0:00:30 > 0:00:33Hello and a very warm welcome to The Adventure Show.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36This month, we're in Wester Ross for the one and only
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Now this is not an event for weekend warriors.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Only the most hardened endurance athletes need apply because this
0:00:44 > 0:00:48is one of the most brutal triathlon courses anywhere in the world.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51This is something that's real, it's hard, you know.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53You don't know if you've finished.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57It's terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Is this supposed to be fun?
0:00:59 > 0:01:02And it's tough going even from the very start.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04The swim begins in Inverbain over there
0:01:04 > 0:01:07and finishes at Shieldaig Village over here.
0:01:07 > 0:01:103km in jellyfish infested waters with
0:01:10 > 0:01:13temperatures as low as ten degrees.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16It's completely out of our comfort zone.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Then it's off with the wetsuits and on to the bikes.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24This is where competitors will spend a huge chunk of their day.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29For some, up to seven hours pounding their way through 202km
0:01:29 > 0:01:32of some of Scotland's finest scenery.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Scotland is amazing.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Look over there! Look around. Wow!
0:01:37 > 0:01:40It's amazing, dramatic views and...
0:01:40 > 0:01:43- I love Scotland!- Yay!
0:01:43 > 0:01:46But even then it's still not over.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50After the bike section, there's 42km of running
0:01:50 > 0:01:54up and over two munros on the Beinn Eighe ridge.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Now I don't mind a challenge but this is something else entirely.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Woo hoo!
0:01:59 > 0:02:03I'm absolutely shattered, but at least you'll catch me on film
0:02:03 > 0:02:05a bit as I roll down the hill.
0:02:05 > 0:02:06Also in this month's
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Adventure Show, we join a team of walkers and runners attempting
0:02:10 > 0:02:15a new challenge that could soon become a Scottish classic.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Welcome to the Metric Munros.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21That's our 130 summits over 1,000 metres.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Conveniently, they're all on the mainland.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26And to make it more interesting,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29the relay team on this first attempt are going green,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32travelling between them by bike or boat.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36It's a huge challenge. 130 mountains.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39If it all comes together smoothly, it'll be fantastic.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42But first to the Celtman.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45It's 4.45am and these competitors
0:02:45 > 0:02:50are rather nervous at the prospect of a chilly dip in Loch Shieldaig.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53This event's only four years old but already it's become a classic.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Over 600 people entered,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57only 200 made it to the final ballot.
0:02:57 > 0:02:5947 countries are represented,
0:02:59 > 0:03:04from Australia, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, even French Polynesia.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07It's going to be tough, it's going to be difficult,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09it's going to be exhausting but worst of all, it's really,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11really midgey this time of the morning.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Oh, my goodness! I'd rather be in the water.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19I'm loving the fact you're both smiling.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Will you still be in 13 hours' time?
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Um, I think so because I think that
0:03:23 > 0:03:27when I'm done with the swim, my face will be frozen like this!
0:03:27 > 0:03:29THEY LAUGH
0:03:29 > 0:03:30Good morning. How are we all feeling?
0:03:30 > 0:03:32- How are you feeling?- Yeah, not bad, thank you.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Yeah it's a little bit early but I've had an hour's sleep
0:03:35 > 0:03:38and my friend was just telling me there that I've...actually, after
0:03:38 > 0:03:41I do the swim, I'm going to have swam longer than I've slept today,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44so awesome! Ready!
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Are you worried, concerned?
0:03:46 > 0:03:48What are your thoughts ahead of this race?
0:03:48 > 0:03:50I just don't want to eat too many jellyfish.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51Jelly babies - no jellyfish.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54It's when they tickle your face, then they're somewhere near
0:03:54 > 0:03:55your mouth, you get really scared
0:03:55 > 0:03:57and they're just like ugly creatures.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59I don't know how anybody can find them
0:03:59 > 0:04:00beautiful in the slightest.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02All I'm focusing on is the swim.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04The cycle, that's another day.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06And the run's like a fortnight away.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Yeah, oh that's next month, That's after my holiday!
0:04:10 > 0:04:12The Celtman doesn't just attract people from right
0:04:12 > 0:04:17around the world, it's also highly addictive.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Many who've taken part before willingly return, including
0:04:20 > 0:04:23last year's women's champion, Marie Meldrum.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27- It's just...you've got a big target there on your back.- Right.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29so yeah, it puts a lot of pressure on you
0:04:29 > 0:04:32but it's not about winning for me, it's about just trying to beat
0:04:32 > 0:04:36my...you know, get the personal best in the conditions that we have and
0:04:36 > 0:04:40you can't really get nervous about swimming that goes on for so long.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44There's no questioning the sheer brutality of this race.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47The fastest will be on the go for nearly 12 hours
0:04:47 > 0:04:51while mere mortals will take 18 hours or more.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55First, there's that 3km plunge across Loch Shieldaig,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58then it's onto the bikes to peddle through Kinlochewe,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01along Loch Maree and onto Gairloch.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03But the ride's not over yet.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07The consistently undulating road winds back via Achnasheen
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and onto Achnashellach.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12And finally, there's the running.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Up and over the Coulin Pass and gruelling ascent of Ben Eighe
0:05:15 > 0:05:21and a final steep drop down, down, down to Torridon.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24That's all ahead. First, there's that infamous swim.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Chris Stirling's back for his third attempt
0:05:28 > 0:05:31and being the runner-up last year, there's a lot to live up to.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Well, I'm not a natural swimmer but if you're getting into the water
0:05:35 > 0:05:39I always splash my face with water before jumping in and it
0:05:39 > 0:05:43stops that cold shock reaction that your body does otherwise.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47I splash my face, splash my neck, walk in and then just float on
0:05:47 > 0:05:52my back for a few seconds and relax and then get my face in the water.
0:05:52 > 0:05:53- MEGAPHONE:- Stand by.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56So here we go. Seconds before the Celtman 2015.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00HORN SOUNDS And there's the horn and they are off.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02The Celtman is under way.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06The water turns into a boiling mess.
0:06:06 > 0:06:13Arms, legs - everything's kicking and they're off for what is one of the
0:06:13 > 0:06:19most beautiful and glorious races in the European calendar
0:06:19 > 0:06:22but also one of the most difficult
0:06:22 > 0:06:26and it's a big day - a very, very big day.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30For some, they like to get to the front of the field
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and attack the swim.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36For others, it's survive the swim.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40This is something big for me.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45I broke my back a couple of years ago so I have problem.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47I have to do it because if I'm not training,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49I will sit in a wheelchair.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53I just like to take a part of this and I think it's amazing.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58When I first knew about it, I was support for somebody and...
0:06:58 > 0:07:00I love doing that but I thought there's
0:07:00 > 0:07:02no way I could ever manage that swim.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06I'm a terrified swimmer and I also suffer from Raynaud's Syndrome
0:07:06 > 0:07:10so I didn't even contemplate being able to ever do it.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12And, yeah, I did it last year.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I was really terrified but I did do it.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Just ten minutes into the race
0:07:17 > 0:07:21and already the field has stretched fairly dramatically.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25The fastest racers are probably, I would say,
0:07:25 > 0:07:30500, 600, even 1,000 metres ahead of the stragglers
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and they will not be able to see Shieldaig.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39They'll come out and turn right and see home, as far as the swim's
0:07:39 > 0:07:43concerned, probably in around ten minutes or so.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46But this is a long way and this year the tide is against.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Tide and wind are against the swimmers
0:07:48 > 0:07:52so not only is it a difficult start to a very long day,
0:07:52 > 0:07:56it's made doubly difficult by the conditions.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57I was sort of thinking
0:07:57 > 0:08:00about singing the, the SpongeBob SquarePants song.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Calming myself down with a little bit of humour,
0:08:03 > 0:08:07just you know, some good advice that I had was just take it as a warm up.
