Juniors Endure Muddy Waters at Callendar Park (but better that than a Cold Play day)

Word is it was touch and go early doors whether or not the National XC would go ahead because of the torrential rain during the preceding 24 hours leaving parts of the course flooded, and if not, then slippy slidy slop. A few late course adjustments were made to avoid the runners having to plough their way through 6-inch deep lakes.

With the gazebo secured to a 6-foot fence corner on the sheltered side of Callendar House, the worst of the weather was avoided and the gazebo survived the early 40mph gusts.

James Clare was the sole Moorfoot in the U13 Boys 3.2km race and had a solid run, comfortably in the top half with his 66th of 164 finishers in 12.51. James is very young in his year group and is still a U13 next year.

Same course for the U13 Girls in which Emily Carrick-Anderson had an excellent run for 29th of 140 in a time of 13.14, with Esme Minto hot on her heels, just failing to catch her and being given  the same time for 30th, a much improved run. Megan Hobbs stuck in well for 67th in 13.59 and Christina McGorum was only 2 seconds behind in 70th, so top half, just. That placed the girls 8th of the 16 clubs who fielded a team of four or more for the team race. Emily, Esme and Christina are all first-year in the two-year age-group as is Madeline Collins who had to miss the race having not recovered sufficiently from her recent horse kick.

The U15 Girls team went one place better for 7th of 13 complete teams. Beth Hobbs had her best run for a while for 22nd of 118 finishers over the 4.2km course in a time of 15.48. As in the U13 race, the second Moorfoot home, Charlotte Clare, was closing fast towards the end, crossing the line just two places and a fast diminishing two seconds behind Beth. The "Moorfoot Limpets", Eilidh Mooney and Charlotte Morrison, who are both year-1 U15s, stuck together until the final hill with about 600m to go when Eilidh just edged ahead, finishing 67th in 17.20. Charlotte was seven seconds behind in 71st.

Ethan Elder, U13 silver medallist last year, started fast in the U15 Boys race also over 4.2km, maybe a tad too fast, but kept on well for 26th of 150 in 14.24. Craig Angus had another good run for 39th in 14.37.

The U17 Women's race distance had been upped this year to 5.9km and proved even more of a slog in the increasingly churned up course. Mairi Wallace was the best Moorfoot finisher of the day setting a good tempo from the off and staying on well for 14th in 27.06. She is another year-1 in her age-group. Ailsa Innes, in the Lasswade vest, was 23rd of the 48 finishers in 29.16 and Fiona Grant 38th 31.59.

Euan Hood, for Lasswade, looked to be finding the muddy conditions not too much to his liking in the U17 Men's race but as yet another  first year, he still had a decent enough finish in 56th in 25.14.

And so to the senior men's race and the much anticipated outing for Alan Elder, fresh from his Friday night warm up in the headtorch Glentress 10k. "Change of plan" says he. "I dinnae fancy it. Saving myself for Lilliesleaf tomorrow." Obviously he's going soft, wimping out of three races in three days!
But Jacob Adkin and Lucas Cheskin both ran very well for Edinburgh Uni and Shettleston respectively. Jacob was 23rd in 37.18 and Lucas 87th of a mammoth field of 647 finishers in 40.17.

Sight of the day as I made my way back to the Moorfoot base camp by the side of Callendar House, was the sight of a handful of daft lassies paddling around almost knee deep in the huge lake that had formed on the "lawn" in front of the house. "Look at these nutters" I thought to myself, only to realise as I got closer that it was the Moorfoot U13 girls accompanied by Hobbs the minor who at least, having been too young to race, had wellies on.

Some photos on the Moorfoot FB here