Eildons 3 Hills Race 2017, aka ‘The Race of Dust’, 24th June

Here's Pete Hall's race report:

 

Race day for this years Eildons 3 Hills Race was a regular summers day in Scotland – nice, warm, a slight breeze with no rain and no midgies.  Gods Own Country indeed!  It was also Beltane Saturday and was part of my ‘escape from the Beltane’ plan.

 

The race starts and finished on the sports green in Melrose, opposite the Greenyards rugby ground and is part of the Melrose Games Day, with 91 runners taking part this year.  As the gun went, the field took off around the field and headed up through Melrose to the start of the main climb to the summit of Eildon Hill North.  Knowing this was going to be a stiff and fast start and also knowing it takes me a mile or two to get into my racing, I hung back and prepared myself for a solid climb to the top, my strategy being to really start racing once I got the first climb out of the way.  The field soon strung itself out and we were single-file up this calf burner of a hill, through head high gorse and soon onto the loose scree towards the top.  At this point it was heads down, looking at the person in fronts heels, trying not to let gaps grow.  At the top, the Borders Search and Rescue Unit were attending the first race casualty of the day – this could become a race of attrition.

 

As we hit the top we also hit that ‘slight breeze’ and the dust storm being blown up the hill.  True to plan I started to lift it over the top for the descent to Eildon Wester Hill and started to work my way through the field.  Wester Hill was ‘bagged’ and the pace lifted again to head back to the final climb of Eildon Mid Hill (whoever named these hills ran out of imagination J ).  By this point I was going past people as if I was still in my twenties…finally a good race but no sign of my nemesis, a certain Mr Alan Elder?!  Unfortunately (or fortunately) for me he was taking part in the Beltane Sports Day the day after – from hill running to track sprinting, he’s a man of many talents!

 

The final climb saw me put more distance into the following group as it was a head down, hands on thighs, vest blown over the head sprint up to the summit, followed by a classic rocky, dusty, loose hard descent chasing the next group.  Off the hill and heading back into town, vaulting fences to find good lines and the final climb of 15 stone steps to hit Melrose  (and trust me, these steps hurt!), all the while battling with Tommy Knox from Gala Harriers.  Upping the pace as we headed back through Melrose towards the sports field, I was gapped by Tommy as he put 7 valuable seconds into me in the final 200 meters or so.  Race done and time for a sit down.

 

Up front, Gavin Bryson from Edinburgh AC won by over a minute in 35:58 with Kirst Wilson of Gala Harries claiming First Lady in 43:28.   I came in at 49:58 in 38^th place, 8^th MV50.  There’s some classy runners out there in all age groups.  No other Moorfoots were racing, more than likely due to the Beltane celebrations.

 

Pete

 

Results here: http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceResults.aspx?RaceID=RA-0065&Year=2017

Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/1051935018/overview

 

 

Local races in the coming months

It's the time of year when there locals races that may appeal to member almost every week.
Two races are organised by the club - the Cademuir Rollercoaster in mid August, and then the Junior Home International Hill Race (Teams from Scotland, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales competing at Under 17 and Under 20s) over the same course a month later, and requests for help will come closer to the time.

04/07/17 Earlston Black Hill Race, Tues night 7pm. Enter on the day http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0229
11/07/17 Moffat Gala Run 15km Road Race, Tues night 7.15pm. Entrycentral https://www.entrycentral.com/moffatrun
15/07/17 Lee Pen Hill Race, St Ronans Games, Innerleithen, Saturday 2pm. Enter on the day. MOORFOOT HELPING http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0149
16/07/17 Kelso 10km, Sunday 11.00am. Entrycentral https://www.entrycentral.com/kelso10k
06/08/17 Philiphaugh Hill Race, Selkirk. Sunday 11:00am http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0272
12/08/17 Cademuir Rollercoaster, Peebles, Saturday 2.30pm. Enter on the day  MOORFOOT ORGANISED RACE http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0316
19/08/17 West Linton Running Festival, Half Marathon, 2pm; 10 mile, 2.15pm; 10 km, 3pm; 5km, 3.30pm. https://www.facebook.com/groups/moorfootrunners/permalink/1861465354115425/
27/08/17 Baddinsgill Round, nr West Linton, Sunday 12 noon. http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0294
27/08/17 Teviotdale Harriers 10k & Jogscotland 5k, Hawick, Sunday 1pm. https://www.entrycentral.com/festival/1185
10/09/17 Peebles Duathlon, Gytes. Sunday 9am http://www.liveborders.org.uk/peeblesduathlon
16/09/17 Junior Home International Hill Race, Cademuir, Peebles. Saturday MOORFOOT ORGANISED RACE https://www.facebook.com/JHI2017/
17/09/17 Lilliesleaf 10km Trail Race. Saturday https://www.facebook.com/lilliesleaf10k