0:08:07 > 0:08:08Just enjoy it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12How often do you get to swim in a sea loch at five in the morning?
0:08:14 > 0:08:18I love to swim because I'm a windsurfer and I like water.
0:08:18 > 0:08:24It's cold water and in Polish sea, Baltic, is cold too.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Cold water, this is not my problem.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31This is a challenge, yes, this is challenge for everyone.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43It's a pretty mammoth and miserable start to this race
0:08:43 > 0:08:45and most people wouldn't even contemplate going in the water
0:08:45 > 0:08:49unless it was warm and sunny, maybe the Mediterranean or the Caribbean.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52But in true dedicated fashion, I'm going to take the plunge.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55I'm joined now by Sean McFarlane who has done pretty well
0:08:55 > 0:08:58in previous years in the Celtman but you've had some
0:08:58 > 0:09:00difficulties in some years, in the swim in particular.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Every year in the swim has been tricky.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06The first year, I had a good race, so I forgot about the swim
0:09:06 > 0:09:09and I came to the next year and got in real trouble.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13But last year I managed to get the swim much better - not perfect,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16but it's a cold, cold swim and it needs a lot of preparation.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18This is a wetsuit that I got a few years ago which
0:09:18 > 0:09:22I got for windsurfing in general, splashing about in waves and things.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24It's very different from yours.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Yeah, and I have to say you're not alone in your choice of wetsuit but
0:09:27 > 0:09:30it's completely inappropriate for what we're trying to do here today.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33- Uh huh.- Just looking at it straight away, it's far too baggy,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35it's old as well, it's lost a lot of shape,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37- especially the back of the neck here.- And that's just me.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39It's old and baggy and lost a lot of shape.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Any cold water on your spine is horrible.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44It's OK if its 20 degree water. This is not.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47So there's gaps here and it's also very heavy.
0:09:47 > 0:09:48And it will fill with water
0:09:48 > 0:09:52and it will constantly flush through with cold water - THIS cold water.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54This is a tri suit. There's lots of these available.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58It's much better-fitting and even in this cold water, it's very
0:09:58 > 0:09:59advantageous to have one of these.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03- So I should get this stuff on, should I?- I think so.- Let's do it.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09So I have to confess, Sean,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11I've never actually done open water swimming ever before.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13And I'm nervous about this.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Not only about the cold water but...
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Aaaah! Right, OK. OK! THEY LAUGH
0:10:18 > 0:10:21The most important thing I think is to avoid the shock
0:10:21 > 0:10:23of the cold water, so what you need
0:10:23 > 0:10:26to do is start your cold water response system.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28You can do the back of the neck?
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Whoo!
0:10:30 > 0:10:33If you're really brave, put your head in.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34Really brave.
0:10:36 > 0:10:37Whoo!
0:10:39 > 0:10:40Goggles on.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43So let's just man it up for 30 seconds, OK?
0:10:43 > 0:10:44And then we'll regroup
0:10:44 > 0:10:46and we'll see where we are, OK? One, two three.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51You will get into some sort of rhythm
0:10:51 > 0:10:55but the actual start is much more difficult, because it's quite scary
0:10:55 > 0:10:58and your system hasn't had a chance to actually fire up, as it were.
0:10:58 > 0:10:59Woo hoo hoo hoo!
0:10:59 > 0:11:02From initially coming into the water thinking it was fine,
0:11:02 > 0:11:07even just doing 50 or 60 strokes, which is nothing,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10it's like when you go out for a run and it's really cold
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and you can't get a breath properly into your lungs.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13And you get a mouthful of water
0:11:13 > 0:11:15and are panicking a wee bit and all that.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17It's not that comfortable at all, is it?
0:11:17 > 0:11:19No, and you wouldn't want to be in here for, what,
0:11:19 > 0:11:20more than 20 minutes, maybe?
0:11:22 > 0:11:24Is it purgatory, or is there joy in open water swimming?
0:11:24 > 0:11:27I don't like pool swimming. I don't like being indoors.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28I don't like chorine.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31I'm not a good swimmer but I do love open water swimming.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35It's important in all aspects of Celtman to actually look up
0:11:35 > 0:11:36and see where you are.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39I think a lot of people put the head down, especially in the swim
0:11:39 > 0:11:41but it is glorious.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45'I would not want to be doing that for a long time.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47'I'm cold and my hands are freezing.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49'This is tough.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53'The thought of doing a massive bike ride after that,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56'then a marathon over a mountain - no, thank you!
0:11:57 > 0:11:59'Others are much tougher than me.'
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Now back to the real athletes.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Surprisingly, some people LIKE the swim.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Out in the lead at the moment for the women is
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Siobhan Prise from Aberdeen.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21My mum chucked me in the pool before I could swim and just,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23"Go!" you know, "Go and swim", so I was probably swimming
0:12:23 > 0:12:25because I learned it from such a young age
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and I guess I managed to get the technique right from a young age.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29It's always harder learning
0:12:29 > 0:12:32something new when you're, you know, a little bit older.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35So compared to the normal average triathlete,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38probably my swimming's the strongest point.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41But, you know, in triathlon it's all really about the bike
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and the run - it's not about the swimming at all!
0:12:43 > 0:12:47And we can see the first of the swimmers approaching the shore now.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Maybe about another hundred metres to go.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Making really good time today.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57And it looks like there's quite a few of them coming in together.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Seeing a little bit of a break away there from three
0:13:01 > 0:13:05obviously a bit of a last spurt there to try
0:13:05 > 0:13:08and get out of the water as quickly as they possibly can.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Get as much of a lead as possible.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16First out of the water is Gregoire Geffray from France.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21He's completed the swim in just 45 minutes and 29 seconds.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24But less than 30 seconds separates the top three.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Scottish triathlete Nick Weir is out in 45.37
0:13:28 > 0:13:32and Englishman Scott Molina, 45.57.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35- That was a fantastic swim.- Yes! - How did that feel for you?
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- Was it OK?- It was OK. - Yeah? Well done.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40I was so...probably trying to
0:13:40 > 0:13:42compete against him the whole length.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44What was the water temperature like today?
0:13:44 > 0:13:46- I didn't notice!- Was it as cold as you expected it to be?
0:13:46 > 0:13:50I just focus on the pain!
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Good job, mate.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55How long do you think it'll take you to start warming up
0:13:55 > 0:13:56when you get on the bike?
0:13:56 > 0:13:58- Er...- It'll be a while. - Yeah, it's not too bad.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- Probably be mid-July!- Yeah! - SHE LAUGHS
0:14:01 > 0:14:03So the first biker on the road,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06202km ahead is Gregoire Geffray,
0:14:06 > 0:14:08the Frenchman, and looking pretty comfortable.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12What an incredible swim and transition that was from him.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Choosing short sleeves and shorts for the day ahead.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Not the warmest but it will get warmer.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Still, not yet six o'clock in the morning.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Beautiful scenery here in the northwest coast of Scotland.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Back at transition, the first woman,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36Siobhan Prise, is only five minutes behind the leader.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38What a great swim she's had.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41She's currently in sixth place overall.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43That's fantastic, you're out of the water in under an hour.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46- Oh, yeah?- How does that feel? - That's great, it feels great.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49I mean swimming, is my strong point I'd hope to...and the thing is,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52it's so cold that you kind of want to get out as fast as possible,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55because the longer you're in, you're more susceptible to hypothermia.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57- You're still smiling.- Yeah, I know! - It's amazing.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Well, I do have 126 miles to go,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02so maybe after that, we'll see if I'm still smiling!
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Now the swimmers are flooding in.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Most are relieved this section is over.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09- As cold as you expected?- Yes!
