Why do we do it: Can we tempt you with cake and shortbread?

There comes a point in amongst all the training and pain and focussing on the end target where you have to stop  and remind yourself that the Highland Cross is all about raising money for great charities in the Highlands. Over the 29 years it has been running so far Highland Cross has gifted over 3.2 million to charities including Highland Hospice, Inverness Hospital Radio, Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre for the Highlands, Crossroads Schemes Highland, Osteoporosis Service in the Highlands, British Red Cross, Chest Heart and Stoke Highland, Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS), Highland Disability Sport and Highland Dyslexia Association to name but a few.

Martin and I grew up in the Highlands and know how much benefit these services provide the local community, and their help has directly impacted our friends and family. So supporting the Highland Cross is a great way for us to give back to those charities and community services... and the fact that Colin, Martin and I can be a wee bit competitive whilst we are at it just adds to the fun!

This year the projects identified to get help from the money raised are 

• The ARCHIE Foundation
• The Glenurquhart Care Project
• Highland Hospice
• The Mulitple Sclerosis (MS) Centre
• Special Needs Action Project (SNAP)

Interestingly - so far our online fundraising isn't going as well as the offline fundraising. I've no idea why this is as normally I find it the other way around, but if you've not done so yet, and you can't see us in person, then do click on the Just Giving link (also at the top right of our blog) and sponsor our efforts with a wee donation. 

For folk who know Colin and I and have easy access to Stirling we are adding a wee bit of an incentive to our sponsorship this year (taking a tip from last year's team member Jo!) and we are opening up a competition. There are two prizes up for grabs for anyone who sponsors us/donates and lets us know they want to enter. Have fun!

1. What time to cross the line? 

Prize: a tray of homebaked shortbread. A tray of Sara's homemade shortbread will be awarded to the closest time guessed on for Sara and Colin. For those who entered the competition to win Jo's Jam last year I am afraid I can't promise anything that clever, however there is nothing quite like homemade shortbread to give you a wee sugar boost so get your guesses in now.

This is harder than you would think as the race is very dependant on the weather conditions. To give you a hint you can see previous times on the Highland Cross page. Sara and Colin are both listed on 2011 results, Sara entered in 2007 and 2008 too.

2. Who will cross the line first? Colin or Sara

Prize: a mountain slice of cake Right answers will be put into a woolly climbing hat and a winner selected at random. 

Colin and Sara did not have a traditional wedding cake, they had a mountain! The cake really was a work of art, and has just as big a flavour to go with its size.  Not sure who is likely to cross the line first? Then check out our training blogs to research the likely winner! 

Colin and Sara will be bringing sponsor forms along to the Ochils Mountaineering Club meets over the next week to gather any entries if anyone feels like coming along, otherwise feel free to get in touch or use Just Giving. Remember every penny towards the charities counts.

Thankyou all for you your continued support, it really does help keep us motivated.