The Next Challenge?...Cape Wrath

When I made my first overseas trip to Dubai and Italy in 2003, I made a commitment to myself to take an international trip each year. And I was successful -- sometimes making two to three in one year! -- until my "year of living dangerously" in Colorado. Since returning to Cali with a bit-o-debt, I have had to put aside my international wanderlust for a bit...but now that I'm back on my financial feet, so to speak, I'm lookin' ahead to my next trip.

Perhaps it's because I've started running. Perhaps it's because I've wanted to go to Scotland for, well, EVER. Perhaps it's because the 1-year anniversary of Dad's passing is in just over 3 weeks...

but I'm seriously considering not only running a marathon (holy crap!), but running one in the most NorthWesterly inhabited place in Britain....that would be Durness, Scotland. And the race is the Cape Wrath Challenge in May.

I know. Perfect, aye? It's on the coast, and from what I've read so far, the countryside is amazing.


I've started looking into flights as well as lodging, and am leaning toward this B&B -- the Aiden House.

One of the very cool things about the Cape Wrath Challenge is that there are four or five days of smaller runs and cultural events leading up to the marathon at the end of the week. And Durness is teeny-tiny -- even smaller than Bridgeport! -- as the population is only 350. How cool is that?

So, this is what I'm thinking...hang out in Durness for five days leading up to the marathon, take in the local sights and events from a nice B&B, and after the marathon, head back down to Edinburgh, and stay another week there. There's plenty to do in the city itself, as well as places that are an easy drive (well, once I get the hang of driving on the WRONG side of the road in the rental car...).

Sooo many adventures to be had. And hell, if I happen to run into Liam Neeson?...well, all the better.

As my pops would say: Here's lookin' up yer kilt!