Wednesday, 29 July 2009

Haddington Half Marathon (Sat 8th August)

Mick Warrington and Alan Strain are heading through to Haddington on Saturday 8-August. Room in the car if anyone else is interested in going...

Race details here....

Tuesday, 28 July 2009

Calderglen Harriers 10mile Road Race (Sat 12th Sept)

My old club Calderglen Harriers celebrate their 25th Anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, are hosting a 10 mile road race on Saturday 12th September.

The race will be held on the quiet country roads around the village of Auldhouse to the south of East Kilbride.

Although there are the usual individual age category prizes, there is a special Anniversary competition for club teams - ten runners to count, and must include at least 3 ladies.

It would be great if we could get a team of ten Moorfoot Runners to participate - seven weeks to build up your training to ten mile race pace, and perhaps a good 'stepping stone' for the popular Jedburgh Half Marathon in October.

Race is pre-entry only - entry form and further race details at this link...

Entry is only £2, and we should have a number of cars heading through to share lifts and keep travel expenses down.
Early start for a 10:am race start but perhaps an opportunity for a 'pub lunch' on the way home...?

Regards...

Kenny

Monday, 27 July 2009

Upcoming Races - Summer/Autumn 2009

I've compiled a short list of races that a number of Moorfoot Runners are planning to participate in over the next few months, and the dates for your diaries.

Please see online spreadsheet
(Note that this link is permanently available under 'Useful Links' on the lefthand side toolbar under 'Moorfoot Race Calendar')

Let me know if there are other races or key dates that you want to add....
Dates for the Borders XC Series will be added once they are confirmed.

Regards...

Kenny

Moorfoots at Ballater

Rachael and I were running in Aberdeenshire again at the weekend at the Ballater 10.
I came in 2nd in 57:28, just under a minute behind teenage hill running sensation Robbie Simpson. Rachael was 7th lady in 71:52 minutes. The course is underlating and spends a couple of miles on muddy farm tracks / footpaths giving me no chance of getting close to the 56 mins that I was hoping to run.

Cheers...

James & Rachael

Sunday, 26 July 2009

Moorfoots at Musselburgh 10K

Four Moorfoots made the trip to Musselburgh for the 10K on a flat and fast course. The weather was sunny with a slight breeze and the conditions underfoot were good despite heavy rain on the Friday - good times were expected.

Darin (and his now famous blister) was first Moorfoot home in 36' for 16th place in a high quality field. Mike had a wobbly moment in the first few Kms and actually pulled up before deciding to continue on for a lacklustre 37'.

Kenny got his early Km pacing right and drafted in the head wind sections to put in a season's best 38'; Dave was strong through 5Km but faded a bit in the second half but still recorded a good 47' and 4th in the MV60 category.

The post race tea and cakes were first class - worth the entry fee alone - a well organised race on a fast course - worth a look again next year.

Results here..

Some very good pictures here..

Tuesday, 21 July 2009

Musselburgh 10K (Sat 25-July)

A few Moorfoots will be heading through to Musselburgh this Saturday for what I am promised is a flat 10K course. Early start (10:30am) so cars will be leaving before 9:00am...

Race details here...

Moorfoot Victory at Lee Pen Hill Race

Pic - Darren with his trophy, his 'missus' and a selection of Moorfoot 'weans'

About 20 runners took part in the Innerleithen games Lee Pen Hill Race on Saturday on the brutally steep course.

Darin and Mike fought it out for top honours with Darin pulling away on the descent to win by about a minute, and picking up the big trophy and the prize money (for both winner and first local !)

Young Mark ran well finishing in fourth place and Colin picking up the final cash prize in sixth.

The ladies had a cracking race with Julia being pipped on the line (literally) by Alex after a final 50 yard shoulder to shoulder sprint; Carol ran in a few seconds behind. Chris follwed them home shortly afterwards.

Well done to all who took part....and to Jock who marshalled on the summit !

(A wee write up on the Carnethy website here - Darin's mega-blister on his heel even getting a mention...)

Saturday, 18 July 2009

Moorfoots at Tillicoultry Bog and Burn

Johnny and Russell ran in the Maddy Moss race at Tillicoultry last night.

This was no.8 out of 10 in the Bog and Burn series and good value at 3 quid for over an hour's racing.
The first half was brutal, solid climbing with a long steep section up the Law followed by a long gentler section to the top of Ben Cleugh. A down and back up traverse to Andrew Gannel Hill, then downhill all the way to the finish, mostly on a fast but tricky path where balance was everything.

