the number of available entries. I guess that's a policy that might have to be reviewed at some point.

[GregMay]

Automatic entry for previous finishers will also reduce the number of available entries.

Restricted to past two years I've been told. Also TDR was acceptable. Not that I enquired as my finish is no longer valid....nope, not at all. No planning afoot here.

[ScotRoutes]

Automatic entry for previous finishers will also reduce the number of available entries.

Restricted to past two years I've been told.

Ah yes. That would make some sense.

[journeyman]

https://vimeo.com/235418218 - trailer - good enough in its own right to get one making lists and plans - again. Looking forward to the full edit.

[Charliecres]

Ran into Mr Godin near Camban bothy while he was doing it. We were heading from FW up to Torridon, reversing that section of the route. I think he was 11 days in and looking tired. Seemed a very nice chap.

[Asposium]

WRT, Le Jog, then "this is not a tour 400" should pretty much finish me off.

In all seriousness though, don't think I'd be good enough for HT550, some of those rides look amazing.

[postierich]

Hoping to be on the start line did the Northern loop last weekend loved and hated it great weather first day awful the next.Not a racer but would like to think I could finish in 7 days
983884_10155845208716474_195255206812475845_n by Richard Munro, on Flickr
22141053_10155845415296474_7386170314114294186_n by Richard Munro, on Flickr

[whitestone]

Rich, the section of singletrack from Lochan Sgeirach at the top of Creag Dubh to the burn crossing is mostly rideable in dry conditions. Our May Bank holiday ride was a little soft along here as there was snow melt but by the end of the month it was a lot drier. I don't think the bottom section across the peat hags(between riders and lochan in your top shot) would ever dry out. Even us mid-packers in this year's group start (htrider, Ianpv, pjg and myself amongst others on here) took under four hours road to road, not sure without checking just how much quicker the front of the pack were. In touring mode we took six hours.

The Ledmore traverse feels harder than it probably is possibly due to the relatively bland landscape in front of you. It's not like the HaB in Fisherfield where you've stunning scenery all around you to take your mind off things, the best views are behind you. One or two were surprised that having reccied it I'd returned so quickly

[boxelder]

This was as bright as it got for me on N loop, May 2015
10425086_10153927231379046_6731284058159245853_n by Andy Williamson, on Flickr

Some sun dropping down to Shenaval bothy made it looked like the promised land.
11390279_10153927231924046_5049721641233122722_n by Andy Williamson, on Flickr

2 of the 3 photos I took on my trip #hoodup/headdown

[Dave Barter]

Not a racer but would like to think I could finish in 7 days

Seems odd to enter a race if you are not a racer? I'd conjecture that you'd be better off doing an ITT than taking up a place vs one who is.

[ScotRoutes]

Seems odd to enter a race if you are not a racer? I'd conjecture that you'd be better off doing an ITT than taking up a place vs one who is.

Said thousands of London Marathon runners, like, never.

[whitestone]

Not a racer but would like to think I could finish in 7 days

Seems odd to enter a race if you are not a racer? I'd conjecture that you'd be better off doing an ITT than taking up a place vs one who is.

TBH Dave, most/all of this year's group start were riding the route as fast as they could, but it's fair to say they weren't "racing". Alan lists all completions, including ITTs, on the site in time order so if Rich did do it as an ITT his time would be listed in the same "position" as if he were on the group start.

I do realise what you are saying but for me the obvious result of that would be to make the group start a very elitist affair with only those who feel they are capable of finishing times of sub five days or less making the start line.

[Dave Barter]

Not a racer but would like to think I could finish in 7 days

Seems odd to enter a race if you are not a racer? I'd conjecture that you'd be better off doing an ITT than taking up a place vs one who is.

TBH Dave, most/all of this year's group start were riding the route as fast as they could, but it's fair to say they weren't "racing". Alan lists all completions, including ITTs, on the site in time order so if Rich did do it as an ITT his time would be listed in the same "position" as if he were on the group start.

I do realise what you are saying but for me the obvious result of that would be to make the group start a very elitist affair with only those who feel they are capable of finishing times of sub five days or less making the start line.

To be clear I am saying if you line up you're racing and hence a racer regardless of time. If you are not a racer you're a completer and more appropriate to ITT. This counts for the marathon as well scotsroutes. It's important to read my comment against the "Not a racer" point not the 7 days.

[mountainbaker]

Dave's point is exactly why I wouldn't join the group start again, I don't think I can put down a competitive time, and the race is gaining popularity, so best to keep those places open for the fast ones. I know Alan has the final say in who makes it in, so I assume he'd put the fast ones in top of the list anyway.

[GregMay]

Agree with Dave.

ITT, have fun, drink some beers along the way.

[Wotsits]

Isn't this the whole point of the suggested 'cut off' time for the route?

Everyone has different ability, one persons race pace is another persons pootle..

As long as people give it their best shot then are they not as entitled to ride the route as someone who can do it in half the time?

If i know Richard he won't be hanging around & will push himself hard enough to do the event justice..

[Dave Barter]

And in that case Jase he is a racer, but he said he wasn't?

I'm exactly with Gabes. I'm not lining up until I am racing to get as high up the leaderboard as I can. So I'll probably never line up again but will definitely ITT at some point always conscious of the 7 day guide as I was first time I set off.

[whitestone]

Agree with Dave.

ITT, have fun, drink some beers along the way.

You mean touring?

I've only ever once finished in the top ten of a fell race. Does that mean that in all the several hundred other races I entered I was actually just out for a bit of a jog?