Tuesday 30 August 2011

Weekend Round Up - 27/28 August

Wull and Mike McG were running at Hawick at the Teviotdale 10K road race - Wull putting in a 'vintage' performance for a good second place (35') behind HBT's Steve Cairns; Mike, still struggling a bit with a chest infection, managed 10th (37').

In the hills, Julia was at the Ochils 2000 recording a 5th place (3hrs:44mins) amongst the ladies over this long and testing route.

In the same neck of the woods, Scout was particapting in the Junior Home International Trials at Menstie, being pipped for top spot by a mere 10 secs over the U19 Girls 5.2Km course.

Thursday 25 August 2011

Portobello Hill Race - Sunday 4-September

Um...yes, really - a hill race from Portobello -  up Aurthur's Seat in Edinburgh (and back again....)

More details here....

As part of the Portobello Village Show. Portobello Running Club were asked to put on some races within the local park. These vary from 100m to 1 mile and are open to everyone. We've also bolted on a 4.4m hill run from Porty up to the summit of Arthurs seat and back down.


http://connect.garmin.com/activity/107649644

The route is very straight, from the park, over Harry Lauder Road via the pedestrian bridge, then up through Figgate Park. We'll marshall the crossing of Willowbrae Road, as it's a bit 'seven hills-esque' as Bruce Smith remarked, then your onto a Parsons Green park below Dunsappie Hill. Either over or round this and up to the summit, then return. It could be quite an interesting fast route as the 214m climb is gradual, and I reckon 75% is in parkland, with only very short road sections.

Due to the short timescale this year's run won't be an 'official' race in terms of the SHR calendar, but we will record all the times and publish these on our website. There will also be 'portobello related' prizes on the go. There is no cost for entry, (but we're taking (non-obligatory) donations for a local charity - Richmonds hope) so just pick up a number at our stall within the park.

As it's not advertised, we've no idea of the numbers, so please feel free to pass this on to anyone who you think may be interested. The village show is quite a family event, and had about 500 at it last year, with food and wine stalls etc and was surprisingly good. The show runs from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday 04 September at Rosefield Park. Races from 3pm, and the hill race at 3.45pm.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Moorfoot Handicap Race - Sunday 27th November

It's a while since we did a Moorfoot Handicap Race, so here's a placeholder date for your diaries.

Venue will be Cademuir Hill in Peebles, a 10:00am start - nice wee figure of eight course taking it part sof the John Buchan way, some other sheep tracks and the obligatory 'big hill'.
Full senior course and a junior (shortened but still challenging) route also....

Seems a long way away..?
Yes, but a lot of Autumn races - hill, road and XC - to fit in between now and then...

More details to follow.....

Monday 22 August 2011

New Penchrise Hill Race (near Hawick) 16-Sept-11

Info on a new hill race near Hawick hosed by Teviotdale Harrier Keith Murray - More details here...

Sunday 21 August 2011

Moorfoots at Peebles Duathlon 2011

Single Moorfoot (Kenny) participating this year; in fact something of a lack of local participants - the event being a bit on the pricey side - but still a relatively good field of 65 starters.

The format is a 5Km run (Three Bridges circuit in reverse), a 20Km cycle (to Howford Farm and back) and then another 5Km run (Three Bridges circuit in reverse again).

A good first run 18:40 (don't get carried away, still a long way to go...), somewhat outgunned in the cycle by lots of aero-barred, carbon jobbies and pointy helmets, but managed to hang on to a bunch and then put in a 'Contador' type attack on the uphill from Kirkburn to get back in the game (37:43 including the two transitions) before a calf cramping shuffle second run - half a lap before I could run properly after the bike exertions  - and started working my way through other walking wounded to the finish (20:20) for an overall 17th place (17 of 65) in 1hr 16mins....

...almost exactly the same time as two years ago - two years older but still maintaining my levels of mediocrity.

Full results to follow here...