Results should appear soon here: http://www.shr.uk.com/Home.aspx

The last two Bog and Burns are nearer home, both in the Pentlands: Turnhouse (7.15 from Flotterstone Car Park next Wed 17th) and Caerketton (7.30 from Hillend Ski Centre Wed 12th August).

Cheers. Russell

Moorfoots at Moffat Gala Road Race

A big field (over 200 finishers) at the midweek Moffat road race, with a good representation from the Moorfoots.

Mike and Darin in the top ten, Steve close on their heels and the return of Colin Williams with a strong run just over the hour mark for 15Km. Julia took second lady vet and Dave came home just outside 5min/Km pace.

Full results here...

Sunday, 12 July 2009

Moorfoot Postcard from Wiltshire

Travelled to Wiltshire on holiday with the family. As well as visiting those well known prehistoric sites of Stonehenge and Silbury Hill I managed to fit in the Downlander 10 on Sunday 28/06/2009. This was the first year of this 10 mile off-road event held on Marlborough Common and run over the Marlborough Downs. The weather was scorching and temperatures rose to the 80's. Fortunately, the organisers quickly doubled the water stations from 2 to 4 and then cheerfully added that the course was actually 10.2 miles long!
The route was undulating, rather than hilly, although the last mile to the finish was all uphill. From the 180 or so starters, 178 finished. The winner, Darren Jordan (Cheltenham Harriers) completed the course in 1:06:26. I hoped to complete the race in under 90 minutes, but the heat, extra distance and final hill were too much for me and I finished in 1:32:01, 64th place overall.
The route had fantastic scenery, great support from the many marshalls and I'd certainly recommend the race to anyone travelling to the area.

Alan MacDonald

Moorfoots at Kelso Crawlers 10K

**Update** - Moorfoots did win the team prize; Wull picked up first Vet and Julia first Lady Vet - well done all !

Kelso Crawlers is a relatively new club, and having 'piloted' a low key 10K last year, launched their 'new-improved' 10K for the masses, with a route change to host most of the race within the grounds of the Floors Castle Estate. This meant that course was perhaps more 'trail' than 'road', but it did make for a very enjoyable course.

Heavy overnight rain meant that there were a few puddles, but the sun shone and a light breeze kept the muggy conditions bearable for the runners.

The Moorfoots were out in force, with three or four car loads descending on the Poynder Park rugby ground for registration.

There was no team prize, but the Moorfoots did manage to get three runners in the top 10, with James (34:41) pipped for first place by six seconds to local Kelso runner Darrell Hastie.
Wull came home in 36:32 in sixth place and first Vet, and Mike in ninth place in 37:19.

Steve showed continued good form with a 38:52 and Kenny managed another solid 39:28.

New member Andy Cox found the early pace hard but hung on for a very respectable 41:49. Julia, with a half marathon still in her legs from last weekend came home in 43:23.

Dave by his own admission had a bit of an off-day, finding he initial uphill start hard going but dug in deep only just failing to beat the 50min mark (50:05).

A number of 'friends of Moorfoots' also took part in the race, witth some very respectable times recorded, making the high thirties to low forties 10K time band very competitive - looking forward to to you joining the Moorfoot Club chaps !

Provisional results here...

Lee Pen Hill Race (Sat 18th July)

Pic - Lee Pen
The Lee Pen Hill Race is the 'curtain opener' race at the Innerleithen Games on Saturday 18th July. Race starts at 2:00pm (ish) so be around to register from ~1:30pm onwards...

Entry on the day - route is pretty much straight up (say hello to Jock marshalling at the top) and then straight back down....

Why not make an afternoon of it and take in the Innerleithen Games......

Moffat Gala Week Festival of Running (Tues 13th July)

Looking for a post holiday mid week race ?

Moffat Festival of Running is on on Tuesday 14th July at 7.15. It is usually well supported by the Moorfoots ; several Moorfoots from Peebles and Innerleithen planning to go, so contact Mike McGovern if you want to share a lift...

For info it is a 9 mile/15k road/trail race staring and finishing in the main street. The route follow the floor of the valley for @ 3 miles following by a mile long steep incline up the valley side to the main road then its a lung busting 5 mile downhill "sprint" back into the town.

Entry is available on the day.

Moorfoots at Carnethy

Five Moorfoots ran in the short Carnethy midweek hill race last night in cool drizzly conditions. Mark McLeod was top Moorfoot, finishing 11th (and first M18) in 30:15.
Russell Anderson finished 13th in 30:53.
They had been level at the top of Carnethy but Mark proved to be far quicker on the descent. Johnny Hall's experiment in going too fast early on didn't work as well as he had hoped but didn't stop him finishing well inside the top half of the field (27th in 33:31). Andy and Chris McLeod completed the Moorfoot Five with 46th in 38:05 and 59th in 46:40 respectively.
Overall winners were Al Anthony of Ochils and Claire Gordon of Hunters Bog Trotters.