0:15:11 > 0:15:14- OK, it's very hard. - Good. I enjoyed it, yeah, yeah.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Got tucked in behind a couple of people. Quite nice.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18Did you ACTUALLY enjoy it?
0:15:18 > 0:15:22It was all right. This is the bit I'm not looking forward to.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25The worst was the jellyfish. That was horrible
0:15:25 > 0:15:27but OK, just keep swimming!
0:15:27 > 0:15:30It's a bit warmer than I thought it would be, so it was OK, actually.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33It was fun. It was like jellyfish slalom!
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Heading out of Shieldaig, there's
0:15:37 > 0:15:39already stiff competition on the bikes.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Dirk Zangen from Germany was fourth out of the water
0:15:42 > 0:15:47but now he's overtaking Scott Molina and Nick Weir.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50The early stages of the race, really just getting into a rhythm,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52getting the muscles warm.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55That's the great thing about a triathlon like this,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57you're really challenging the whole body -
0:15:57 > 0:15:59upper body, mainly, in the swim
0:15:59 > 0:16:05but it's all about the legs for the next 202km.
0:16:05 > 0:16:06Well done.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09The first part of the ride is pretty lumpy.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14Some big climbs and it settles down into a flat
0:16:14 > 0:16:17time trial of about 100km or so.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21But we're off and running and still only 6.10 in the morning.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27As the racers settle into what's going to be an extremely long
0:16:27 > 0:16:29time in the saddle, we're going to take a short break
0:16:29 > 0:16:32from the Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Right now, we're going east to Dingwall for something new
0:16:45 > 0:16:47and equally testing.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Archie's Mountain Challenge is a relay event
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and it sounds deceptively simple -
0:16:53 > 0:16:56running up Scotland's Metric Munros.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00That's 130 mountains over 1,000 metres.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03But that's not quite the whole picture.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07To qualify, they must have a drop of 100 metres on all sides
0:17:07 > 0:17:11and just to really confuse everyone, three mountains that aren't
0:17:11 > 0:17:15technically Munros fall within this definition.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19There's just one more thing - to make it more of a challenge,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22the team are linking them by bike or kayak.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23It's absolutely unique.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25It's never been done before so, yeah,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28that's what makes it a great, a great adventure.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31It's going to be complex but I think the attraction is just
0:17:31 > 0:17:36to get involved in something huge that might never be done again.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37It's a one-off.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40It's a huge challenge. 130 mountains.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43If it all comes together smoothly, it'll be fantastic.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47The challenge is the brainchild of Paul Fettes,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50an anaesthetist at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53He wants to encourage more people into our hills
0:17:53 > 0:17:56and raise awareness of the plight of local sick children.
0:17:56 > 0:18:02It's very exciting, really. It's everything that I envisaged,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06which is really particularly exciting. And it's under way.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10It starts with a symbolic dip of the toe in the North Sea,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14and that includes young Rabbie, who's multitasking.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18He's both the challenge mascot and a GPS tracker.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Rabbie's a sociable creature which is just as well, as he'll be
0:18:22 > 0:18:24passed from person to person.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26With over 50 folk involved,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29the logistics have been extremely complicated.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32The intention is to completely challenge within, sort of,
0:18:32 > 0:18:33two to three weeks.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38The total distance is about 1,400 kilometres and the total hike climb
0:18:38 > 0:18:41is nearly 88,000 metres, which is pretty much
0:18:41 > 0:18:45the equivalent of ten Everests, if you started at sea level.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48To make it fit in that time, they plan to run as much of the daytime
0:18:48 > 0:18:53as possible - into the night, if the route suits and the timing suits.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56The handovers are going to be quite remote in some cases,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59so actually the planning logistics,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02getting the runners there to receive our baton and move onwards is
0:19:02 > 0:19:06quite tricky and that takes a lot of effort and planning.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09After 40km on the road, the riders arrive at the foot
0:19:09 > 0:19:14of Ben Wyvis to hand over Rabbie for the run up the first mountain.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16- Is this the rabbit?- Yeah.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22But this challenge isn't just for hardened athletes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25On two of the 130 hills, they'll be joined by a group of walkers
0:19:25 > 0:19:30who are equally committed but also have youngsters in tow.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32This is just an absolutely phenomenal challenge,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34because I think there are two elements to it.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36There's the actual cycling and the running itself
0:19:36 > 0:19:38but there's also the organisational thing.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40I mean, having to set up a challenge to try
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and get 40 folk up Ben Wyvis, 40 folk up Schiehallion,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47then also to cycle between all those hills and run up all the 4,000 feet
0:19:47 > 0:19:49hills in Scotland is absolutely massive.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52And I think when these guys get that done - and I've got every
0:19:52 > 0:19:55faith that they will - then I think they'll deserve their pint.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57It has been quite a lot of work.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00When Paul originally said, "Can you plan the route?"
0:20:00 > 0:20:05There was me thinking I can easily plan a route in an evening or two
0:20:05 > 0:20:09but the time and effort that has to go into ensuring that a pair
0:20:09 > 0:20:13of runners at the right time on the right day has taken a lot of time.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17The organisers probably couldn't have chosen a worse summer.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19This is the start of June, yet it's wet,
0:20:19 > 0:20:24very windy and the summit of Ben Wyvis still has snow cover.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- Wahey!- Hey!
0:20:27 > 0:20:30That was hard. We were last minute replacements.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32I was asked to do it on Thursday.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Somebody called off sick! So, yes.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38So me and Claire stepped in.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Well done, Kirsty.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Right, thank you very much, Barry, have a good ride.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46That was actually quite nice. Pretty blowy on the top.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Quite a lot of snow but better than anticipated.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50I've never run a Munro before.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52That was my first Munro that I've done
0:20:52 > 0:20:54but that's enjoyable. I'd do that again. That's lovely.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Are you all right?
0:20:56 > 0:20:59As soon as the runners are down from Ben Wyvis, the bikers
0:20:59 > 0:21:03are off again heading for Beinn Dearg and the next set of runners.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08Well done, well done. Good effort. Good effort.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- That was a tough ride up that hill.- Yeah, into the wind.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Cheers. Have fun.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15See you in a bit, guys.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18It's not just the logistics of the challenge that
0:21:18 > 0:21:19has taken a lot of organising.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23The support is also vital to success.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27So this is the camper van that was donated by Paul's auntie.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30So this follows everybody round on the various legs
0:21:30 > 0:21:33and it's always at the bottom of each hill so that
0:21:33 > 0:21:39when you come off you know you've got warmth and sustenance.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43While Barry and his son Rory take a well-earned break, runners
0:21:43 > 0:21:48Jason Hardy and Simon Crawley are having a tough time on the hill.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49It's pretty boggy, pretty wet.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52A lot of it we were running through, you now, peat bogs and things
0:21:52 > 0:21:57so it's pretty difficult to pick your path through there.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59And then it was snowing on the summit just to make it
0:21:59 > 0:22:01extra special for us(!)
0:22:01 > 0:22:03But, in spite of the wintery conditions,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06they've completed Beinn Dearg on schedule.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09The last 200 metres was knee-deep snow.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13We were having to kick steps. It's 1st June(!)
0:22:13 > 0:22:15It just seems bonkers,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18so I'm glad to be back down with some food.
0:22:18 > 0:22:19OK, well done.
0:22:19 > 0:22:25Two down, 128 to go and mascot Rabbie's still on the move.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29We'll be back later in the programme to see how the relay team get on.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39They never said it was hilly!
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Welcome back to the Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Now the leading competitors are eating up the miles on this
0:22:45 > 0:22:49cycle part of the course but way back at transition others are trying
0:22:49 > 0:22:52to convince themselves they're not cold and they're not tired.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Who are they kidding?
0:22:54 > 0:22:57- Smile for the camera.- Oh!
