Reminder - Club Membership renewals.

Club Membership Renewals are now due for 2018/19. 

(Year runs 1^st April 2018 to 31^st March 2019).

We have kept to the same system of  renewal as last year with Entry Central. The costs are also  the same as previous years (Entry Central costs are being absorbed by the club)

Please click on the relevant link depending on your membership type:

Link for Individual Memberships (£15):   https://www.entrycentral.com/club/106659

Link for Couple/Family Membership (£20; https://www.entrycentral.com/club/106660

Link for Junior Membership (U18) (£10):   https://www.entrycentral.com/club/106784

There are a few members who have joined within the last few weeks and  I will email these members separately to clarify that they have already paid up for 2018/19

Many thanks

Eddie Balfour

Club Treasurer

Gypsy Glen Hill Race Report 2018

The annual Gypsy Glen Hill Race took place in Peebles on Wednesday night 16^th May, organised by the Moorfoot Runners in association with Peebles & District Community Council.

Many thanks to the main organiser Mike Pearson and the support from all those helping with registration, marshalling and setting the course, whose efforts allow this successful event to go ahead.
 
There was a good turn of 76 runners on a lovely warm evening. The race was won by James Dunn from the Hunters Bog Trotters who was completing a quick-fire Peebles double after winning the 3 Bridges handicap race on Sunday. He covered the 8km course which includes 300m climb and descent in 31:15. Jonny Lawson of Portobello was 2^nd and first over 40. The first home from the host club was Andy Cox in 5^th (34:40) closely followed by Darin Dougal in 6^th (34:54) who was also the second veteran. Local runner Scott MacDonald was the third veteran in 8^th place (36:18).

The female winner was Emily Nicholson from Pitreavie, a GB U20 in the hills in 2016 when only 17 but has been out for two years injured and this was her first competitive race back. Now 19, she is aiming for further GB Junior selection this summer.
 
It was a close race for the female veteran prize between three locals. Evergreen Susan Ridley (Edinburgh AC) won in 40:34, just ahead of Kate Jenkins (Gala Harriers) 40:49 and Lucy Colquhoun (Moorfoot Runners) 41:17.
 
The host Moorfoot Runners was also represented by Michael McGovern (12^th, 36:42), Sam McNeil (13^th, 36:47), Colin Williams (19^th, 37:34), Craig Walling (23^rd, 38:55), Kenneth Davidson (25^th, 39:00), Alan Elder (45^th, 43:41).

Full Results:http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceResults.aspx?RaceID=RA-0116&Year=2018
Photos of whole field (thanks to Frank Birch): https://www.flickr.com/photos/16140176@N03/sets/72157667178012737

Moorfoot Runners photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2015392495389376&type=3 Thanks to Thomas Hilton
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2013043622290930&type=3 Thanks to Dave Gaffney

Training update - New weekly sessions on Thursday 7pm & Tuesday extra pick up at 6.35pm at PHS

Starting on this Thursday 10^th May there will another weekly training session for the senior membership.

Meeting Place Thursdays, 7pm, Kingsmeadows Car Park in Peebles

Activity – Warm up before and cool down after,  with an approx 20 -30 minute handicap, a continuous effort where the slower runners set off earlier and the faster runners later and hopefully everyone finishes at a similar time. The idea is it will be fun, while providing good training.

Every month the following routes will be used:

Date	Route	Run Leader (may change if people are unavailable)
1st Thurs	Glentress Green Route. 4km, 75m climb, 50m descent https://gb.mapometer.com/running/route_4179937.html	Amy Alcorn
2nd Thurs	Bikepath Eshiels > Cardrona (Nashy's Carpark) rtn. 6km, flat https://gb.mapometer.com/running/route_4733897.html	Andrew Dancer
3rd Thurs	Cademuir Rollercoaster. 6km Route, 300m of climb (or simplified) https://gb.mapometer.com/running/route_4447418.html or Cademuir Forest Route red & Blue https://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/images/pdf/rec_pdfs/TweedValleyForestParkGuide.pdf	Lucy Colqhoun / Craig or Katie Walling
4th Thurs	Tweedside 'Peebles XC' simplified route. 3.5km, 125m climb https://gb.mapometer.com/running/route_4733913.html	Alan Elder / Paul Nichol
5th Thurs (when it happens)	Special Surprise	Dave Gaffney

The handicapping will be pretty basic where people tell the leader their 5km time and then sets off in that order and its all a bit of a guess, which will hopefully get more refined with time!

It will be low key and the run leader will not be responsible to keep any times so keep your own time if you want to record it - the run leader will be running it too.

