Moorfoot Dilemma for 2017

So what's it to be for 2017? No, not your New Year resolution or training/racing goals. You want to do your bit for the club and promote the Moorfoot red and blue when out training, racing, or even standing on the sidelines. So per the post below you've got (or even won) your trendsetting alternate red and blue Moorfoot socks. But which colour on which foot?
Should the socks maintain the alternating sequence of red and blue per the club vest, so red on the left foot and blue on the right foot?
But what if you wear the old red and blue halved club shorts (still available apparently in XXL which I am working hard towards!)?
Or like me, due to the onset of early stages of senility, should you go Red on the Right and bLue on the Left?
Either way you will still look like an eejit, but if we agree which on which, at least we'd all be consistent eejits.
Happy New Year!

Boxing Day H'cap Results

Well done all those who braved the weather for the handicap fun run to Glentress. Results below: Congratulations to Eilidh for the win and her prizes of Moorfoot Awards Winner water bottle and "made for sharing" chocs (which she did); Danny for 2nd and the now traditional tin of hot dog sausages: and Euan for 3rd and the best looking satsuma from the Nicholson fruit bowl. Also as fastest scratch runner Euan was awarded a pair of trendsetting Moorfoot socks seen here.

NB these are NOT Euan's hairy knees!

MOORFOOT BOXING DAY HANDICAP 2016 Place Name H'cap Time Scratch Time Scratch Place 1 Eilidh Mooney 3.40 17.38 13.58 4 2 Danny Lancaster 3.20 17.42 14.22 6 3 Euan Hood 6.00 17.49 11.49 1 4 Ben Allan 4.00 17.59 13.59 5 5 Cammie Carlyle 2.30 18.00 15.30 8 6 Holly Hobbs 2.40 18.01 15.21 7 7 Ava Mooney 0.00 18.01 18.01 11 8 Kobe Stevens 6.30 18.30 12.00 2 9 Ethan Elder 6.10 18.31 12.21 3 10 Megan Hobbs 2.50 18.50 16.00 10 11 Angus Carlyle 3.40 19.23 15.43 9

Moorfoots at the Mast 2016

At the mast...

 A bit wild and wintry this morning for the traditional Moorfoot run to the mast, but actually relatively sheltered in the glen and in the trees, and the snow was never really very deep.

Good turn out again, picking up a few stragglers en route, before returning to the Peel café to meet up with the juniors and friends and family.

Getting out of the wind at the mast...

Blasting downhill....

Start the New Year on a high. Windlestraw Law run - highest point in the Moorfoots. Innerleithen, Tues 3rd Jan

I (Colin) am organising a Moorfoot club  run up Windlestraw Law, which at 659m is the highest point in the Moorfoot Hill so seems a fitting run for the new year. If you would like to come please meet at 9.30am in Innerleithen at the Cuddy Bridge next to my house at Burnside, 52 Leithen Road EH44 6HY here. We can have hot drinks and snacks at my house after the run.

The route will more or less take the route as shown here:

Distance 18.75km / 11.75 miles. Ascent 794m (Profile)
Run time c. 2hrs + http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/borders/windlestraw-law.shtml 

Please note that this is a challenging mountain run and especially so if the weather is bad it can be extremely cold and windy on the summit plateau. It's boggy in parts too so it is a tough run. I do know the route well and have been up there in almost all conditions so don't want to put you off but I just want to let people know what is realistically in store.

Please let me know if you want to come
colin.m.williams@talk21.com

Moorfoots claim national indoor rowing medals (via Carnethy)

Mike Pearson missed his usual M70 duel with Ian Nimmo at the latest round of the Borders XC as Ian and Anne Nimmo were busy winning national titles and medals at the British Indoor Rowing Champs. Ian and Anne live at Cardrona and their first claim club is Carnethy Hill Runners, with the Moorfoots being their second claim club. Well done Ian and Anne!!