0:22:57 > 0:23:00As the second half of the field is coming in now,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03you can see people just starting to look really, really cold.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Obviously the longer they've been in the water the worst they're
0:23:06 > 0:23:08going to feel, so there's a big difference between those that
0:23:08 > 0:23:12have come out first in under an hour and those that are coming out now
0:23:12 > 0:23:14who've been in almost an hour-and-a-half.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Woo-hoo!
0:23:16 > 0:23:19- How was that swim section?- It was OK. It was good thanks, yeah.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21A mass of the jellyfish apart from one in my mouth.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22Oh, really? Oh, goodness!
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It wasn't as cold as I thought it was going to be.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29I was really looking forward to it and then I got really nervous
0:23:29 > 0:23:31because I thought I was going to lose my goggles as well,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35and that would have been a bit bad, you know.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37I couldn't really see where I was going because, you know,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40my hair was... But it was fun.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Out on the road, Dirk Zangen, who was fourth out of the water,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46is making spectacular progress.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Two years ago he came in tenth.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Most people would be satisfied with that, but not Dirk.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55This time I started preparing much earlier,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58so October last year reached out to my coach.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Started slowly because last year I didn't do anything.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03I had like foot surgery and, yeah,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06training was really well structured and was going well.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08And last week's actually didn't go so good.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10I was a bit concerned.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15I had some, you know, some flu and all this stuff, business trips.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18It wasn't that easy but I came here one week earlier
0:24:18 > 0:24:22so I really had time to relax which was really good.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24You know you feel directly if you get good legs.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26My wife always laughs at this and asks,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28"Do you have good legs or not?"
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Halfway round the course, as he heads out of Gairloch,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Dirk Zangen's now over ten minutes clear of his nearest rival,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38Norwegian triathlete Thor Hesselberg.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41But he's under pressure from Estonian Heiko Sepp
0:24:41 > 0:24:43who's rapidly closing the gap.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47A former professional road cyclist he's now attracted to extreme
0:24:47 > 0:24:50events like this one and its Norwegian counterpart.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53A few years ago I heard about the Norseman
0:24:53 > 0:24:56and it was like more emotions
0:24:56 > 0:24:59and I said, "OK, I will take part of this."
0:24:59 > 0:25:01First time it was so hard, you know,
0:25:01 > 0:25:06I was like I feel like I will die
0:25:06 > 0:25:10but if you're already done with that, then you feel like,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13yeah, I need to take some new challenge
0:25:13 > 0:25:17and, after that, I tried a normal Ironman.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20You know it's not the same.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24For the women, Siobhan Prise was first out of the water
0:25:24 > 0:25:26and she's still out in front at the moment.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29She's a fan of the Celtman and the ethos behind it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33It's such a special event and I'm from Scotland
0:25:33 > 0:25:36and you know to be able to come and compete at something as epic
0:25:36 > 0:25:39as this in Scotland and you know you're out on the bike course
0:25:39 > 0:25:43and you don't see anyone and you just have this incredible scenery.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45It's stunning and you have the mountains
0:25:45 > 0:25:49and that's really what kind of sold it to me completely.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52This race, it's so weighted towards cycling.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55If you're a good strong cyclist you can really do some damage.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Clearly, the marathon over the hill is tough, no doubt about that,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01but if you can really do some damage on your bike you can give
0:26:01 > 0:26:05yourself a great advantage over the rest of the field.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Rain is starting to batter down and it's windy as well.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Tough conditions.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Some will still be in the water
0:26:15 > 0:26:18but these guys are getting nice and warm out on the bike.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22It's a lot of hours so definitely you have a few seconds here
0:26:22 > 0:26:25and there that you just look round and enjoy where you are,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28especially if I feel pain in my legs or get a little bit tired,
0:26:28 > 0:26:35that's also my little game of doing something else.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Get my mind off it and then you just feel that your body is still
0:26:38 > 0:26:41just cycling and going on and on and on,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and then you don't feel the pain anymore and you can just continue.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49During the bike, my thought is to not thinking about the distance,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52not thinking about how much I need to spend or how much
0:26:52 > 0:26:57I will spend on the bike because this is more than six hours.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02This is too much for my psychological ability, yeah.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Therefore I am just thinking about something different
0:27:05 > 0:27:08or of the family, everything else.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12I think most of us will have done several weekends
0:27:12 > 0:27:16where we ride 200km plus,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19trying to emulate as much as possible the hilly conditions
0:27:19 > 0:27:20of the Celtman.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24So you just do it over and over and over until it becomes a non-issue.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Most of the racers are now well into the 202-kilometre bike ride
0:27:28 > 0:27:33but some are still emerging from the water, cold and tired.
0:27:33 > 0:27:38These last few have only just made it before the cut-off time.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Really impressive still being able to swim after having
0:27:40 > 0:27:43been in the water for nearly two hours.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Yeah, I started throwing up a lot.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48You started throwing up as you were swimming?
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Yeah, I usually do that when I use the crawl technique.
0:27:52 > 0:27:58So this is actually the last swimmer coming in now,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00just ahead of the cut-off time.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02APPLAUSE
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I thought will I just do front crawl, like over arm, you know
0:28:08 > 0:28:11and I did that the whole way, it was horrible.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13And I just kept thinking I'm not going to make the cut-off.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17I've got some heat pads in my gloves and heat pads in my jacket and
0:28:17 > 0:28:22I thought if I just get out there and get going I'll see how I go.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Right, so that's me.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26- Good luck!- Thanks.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28- Say hello to us when we next see you.- I will do.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31I think what's interesting about an event like this is that
0:28:31 > 0:28:36the difference between the fastest and the slowest swimmers
0:28:36 > 0:28:41is just over an hour and that time is very, very easily lost or gained
0:28:41 > 0:28:45on a really long cycle route like this.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49So even if you haven't placed very well at all on the swim
0:28:49 > 0:28:53you can still make up a lot of time on this bike section.
0:28:54 > 0:28:59There's a lot of up and down, it's up and down which can be quite hard
0:28:59 > 0:29:02coming over a hill and then seeing you've got to go up even more.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04It is the mindset.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08You get up to a bit and you think that's it, all the climbing's done,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11and then a few minutes later you're climbing again.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Here we have to ride on the left side,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18so last year I almost did a big mistake.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22I looked to the left and the car comes to the right.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24That I will not do this year.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27So I have to pay attention.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31I remember watching it on The Adventure Show before actually
0:29:31 > 0:29:33and you see some of the images and you just think, wow, so, yeah,
0:29:33 > 0:29:37I will be reminding myself to say, you know, just stop and look.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Well, not stop, but look and enjoy that side of it.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45The scenery is amazing.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50That's one of the things why I went to this race specifically.
0:29:50 > 0:29:51I've never been here before.
0:29:51 > 0:29:56I just looked up the photos and saw it and thought this was something
0:29:56 > 0:30:01we wanted to see, both me and my support team.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06So here's Dirk Zangen absolutely flying in through the first
0:30:06 > 0:30:08transition of the cycle section.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10This is transition T2.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14What a brilliant, brilliant ride that has been for him.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18This is when it's all very important to get stuff off,
0:30:18 > 0:30:20change things over.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22And conditions OK today the cycle was all right,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25- not too windy, was it all right? - The beginning was good.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27Now in the end it's getting tough.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30It reminded me of 2013, the last race.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32Well done, Dirk, you're looking good.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36That was so slick you've obviously worked on these transitions before.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38Yeah, we've done it a few times last night and the night before.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41It's amazing. It's crazy, you know, it's....
0:30:41 > 0:30:44I'm impressed, I'm very proud and impressed with what he does.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47'And that's clear for everyone to see.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49'Dirk Zangen is now a full 23 minutes
0:30:49 > 0:30:52'ahead of his nearest rival.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55'Following him into transition is Heiko Sepp from Estonia.'