23/09/17 Two Breweries Hill Race, Traquair. Saturday 12 noon. http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0103

07/10/17 Tunnel Trail Run, Peebles. Saturday 10am. http://www.tunneltrailrun.com/
14/10/17 Manor Water Hill Race, nr Peebles. Satruday 1pm. http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0106

Scout and Jacob Adkin representing Scotland at the Junior Hill International in 2012 - 5 yrs ago now!

Lucy on BBC 2 Adventure Show Tues 27 June 7pm - winning the Kintyre Way Ultra

Lucy Colquhoun is featured on the BBC 2 Adventure Show tonight with the Kintyre Way Ultra where she was first woman and finished second overall!

Programme details here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08ww2ty or watch on iplayer after if you are training!!



Event info here: http://www.kintyreway.com/ultra/ and results: http://www.kitst.co.uk/kwu-2017-run.html

Summer Solstice Social - Tues 20-June

Next week sees the longest day of the year, so the Moorfoot Tuesday training group (auld yins) are planning a slightly extended evening run, followed by refreshments back at the Bridge Inn.

Meet at Kingsmeadows car park in Peebles for 6:30pm as usual

Route - up river towards Lyne, before the 'ups and downs' of Black Meldon, White Meldon and Hamilton Hill before returning to the Bridge Inn.

It's about 10 miles (16Km), slow/steady pace and will be punctuated with frequent stops; should be back at the pub by 8:30pm. Would probably suggest that you bring a windproof jacket as it can be a bit blowy on the tops. All welcome...

A few options:

The full social - 6:30pm start, full route and pub

The half social - 6:30pm start - if you need to be back early, join us until Lyne and then run back via the Tweed path

The sneeky wee social - see you in the pub at 8:30pm

Footnote:
Tues 20-June is the Children's Beltane Sports
There will be no dancing around bonfires during this event

Durisdeer Hill Race 2017

I had hoped to run the Slioch Horseshoe on June 10^th but I had already driven a lang whang the weekend before – and had to be at Grangemouth for just after 4.00 p.m. So with a 12.00 kick off, I decided to run at Durisdeer instead. It’s just over 4000 feet of climb and just over 9 miles in distance (for those who are still in Europe – Bonjour tout le monde - 1240m et 14.7km)

It’s a kind of in-the-middle-of-nowhere place on the map but has ancient origins and a really interesting old church dating from before 1394 – with Roman camps before then.

It’s in the church where registration takes place. The weather on the way though is miserable – but still around 12 degrees – so comfortably foul.

Around the start line, spirits are high and I catch up with Andy C. He tells me he has run the race in 1 hour 45 minutes in the past. I am impressed – I am confident we won’t be sharing a post-race cup of potato soup!

With the under clemency of the weather, most are in their wet suits – gore-texed up and ready to roll. Some are in vests. An ADAC runner gives us the non-nonsense pre-race chat – explaining the severity of getting lost on the hills ahead.

There is a restrained charge to the first burn crossing and Andy C is up in the lead group. On the climb up to Black Hill (531m) groups split as some contour and others take a direct route over the summit. I contour with another 8 or 10 runners.  Around 200m, visibility really starts to deteriorate. The mist is some of the thickest I have been in. It is a long, soggy climb to the summit and by this time the wind is howling around the trig point and marshals are struggling to stay upright. One is wrestling with a survival tent – the wind had them in a Half Nelson when I passed!

