From Katie Strempke:

I finished the Highland Trail 550, something I wasn’t sure was possible a few days ago sitting on the shore of Fionn Loch.

Ultimately, I had to make some adjustments to my race plan to better manage my asthma and a painful swelling leg.

I decided to take a mid-race reset by stopping for a 12 hour night after my 4th day on the bike. I’m not going to lie, I was pretty upset and frustrated that I wasn’t having the ride I hoped, but after a good cry and a long night’s sleep, I was able to continue the next day with improved lung function and a mostly cooperative leg.

The rest also allowed me to get the mental recovery I needed after watching my hopes of meeting my time goal slip away. I was really surprised how effective the reset was for both my body and mind.

The next few days of riding were incredible- I enjoyed the scenery, moving my body though the challenging terrain, and taking more time at camp to relax and recover. While it wasn’t the performance I hoped for, I’m proud to have been able to adjust my plans to enjoy and finish the route.

Thanks @ht550alan for putting the race together and for reserving half the spots for women. It’s the biggest women’s field I’ve participated in and it felt special to be part of that. Thanks to @a_girl_outside for convincing us to come- she had an amazing ride and set a new women’s singlespeed record!

From Andrew Strempke:

I spent 4 days, 1 hour, and 30 minutes working my way around the Highland Trail 550 last week. This race has been on my list for years, but the notorious weather and terrain have been intimidating factors. Feeling incredibly grateful for the opportunity to travel to Scotland and participate this year. Fortunately conditions were very un-Scottish - I never put my rain pants on! My race went really well, it was fun to chase some speedy dots. I think I had a smile on my face almost the whole time.