Borders XC Leg 3 Peebles

On a morning when most in Peebles had battened down the hatches, thrown another log on the fire and popped the Sunday roast in to the oven, an eager (some would argue, insane) group  of runners milled around the start line for the Peebles leg of the Border XC series in Haylodge Park. It was a toss-up at one point, whether the tree at the start line would uproot first or whether the rugby posts would be bent to resemble conjoined boomerangs.

With the wind chill and the driving hail, the temperature howled around -5 but an undeterred, vest-clad band of juniors charged off through the storm on their two lap slog through the glaur.

First four back were Gala Harriers with Jamie Logan coming in on 8.25. Euan Hood home in 5th just 7 seconds off the front with Ethan Elder, 4 seconds behind Euan. Moorfoot’s Mairi Wallace - the first girl back in 9.03. 

Full results

Toories off to, Elena and Christina McGorum,  Craig Angus, Corran and Emily Carrick-Anderson, Mairi Wallace, James and Charlotte Clare, Ethan Elder, Patrick Cannon, Molly Falconer, Finlay and Madeline Collins, David Cathcart, Eilidh Mooney, Megan Hobbs, Esme Minto, Angus Carlyle and Fiona Grant for not only staying upright at the start line but for making it around without ending up pinned against Peebles Health Centre. Nineteen runners - a great effort from the juniors. Good category finishes from Mairi Wallace first F14-15 - Ailsa Innes second, Ethan Elder first M12-13 and Charlotte Clare first F12-13 - Elena McGorum second.

The adult race was run in the squelchiest of Baltic conditions, marker tape whizzing in the wind-driven hail, whistling from the west, down Haylodge. Colin and Kobe were somewhere up front and I plodded on, mid-pack. Much of it was a trudge through deep mud, shallow mud and mud of a middling variety. And, just to mix things up a little, numerous pools of earthy soup were to be forded and slippery rocks to be misjudged.

courtesy of Danielle Buchanan

Kobe had a great run again and came in 5^th (worth noting that there were 3 MJs in the first 5) with Thomas Otton back in 27.01. Rachel Haines (HBT) first lady back in 30.30. Colin remarked, in certain terms, that he didn't have a good run. Not sure how much Niamh enjoyed the conditions but she came in first FJ. On one hand, I was pleased with my own run, having taken five and half minutes off my time from 2013, when the route was very similar - on the other, there is always that post- race post-mortem – it’s easy to feel you could have run faster!

Around the funnel, there was really positive buzz (people do love to charge around partially dressed through glabberous lakes of mud in a freezing hail storm) I noted many smiling faces and Colin reports hearing a lot of positive feedback. A great effort from course puter-uppers to course taker-downers, sweepers, storm-swept marshals, chilled timekeepers, horse box caterers and results posters.

Full results

Xmas night out - SUN 6th DEC

We are planning a club social evening on SUN 6th DEC.
Plan is to meet at the County Inn at 6:30pm followed by a meal at FRANCO's for 7:30pm.

This is open to all adult club members (partners welcome as well!!)

To book a big enough table with Franco's could anyone interested please complete the DOODLE POLL below;

http://doodle.com/poll/kb3kn7z9g5yukrte

thanks

Juniors Go Well for Team Borders at Alloa

Borders U15/U17 Girls - Fiona (far left), Mairi (4th right) and Beth (3rd right)

Lornshill Academy in Alloa was the venue for the second race in the East District Cross-Country League on Saturday and whilst the Hibees enjoyed the relative comfort of the artificial turf at the nearby Recreation Park, the runners had to slog their way through sometimes ankle deep mud on the tough hilly course.

It was a day of solid rather than spectacular team performances with numerous crucial absentees costing the team some potentially high spots. But more than half the counting Borders runners in the team races were Moorfoots.

Proceedings got underway, and were not bettered thereafter, with a storming individual 2^nd place for Esme Minto in the U11 Girls race and 2^nd team spot.

Relative newcomer Esme was home in 7minutes 21 seconds for the 1.6km course with clubmates Holly Hobbs 9^th in 7.44 and Madeline Collins close behind in 12^th in 7.48. The Moorfoot trio placed Team Borders  2^nd on the day, five points adrift of Central but the girls lead their league going into the third and final race in January by fourteen points ahead of Fife, with Central a further eight points back in third. Chtristina McGorum battled well for 22nd of the 70 runners in 8.10.

The U11 Boys raced the same course and the biggest age-group field of the day saw Patrick Cannon lead the team home in 18^th of the seventy nine runners in 7.15.  Angus Carlyle was the third team counter in 27^th in 7.33. 

The U13 Girls raced over  2.7km and it was another Moorfoot duo who led the team points, with Eilidh Mooney 21^st in 13.30 and Megan Hobbs 30^th in 14.07. 

The U13 Boys was probably the team most affected by absentees with any one of three missing Borders runners easily capable of providing enough points to place the team top of the leader board. Ethan Elder had a strong run for 3^rd in 11.28.