On the top, twin tracks run in all directions merging, diverging and generally making choices difficult to make. With visibility down to 5-10 meters it is a challenging situation.

I have been very fortunate and spotted a ‘Solway’ vest on the way up through the clag – not too distant from here….

‘You run this one before’? I ask. ‘ Aye’ it’s ma local run’, came the answer. And so a stalker I became.

The descent from Pettylung (463m) to the road is rough and steep but I am down in one piece and heading for the loop around Steygail (573m). This looked runnable on the map but features some major contouring, climb and – in my case – many burn crossings.

On the route up to the road past Upper Dalveen, I manage to overtake 3 or 4 runners and am soon on the steep climb/traverse up Well Hill. This is tough in the whiteness. I am still stalking my local guide. It is hard to keep in touch at times but the alternative is quite scary. I have no clue where I am.

There is a Trahenna-like clamber up to the top of Well Hill  (606m) and eventually we are at the top. I then mistake this for the last hill and decide that it is time for the downhill charge.

I take off following a never ending fence line – checking now and then that I can still see the blur of my guide behind me. Around this point we catch up with five runners who are all consulting maps and trying to figure the route down in the whistling haze. We pass them and are soon on the ‘actual’ last climb. Over this and I can remember the route back down Black Hill to the church.

I charge off in pursuit of a Westie but get my foot caught in a fence and miss the opportunity to catch him.

It’s a good run down through the mist over the burn and eventually to the church.

Andy C is back and changed by the time I get there. Dry clothes, soup, tea, numerous cakes and a bag of salty crisps and I am off to Grangemouth.

Andy went round in 2:07 – about 25 minutes down on his best. He did admit to getting lost 4 times! It turns out he ran an extra mile and climbed an extra 800 feet. Andy came in in 8^th place - Around his best time – he would have been 3^rd.

I managed round in 2.26 and 17^th place. 36 ran – the limit is 40.

The race was won by Graham Gristwood – International orienteering champ. The conditions would present no problems, as these guys are taught to read a compass in one hand, dismantle an AK47 in the other, while reciting the Korean alphabet backwards.

Perhaps training for the summer!

Results here

Gutsy showing at Scottish Schools and Silver for Ethan

A stiff breeze looked likely to negate fast times at Grangemouth  today at the Scottish Schools Champs but three of the four Moorfoots running produced PBs. The fourth, Charlotte Clare, ran her usual gutsy race but she is in a bit of a flat spot at the mo and was a fair bit off her best form in her U17W 800m heat. She is young in that age-group and will turn things round given time.

In the U20W 800m Ailsa Innes was just run out of an automatic qualifying spot in her heat, finishing a close 4th in 2.18 just outside her PB. That was a hard but highly commendable run given the windy conditions and it put her through to the final as a fastest loser. With a turn-round of only 90 minutes after the heats, the final was a race for the strong, and not only did Ailsa turn the tables convincingly on the girl who had kept her out of the top three in her heat, she put herself well and truly in the race for a medal. Down the back straight on lap two she latched on to her older Lasswade clubmate Lauren Dickson (Ailsa is Moorfoot trained but now races for Lasswade). With the front two clear, and a good gap back to fifth, it was a clear-cut match race between the two of them for bronze. With 150m to go Ailsa moved out to take over third spot and held a two metre advantage off the bend. But Lauren wasn't done for and with the crowd roaring the two of them down the home straight she eventually got back to Ailsa's shoulder and just, only just, sneaked it on the line. Gutting for Ailsa who had run such a superb race but she can be justly proud of a 2.16 PB on a windy day and with only 90 minutes recovery after a hard heat.

Charlotte Morrison's U15G 1500m went as a straight final and while not challenging for the podium she ran a faultless well-paced race for a three second 5.16 PB. Can't ask for any more.