0:30:55 > 0:30:58Heiko, how are you doing? Are you OK? How was the cycle? OK?
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Oh, kind of OK, yeah.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04- I'd had like a little bump.- Yeah.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08So you missed one feed stop?
0:31:08 > 0:31:11Then you know I didn't have food, like.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13- Oh, no.- Yeah.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Just the run now. Easy bit.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Yeah, it's a full day, you know.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23One day I'm going to warm up like a perfect runner.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26Another day I'm so bad, you know. Hopefully today.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30I hope today will be a perfect day. Yeah, of course.
0:31:30 > 0:31:31'Just four minutes behind
0:31:31 > 0:31:36'the third racer into transition is Hakon William Skog from Norway.'
0:31:37 > 0:31:39- Tough cycle yeah? - That was really tough.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41The last 20ks broke me.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44- A lot of wind? - Yeah, a lot of wind. Head winds.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48Yeah. Looking good though. Really strong.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50That's only on the outside.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54'Fourth in is Chris Stirling from the Lake District.'
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Bikes are coming in thick and fast now.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59This is where it gets really exciting.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01The transition, the time they take to get through.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04Chris finished second last year.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Let's see how he's doing.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08- How's was that? Was it tough on the bike?- Yeah.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10The second and third guys have just gone through
0:32:10 > 0:32:13- so you're not far behind at all. - Less than two minutes.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15'This is his best bit.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17'He didn't have the greatest swim
0:32:17 > 0:32:19'but he's actually done about the same bike split as last year.'
0:32:19 > 0:32:22And, yeah, he'll make up a lot of time on the run.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24Pretty stressful for the support teams, right?
0:32:24 > 0:32:26Er, yeah, but that's part and parcel of it.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28That's what you get for having another half
0:32:28 > 0:32:31who's an elite athlete.
0:32:31 > 0:32:32Looking good, Chris. Well done.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35- I'll get there in a minute, the mountain.- OK, good luck.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38'The first part of the run is over the Coulin Pass, then it's up
0:32:38 > 0:32:40'and down Ben Eighe.
0:32:40 > 0:32:45'This means that for the next 33km the route is off road.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48'It goes through some of the wildest and most rugged scenery
0:32:48 > 0:32:50'we have to offer.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53'It's a landscape not without its dangers.'
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Every athlete carries a tracker device which is one of these
0:32:56 > 0:33:01and it's got a sim in it, and a GPS so it knows its position
0:33:01 > 0:33:04and every two minutes it sends us a message with its location.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07The first year we used it here, which was a couple of years ago,
0:33:07 > 0:33:10we had somebody came off the Ben Eighe on an unusual route
0:33:10 > 0:33:12and we were following them down the mountain and giving
0:33:12 > 0:33:15the mountain rescue updates every five minutes where they were.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19So that was ended quite happily but if there had been a problem
0:33:19 > 0:33:21then the mountain rescue knew exactly where they were
0:33:21 > 0:33:25and would have been there that much quicker should it have been needed.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28In the women's race, the competition is hotting up between two
0:33:28 > 0:33:32of the Scottish racers, Siobhan Prise and Marie Meldum.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36Marie's now in front but these two racers are neck and neck.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39People say I'm competitive but only really with myself.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41I want to like do the best I can and try
0:33:41 > 0:33:43and improve on last week or the week before.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45But I really honestly don't go and train.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48If somebody says do you fancy doing such and such running over here,
0:33:48 > 0:33:49I'd be like, "Yeah, OK."
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Really able to just go with the flow
0:33:52 > 0:33:55and I don't feel like restricted by a training plan.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Thinking positive is the most important thing.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01I mean, I was so chuffed to be first out of the water,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03so I was so happy with that.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06And then setting off on the bike, you know, so happy.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10It was only when Marie overtook me I was like, "Oh, no! Oh, no!"
0:34:10 > 0:34:12and you know I got a little bit down.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Just like mentally it was like, "Oh, I'm doing rubbish kind of thing."
0:34:15 > 0:34:17But then you just have to perk yourself up again
0:34:17 > 0:34:19and just you know get going again.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22But it's so important to think positive and smile all the time.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24And currently in third place for the women
0:34:24 > 0:34:27it's Karin Sloove from the Netherlands.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32I must say last week I've been mentally not really happy
0:34:32 > 0:34:35with this race until the day before yesterday
0:34:35 > 0:34:39I realised that this year we wanted
0:34:39 > 0:34:43to do something that scares us.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44Both my boyfriend and I,
0:34:44 > 0:34:48we were looking for a challenge that we wouldn't stand at the start
0:34:48 > 0:34:51line and think, "I wonder how fast I will finish today?"
0:34:51 > 0:34:54But something that would really properly scare us,
0:34:54 > 0:34:58and as soon as I realised that this course scared me,
0:34:58 > 0:35:02I was actually fine with it because I was like, I love that!
0:35:05 > 0:35:10So here comes Sean McFarlane absolutely flying up the hill there.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12In seventh place. Well done, Sean.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16'Last year I got a new bike which I thought was fantastic, here we go,
0:35:16 > 0:35:20'and I'm 41 and it takes me a long time to adjust to these things.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23'So I've gone back to my old bike which I've had for eight years.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25'And you know what? It's great to be back on it.'
0:35:25 > 0:35:27- How are you feeling? - I'm all right, yeah.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30The second half of the bike was tough. Not quite as I'd hoped.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32I'd feel a better here, Dougie, than I do now,
0:35:32 > 0:35:37but hopefully just getting some sort of rhythm and get going.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40That's Odd Arne. Has had a bit of a spill.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41You fell?
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Yeah and I broke my...
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Punctured.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48You punctured also, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50So it's a bit difficult?
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Ah, but it's a little bit of wind against.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- Right, have fun, Sean.- OK, Dougie, cheers.- See you later on.- Cheers.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03- Have you got a tracker?- I left it in your bag.- Is it? OK, cheers.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07So off he goes. Sean McFarlane, seventh place.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Looking pretty good, actually, looking pretty good.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12Took on some food there, took a bit of time.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14He's done this plenty of times before.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17He knows what it's all about and he's good on the hill.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22Well, the lead competitors are settling into that relatively
0:36:22 > 0:36:24gentle run over the Coulin Pass.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28After that, the punishing ascent and descent of Ben Eighe.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Conditions on the tops today definitely changeable.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34Pretty clagged in at the moment. They won't see very much at all.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37So we'll find out later in the programme just how they get on.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50Now we rejoin the runners, bikers and kayakers who've been
0:36:50 > 0:36:54documenting their progress in Archie's Mountain Challenge.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58They're attempting to set a record for ascending Scotland's 130 peaks
0:36:58 > 0:37:02over 1,000 metres in one continuous relay
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and they're enjoying every minute.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08I'm having lots of fun climbing hills with new people
0:37:08 > 0:37:10in a completely different way.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12You know, we're covering the ground very quickly.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16Six Archies in a day would be very hard work to do
0:37:16 > 0:37:17if you were by yourself.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20When you do it in small teams you can make really fast progress.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22It's great.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24The teams are now a third of the way through their challenge,
0:37:24 > 0:37:28with 46 summits successfully in the bag.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32Months of meticulous planning is paying off.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35We've got about a 22-mile run through these mountains
0:37:35 > 0:37:38finishing at the top of Cairngorm where we're going to hand
0:37:38 > 0:37:41on the GPS tracker to the next group who are going to do the eastern
0:37:41 > 0:37:46Cairngorms and then we're going to meet the next lot in Lochnagar.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50We've got another about 70 Archies to do,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53but hopefully we'll bag about five or six today.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56- Good effort, how was it?- Hard.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58You look shattered.