The Thursday night session coordinator is Paul Nichol so please direct any queries directly to him jpanichol@gmail.com

Tuesday Training – Peebles High School Sports Centre pick up 6.35pm

We are keen to encourage more members and parents to join in the Tuesday evening session with the seniors and to make it more inclusive for runners of all abilities, and hopefully less intimidating.

The seniors group will swing by PHS at 6.35pm each Tuesday so that any parents who have dropped off their off-spring for junior training can join in.

Colin (colin.m.williams@talk21.com) is the main lead and assures you that they will cater for different abilities.  A typical session consists of 10-15mins warm up, then a set 3 to 5 intervals x 2-5 min intervals with rest in between of about half the effort time and regrouping after each one, followed by a decent warm down. The efforts will always be done on time, rather than distance, to accommodate all speeds and everyone gets equal rest. Whilst some will use this as a hard interval session, because it is based on timed intervals, you can choose to run at whatever pace or effort suits you, and to dip out or finish whenever.

Feel free to join in. Just be ready to run 6.35pm at the entrance to the new sports hall at PHS.

Peebles Gypsy Glen Hill Race details

Moorfoot Runners

in association with

PEEBLES & DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL

present the annual

PEEBLES GYPSY GLEN HILL RACE

On Wednesday 16 May 2018 at 7pm.

Minimum age 16, cost £6, Enter on the Day.

Enter from 6.10pm @ Gytes Leisure Centre, Peebles, EH45 8GL
Race Start and Finish @ Victoria Park, south of the Tweed

Distance c8km; Climb c300m
Male Record 30:46 – Tom Martyn (2017)
Female Record 35:27 - Sarah McCormack (2011)


Route from Registration to Start in Red. Race starting loop in Turquoise.
Green Finish Return

Hill Route

Scout Conquers the Three Peaks

Good to see Scout Adkin's name in the results again, upping her distance a tad to 37km and 1,600m of climb in the Three Peaks race last weekend, finishing 17th female and 2nd U25. Results here

Here is her report.....

So I decided this year to try some longer races – and the iconic Yorkshire 3 Peaks Race seemed the best choice to tackle first. Training had been going well since the start of the year until I got injured (ITB syndrome and peroneal nerve impingement). I was not properly running for 6weeks prior to the race. Less than a week before the race I managed a slowly pain free run. I decided that I would still run but set myself the task of getting round with no further injury instead of chasing times and positions.

I felt good at the start on the lower slopes of Pen-y-gent but once the gradient started to increase my legs were already protesting, clearly unhappy after not running up hills for 6weeks. Once I reached the top a quick descent and onwards across the rolling country side for about 8miles to the first road crossing. I was feeling relatively good along this section, once my body had got over the shock of running again, and enjoyed a conversation with a fellow runner which passed the time.

The climb up Whernside was a lot steeper than I excepted and it really was a crawl at the top. Fighting off calf cramp and taking care of rocks on the fast descent I descended back into the valley reaching the second road crossing.

The last climb up Ingleborough was tough – fatigue was setting in and I debated if I maybe should have eaten a bit more earlier on in the race. Some veggie percy pig sweets helped get me up the last climb then it was just 5 very long miles back down to the finish. I seemed to have found a bust of energy at this point and started passing some tired looking runners. I managed a slow sprint into the finish, my competitive instincts hoping that my watch was wrong and I that I had made it under 4hours - not quite – 4hour 2minutes.

I definitely want to do it again, aiming for sub 4hours and improving on my position.

Next long race – Buttermere Horseshoe, after recceing it over 2days this weekend, this will definitely be a challenge!

More success, this time at Gala 10k

Another day another race! This time it was the Gala 10k on Sunday and the turn of Darin Dougal and Sam McNeil (who'd also raced on Friday night at the Scottish 5k Champs). The results show Darin was 4th overall and  won the M40 category in a time of 37:36 - great showing! Sam clocked 42:57 and 9th in the senior men's category - another solid run. Full results here

Selkirk Trail Half Marathon Report

On Saturday 5th April Mike McGovern and Colin Williams (me) raced at the Selkirk Trail Half Marathon  (well actually it was 14.5 miles but what's a did extra between friends).

It was a bit breezy at the start and therefore cool but we warmed up once we got going and then the sun came out making it a lovely day. It was a mass start for both the half marathon (115 runners) and full marathon (56 runners). As soon as the race started everyone bolted but it had pretty much settled down into a group of 4 racing along with the lead marathoner after a couple of miles, with the eventual winner Graeme Murdoch of Gala Harriers already gaining such a gap that he had disappeared off the front.

