Sunday 29 January 2012

Berwick BXC 2012

Leaden skys over Spittal beach
The annual trip 'o'er the border' to Berwick, this time for leg 6 of the 2011/12 BXC series.
Benign weather conditions this year  - almost no wind, the usual surf, tide well out, not too muddy up on the cliff tops - just the featured heavy sand expected in beach running, and temperatures consistent with late January.

The field was perhaps a bit down on previous legs (145 finishers), and the Moorfoot contingent was very 'select'.

First home was Kenny (you won't find that sentence elsewhere on the blogger...) with a steady run (29:44) and the satisfaction of picking up places on the return leg after the turn.
Russell was not too far behind (30:26) with Alan Strain (42:44) and Debbie Hardy (42:47) battling it out in the final yards to bring home the team.

Provisional results here..

Final leg at Kelso (hosted by Norham RC) on 19-Feb

Sunday 22 January 2012

BowHill Enduro Duathlon (25-Aug)

Here's a slightly unusual 'local' event, that might appeal to some Moorfoots....

...the Bowhill Enduro Duathlon.

Those familiar with the Durty Triathlon Series, will know organiser Paul McGreal who is the master mind behind this new event at Bowhill near Selkirk.

More details below, but essentially...

"MTB 'Enduro' Style - Race as a Solo, or bring your mates to share the load and race as a Pair or Quad. Crack as many complete laps as you can in 8 hours. One of the team is racing at any one time. A lap is 1 x Run + 1 x Bike. All we ask is that each team member completes at least one run and one bike.."

http://www.tri-enduro.com/bowhill-duathlon-enduro.html

BXC Norham 19-Feb-2010 - venue change

The final leg of this years BXC series is hosted by the Norham club, but will be run at Kelso in the grounds of Floors Castle. The series prize giving will be in the nearby Kelso Rugby Club.

More details on the BXC blogger...

http://www.bordersxc.com/2012/01/next-two-legs.html

Devil's Burdens 2012

Three Moorfoot teams were entered in  this years Devil's Burdens Hill Relay Race, hosted by Fife AC in the Lomand Hills near Falkland. This year's Moorfoot master strategy was a mix of Male, Female and Male Vets teams, so plenty of inter-Moorfoot rivalry interest as well as taking on the other 160+ teams from all over the country.

Colin storming down the final descent of Leg1
Male Team (aka 'Moorfoots - Pride of the Borders')
A storming first leg (40:42) by in-form Colin and guest runner Paul before the hand over to second leg runner Eddie who put in a solid 32:55 (although it was commented that Deeside runner Robbie Simpson jogging past on his Leg2 days best 23:45 .."made me feel like I was running backwards...")
James and Mike Reid broke the hour over leg 3, before Moorfoot stalwart Wull anchored the team home on Leg4.

15th place, total time 2:43:11
Fi 'work those arms girl !' on Leg4


Female Team (aka Moorfoot Ladies)
Julia and Rachael made light work of the first leg (51:21) handing over to the in form Sarah who blasted out a second leg 29:58 (taking back about six minutes gained on leg 1 from the Moorfoot Male Vets !!). Ruth and Scout tackled the long and challenging 3rd leg (joined by Sarah who kept on running after leg 2!!) and ground out a very strong sub 70min (?) run, only 5 mins or so behind Darin and Mike. Fi Williams completed the final leg in ~36mins.

43rd place, total time 3:06:12 (5th Female Team)



Tom 'Terminator' Hobbs on Leg4
Vets Team (aka Moorfoot Male Vets)
Russell dragged Kenny over East Lomond in 45:36, before handing over to Johnny 'sick bed' Hall, who despite recent unwellness managed to hold off (just!) the fast finishing Sarah to complete leg2 in 35:40. Darin and MikeMcGovern handled the tough 3rd leg in just over the hour (the time sheets for legs 3 and 4 have been 'mislaid' so no offical splits for these legs yet) before the home run from Tom.

24th place, total time 2:51:54 (5th MV40)

So well done again all participating Moorfoots (and friends) - great that a relatively small club such as ours can turn our three full teams, and be competative in what is one of the largest hill running events in the calendar.