Ethan Elder won the U14B 1500m last year but two separate 2-week lay-offs from training since mid-April due to an ankle injury meant he could not expect to be at his best in his attempt to repeat the feat in the U15 age-group. He had to work really hard in his heat to nab 4th on the line and sneak the final automatic qualifying place in a blanket finish, but his 4.33 time was a good nine seconds off his PB. Just one tenth of a second separated 2nd to 5th and with all four fastest losers coming from the other heat, Ethan made the final by the skin of his teeth. With some questionable timetabling by SSAA again meaning less than 90 minutes between heat and final, it was going to be a really tough task for him to be competitive in the final after a hard heat run and the four weeks of missed training. He looked goosed after his heat and it was as much a mental battle to get up for his final as it was physical. Thankfully someone had the sense to push back the final by 15 minutes to give the boys some additional recovery time (although no-one told the boys about that before they were due in the call room!). Thankfully too, the pace in what was the very last event of two full days competition, was sensible over the first two laps with Ethan able to sit comfortably mid-bunch. At the bell the expected kick came and spreadeagled the field. Although there was no instantaneous matching reaction from Ethan, he dug in to stay in touch with a possible medal position going down the back straight for the final time. With hot favourite Lewis Dow surging clear, Ethan showed incredible guts to haul in the others and push into second place round the final bend. Down the home straight his strength was evident for all to see as he made inroads into Dow's lead. Although clear, Dow was anxiously looking over his shoulder as the shouts for Ethan sent the message that he was not yet home and hosed. The gap proved to be too big for Ethan but it was an amazing turnaround and he so deserved his silver medal. On top of that it looks like he sneaked a PB of 4.23 although that is unofficial on the coach's watch, the official time TBC. Guts, pure guts, which was enough to elicit some  post-race "French" praise from his coach.

Trotternish Ridge 2017

When I think of Skye, I never imagine it is that far away. It’s up there on the north left of Scotland, romantically, little more than a Flora MacDonald - powered boat ride from the mainland.

Not so, it would seem – Portree it is in fact a five and a half hour trip from Peebles, covering 258 miles. With this in mind, drinks and snacks are stockpiled and the Ipod loaded up before the off.

It’s a fine afternoon and I am soon on the way through Perth and heading for Dalwhinne for my turn off on the A9. I make good time getting over to Spean Bridge, past Loch Lochy to Invergarry. Soon, I have Loch Cluanie on my left and then I drop in to Glen Shiel. I travelled this route many years ago but not on such a clear day and have no recollection of just how massive the hills are on either side. I imagine someone must have glued the boulders to the hillside, so that they don’t roll down and crush gobsmacked drivers on their way through the glen!

The Ipod has gone from AC/DC to Aerosmith and the Allman Brothers play me in to Kyle of Lochalsh. I realise now that I didn’t hit the ‘shuffle’ button!

It’s a fine night and the Cuillins are vast and menacing in the distance. 32 miles of island later and I am in Torvaig Campsite a mile out of Portree. Tent up, bed inflated, I head back to town to load up with the ‘Mallaig Fish and Chips Special’. Not completely as described, however, I have had some carbs and head back to my pitch. I watch a little of Gran Torino with lights out around midnight.

Ten minutes to five and the dawn chorus kicks off with versus one to six thrown in for good measure!

Registration is in Portrree High School between nine, and ten and after a form of porridge, I am there, numbered and kit checked. Kit includes additional food, a survival bag (Ta Pete H) and an extra running top. With that and the fluid, the rucksack (kindly borrowed from Andy C) is a bit weighty. As this is a Scottish Championship Long Classic counter, the limit has been raised to 150 runners. So, quite a buzz around check in.

Pre-race talk is at 9.45 and buses are thereafter loaded with runners and after a spell (some of it spent captivated by the scale of the ridge and some of it trying to recall what it was that I was doing here in the first place) we are all at Flodigarry for the start.

Harry Martin

The ridge resembles series of waves, frozen in motion. Geologically, a very long landslip of basalt lavas sitting on softer Jurassic shales – sliding slowly towards the sea. It is dark, wild and vastly foreboding – decidedly Tolkienesque. Here be Hobbitses!