Monday 15 August 2011

Moorfoots at the Two Inns Race (Glencoe)

Roving runner Mike Reid reports from Glencoe...

Finally managed to sort myself to be free so headed for this long classic.
http://www.hillrunningscotland.co.uk/hill-running/two-inns-race/

My report should stress I took the 'long' part very seriously and ensured I spent an excessive amount of time to complete the race. Would love to claim this was part of maximising the day.

Excellent race and one I would recommend if you like few paths, real bog for miles on end, sharp non runnable ascents and steep knee jarring descents, just over 16miles and more than 5000ft of climb.

Safe to say I found this very tough and was not helped by losing sight in the mist of the lead pack near checkpoint 3 and then spending the next 1.5hrs trying to find out exactly where I was with a Lochaber runner in tow. He however despite being local had no area knowledge and as I discovered had little understanding of navigation. However we muddled on eventually dropping down off the ridge, to get out of the mist to find out where we were, to then reclimb back to last checkpoint.

Rest of race I therefore paid more attention to the map and slowly reeled in back markers. Think I finished about mid table position but hours behind Al Anthony who won by 2mins from Andy Fallas. (Worth saying they followed a Lochaber local that knew the route and then left him behind on the last climb.)

Julia also ran and finished but I think had similar navigation issues as myself but great effort to complete what has to be the hardest race I have done to date.

Regards...

Mike R

Weekend Round Up - w/e 14-Aug

Lots of Moorfoots in action this weekend....

Morebattle Border Games Hill Race - Darin taking a 2nd place over the 3.9 mile course, round about a minute down on the winner; Brian Hood making a return to the hill racing scene and getting his legs ready for some Autumn hill action (Two Breweries ?)
Special mention to young Moorfoot Findlay Collins who completed to full course in just over and hour for 4th place in the Junior category.

Two Inns Race Glencoe - Julia was on her travels, taking in another Scottish Hill Racing Long Classic, the 15 miles Two Inns Race - results and report to follow...

Philliphaugh Three Brethren Hill Race - a new course this year making up a full 7 mile circuit which started and finished at Corby Linn near the rugby club and taking in the iconic Three Brethren cairns on the Southern Upland Way. Last years 4 mile loop was another option, but positioned more of as a family fun run.

170 starters in the two races - on the 7 miler, Darin (47:43) bagged another 2nd place in consecutive days, not far behind Gala's Fergus Johnston (47:22), who appeared to lead from start to finish. Wull was 7th (49:22), Colin not far behind in 51:03 (11th), Mike McG still struggling with a summer cold a few places further back (53:25) and Kenny hot on his heels in 54:09 (pleased with that !!).
Full results here...

Well done too to Hilary, Rian and Joe in the four miler.

A great wee race - soft from the recent rain, but pretty much runnable all the way - very well marshalled and  excellent pre and post race facilities at the Selkirk Rugby Club.

Some photos from local photograher Grant Kinghorn here...

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Philliphaugh (Selkirk) Hill Race - Sunday 14-Aug

All the details here...

Parking / Changing facilities and toilets will be available at Selkirk Rugby Club.


Registration will be at Selkirk Rugby Club and open from 9.30am until 10.45am.

The Start and Finish will be at 11.00am from the bottom of the Corby Lynn (approx 0.5 miles from Rugby Club)

Prize Giving will be back at the Rugby Club (approx 12.30pm)

Refreshments/Food will be available at the Rugby Club

World Champs Selection for Sarah

Good recent form has secured Sarah MacCormack pre-selection for Ireland for the World Mountain Running Championships in Albania on 11 September. Sarah was top Irish finisher at the uphill only European Championships earlier this summer. She justified her World Championship selection ahead of the Irish Trial race by smashing Christina Rankin’s women’s course record at the recent Turnhouse Hill Race by one and a half minutes and then reducing her 5000m track personal best by a whopping 44 seconds to 16.49 at the Glasgow Miler meeting at Scotstoun last Friday.


Gregor Nicholson