Broughton Heights Scottish Champs Hill Race & Baddinsgill Round

The Scottish Athletics Hill Running Championships at Broughton Heights was on Saturday, which also incorporates the East District Championships and the senior/ junior trial for the Home Internationals in September. The weather was blisteringly hot.

The routes are explained as “mainly on hill paths which are generally good underfoot, though can be muddy in places in wet conditions”

Senior : 9.6km, 600m ascent/descent https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/3419982/Broughton-Heights-Hill-Race-Senior-Race

Under 20/Under 17 : 5.1km, 320m ascent/descent https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/3419998/Broughton-Heights-Hill-Race-U20U17-Race

Scout Adkin returned home at the weekend to regain the title having also won at the Eildons in 2016.
Racing in the vest of Ambleside where she now lives, Moorfoot Scout won the title went to in a close race with HBT’s Jill Stephen winning by 20 seconds in a time of 51:18

Scout said:

"it was great to be racing back on the hills where I grew up. It was a short race for me with no long climb to gain my advantage so knew I would have to go fast from the start. Although I think I went a bit too fast and underestimated the gentle undulating sections after the 2 main climbs on the course. The heat was also draining but I somehow managed to hold onto first on the final descent back down the valley (on the John Buchan Way route) to the finish."

Dave Gaffney was also racing, and by his own admission struggled in the second half, however was a able to put in a strong placing and finished 4^th in the East District M40 class, not far of the district medals. 

Also running was ex Moorfoot Lucas Cheskin in a very creditable 15th place.

Beth Hobbs was racing in junior Home International trial and ran superbly to finish 5^th in her U20 age group, an age class where she still has another two years after this one. It looks likely that unfortunately will just miss out on selection with there being only 4 places on team, however two more years to get there.

And in her first foray into hill running Edie Gaffney, aged 6, took park in the under 11 fun run and looks delighted by the signs of the photo below.

Senior results Scottish_Athletics_and_East_District_Hill_Running_Champs_2019

Junior results Broughton_Hill_Race_2019_Juniors

Baddinsgill Round

Sunday saw a lovely, sunny but rather hot day (verging on brutal) for this year’s edition of Baddinsgill Round hill race, in the Pentlands a couple of miles north of West Linton, organised by Corstorphine AAC. Despite the heat it was as wet and boggy underfoot for large sections as ever. Alan Elder and Colin Williams took part in a slighter smaller field than normal with 41 setting off, probably on account of the clash with Broughton. Colin managed to finish 10^th and 1^st in the M40-49 class (but behind 59 year old Colin Donnelly) picking up some well received specially brewed ale, with Alan having a solid run to finish 7^th M50. Full results at: here

Pikes Peak Marathon, Colorado, America
Jacob Adkin was in America at the Pikes Peak Marathon and finished a stunning 14th overall in 3:57:20, 1st in the young guns category (M20-24) in what is regarded the toughest mountain race in the States includes a 7,800 ft climb up to 14,000ft (4,302m) and then turn around and back over the 26 miles. It was won by Kilian Journet in 3:27
https://pikespeakmarathon.org/

Dean and Gillian Carr at the inaugural Marathon Hebrides

Dean Carr reporting on more Hebridean antics which is clearly a bit of a Carr speciality - this time the Marathon Hebrides on Harris:

Gillian and I headed over to Harris with a couple of friends from Corstorphine AAC to take part in the inaugural event of the Marathon Hebrides.
Weather didn’t bode well on the crossing on friday a pretty rough crossing from Uig on Skye to Tarbet on Harris.  It was a pretty wet registration at the Talla na Mara centre.
On the day of the race the weather was dry but pretty windy and we were bused down from the Talla na Marra to start down in Rodel in South Harris just outside St Clements church.
The race started with a small 6 miles loop around Rodel included a 1 mile off road section before heading north to Finsbay then along a very remote isolated stretch to Leverburgh.  That was the first 15 miles of the race and it was very lumpy and gusty.  I took it quite steady letting a lot of runners race off but I felt a steady consistent strategy was the best. The final 11 miles was north right up the west coast of Harris to the finish on Seilebost beach. 
Normally you get a south wind pushing you up the coast, but however on the race we had a very strong headwind which was energy sapping to say the least (I overtook several cyclists !!!).  However I started to catch struggling runners and this spurred me on to a strong final few miles.  The last mile of the race was cruel 1 mile on the soft sand to the finish line.
It was a spectacular run, but pretty tough marathon.
I was very pleased with 7th place 3:32:58 and Gillian was 9th and 2nd lady after a tough battle for first in 3:36:24. Full results here.

Scottish Borders Hill Race Weekend report - Meigle, Cademuir, Philiphaugh round-up

The inaugural Scottish Borders Hill Race Weekend was staged over the weekend of 9-11 August as a three-race series comprising the Meigle Mile in Gala, the Cademuir Rollercoaster in Peebles and the Philiphaugh Hill Run in Selkirk. James Dunn (HBT) and Susan Ridley (EAC) were crowned respectively as King and Queen of the Scottish Borders Hills after completing all three races in the lowest cumulative times. James took a hat-trick of wins whilst Susan placed second in each of the three races. They received their polka dot vouchers and polka dot mugs courtesy of series sponsor the Glentress Hotel.
The overall series placings are here for the 10 hardy/daft souls who did all three races and saw Moorfoots Colin Williams and Dave Gaffney finish 3rd and 4th respectively.

