Lee Pen Hill Race Tribute Run 2021 report

Innerleithen's annual St Ronan's Games, is the oldest organised athletics meeting in Scotland instituted in 1827, but the 2021 edition was another casualty of COVID for a second year so Colin arranged some club runs on what would have been the Games Saturday in its place. The Games always feature Lee Pen Hill Race, a traditional up and back, short and steep race covering 3 miles and 1,200 feet of climb and then descent with some pretty rough off camber sections. Full details: https://moorfootrunners.blogspot.com/2021/07/innerleithen-lee-pen-club-handicap.html

It was a beautiful but scorching hot day, and the ice creams were well and truly earned! Many thanks to marshalls and timeskeepers, Fi, Alice and Austen Williams, and Dave, Edie and Lewis Gaffney.

At 9.15am a junior race of a total of 2.3km / 1.4 miles and 160m / 550ft elevation change up and then down, shown here: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/9213876/Junior-Lee-Pen-course

A lot of juniors were saving themselves for the Tweedbank open graded track meeting on the Sunday so three juniors took on the challenge.

First home was Shaun Pyman 12:04, followed by Austen Williams 14:10 and then Ellie Darlow 14:41, a guest from Gala Harriers. Shaun then continued on to take his place in the silver band as part of an abbreviated Games day performance!

Seniors

For the seniors at 9am Dave Gaffney led a guided run up and down the whole route at as a social / recce run, followed straight after at 10.15 am, for those who fancied it doing it again at ‘race pace’.

In total 15 seniors were in involved with Tim Warner, Dorien Kimenai, Jen Misak and Amy Capper all did the social recce and then 10 did it as a race, with Dave Gaffney stopping to the top to collect the marshalls!

Senior times:

Runner	Time
Iain Veitch	27:23
Milan Misak	28:22
Colin Williams	30:41
Nigel Shekleton	31:21
Tim Darlow	34:26
Bob Johnson	36:21
Kevin Raftery	36:35
Brian Smith	39:26
Lorna McMillan	42:43
Vickie Morrison	43:12

Sunday Social at Penicuik House

 

A small group of us had a very enjoyable morning exploring the trails around Penicuik House.  Lovely spot to run with some great views over to the Pentlands and lots of interesting buildings to look at.  No major incidents, but I did stumble over a root and gave myself a dead leg !!!!!

Look forward to going back for some more exploring

Penicuik Tower

Penicuik House

Who are you lot ?

Inside

Innerleithen Lee Pen Hill Race Tribute - SATURDAY, JULY 17 from 9.00 AM

SATURDAY, JULY 17 from 9.00 AM
Innerleithen, Lee Pen Hill Race Tribute
Register your interest by emailing Colin Williams colin.m.williams@talk21.com (or just turn up)

NOTE UPDATED FORMAT – No longer a handicap to minimise organisation / marshalls / course marking etc

Innerleithen's annual St Ronan's Games, is the oldest organised athletics meeting in Scotland instituted in 1827, but the 2021 edition is another casualty of COVID for a second year so Colin arranging some club runs on what would have been the Games Saturday in its place.

Meet at Victoria Park playing fields near to the Public Toilets –https://goo.gl/maps/MzJbCtNqNWkW66dL8 start and finish for junior and seniors will be close by and I will be there to direct you

For those driving you can park at the Hall Street Car Park EH44 6QT https://goo.gl/maps/kE6Tsm1MRAubbwL4A

Timings:

Juniors race 9.15am

Seniors social run / recce 9am 

Seniors hard ‘race pace’ run 10am

Junior Event Details

Meet at Victoria Park playing fields near to the Public Toilets. At 9.15am I will take escort the juniors to the start and finish point of the race, which is a few hundreds metres away where the track up the hill leaves St Ronans Terrace – the road opposite the Co-op.

The junior route is a total of 2.3km / 1.4 miles and 160m / 550ft elevation change up and then down at shown here: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/9213876/Junior-Lee-Pen-course  

Senior Event Details

The St Ronan's Games include the Lee Pen Hill Race, a traditional up and back, short and steep race covering 3 miles and 1,200 feet of climb and then descent with some pretty rough off camber sections - shoes with good grip required.  

https://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/Graphics/Maps/RA-0149-main.jpg

 

Race route here on Strava can be seen here: https://www.strava.com/activities/1717965934/overview

9am Dave Gaffney will lead a guided run up and down the whole route at as a social / recce run. The total route is 3 miles and 1,200 feet of climb and then descent.

The guided social run will take about 50 mins up and down (the course record = sub 25mins). 

10am For those who are up for it and fancy a hard run you can then turn around and then do it again at race pace/hard tempo, starting as a group and time yourself. 

You also have the option of joining either at 9am for the social run and then eating a Caldwells ice cream and watch the 'racers', or you can just come at 10am for a blast if you don't want to recce - but don't blame me if you get lost!!  

Covid 19

People need to follow government guidelines re safety, maintaining social distancing, and being especially aware of other people using paths and please be mindful and respectful of other users. Do not take part if if you suspect that you have any COVID-19 symptoms. Latest Scottish Government guidance is here https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/clubs/club-support/coronavirus/