The Moorfoot Festive Handicap will be at Innerleithen on Saturday 16 December, starts 10.00am for the younger juniors and that isalso be the start time for first off on the handicap course that the seniors and older juniors will do - last off about 10.30am.
The aim is a bit of fun and to make some space for Christmas indulgence! Refreshments provided to club members - a hot/cold drink and a tray bake - from the Innerleithen Golf Course 19th Hole cafe.
Start will be about 300m up the forest track from the Innerleithen Golf Course, which is about 1 mile north of Innerleithen High Street on Leithen Road / the B709, postcode EH44 6NJ.
There is no parking at the golf club as there is a golf event on so we are asking runners and supporters to park away and travel the last bit on foot. There is space for parking on Leithen Road before you leave the town, and there is aslo space for about 8 cars at the cauld (weir) about 500m south of the golf club although this is often well used by MTBers, and there is space for about 10 cars in the layby in an old quarry about 1km north of the golf club about 200m passed the cattle grid and round the bend, as well as other places in the town.
Of course the Tweed valley bike path is an excellent link for those cycling and minimising their carbon footprint!
The great news is that the café in Golf Club house the '19th Hole' https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090116150020/, will be open and serving. Hot drinks and breakfast rolls will be on sale from 9.30am. The Moorfoot club has arranged to cover the cost of runners basic refreshments afterwards, a tray bake each and juice for juniors and tea/coffee for seniors. Of course there is more available but you will need to cover the cost if you want more. Toilets are also available in the club house. There are outdoor seats too.
Please let me know if you are thinking of attending colin.m.williams@talk21.com. Also I could do with a marshal or two if you are not up for a run, but can get by without as I will mark the route.
Be aware if serious winter conditions occur then we may have to cancel but I will communicate that via email/facebook although the long range forecast suggests it will be OK.
Report from last year can be found here: http://moorfootrunners.blogspot.com/2022/12/innerleithen-festive-handicap-2022.html
Event details
Senior and older Juniors Handicap Run
The handicap is runners aged 14 +
Over half the course is on the hard forest tracks, but there are sections of soft, muddy and uneven paths so shoes with proper grip are essential. Be prepared for getting wet feet.
The course is 4.5 mile / 7.3km with 1000ft / 300m climb, almost all in the first 2 miles (one of those ‘surely it can't get steeper’ climbs which then does!) shown here: https://www.strava.com/activities/4424773132
The course will be marked with tape and/or arrowed.
The first runner will be off on or around 10:00am, and last
off c. 10:30am depending on the handicapping, which will be based on runners
current 10km ‘race pace’. I will use the results from last year to set
the handicaps for those coming but if you didn’t do that one
please let me know your current 10km time and I will estimate.
If you plan to attend, or even thinking about it please email me at the address above.
Junior trail run
All the juniors will start together at 10am so think about arriving from 9.30am
The course is approx. 2.2 mile/ 3.5km, 330 feet/ 100m ascent runs will be a straight forward out and back trail run on hard forest tracks, with a short loop on the fort shown here https://www.strava.com/routes/3161040426349017120 . The rou will have marshals on them so no one will get lost (we hope).
Anyone interested please let Ross Grieve and me know on the email above.