Meigle Mile (uphill)

Inspired by our own European Champ Jacob Adkin four Moorfoots took part in the uphill only hill race the Meigle Mile (770 feet / 230m climb) on Friday night as the first of the Scottish Borders Hill Race Weekend triple header. It turned out to be a superb evening with some close racing 

1st Male James Dunn (HBT) 9.37. 1st Female Kirstin Maxwell (Gala H) 11.54. 2nd Susan Ridley (EAC) 12.49.

Andy Cox 3rd, Colin Williams 5th, Dave Gaffney 6th and Pete Hall 20th. 

Junior half-mile: 1st Boy Gregor Collins (Gala H) 3.52. 1st Girl Isla Paterson (Gala H) 4.59.

Results here

Photos here 

Many thanks for Gala Harriers for organising a fab wee race and an alternative Friday night in Galashiels.

 

Cademuir Rollercoaster

The Rollercoaster was as close as close can be. Not in terms of finish places but in terms of the atmospheric conditions which were not ideal for racing up and down the hills.

With possible lightning warnings issued, procedures were in place to abandon the race if necessary, but the rain and lightning failed to materialise. The only storming witnessed was the form of the men’s race winner James Dunn (HBT) who, despite the slippery underfoot conditions, crossed the line in a record time of 25.14 for the 6km course. That was an impressive 46 seconds inside the previous mark from 2015 when conditions were perfect. Alastair Thomas (Edinburgh University) was 2nd in 26.11 and Shettleston’s Ryan Stewart was 3rd in 26.34.

International orienteer Grace Molloy from Linlithgow is still in the Under-20 age-group but was an impressive winner of the women’s race, finishing in a time of 30.58, nearly two minutes ahead of local veteran Susan Ridley (EAC) who was 2nd in 32.44. Another junior, last year’s winner Rhona Mowat (Giffnock North) was a close 3rd in 32.53.

James and Grace received their top-notch, if slightly warm, prosecco and vouchers from race sponsor Franco’s restaurant.

Juniors dominated the 3km race with the Gala duo of Gregor Collins and Isla Paterson following up on their wins the previous evening in the uphill half-mile at the Meigle hill race in Gala.

6km Results and 3km results

From a Moorfoot perspective Shaun Pyman was 4^th in 3km and 1^st U13M so a great result there

In the 6km race Colin Williams 15th (4th MVet) Dave Gaffney 18th (5th MVet), Craig Walling 24th (running in the brown of his first claim HBT), Beth Hobbs 30th (4th Female and 3rd FU20), Brian Smith 31st (10th MVet) 

Lots of other photos by Marty Davidson and Courtesy of Michael Philp photography:

Philiphaugh Hill Run

The 10th Philiphaugh Hill Run raised a fabulous £1080 taking the total now raised to over £10,000 for the playpark.

Entry numbers were up with lots of hardy runners braving the weather! 44 off for the 4 mile

And 74 off for the 7 mile.

4 mile results:

Gala Harriers Zico Field stormed home in 28.50. his first time running the course,

followed by fellow harrier Archie Hendry in 29.15. Third place was taken by Jamie Francis in a time of 30.18. There was a tie for first lady with Ann Ferrie coming over the line with Gala Harriers Jessica Hendry in 38.15. Esme Minto finished second lady in 39.51 and Izzy Young close behind in 39.57

The 7 mile race saw James Dunn (Hunter Bog Trotters) take the tape for the second year in a row in 46.21 and his third race win over the Scottish Borders Hill Race Weekend.

Andrew Cox from Moorfoot Runners took second place in 52.26 and Alex McVey was not far behind to finish in third place in 52.50.

Jillian Fong from Vancouver took first place on the podium for the ladies in a good time of 59.40. Jillian is originally from Hawick so is no stranger to the Border hills!!

Second lady was Susan Ridley of Edinburgh AC in a time of 1.02.17, her third 2nd place of the weekend. Third spot went to Gala Harriers Lizzie Macleish in 1.03.00.

First Local runner (Selkirk) in was Jason Hendrie in 56.28

Full results here. Good turn out and strong showing from the Moorfoots especially Andy's 2nd place where he pushed through from 5th to 2nd in the second half of the race:

Pos.	Runner	Category	Cat Pos	Time
2	Andrew Cox	M	2	00:52:26
7	Colin Williams	M40	1	00:56:03
12	David Gaffney	M40	2	00:57:13
26	Darin Dougal	M40	4	01:03:31
36	Alan Elder	M50	10	01:07:35
39	Pete Hall	M50	11	01:08:24

Life membership presented to Blake Cullen (15yrs) who has run every year since it started!

Selkirk Fund Runners would like to thank Brown & Muir Ltd for sponsoring the medals and winners prizes, also TescoGalashiels

And Sainsburys Selkirk for helping with supplies for the runners. Also Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue for helping keep everyone

Safe on the hills. Last but not least all the wonderful helpers who make it possible!

Race photos