Seventy one U17 and U15 Girls raced together over 3.7km including as many as nine in the Team Borders vest. Suited by the hilly course, Mairi Wallace had an excellent run to finish 10^th overall and 4^th U15 in 16.39 and Beth Hobbs completed the team points in 14^th (7^th U15) in 17.10. That placed the girls 5^th on 35 points in a tightly fought combined age-group  but all three team counters are still U15 and they were unofficially runaway winners in the younger age-group. Fiona Grant was 30th in 18.24.

Over the same course Craig Angus just missed out in a three way sprint for the line and finished 28^th in the U15 Boys race in 16.08.

Kobe Stevens and Lucas Cheskin endured the 8.2km of the Senior/U20 race with Kobe home in 24th (5th U20) in a massive field of 303 finishers and Lucas 60th in 36.53.

Helpers still required for Peebles XC race on SUN 29th NOV

As host club, we require to provide the starters, time keepers and marshals for the race, so we are looking for some volunteers to spare a couple of hours on the Sunday at Hay Lodge Park.

• 0900 Advance party marking out the park and checking course marking (set out previously on Sat PM)
• 1100 Marshals and helpers meet at start area North of Fotheringham Bridge for marshals briefing and allocation of marshalling locations
• 1130 Junior race starts - should be finished by ~1150; marshals make their way to their locations
• 1200 Senior race starts - last runner normally in by ~1250; marshals bring in course markings back to finish
• 1300 Should be finished and you are relieved of your duties

Please let Head Marshal Eddie Balfour know if you are available to help between 1100 and 1300 by emailing e.balfour@jamesjones.co.uk

 

If we get enough helpers in advance, we can pre-allocate duties and marshalling locations which makes things easier for everyone on the day.

 

As ever, if you are planning to run as a Moorfoot club member, please can you provide substitute marshal/helper to assist with the host club duties.

Border XC Leg 2 Dunbar

Dunbar-by-the-sea turned out a reasonably balmy eleven degrees compared to the preceding sleet-provoking dreichness that was Saturday night. 11 degrees still being warm enough for the average Scot to don a vest and shorts, down on Dunbar sands, the juniors gathered and were set off like a horde of whippets. A slight wind in the face didn't dampen the determined juniors and soon they were heading to the lighthouse for the return section. Just under 15 minutes of tiring sand, fording giant puddles and a series of narrow twisting paths, The first male junior (Max Hastings, Lauder, 16-17 category) returned in 14.55. First girl home, (Emma Johnson, EAC) put in a great run and returned just over one and a half minutes after - not bad for 10-11 age group!


Courtesy of Borders XC website


First Moorfoot back was Ethan Elder in 6th place and first in the boys 12-13. Corran Carrick-Anderson racing home for 4th in the 12-13 category. Good run too by Elena McGorum coming in first in her 12-13 girl's category. Emily Carrick-Anderson and Christina McGorum putting in a great effort and coming home in 4th and 7th, respectively, in the girl's 10-11 category.

The start of the adult's race was taken back to the rocks at the southern end of the beach. This made it seem even longer than usual! (in fact - looking at last year's and this, particularly the junior times, these look around one and a half to two minutes slower than last year's times for the event) 

Moorfoots in attendance were . Alan Elder, Niamh Shaw and Kobe Stevens  - Niamh and Kobe running for the first time in the adult category here. Well...who could tell... Kobe - a highly commendable 3rd overall - was first MJ and Niamh was first FJ. Alan managed to retain his 20th in 50+ title - exactly as Lauder two weeks ago! Can he make it 19th in Peebles on 29th?

First runner back was Donald Macaulay, CAAC, in a blistering 25.25 - 55 seconds in front of second placed Michael Reid. First lady was Rachel Haines of HBT in 28.46.

Full junior Jan 15 results
Full junior Nov 15 results
Full senior Nov 15 results

Before the adult's race, a minute's silence was held in respect for the victims of the recent atrocities in Paris.

Tinto 2015

Not far from the summit - tricky descending on wet snow
 

Another year and another slog up Tinto - my strategy of trying to keep running (slowly) for as much of the climb as possible was blown apart when I was passed by a couple from Annan & District AC casually walking and chatting away together. The apocalyptic weather forecast never appeared and conditions were fairly calm on the top - just some wet snow to contend with.  I was the only Moorfoot in the senior race so can claim top (and bottom) spot I guess. Given the conditions I was quite happy with my time of 43;10.

Eilidh Mooney braved the mud and ran in the junior race (Tinto Tiptoe) with a time of 9:50.

Tinto Tiptoe results

Full results senior race

Feel the Burns Hill Race 2016

FYI - Winter Club Championship counter - hope you got your postal entries in on time...if not, please contact Sheila (details below)

Hi Everyone,

Just to let you know entries for “feel the Burns” race 2016 are now CLOSED!

We have to cap entries as close to 200 so that we can provide a hot meal and

keep a high standard!