Jasper Jansen (checkpoints on most prominences)

It’s 17 miles start to finish with 6000ft (1828 m) of ascent in between. Seven check points to be covered with seven tags to be dropped into seven little orienteering Bagginses. There’s a chill wind blowing and we all courie around an imaginary start line. A casual countdown and we are off.

Checkpoint 1 is a manageable run up onto Meall na Suiramach (531m). Findlay Wild and Andy Fallas are already heading away from the pack.

From this point, there is an exciting descent down to Checkpoint 2 (Quiraing car park) where I manage to make up a handful of places. Some water here and off on mainly moor for a 5 mile tussocky trek to Checkpoint 3 on Beinn Edra (611m). Good visibility here and it is possible to see the hills of the Outer Hebrides.

Walkhighlands - Beinn Edra

Checkpoint 4, at Beallach na Leacaich, is a 3 mile jaunt from 3 and another welcome water stop. I’m not feeling too bad at this point and munch an energy bar on the ascent. More featureless moor and Checkpoint 5, Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh Ruaidh, (593m) appears. Tag dropped and onwards.

Over the next two hills, I start to lose my drive and feel generally dehydrated. I have been taking in fluid from my rucksack but am losing much more in salt than the fluid contains.

Hartaval (668m) is a large wedge of hill but I manage to get up and over it. There is some tricky navigating down through some steep, rocky terrain – but following the experience runner in front, I manage to weave a way through. From the top of Hartaval, the climb to The Storr (719m) looks outrageous – but once at the base – the hill seems to shrink a little. I am passed here by an HBT lady who is gliding up the slope.

With some effort, I am over the Storr and heading down the steep hillside to the precarious Bealach Beag. Following some clambering there is a marked route down to the road. I can see the HBT lady and catch her on the road.

Within a mile, I am on the final dash across the bridge at Storr Lochs Dam.

I had set myself a target of 4.30 (don’t really know why) and managed to finish in 4.33. Not far off target! With this being a championship counter – all the big boys and girls were out to play so I finished a way down the pecking order – Interestingly, if I had run in 2013, I would have been 3rd !

Race over, Tent down and into the car for the 5 hour trip back to Peebles. A long drive but I return to some chilled Guinness.......My Preshuuuusssssss!

Quiraing behind, The Storr ahead,

And there are many paths to tread,

By the bealach, corrie and col,

Where glassy, snaking rillettes fall,

The horde is loose, the quarry known,

Remove the one upon the throne,

But to his heels, no one can cling,

And Wild is crowned the mountain king.

JRR Token

Brand new 'his and her' records set.

Results here

LAMM 2017 - An Teallach, Fisherfield and the Fannichs

This year's Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon (LAMM) location was announced on Thursday lunchtime - up near Ullapool, in the shadow of the popular Munro An Teallach - so a long drive up on Friday evening for the two days of mountain navigation, general bog bashing and rock hopping.

A new team this year, with daughter Mhairi giving it a go - sensibly, we chose the D-class (approx 20Km /1200m ascent each day), but remaining a full on mountain challenge in a fantastic location, with stunning scenery and varied terrain.

Day1 22Km/1200m
D-classers were bussed out past Braemore Junction and set loose in the Fannichs, at the eastern end of the event area. Six controls to navigate through between start and mid camp, and we were soon up above the 900m contour. The big decision was between controls 3 and 4; we chose the 'contouring' option rather than the more obvious 'over the tops' choice; not much in it...
35th out of 50 in our class at the mid camp; 6hrs46mins...some work to do on Mhairi's feet overnight...

Day2 22Km/1120m
Heading back towards Dundonnell now through the Fisherfield hills, and straight up 800m from the off. A bit of rain and some hill fog, forced waterproofs and compass out briefly, but was clear again within the hour. Relatively straight forward controls, but a few final tricky 'knolls' to locate as we contoured around the corries of An Teallach before a long descent back to the finish.
Mhairi's feet holding up, but obviously hurting on the descent - what a trooper though, full on run along the road/field final 800m. 32nd on day2 in 6hrs31mins

Early morning at mid camp

Full LAMM info/results here...

Regards...
Kenny