My father loved hustling us all into the car on a Sunday and going for a long afternoon drive in the country.
I can still recall him starting the engine and calling out over his shoulder to his children in the back seat, “What’ll it be: the three lochs, the five lochs or the seven lochs?”
He enjoyed concocting tortuous routes that snaked across the ruggedly picturesque countryside of western Scotland leading us up rarely-travelled glens and over narrow tracks along which only sheep and goats ventured.
Loch is the Scottish Gaelic word for lake and the names of many still echo in my mind; Loch Lomond, Loch Goil, Holy Loch, Loch Katrine, Loch Fyne... the more lochs, the longer and more scenic the drive.
Looking back nigh on half a century, I can still hear my own voice piping up from the back seat, “Let’s go over the Rest!”
The drive that day would have taken us up the winding shore of Loch Lomond to the small town of Tarbet, then over to Arrochar and down the side of Loch Long before turning up Glen Croe.
The climb out of Glen Croe would have been long and steep, on narrow single-track roads with only occasional wider areas for cars coming towards each other to pass. The words ‘rest and be thankful’ were inscribed on a stone by the side of the road at the top of the climb out of the glen. Carved, so it was said, by travellers who in olden days might have had to hike on foot long and hard to reach that point.
The words exhorted the reader to rest at the top and be thankful for having reached the highest point.
Google the phrase and see for yourself the picturesque area.
The gentle evocative words from a bygone age are a reminder to pause and take stock. Not be so caught up in chasing what lies ahead that we forget to look back at the tortuous path that got us here and be thankful for what we have achieved.
This could be accomplished two ways; one, by reflecting on your training and performance post-M2S and seeing what has gone well and what needs more work. Or, you could look at the bigger picture.
Instead of looking back down the glen after a long, thirsty climb, look back over all the events in your life this past year. Before the New Year is upon us, rest and be thankful for what you have.
M2S record
Considering I remember running this race when there were only 17 runners, it staggers belief that we have just had a record 377 finishers.
There was impeccable support on the roads from the Police and Local Wardens .
Also – to their credit – even the drivers seemed calm to accept that the runners had a right to be there. The organisers would like to express their appreciation to race sponsor Urban Jungle for their unwavering support of local road running.
It is always a feat to break the one-hour mark, and this year we had six athletes who did so: James Douglas 56:58, Jonathan Balzan 56:58, Brian Magri 58:28, Johan Galea 58:38, Drew Lang 59:21 and Richard Chetcuti 59:35.
The top five ladies were as follows: Lisa Marie Bezzina 1:06:28, Angela Sammut 1:09:17, Rita Galea 1:11:13, Cecilia Fenech 1:11:21 and Carmen Hili 1:11:35.
Enjoy your training.
johnzwalsh@yahoo.com