0:37:58 > 0:38:03We made really good progress until we sent you a text to say
0:38:03 > 0:38:05that we were making really good progress.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08- Right, here's Rabbie then.- Cheers. - Good luck, guys.- Thanks a lot.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12- Have a nice one.- My responsibility. I'll click him on.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16Yeah, nice and safe on top of the bag so you can see the sky.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20I love hill running because it's like being eight years old again.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23You run downhill without a care in the world.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25It increases the intensity of the mountain experience
0:38:25 > 0:38:27because you're pushing hard.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29You're running hard and concentrating
0:38:29 > 0:38:32and suddenly you look up and you're in this spectacular environment
0:38:32 > 0:38:34and doing a big long challenge.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37If you were to do that as a very small group of individuals
0:38:37 > 0:38:40you'd have to take months off work but this way we can drop in,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43drop out and be part of it and it's fantastic.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48I only moved to Scotland about ten years ago and I had small children
0:38:48 > 0:38:51and I've never got out much into the Highlands so this is
0:38:51 > 0:38:56a great opportunity for me to come and experience the mountains.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57I get to meet new people.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00It's a safe way for me to come and enjoy fantastic countryside.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04I think it's kind of reinvigorated my passion for going out in the
0:39:04 > 0:39:10hills again and actually travelling light with less kit and running
0:39:10 > 0:39:13shoes setting off early, you can totally be up a couple of hills and
0:39:13 > 0:39:18back down early in the morning or even a late evening run up the hill.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21So I think that's something that's really kind of reinvigorated
0:39:21 > 0:39:24my enjoyment of being out in the hills.
0:39:27 > 0:39:32- Good run.- Well done. - Let's take the photo to prove it.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35Yes, an Archie selfie.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39Compulsory, every single one.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41- OK, ready?- Let's go.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44The team are calling these peaks Archies.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47One more down, 69 still to go.
0:39:47 > 0:39:52Over the coming hours and days, the mascot, Rabbie, keeps on the move.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56It's a punishing schedule but everything's going to plan.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59The real hard part is the relentlessness of it.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02The fact that we're basically running
0:40:02 > 0:40:06or moving about 20 hours a day,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09so the tracker's only still for three or four hours in the day
0:40:09 > 0:40:12so, you know, it's long days and it wears you down obviously.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15So we're pretty tired.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17CHEERING
0:40:19 > 0:40:22So most days there's maybe six or eight people available, but
0:40:22 > 0:40:25it's obviously a challenge that's going on over a number of weeks.
0:40:25 > 0:40:30So some days there might be more people available at weekends
0:40:30 > 0:40:33than during the week maybe, and less people available to help out.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35But it's a big team.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39On any individual day we're probably only using maybe six to eight
0:40:39 > 0:40:40people for doing different legs.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45So this is me on the Tarnichan, high in the Ben Lawers range.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48I think only about six to go until we actually finish.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52It's really amazing how strong the team energy and vibe is
0:40:52 > 0:40:56and I think the thing is once you get involved early on,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58although you probably have to go back to work and things, you're
0:40:58 > 0:41:02really looking for when you can next get back involved because it's
0:41:02 > 0:41:05that absorbing and you really want to be part of it once you're in it.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09After just over two weeks, nearly 1,500 kilometres
0:41:09 > 0:41:15and 130 mountains to climb, it's almost over.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18So here we are on the top of Ben More just above Crianlarich.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23It's Sunday 14th June and here's Rabbie having a well-earned rest
0:41:23 > 0:41:26on the summit of the true point.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28It's just gone nine o'clock in the morning
0:41:28 > 0:41:31and it's Rabbie's third Archie of the day.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36Here comes Tayside GP, Graeme Gatherer,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40just summiting his...
0:41:40 > 0:41:43tenth Archie of the expedition.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47It's been a monumental effort
0:41:47 > 0:41:49and, as Rabbie heads towards the final summit,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52there's no shortage of well-wishers.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56Then it's one final push before the finish at Loch Fyne.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00And just for the record, the final time was 15 days,
0:42:00 > 0:42:02nine hours and six minutes.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04And to stay in touch with this
0:42:04 > 0:42:08and all the latest Adventure Show news, follow us on Facebook.
0:42:16 > 0:42:17Yoo hoo!
0:42:17 > 0:42:20I've made my way from Loch Shieldaig to the bottom of Ben Eighe.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24For most people climbing this hill even on its own is a massive
0:42:24 > 0:42:27challenge, so the idea of doing it after such a gruelling swim
0:42:27 > 0:42:31and bike ride is pretty hard to get your head around.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Despite that, the fastest will be here soon
0:42:33 > 0:42:37ready to take on the last part of this epic challenge.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Still way out in the lead is German triathlete Dirk Zangen,
0:42:41 > 0:42:43who is currently living in Brussels.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47He's now increased his lead to a massive 32 minutes.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51Yet he's finding time to enjoy the race.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53I just love the atmosphere.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57It's fewer people, great landscape
0:42:57 > 0:42:59but you spend all day long with your family and friends.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02You know, I like the support part.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03They get up. It's a long way for them as well.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07And there is not so many races that have this aspect.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Fantastic job, well done.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12Are you feeling confident about this next section?
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Well, we all know the race only starts here, right?
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Yeah, it's getting tough.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22On the other side of the Coulin Pass the fastest women are nearing
0:43:22 > 0:43:24the end of the bike ride
0:43:24 > 0:43:28and only two minutes separates Marie Meldrum and Siobhan Prise.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33So here's the leading girl, last year's winner Marie Meldrum.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36Look at that, she's gone with just a vest top on.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40Absolutely flying there. Brilliant effort.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42How are you doing, Marie?
0:43:42 > 0:43:46- Tired. That girl was really tough to catch.- Siobhan, yeah?
0:43:46 > 0:43:49Yeah, Siobhan. Oh, who is she?
0:43:49 > 0:43:51She was a good swimmer, wasn't she?
0:43:51 > 0:43:54She was out the water quickly and then pretty good on the old bike.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56Just think positive, yeah.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00What a bike ride that was.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02Yeah, well, it was the longest I've ever cycled in my life so...
0:44:02 > 0:44:04- You're kidding me? - ..that's it.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08It ticks something off the bucket list that's for sure, but,
0:44:08 > 0:44:12yeah, it was really amazing the first part until...
0:44:12 > 0:44:15It was just that turn before Garv
0:44:15 > 0:44:19and you're up the hill into the wind, you're low on energy.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21That was really tough and I struggled a bit on that bit.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23It was really scenic and beautiful until then.
0:44:23 > 0:44:27Now I just have to go and run a marathon for a wee while.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29Well done, Siobhan, keep it going.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31Good effort.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34'Next into transition just six minutes behind is
0:44:34 > 0:44:36'Karin Sloove from the Netherlands.'
0:44:36 > 0:44:37Karin, how are you feeling?
0:44:37 > 0:44:41Yeah, the last bit on the bike was a bit windy but still smiling.
0:44:41 > 0:44:42Still smiling? Good.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45And how are you on the hills, are you good on the high hills?
0:44:45 > 0:44:50Usually I am, but it's a question how the legs will feel after
0:44:50 > 0:44:52the bike so we'll see, we'll see.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55We wish you well. Enjoy the hill.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57You've got a tracker, yeah.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Karin Sloove looking very comfortable indeed.
0:45:01 > 0:45:06'Some 18km ahead, as he pounds down the far side of the Coulin Pass,
0:45:06 > 0:45:10'Chris Stirling from the Lakes has now moved up into second place.'
