Michael in Applecross

Michael Diver
(click photo for enlargement)

 Charlie Middler, one of the grand old harriers when I joined the club, used to love to make his way as best he could to Applecross and walk and climb the hills there. He loved the area.

Last week Michael Diver visited the area but he had serious plans in mind! The plan was to cycle over the Bealach na Ba from Shieldaig to Applecross - a 43 mile round trip. He had done it just last year and taken over 4 hours which is not bad given the fearsome 10K climb at the start. This time he excelled himself - starting with 51 minutes for the 10K climb, his overall time was 3 hours 56 minutes. It's a beautiful part of the country but really hard work if you are walking, running or cycling! It's good to see Michael coming into good form again and if he is really fit for the start of the winter season, then he will be a more than valuable addition to captain Paul Carroll's team.

By the way, I noticed in a history of the Two Bridges race that Michael had finished in the top ten. It was a wonderful ultra distance race which started in Dunfermline and went along the north side of the Forth as far as the Kincardine Bridge, crossed the Bridge and came back on the South side to cross the Forth Road Bridge and then run into Rosyth to finish. To be in the top ten in any year was quite a feat - lots of Englishmen and many Americans came and ran in it. It is now defunct but I had never known that Michel had run it never mind done so well!