{"id":1614,"date":"2013-06-24T21:12:35","date_gmt":"2013-06-24T20:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=1614"},"modified":"2013-06-24T21:12:35","modified_gmt":"2013-06-24T20:12:35","slug":"highland-cross-i-did-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2013\/06\/24\/highland-cross-i-did-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Highland Cross: I did it!"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_1620\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1620\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1620\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,768\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Highland Cross 2013 (14)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Streams of runners heading up to the waterfall above Glen Lichd.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg?fit=640%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14-960x720.jpg?w=450\" alt=\"\" title=\"Highland Cross 2013 (14)\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg?resize=960%2C720&amp;ssl=1 960w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg?resize=150%2C112&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-14.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1620\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Streams of runners heading up to the waterfall above Glen Lichd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_1615\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1615\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1615\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg?fit=960%2C640&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"960,640\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"John HX2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Myself and Matt at the end of the Highland Cross.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg?fit=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"\" title=\"John HX2\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1615\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg?resize=150%2C100&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/John-HX2.jpg?w=960&amp;ssl=1 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1615\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Myself and Matt at the end of the Highland Cross. Picture: Jim Sweeney<\/figcaption><\/figure>I&#8217;m pleased to say I made it to the end of my first Highland Cross still in one piece but a fair bit soggier than I started! I completed the 50-mile coast to coast duathlon in 5 hours 29 minutes, half an hour faster than I had estimated.<\/p>\n<p>I had a slower run than I expected, the tough climb out of Glen Lichd sapping a fair bit of my energy as well as torrential downpours adding to the challenge of the day. I ended up doing more walking than I&#8217;d hoped to do, especially on the yellow brick road, but I was able to make up some time on the bike section.<\/p>\n<p>Getting onto two wheels really gave me a boost and I enjoyed the 30 miles between Glen Affric and Beauly, having changed into my cycling gear (and waterproofs) so I was warm &#8211; if not completely dry &#8211; for the ride. The hills even at Aigas didn&#8217;t give me much trouble and I was even able to stay away from using my granny gears the whole way!<\/p>\n<p>My team-mates Matthew McCann and Iain Blackburn were way ahead of me &#8211; in 4.54 and 4.32 respectively. Well done guys!<\/p>\n<p>Read the full review of my first Cross in <a href=\"http:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/activeoutdoors\/\">Active Outdoors<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/JDHighlandCross\">* You can still sponsor me on my Just Giving page. Thank you!<\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1619\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1619\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1619\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,768\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Highland Cross 2013 (6)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Team members (from left) Iain Blackburn, Matthew McCann and John Davidson before the start of the Cross.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg?fit=640%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6-960x720.jpg?w=450\" alt=\"\" title=\"Highland Cross 2013 (6)\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg?resize=960%2C720&amp;ssl=1 960w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg?resize=150%2C112&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Highland-Cross-2013-6.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1619\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Team members (from left) Iain Blackburn, Matthew McCann and John Davidson before the start of the Cross.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;m pleased to say I made it to the end of my first Highland Cross still in one piece but a fair bit soggier than I started! I completed the 50-mile coast to coast duathlon in 5 hours 29 minutes, half an hour faster than I had estimated. I had a slower run than I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[4],"tags":[92],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5M0xs-q2","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1614"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1614"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1627,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1614\/revisions\/1627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}