0:45:10 > 0:45:11On Celtman, the ground's rough
0:45:11 > 0:45:14and you need to prepare specifically for that, I think.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16I sort of look at the course
0:45:16 > 0:45:20and then look at the different aspects of that course.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24How I can try and tailor my training exactly to that.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27- Feeling confident about this next bit?- Yeah, this is the best bit.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32It's what I love doing so I like it.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36The hardest bit is my favourite bit.
0:45:38 > 0:45:42- Oh, that's great and you've saved it till last?- Yeah exactly.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48The third man over the Coulin Pass is Heiko Sepp from Estonia.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51He's nearly 40 minutes behind Chris Stirling
0:45:51 > 0:45:55and he knows the longer he takes, the harder it gets.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58The most important is just get on the end
0:45:58 > 0:46:00but if the race is getting longer and longer,
0:46:00 > 0:46:04the light is getting more harder for you
0:46:04 > 0:46:06because the guys who are the top three in here,
0:46:06 > 0:46:08OK, they have a high speed,
0:46:08 > 0:46:12they are good, but the guys who are doing 16 hours you know.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18Even don't understand the real world, you know, like a zombie.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21You just continue doing your thing and really respect.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26On this high mountain section, each competitor is
0:46:26 > 0:46:29joined by a support runner to ensure their safety.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31This is a key moment for the racers.
0:46:31 > 0:46:35If they arrive here 11 hours after starting, they have to
0:46:35 > 0:46:39take a lower route and don't get the much prized blue t-shirt.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41If they don't make the cut-offs then
0:46:41 > 0:46:42they don't go over the mountain.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45We don't want tired people up there or people
0:46:45 > 0:46:47who are really on the edge. It's not safe.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50It is a mountain and it's dangerous. That's just the way it is.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53Whichever way you look at it, the Celtman is one of the toughest
0:46:53 > 0:46:55events in the European calendar
0:46:55 > 0:46:59and that seems to be a key part of its attraction.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02I think it's just that stripping back.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05We're so health and safety orientated in this world, aren't we?
0:47:05 > 0:47:07Everything has to be in a box and everything has to be so safe
0:47:07 > 0:47:09and it's just nice being able to be out there
0:47:09 > 0:47:12and think I'm on the edge of what I'm capable of here.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14What happens if I just step past that?
0:47:14 > 0:47:16What's going to happen? What's going to go first?
0:47:16 > 0:47:18Is it going to be my mind, is it going to be my body?
0:47:18 > 0:47:21I don't know, and I like that feeling. It's fantastic.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24It's an amazing adventure.
0:47:24 > 0:47:25It's always a shock
0:47:25 > 0:47:28when I come here how breathtaking the scenery is.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31The mountains just come straight out of the sea.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34I pointed to my colleague of the fact where we're going up,
0:47:34 > 0:47:36a sharp intake of breath.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40Cos it is, it's literally just straight up 1,000 metres.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42Some people are here to win.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45Some say they're just competing against themselves
0:47:45 > 0:47:49and there's some sibling rivalry as well.
0:47:49 > 0:47:50No, there's no love lost.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53No dirty tricks or at least no noticeable dirty tricks
0:47:53 > 0:47:57but certainly a sense that if we're on the last five-mile section
0:47:57 > 0:48:01then I think it will be flat out to get through first.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03Once we're on the mountain the gloves are off.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Yeah, I think Alistair's got the edge on me on the shorter distances
0:48:06 > 0:48:08but I've got a wee bit more experience on the longer distances.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11I can see a lot of psychoanalysis.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14Like a fine wine, he's improving with age.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16- I think that's what it is. - Fighting our way.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19There's a big part of me wants to get over the mountain.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22There's probably an even bigger part of me wants to beat him though.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26In the women's race, Siobhan Prise has had a great run
0:48:26 > 0:48:27over the Coulin Pass.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29She's overtaken Marie Meldum
0:48:29 > 0:48:33and, as she heads up Ben Eighe, is now back in the lead.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36I don't know how far she's behind me, but I'm sure, to be honest,
0:48:36 > 0:48:39it doesn't matter, I'm just so happy I've got a blue t-shirt now.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42- That's fantastic.- I made the cut-off time.- Oh, that's brilliant.
0:48:42 > 0:48:43It's quite sharp.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46- Kind of psychologically, when you get to this stage...- Yeah.
0:48:46 > 0:48:48..you know that you're going to finish it.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50Which is all I wanted, which is great.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52I got a blue t-shirt.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55This is the worst bit and everyone's in the same boat.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57Everyone's got to go up this bit.
0:48:57 > 0:49:01Just seven minutes later, Karin Sloove has also overtaken Marie.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03You're doing a great time.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06You're the second female through at the moment.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09I know but number three is right on my ass.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12OK, I better not hold you up then.
0:49:12 > 0:49:17Meanwhile, Dirk Zangen is approaching the summit of Rustack Moor.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19Dirk's still way out in the lead
0:49:19 > 0:49:22but he's not taking anything for granted.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24- How are you doing?- All right.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27Last time he competed here he encountered significant problems
0:49:27 > 0:49:30on this last part of the race.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32Two years ago, I said never again.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36I got stuck after like two hours. Everybody down here was worried.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39My tracker didn't move. My wife was really scared.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43She didn't want me to sign up. She was angry when I signed up again.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45She was nervous the whole time.
0:49:45 > 0:49:47Chris Stirling, the second man up the hill,
0:49:47 > 0:49:50is also trying to learn from past experience.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53He thinks walking poles will make a vital difference.
0:49:53 > 0:49:54It's so steep.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58I want to run it but, you know, I come from the Lake District.
0:49:58 > 0:50:00I'm used to mountain running and fell running,
0:50:00 > 0:50:03but after 200km and 18km of running,
0:50:03 > 0:50:08you're not going to run up here, so poles.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11- How's he doing?- Good.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13'It just allows you to use your upper body and just take
0:50:13 > 0:50:17'a bit of strain off your legs and I think off your back as well.'
0:50:17 > 0:50:19And when you've been sat on a bike for six hours
0:50:19 > 0:50:22and then you start running, I think your back can really tighten up,
0:50:22 > 0:50:24particularly going uphill.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26You start to sort of like arch your back and stuff.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30I think poles just help you keep a nice upright position.
0:50:30 > 0:50:35Third to the summit, Heiko Sepp and Odd Arne Engersaeter are now running
0:50:35 > 0:50:39together because Heiko's support couldn't make it up the hill.
0:50:39 > 0:50:43They're now just 22 minutes behind and are closing the gap
0:50:43 > 0:50:48on Chris Stirling, but that's not what matters most to Odd Arne.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53'The place for me is not that important.
0:50:53 > 0:50:58'It's more important for me to have a nice trip up
0:50:58 > 0:51:01'and such a lovely place like this is fantastic.'
0:51:03 > 0:51:06Getting to the summit is only half the battle.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08The descent is just as tricky.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10I asked my friends who are most experienced
0:51:10 > 0:51:16and they said to me that I shouldn't try to stop myself too much.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20I just should let go, not to force myself to slow,
0:51:20 > 0:51:22just go with the flow.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24That's it.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28At least you'll catch me on film if I roll down the hill.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31You get to the top of the hill, "Oh, good, I'm there, I'm finished."
0:51:31 > 0:51:33And it's like, "Well, no, actually, the hard bit is the descent
0:51:33 > 0:51:36"and staying awake and kind of paying attention to your feet
0:51:36 > 0:51:38"and just watching your toes."
0:51:38 > 0:51:42We had a reccy run, last year's trip.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46We came up in Easter and did the whole course over a long weekend
0:51:46 > 0:51:49and one of our party just about smashed their face.
0:51:51 > 0:51:53It's four o'clock in the afternoon.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55The racers have been going for 11 long hours
0:51:55 > 0:51:59and we now know that Dirk Zangen, number 175, who was leading
0:51:59 > 0:52:01into the run, is still in the lead.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03He's absolutely been fantastic on the hill.