We do hold a reserve list and if you would like to be added to it, then please email

me on cochrane68@sky.com

kind regards

sheila

Juniors shine in the sunshine at Lasswade XC

Mairi, Beth and Charlotte U15G winners

Esme, Holly, Madeline, Emily and Christina U11G winners 

Frey, Patrick, David, James and Angus U11B winners

Benign conditions on as beautiful an autumnal day as you could possibly hope for saw some sparkling performances from the Moorfoot Runners who headed north across the moor to Gorebridge on Sunday for the annual Lasswade Cross-Country races. It was a day of good team packing, demonstrating good strength in depth, rather than individual glory.

The Under 11 girls raced over 1600m and a very strong run from Emily Carrick-Anderson in 6^th in 6m30s led the team home with Madeline Collins and Esme Minto the next two home in 7^th and 8^th in 6.41 and 6.42 That gave the Moorfoot counting team a total of 21 points, enough to secure the team win 13 points clear of Giffnock North with Edinburgh further back in third. Christina McGorum and Holly Hobbs provided good back up, finishing 12^th and 18^th.

The Under 11 boys were similarly strong handed with five runners and it was David Cathcart who was first of the team home in 9^th in 6.16 with the fast finishing Patrick Collins just behind in 10^th in 6.18. With James Clare recorded as 14^th in 6.21 it looked like the boys were in the mix for the team prize but a faller just over the line and the consequential  stramash in the finish funnel had caused some confusion with the recording of the finishing order with James seemingly missing out on a few places. After an anxious wait while enquiries took place it was indeed the Moorfoot boys who came out first team with 33 points to top the podium, nine points clear of Cumbernauld. There were good runs too from Angus Carlyle 15^th in the same time as James and Frey MacIver 24^th in 6.31.

It was twice the distance for the U13 girls whose 3.2km race is one of the longest on the calendar for them. Elena McGorum ran well for 7^th in 13.01 with Charlotte Morrison and Eilidh Mooney shoulder to shoulder most of the way for 15^th and 16^th. That gave the girls 38 points which secured team silver behind clear winners Airdrie Harriers. Megan Hobbs, still in this age-group next year, ran well for 22^nd and Molly Willmott from the Selkirk branch kept on well for 31^st.

The U13 Boys also took team silver, agonisingly only one point behind Pitreavie. Ethan Elder led the team home in 5^th in 12.04 with Michael Girdler a strong finishing 6^th in 12.08 and Corran Carrick-Anderson the third counter in 8^th in 12.22.

The U15 Girls raced over the same 3.2km course and Mairi Wallace went toe to toe with the host club’s Sarah Tait over the first lap before Sarah opened up a gap. Mairi kept on strongly only to be outsprinted for 2^nd in the final 50m finishing in 12.40. Beth Hobbs was just ten seconds behind in 4^th, winning the sprint for the line (a first?!!!) and Charlotte Clare had a strong second lap to come home a clear 6^th in 13.02. That meant a convincing team win for the Moorfoot girls ahead of the host club and Law&District.

Whilst that was the end of the medal exploits it is worth noting that that had Euan Hood, who finished 4th, opted to run cross-country for Moorfoot instead of his track and field club Lasswade, the U15 Boys also would have won with Craig Angus and Finlay Collins both having excellent runs for 6^th and 7^th over their 4.8km course.

U13 Silver Girls - Eilidh, Charlotte, Elena and Megan

U13 Silver Boys - Ethan, Corran (Michael got lost!)

Lauder XC Sunday 1 Nov

Sunday saw the first of Borders XC series in Lauder on a beautiful and surprisingly warm November's day. There was a big turnout of 223 and a few Moorfoots we in action. It was won by ex-Moorfoot Mike Reid running for Carnethy in 25.35 for the 4.2 mile course.
First Moorfoot home was Kobe Stevens in 28.09 first Junior in 16th position. followed by:
20th Colin Williams (4th M40) 28.57
84th Russell Anderson (13th M50) 33.36.
103rd Alan Elder (20th M50) 34.54
110th Ian Munro (21st M50) 35.28
221st Mike Pearson (2nd M70) 56.04 - narrowly ahead of Moorfoot and 1st M70 Ian Nimmo running for his first claim club Carnethy who finished in 55.59.
Full results here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_v7jL-bgbqY2YyQ2podk5vejA/view
Good to see Russell in action after a long lay off with injury.

Alan, Russell, Colin and Kobe by the cake stall after the finish

Scottish Athletics Award for Jacob

Congrats to Jacob Adkin who has followed in big sis Scout's footsteps by being presented with the Eddie Campbell Memorial Medal at the Scottish Athletics Awards Dinner last night. The medal is for consistent and outstanding achievement in junior hill running. Jacob is 4 from 4 Under-20 selections for GB in the last two years' European and World Championships, contributing to team medals in three of the four, and finishing 6th and 8th respectively in this year's events. He has also won the Scottish U20 Championship for the last two years. Sadly, he didn't don the kilt. If only his sprint finish was as sharp as his suit! (With Hugh Buchanan, Hill Running Convener.)