I've copied the following from the Carnethy website:

Carnethy HRC = Carnethy Hardy Rowers Club? I think not. Even so, three Club members (all of them Nimmos, two of them complete novices) turned up last Saturday at the Lee Valley VeloPark (venue for the track cycling at the London Olympics) along with over 1,500 others to have a pull in the British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC).
The standard was intimidating, with one world record in an adaptive (= disabled) event and several medallists from Rio making the unfortunate Concept 2 ergos scream in protest. (I tried to rub shoulders with GB superstar Moe Sbihi when we were near one another in the call-up area but failed miserably. His shoulders are well above my ears.)
 In the M30-39 group Camus was up against sixty others, including several tattooed hulks from the Royal Navy. He didn’t trouble the winners in either the 2000m or the 500m race but was satisfied with his efforts, especially as he only has time to train occasionally. As age increases the number of competitors decreases: Anne had five others to contend with in the F60-64 500m, all of them regular racers on the indoor circuit. She surprised herself with a PB and third place.
 Once you’ve reached 75 the criterion for success is much easier to meet. I was the only M75-79 lightweight on show and therefore my task was merely to row 2000m followed, five hours later, by 500m. That’s pressure!
So, after what turned out to be a hugely fascinating day, we came away with one well-deserved bronze medal, two rather specious gold ones and another tick on the bucket list.
Ian Nimmo

Anne Nimmo ready to go

The race in full swing

First and last

F60-64 500m medallists

Boxing Day Runs

The annual Moorfoot Boxing Day Runs are coming up.

Our three course Menu offers....

Run to the Mast
Seven and a bit-ish hill run up to Dunslair Heights at a sociable pace (90mins-ish) - regular stops to regroup - and back to the Glentress Peel Café for coffee/cake/a blether

Meet at Gytes Leisure Centre Peebles 9:45am for a sharp 10.00 start.
Dress accordingly for a slowish run with stops - it is often snowing on the tops - December in the hills - you have been warned...
Should be back down at the Peel café for 11.30ish...



Handicap Fun Run

While the seniors slog up to the mast on Boxing Day, all juniors (under 9s accompanied), plus Mums and Dads looking to run off some over-indulgence, or anyone too late/not up for the mast run, are all invited to take part in a c.2mile handicap fun run on the foot/cycle/horse path Peebles to Glentress where we will meet up with the seniors in the Peel café for coffee/juice and cake(s) at about 11.30am.

 

Meet at the entrance to the old Hydro stables at the foot of Janet’s Brae ready for an 11am start, setting off at intervals, slowest first, fastest last. The finish is just before the main road opposite Glentress (with a couple of adults there to help with crossing the road.) The route can be found here http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6766898

 

Rule No.1 - Handicapper Gregor has the final say. Rule No.2 - Handicapper Gregor has the final say. Rule No.3 - don’t forget to turn left for the finishing stretch towards Glentress, otherwise you will end up in Cardrona. Rule No.4 - Organise your lift back (or you may be running back on your own). Rule No.5 - Handicapper Gregor has the final say.

 

Much sought after prizes on offer! Spare clothing etc can be left in Gregor’s car to be transported to the finish and he will have 2-3 spare seats for a lift back after he has had several servings of coffee and cake.

 

Pure Banter

For those who don't fancy the 'run' bit, just meet up at the Peel café for 1130 and join in the blethering bit...all welcome...

Chirnside Borders XC Round 4, Sunday 11 Dec

Moorfoots were in action at Chirnside this weekend. 199 seniors were racing and the following results were posted

 

Position	Number	Time (mmss)	Forename	Surname	Gender	Cat	Club	GenderPos	CatPos
49	350	31:19:00	Russell	Anderson	M	M50+	Moorfoot Runners	46	8
93	155	34:52:00	Carol	Moss	F	F50+	Moorfoot Runners	17	3
102	156	35:40:00	Ian	Munro	M	M50+	Moorfoot Runners	80	18
196	32	54:15:00	Michael	Pearson	M	M70+	Moorfoot Runners	130	2

Carol Moss maintained her good form to record third place F50 and Mike Pearson was second M70 well done along with solid runs from Russell and Ian.

98 juniors were competing with some very strong showings from the younger juniors:

Position	Number	Time (mmss)	Forename	Surname	Gender	Cat	Club	GenderPos	CatPos
18	471	15:51	Ben	Allan	M	M10-11	Moorfoot Runners	15	5
25	455	16:35	Angus	Carlyle	M	M10-11	Moorfoot Runners	21	9
33	397	16:51	Cameron	Munro	M	M12-13	Moorfoot Runners	28	6
36	405	17:04	Danny	Lancaster	M	M10-11	Moorfoot Runners	30	12
42	447	17:15	Esme	Minto	F	F10-11	Moorfoot Runners	8	4
50	456	18:08	Cameron	Carlyle	M	M8-9	Moorfoot Runners	37	4

Photos courtesy of Mark Kinghorn

Carol

Ian

Mike

Russell

Event details and full results here

Good turnout for Christmas drinks

Eleven of us made along to the County on Tuesday night for the Christmas drinks and feed and a good time was had!