Mike and another runner gradually pulled out a decent margin ahead of me by the high point of the course at Duchess Drive on Bowhill Estate after about 45mins and on the decent both Moorfoots ran well with Mike pulling ahead and Colin closing on the 3rd place runner. It stayed like that for the next 45 mins when following a steep dig there were more technical descents on MTB enduro single track. By this time I caught and decisively over took 3rd place runner before popping out back at Bowhill House for the last fairly flat 3 miles through Philiphaugh Estate. With only a mile left I started to see Mike still a good distance ahead and dug in an attempt to close the gap, but Mike was too strong. At the finish line there was only 3 seconds in it but it meant two Moorfoots made it on the podium, both almost 4 minutes within the course record set by the inaugural winner last year.

Colin, 3rd; winner Graeme Murdoch, Mike 2nd

A really nice, but tough, route with over 2000 feet of climb. Full results here: http://www.durtyevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Trail-Run-Results.xls

The start from above

Quick times at Scottish 5k Champs

Scott McDonald and Sam MacNeil raced on a beautiful evening at Silverknowes for the Scottish 5k Champs. As you would expect the standard was very high, being won in a time of 14:36.

Scott finished in a scorching time of 16:37, 92nd and was the third M50, so close to the win, with the first in his category only 6 seconds ahead. He was rightly delighted with an excellent run saying:
"a 1min 05sec improvement over my last road 5km in the last two years has blown my mind"

Sam clocked exactly 18:00 and 199th place commenting
"not back to race fitness yet but very pleased to be back racing ! Front lads were unbelievably fast 💨"

Also in action was ex Moorfoot Lucas Cheskin, who is now studying in Glasgow, and he went even faster posting a time of 16:06 to claim 35th place.
Full results here: https://www.stuweb.co.uk/race/1SO/

Silverknowes before the start last night

London Marathon report from Ailish Nimmo

Ailish Nimmo ran her first London Marathon using the Club place - well done. Here's her report

I have wanted to do a marathon for some time, and entered the London ballot 6 times without success. Although I was disappointed to not get in, there was always a small amount of relief too so it was exciting but also a bit overwhelming to realise I was actually going to have to do what I had talked about for so long.  Training proved harder than I thought- the prolonged winter and starting a new job with an 80 mile commute meant I was not as consistent as I would have liked, though at least it meant I had no injuries to cope with!

I was nervous but excited at the start, but it helps being part of such a massive group to realise you are not on your own. It was a bit disconcerting to be running in tropical heat after battling with sub-zero temperatures, snow and wind for so long but with a new hat and plenty of suncream I was keen to get going.  The first half went quickly- I felt good, there was a huge amount of support and running round the Cutty Stark and over Tower Bridge was pretty special – spying some of the Bake Off stars stopping to take selfies.

By the second half I was more aware of the heat, some people were starting to suffer and when you’ve seen a few being carted off by St Johns Ambulance it’s a good prompt to not push too hard. The support is massive all the way round- with ice lollies, oranges and sweets and I must have been looking more tired as I definitely got a lot more people shouting my name between miles 14 and 20. 

By 20 miles I knew I would finish even if I crawled, but it’s also frustrating when your legs won’t do as you try and tell them.  I was trying to keep up with someone dressed in a massive rhino costume – but I guess they are used to the heat and I think he got away from me! 

Turning the final corner at Big Ben and seeing the finish was amazing- I felt like I managed to put a sprint in at the end but imagine it was realistically more of a shuffle.  I was so pleased that I was only a bit tired and felt otherwise good so haven’t been put off doing one again. The best bit of having quite a sedate time is there is more opportunity to soak up the atmosphere and support along the way.  I even got my 5 seconds of fame on ITV news that evening holding my medal at the end!  Thanks very much to Moorfoots for letting such an amateur runner wear your vest at such a special event.​

 

London Marathon 2019 Ballot for entry closes today at 5pm Friday 4th

The ballot for entry for the London Marathon on 28 April 2019 is only open for five days and closes on today at 5pm. Apologies for the late notice - I didn't seen to get the email this year

Details here: Ballot Entry

It is the premier marathon in Britain and a real experience for everyone I know who has taken part.

The club is guaranteed a place each year but it order to be fair there is policy in place to allocate it. the following factors are considered:

> Have they been a member for more than 12 months

> Have they been not been awarded the club place in the previous 2 years

> Have they unsuccessfully tried to enter via the ballot and not eligible for a good for age place https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/ , or championship entries (for real speed merchants) https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/championship-entry/ which both open later in the year

So this is a heads up for anyone wanting to enter London