Results here:
http://www.shr.uk.com/RaceResults.aspx?RaceID=RA-0422&RaceYear=2009

Cheers. Russell

Monday, 6 July 2009

BSLT Peebles Duathon - Marshalls Wanted

The Gytes Lesiure Centre are hosting the annual Peebles Duathlon on Sunday 23-August.

The Gytes kindly provide our Beltane 10K race with some staff to support the marshalling, so we would like to reciprocate and provide some Moorfoot Marshalls for their event.

If you can spare on hour or so on the morning of Sunday23-August, please contact Dave Wardman dwardman@hotmail.co.uk

More details on the event here

Sunday, 5 July 2009

Kelso Crawlers 10K (Sunday 12th July)

Just to let you know that the Kelso Crawlers 10K race which is on Sunday 12th July will be taking entries on the day.

Costs are £8 for runners and £6 for members of Scottish Athletics.

Registration is at 9am at Kelso Rugby Club and race starts at 10am.

Map and further details are on www.kelsocrawlers.org.uk
Please ignore all other publicity – this email has the correct information.

Running on the West Highland Way

A bit late (just back from holiday...!), but note future training opportunities for you ultra running fans...

Paul Nichol and Richard Leeson are running from Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven (21 miles) over the West Highland Way route on Saturday 4th July and have a couple of spaces in the car.

It is part of Paul’s training for the Devil ‘O’ the Highlands. Pace will probably no faster than 12 min miles. The only cost will be the share of a taxi from Kinlochleven back to Bridge of Orchy which will be about £9 per head with 4 of us.

We will be leaving Peebles about 7.30 for a 10 o’ clock start. If you are interested email me at pnichol@quista.net.

There are likely to be more training runs over the route in the coming months as Paul and Richard are planning to do the Highland Fling and the West Highland Way races next year. If you are interested in coming along or might be willing to support then let me know.

Thanks Paul.. -- J. Paul Nichol
paul@nicholfamily.plus.com
01721 721131
07920 252528

Training and Race Dates - July09

Phew - June was a busy month with the long summer nights giving lots of mid week race opportunities, with some Moorfoots doing seven or eight races last month...!

July is typically holiday time for most of us, but training and races continue, if in a somewhat sporadic form...

Sun 5-July Peebles (Gytes) 10:00am Long steady run (1hr +)

Tues 7-July Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

Thrs 9-July Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

Sun 12-July- Cardrona (Village Green) 10:00am Long steady run (1hr +)

(Kelso Crawlers 10K 0n Sun 12th so training turnout at Cardrona expected to be minimal)

Tues 14-July 5 Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

(Moffat Running Festival so Tuesday training turnout expcted to be low...)

Thrs 16-July Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

Sun 19-JulyInnerleithen (Hall St) 10:00am Long steady run (1hr +)

(Lee Pen Hill Race on Saturday as part of Innerleithen Games - details to follow...)

Tues 21-July Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

Thrs 23-July Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

Sun 26-July Walkerburn (Bridge) 10:00am Long steady run (1hr +)

Tues 28-July Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

Thrs 30-July Innerleithen (Hall St) 5:30pm Intervals & Speed Work

Moorfoot Victory at Earlston 'Black Hill' Race

A quick update from a short second hand conversation in a car park, but by all accounts, Darin won the Earlston Gala Week Black Hill Race last Tuesday, beating reigning champion Mike McG into third place, after he apparently ran off course (or possible alien abduction...) resulting in about one minute of unexplained time loss.

Send in further details via the 'Comments' if you have any further updates....

Moorfoots at Calderglen 10K Trail Race

Pic - Mike cruising towards the finish line
My old club Calderglen Harriers host an annual trail race, which in numerous previous years I have supported as a marshall and various other behind the scenes roles. So as a Moorfoot this year, I had my first ever opportunity to actually participate in the race.

We managed to round up two or three car loads of Moorfoots and friends and made the drive through to East Kilbride on a hot but overcast evening.

Good running by all on a tight and twisty course (which was never going to produce fast times), secured the men's team prize, and it was good to see a few of the west of Scotland club runners asking around as to who the blokes in the red and blue kit were...

Full report on Calderglen Harriers' blog here...including finishers pictures

Results here

Thanks to all who supported this race - Calderglen were very appreciative of the support and the distance travelled to participate...still working on getting a bus load of Harriers down to our race next year.