Two Breweries Hill Race 2015

Two Breweries Map and Profile

Another year, another Two Breweries Hill Race, although I missed last year’s race – was still licking my wounds from a disastrous run in 2013.

Better prepared this year, I was trying out my Age Related Speed Strategy (ARSS), which meant starting slow, not blowing up on the first hill and seeing how it panned out later in the race. This is a fine theory, but tough in practice when you have streams of runners passing you on the first climb up to Birkscairn. Dancing down the heather to Glensax and then slogging up the ascent back onto Hundleshope, I was wondering if my strategy had been an Age Related Speed Excuse (ARSE) as I was overtaken again by some runners who I had passed on the descent. My retirement from hill running letter was being composed in my head…

Safely through Glenrath, the tide started to turn and the field started coming back to me on the climb up and over Whiteside Hill (horrendous climb up a very steep fire break) and once I got to the road at Stobo, I had regained about half a dozen places. The long  but runnable drag up to Stobohope was littered with runners going backwards and then standing around in disbelief as the ‘badlands’ to the foot of the final climb appeared. This is a notorious pathless bog of waist high reeds – fortunately, a previous recce meant I could play my ARSS ace card, and a cheeky line over to the less steep south ridge of Trahenna gained a further half a dozen or so places and (this is the best bit), a run off the top of the hill without the usual cramp interrupted dramas.

Off the final descent at Ratchill, I did gained one final place as I finally hit ‘race pace’ on the tarmac along the Broughton main street and an unchallenged run to the line for a respectable (for me) sub four hour finish (3:56)

Good runs too from Colin Williams (3:39 ) and Alan Elder (4:36) who took a massive 41mins + off his time from last year...

The usual top hospitality back at the Broughton Village Hall was enjoyed by all, and the mandatory (for me) free pint of Broughton ale to finish off another fine day in the hills.

Regards...

Kenny

Full results here ....
Some good pics on the Carnethy Picasa album also...