Step-A-Head Photos

Ta to Terry O'Hare for these images.

A pensive Donald prepares

Charlotte Morrison's mum Morna took to the back of a lorry to show off her best moves

.....and everyone joined in so as not to embarrass her!

And they're off. Donald and main organiser Hazel lead the way - on a cold and frosty morning.

They're behind you! About 200 of them!! Prominent L to R are Sophie, fellow EU Harie James (boyfriend), Mairi, Ailsa, and Patrick

There was no age-limit.....

Donald was very grateful for his post-run rub down from Peebles Physiotherapy's masseuse Melanie

Donald's Step Ahead Fun Run (3-52 Challenge)

Donald in action on the trail...

It was a cracking day for Donald Innes's Step Head Fun Run fund raiser for The Brain Tumour Charity, and the crisp winter sunshine brought out over 200 runners to participate over the 2k, 5k and 10k courses.

Well done to all the runners, organisers and the legions of helpers...a great time had by all, and importantly, more funds raised for The Brain Tumour Charity.

Read the full story of Donald's Challenge here....and take a moment to help Donald reach his fund raising target.

East District Champs Report

Balgownie playing fields in Aberdeen was the venue for the East District XC Champs on Saturday the 3rd but any thoughts of a pancake flat course simply looping round football and rugby pitches were soon dispelled on arrival. The tough undulating course mostly followed the extensive perimeter of the sizeable park but incorporated several twists and turns, a couple of long uphill drags, some short wooded sections and an area of scrubland.  It certainly provided a true cross-country test even if, for the old die-hards, there wasn't a section of plough or any burns to traverse.

Conditions were perfect - as long as you had on enough layers - with a little give in the ground and blue skies. Despite the single figure temperature, thankfully there was hardly even the lightest of breezes, thus negating any possible wind-chill on what was a pretty exposed location.

It was a good 3-hour drive to get there, which accounted for a few absentees, but a fair few of the Moorfoot contingent drove up the day before for various lodgings in Aberdeen. (And there was no evidence of any sore heads amongst the dads on Saturday morning!) Others broke the Saturday morning drive up with a stop at Peggy Scott's services at Finavon near Forfar for a braw braw breakfast. Bobby Mooney highly recommends the Big Jock giant breakfast!

Madeline Collins was the sole Moorfoot in the U13 girls race over 3.1km. She is a first-year in the age group and delivered a good well-paced effort for 30th of 46 finishers in 13.03.

There were no U13 Moorfoot boys so next up were the U15 girls racing over 4km. Charlotte Clare had a typically gutsy run for 10th in 15.49 which will surely be enough to gain her selection for the East team for the Inter-District Championships at Holyrood Park in January. (Top eight gained automatic selection with another seven to be selected at the selectors' discretion.) Eilidh Mooney finished well for 25th in 17.07 with Charlotte Morrison just two places and eight seconds behind. That placed the U15 girls team 6th overall. Both Eilidh and Charlotte M are still in this age-group next year.

Ethan Elder continued his comeback in the U15 boys' race over the same 4km course and whilst still a little shy of his best he had a good run for 21st in 14.56. Craig Angus continued his good form just behind Ethan in 23rd in 14.59


The U17 women raced alongside the U20 women which made for some difficulty in gauging who was where during the race but Mairi Wallace, had a strong run for 11th in the U17 category, coming home strongly in 18.53 for the 4.9km course, and Fiona Grant was 22nd in 20.40. There was also a storming run by Moorfoot trained Ailsa Innes in the Lasswade vest, finishing 13th in 19.09 which with a bit of luck might just sneak her into the Inter-District team along with Mairi. In the same race but in the U20 women's category, Niamh Shaw, another Moorfoot in a Lasswade vest, was 9th U20 in 19.07. Likewise, Euan Hood raced in the U17 Men's race in the Lasswade vest and had a solid run for 22nd in 23.45 over the 6.6km course.

The senior women raced the same 6.6km course and Edinburgh University student Sophie Collins continued her excellent form to finish 11th in 24.38.

And so to the final race of the day, the senior men's race over 9.7km in which Jacob Adkin continued his gradual comeback from shin splints to finish 25th in 32.54, two places and nine seconds ahead of ex-Moorfoot Mike Reid. Home in 159th of the 187 finishers was Franco's favourite runner Alan Elder. His time of 42.02 saw him 16th M50 by my reckoning. He will no doubt add his own more poetic report of his experience

The Vital Role of Parents in Sport