Provisional Results here..

Photos on Fife AC bulletin board here...

Sunday 15 January 2012

Moorfoots on Birkscairn 15-Jan-2012


The Birkscairn Six (inc shadow of photographer Russell Anderson)
 A cracking run today up through Cardrona Forest onto Birkscairn Hill and back again - 'ground as hard as iron, water like a stone' and all that.....and barely above freezing all day. A wee detour at the end to have a cup of tea and a quick tour of Ian Nimmo's new 'grand design' up on the hill - the views from every room are stunning, especially on a day like today....

Sunday 8 January 2012

Moorfoot Sunday Run - 15-Jan - Cardrona

With the Devil's Burdens Relays only a couple of weeks away, a long steady training run has been arranged for Sunday 15-Jan.

Meet at Cardrona Village Hall to start running at 10:00am.

Route to be finalised but will take in the trails around Cardrona forest and possibly up to Birkscairn Hill - probably about 90 mins worth of running.

All welcome- see you there....

Moorfoots at Paxton 2012

Mike Pearson in action at Paxton
The first BXC series event of 2012, and fifth in this season's series took place at Paxton, deep down in the Borders only a stone's throw from Berwick.
The weather was again mild and the rain stayed away - the course, modified from last year, took in a couple of fields and a lovely riverside path and woodland section; largely fast and flat but with a couple of short-sharp bankings to ascend and enough mud (and cow slurry) to keep the 'hard core XC'ers satisfied.

Mike Reid got back to winning ways with another fine win (20:02), which makes for an interesting finish to the series at Berwick and Norham.
Colin Williams' 22:06 (13th) was another fine performance in what has been a good series for him so far.

Kenny (23:56 45th ('off the pace today !!), Russell (24:17 49th '(ran Callander Crags race on Saturday') and Ian Munro (24:36 56th) were bunched together mid pack, with Brian Hood further back breaking the 30min barrier (29:28 122nd)

Alan Strain made a return in Moorfoot colours (33:23 139th) ahead of Debbie (34:10 142nd).

Mike Pearson (37:23 154th) took back the bragging rights from Ian Nimmo (37:56 157th) in their latest BXC 'dog-fight'.

With 160 seniors and 100+ juniors participating, the series proves as popular as ever.

Next BXC series event is at Berwick (Spittal Beach) on Sunday 29-Jan, before the series finale hosted by Norham (and possibly to be held at Floors Castle grounds in Kelso !!!)
Full results here...

Thursday 5 January 2012

Moorfoots at Greenmantle Dash 2012

'Snow -free' this year for the the local new season's  Hill Race opener at Broughton...

Four hardy Moorfoots in the mad dash over burn and bog before the short but very sharp ascent and descent of the steep slopes at Ratchill.

No results published as yet (I read something about numbers being written with pen on hands, so they may never appear in print...), but well done to Mike Reid, Eddie, Russell and Julia who I spotted in the photos - apologies if I missed anyone...

Carnethy5 2012 - Online Entry

Countdown to this year's Carnethy5 Hill Race on Saturday 11-February - a popular one so get yourself organised if you are planning to run this year.

Entries will open here on Monday 9th January 2012 at 5pm (entry list here). We expect the race to be full within 1-2 hours.

More details on Carnethy website

Monday 2 January 2012

Moorfoots at Portobello Promathon 2012

Mike sporting the 'mask of pain' in the final yards
pic courtesy of RoadRunPics
The first race of the new year and a record 384 finishers in  relatively mild but breezy conditions.
Three senior Moorfoots stretched their legs with the 'city fast boys' in what is a good benchmark of early season fitness over this flat and fast 4 miler.

Darin was first Moorfoot home in a scorching 21:43 for 12th (a Promathon PB ! 5:20 min.miling !!); Mike McGovern opened his new year account with a 23:04 (34th) -  a bit below par against his usual promathon benchmark.
Kenny was pleased with his 24:11 (51st) - some six seconds faster than last year and ten places gained in the second half of the race after the turn.

Results here...

Some great pictures at RoadRunPics