0:52:03 > 0:52:07In the women's race, Marie Meldrum, who was winner last year,
0:52:07 > 0:52:09she has dropped into second place.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13Karin Sloove, the Netherlands racer, is in front of her.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16Siobhan, though, Siobhan Prise has disappeared off the tracker system.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18That doesn't mean she's stopped.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21It just means her tracker's not working, so we'll find out more
0:52:21 > 0:52:22as the race progresses.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25'In fact, Siobhan is having a great race.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29'She's still in front as she nears the summit of Ruadh Stac Mor.'
0:52:29 > 0:52:30I feel great.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33'It's just absolutely stunning. The mountains are incredible.'
0:52:33 > 0:52:37I'm a geophysicist, so all the rocks and the, you know,
0:52:37 > 0:52:39are something of interest.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42Siobhan's extended her lead to 15 minutes.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45Meanwhile, only five minutes separates Marie Meldrum
0:52:45 > 0:52:49and Karin Sloove, who are battling for second place.
0:52:49 > 0:52:50Woohoo!
0:52:50 > 0:52:52And it's Karin next to the summit.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54I'm loving it!
0:52:54 > 0:52:57I like races where you kind of come in like,
0:52:57 > 0:52:59"Oh, maybe I can do podium."
0:52:59 > 0:53:04And then after one and a half hours of racing, you think,
0:53:04 > 0:53:06"God, I hope I'll finish."
0:53:06 > 0:53:10And the whole aspiration of having a high ranking is just gone
0:53:10 > 0:53:12and you're just in survival mode.
0:53:14 > 0:53:18Just over 11 hours 51 minutes after starting at five in the morning,
0:53:18 > 0:53:21the first runner is mere steps away from the finish line.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23CROWD CHEERS
0:53:23 > 0:53:26So here he comes.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30After almost 250km of extreme conditions,
0:53:30 > 0:53:35swimming, running and cycling, Dirk Zangen from Germany
0:53:35 > 0:53:41picks up his daughter and jogs fresh as a daisy over the line.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45What an extraordinary performance from this athlete.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47It was just fantastic.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50Back in 2013, he had real trouble on Beinn Eighe.
0:53:50 > 0:53:52This time he got the job done
0:53:52 > 0:53:57and he is Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon Champion 2015.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02Honestly, I can't believe it. The swim went well.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04I took the lead just around there,
0:54:04 > 0:54:07around the corner after, like, 10km so I kept pushing
0:54:07 > 0:54:10but I never believed I would keep the lead until then.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13So we went up the mountain and I thought other guys who
0:54:13 > 0:54:16are much stronger hill runners would come, but we didn't see anybody.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18So I...
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Yeah, to be honest, I didn't expect this.
0:54:26 > 0:54:31So here is Chris Stirling, second in the Celtman 2014
0:54:31 > 0:54:35and, once again, second place after just 12 hours
0:54:35 > 0:54:37and around ten minutes.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41That is another great performance from Chris Stirling.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44- Congratulations, second again. - Dirk was awesome today.
0:54:44 > 0:54:49I gave that everything I had and, you know, he was miles ahead.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51So congratulations to him.
0:54:51 > 0:54:55- Yeah.- And, like I said before, my support crew were amazing today.
0:54:55 > 0:54:56- They kept me going.- Yeah.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59- I wanted to quit all day. - Oh, really?
0:54:59 > 0:55:01All day, yeah, tough day.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03They're going to come over together.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06Oh, excellent effort. Third equal.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08That is absolutely sensational stuff.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11Heiko Sepp coming across the line there with
0:55:11 > 0:55:14Odd Arne Engersaeter from Norway.
0:55:14 > 0:55:15That's very nice indeed.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18Estonia and Norway share third place and share a beer as well.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21- Yeaaaaaaah! - COMMENTATOR LAUGHS
0:55:21 > 0:55:25- Congratulations, third equal with Heiko there.- Thank you very much.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27- A great race.- Fantastic race.
0:55:27 > 0:55:31It was a beautiful day from the start at the beginning with
0:55:31 > 0:55:34fire show in the starting place there.
0:55:34 > 0:55:38The swim was a bit cold, of course, but it was OK.
0:55:38 > 0:55:43- I swim like this. - No!- Yes, I do.
0:55:43 > 0:55:45So it was OK for me.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47'Well, a brilliance effort, really fantastic.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49- 'Congratulations.- Thank you.'
0:55:49 > 0:55:50Woohoo!
0:55:50 > 0:55:53He helped me because, you know, my supporter, he had problems.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57He couldn't breath so I asked and I joined with this team
0:55:57 > 0:56:00and they said, "Yeah, OK, it's not a problem.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02"You can do that if you want, yeah."
0:56:02 > 0:56:06And thanks for these guys, you know, from Norway.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08That's why I'm here already.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11So confirmation of those winning results for the men.
0:56:11 > 0:56:15In joint third place was Norwegian Odd Arne Engersaeter
0:56:15 > 0:56:17and Heiko Sepp from Estonia.
0:56:17 > 0:56:21Their time was 12:46:04.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24Chris Stirling from the Lake District once again
0:56:24 > 0:56:28came in second in 12:08:51.
0:56:28 > 0:56:30But out in the lead by over 70 minutes
0:56:30 > 0:56:36was German triathlete Dirk Zangen with a time of 11:51:14.
0:56:36 > 0:56:40A great race for the women as well, as Aberdeen-based geophysicist
0:56:40 > 0:56:43Siobhan Prise powers up to the finish line.
0:56:43 > 0:56:47She led after the swim, second place after the cycle section
0:56:47 > 0:56:51and through to win the Celtman 2015.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53What a result that is!
0:56:53 > 0:56:56I've never done anything long like this before
0:56:56 > 0:56:59and you don't know how your body is going to react to such endurance.
0:56:59 > 0:57:04I guess I just kept on eating so much and trying to force food
0:57:04 > 0:57:07and my dad shouting at me, "Eat!"
0:57:07 > 0:57:11And I'm like, "I don't want to eat!" But I did!
0:57:11 > 0:57:14And only a minute separates the next two women,
0:57:14 > 0:57:16Marie Meldrum and Karin Sloove.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19Karin's just managed to stay ahead.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21Amazing race between both of you.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23Incredible race between the both of you.
0:57:23 > 0:57:24It was great to have a battle.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27Like....there's no point winning if there's nobody to race, you know.
0:57:27 > 0:57:31For the full mountain section, we've been harassing each other.
0:57:31 > 0:57:35We were about two minutes apart when we started the mountain.
0:57:35 > 0:57:37It was definitely fun.
0:57:37 > 0:57:39So the final result for the women,
0:57:39 > 0:57:42in third place was last year's winner Marie Meldrum from Fort William
0:57:42 > 0:57:47with a time of 14:21:19.
0:57:47 > 0:57:52Second went to Karin Sloove from the Netherlands in 14:20:07,
0:57:52 > 0:57:56but with a time of 14:01:44,
0:57:56 > 0:57:59the top spot went to Siobhan Prise from Aberdeen.
0:58:00 > 0:58:05In an event like the Celtman, every single person is a winner.
0:58:05 > 0:58:10It was beautiful, it was great. It's beyond imagination.
0:58:10 > 0:58:14So that's it from the Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon.
0:58:14 > 0:58:16We'll be back again next month
0:58:16 > 0:58:20when we join over 900 intrepid cyclists for the aptly named
0:58:20 > 0:58:25Three Piece Sportif that takes in three of our ski resorts.
0:58:25 > 0:58:28Until then, thanks for your company, bye for now.
0:58:28 > 0:58:31And, like the competitors, I'm off for a lie down.