Black Rock 5 Race Report (By Kerry Law)

 On Friday evening Dean, Gillian and I met at Kinghorn in Fife for the Black Rock 5 race. It’s a 7k race which heads from the village out across the sands (at low tide) around the Black Rocks and back. 

The sun was shining in the Fife sky, though a blustery wind told us that at least one direction was going to be hard work! 

We set off, running through the streets and down to the beach, cheered along by most of the village – including a group of women in the street with deck chairs and red wine!

Onto the beach and we headed out for the rocks, running across sand that at high tide would be completely covered. The views were brilliant looking over to Edinburgh and along the Forth to the bridges. 

We reached the Black Rocks – the turning point – where a lone piper gave us encouragement. I’d been warned about wet feet, but it was more like wet feet, ankles, calves and knees as we splashed around the rocks and through the sea. 

Heading back we’d found the tail wind and the pace picked up across the sands. Back into the village we ran up the hill we’d come down, again cheered on by folks lining the streets. The end was at the top of a cheeky wee steep climb, just to finish off your legs! But we did get beer afterwards to make up for the tough finish! 

Also racing was junior Thomas Hilton who finished a fantastic 19th overall !!!!!

Thomas Hilton - cat 4th

Dean - cat position 34th

Gillian – cat position 11th

Kerry – cat position 38th

Full Results: http://www.blackrock5.org/results/2022

Gillian tacling the final climb to the finish

Club Champs Update after Black Rock, Jura, EMF

A bit of movement on the board after the Black Rock on Friday, Jura on Saturday and EMF on Sunday. Martin Holt still heading up the table (after a weekend off I think !!!). Big movers are Gillian upto 2nd and Diana upto 4th after coming 1st FVET on Jura.

Race	TOTAL Points	Gypsy Glen	Penicuik 10k	Wobbly Bridge
Date		11/05/2022	14/05/2022	22/05/2022
		Hill	Road	Trail
Points		10	10	10
Martin Holt	140	10	10	10
Gillian Carr	70		10	10
Milan Misak	60	10		10
Diane Challands	55	10
Robbie Devlin	50		10
Heather Young	45	10	10	10
Dean Carr	45	10		10
Craig Bennett	45	10
Dorien Kimenai	45
Tim Warner	40		10	10
Coreen McGovern	30		10	10
Philip Countts	30
Brian Smith	25	10		10
Pamella Swalwell	25		10	10
Kevin Rafferty	20	10	10
Peter Caddick	20			10
Maggie Oliver	15			10
Vicky Morrison	15			10
Colin Williams	10
Jen Misak	10
Thomas Jones	10	10
Mike Goddard	10	10
Mike McGovern	10			10
Carol Moss	10			10
Ian Munro	10			10
Noel Quinn	10			10
Alex Campbell	5
David Waldie	5
Robert Wilson	5
Scott Gourlay	5
Pete Hall	5
Martin Quirke	5
Eilidth Davidson	5
Nigel Shekleton	5
Amy Capper	5
Rosie Shankey	5
Mike Pearson	5

Races to get on the scoreboard in June/July:

Sat	04/06/2022	Stitchill10k	Road	10	https://www.entrycentral.com/event/119144?fbclid=IwAR25ITbaWDh5WXVtD1wjo6DlCpquUapdRN9jYPghE7j4Q_C0C32dCXJaXx0
Wed	08/06/2022	Red Moss Kipps	Hill	10	https://www.scottishhillrunners.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0666&System=Metric&Month=6
Sat	11/06/2022	Traprain Law	Hill (6.5 miles)	10	https://carnethy.com/carnethy-organised-races/traprain-law-hill-race/
Sun	19/06/2022	7 Hills	Hill (14 miles)	20	http://www.seven-hills.org.uk/
Sat	25/06/2022	Eildon Hill Race	Hill	10	https://www.scottishhillrunners.uk/Races.aspx?RaceID=RA-0654&System=Metric&Month=6
Tue	12/07/2022	Moffat Festival (tbc)	Road (15km)	15	https://www.facebook.com/Moffat-Run-425981230755804/
Sat	16/07/2022	Lee Pen	Hill	10	https://www.scottishhillrunners.uk/Races.aspx?RaceID=RA-0149&System=Metric&Month=7
Sun	17/07/2022	Kelso 10k (tbc)	Trail	10	https://www.kelsocivicweek.co.uk/10k-run1.html

If i've missed anyone (PB's or podiums) please let me know and I'll update.

Team Moorfoot enjoying their chips post Black Rock 5:

Moffat Mountain Rescue Team Charity Challenge, Sunday 12 June - club run?

Date: 12th June 2022

Start time: 0900

£10 entry fee

This non-competitive 'challenge' is organised as a fundraiser for MMRT in the vicinity of Hart Fell and the famous Moffat Beeftub! Advertised as a walk I’ve been in contact with the organisers and they welcome runners. There is potential to run alongside the Hartfell Hill running club so please let me know if you are interested – message or email me colin.m.williams@talk21.com

Start and finish at the Annan Water Hall at NT 075 103. At the northern end of Moffat, take the second exit at the mini roundabout beside the old school. This is signed Beechgrove and Old Edinburgh Road. Follow this road for approx 3 miles.

Your ticket cost includes a limited edition Moffat MRT T-shirt (although I am declining the Tshirt so that MMRT can raise more) and refreshments!

Full details: https://www.moffatmrt.org.uk/events/charity-challenge-2022/  

Route 4 - 18km with 850m of ascent shown here https://www.outdooractive.com/en/route/hiking-route/united-kingdom/moffat-mrt-charity-challenge-2022-walk-4/65331514/

Moorfoot Club Run - Broughton Heights and Trahenna Hill Loop, Sunday 5th June

Moorfoot Club Run - Broughton Heights and Trahenna Hill Loop

Organisers Kerry Law (keppulao@gmail.com) and Mike Goddard (mjsgoddard@gmail.com) 

Sunday 5th June at 9.30am

Meet at the Broughton Village Hall car park opposite the Laurel Bank Tea Room. 

About 13km, hilly and with (weather permitting) lovely views! Steady sociable pace with lots of regrouping. Option to cut out Trahenna loop if you wish a shorter run. 

There’s a nice café in Broughton for tea/coffee and cake afterwards if people fancy. 

Please let one of us know if you need a lift or have room to offer a lift and we will arrange. Kerry will be driving from Peebles and can take 3 others. 

Kit – would suggest bringing full body cover as per a hill race, inc hat and gloves (unless the weather looks absolutely stellar). Small pack or bum bag. Bring some water and maybe a snack too. Trail shoes would be best. 

Drop us an email if you fancy coming or if you have any questions, although Mike will be away for the next 10 days (a small matter of a championship race in Poland – lucky man!) so best contact Kerry and copy Mike in. Email addresses above. 

The Arran Trip.

 

This was the much awaited Arran Trip, where a band of intrepid Moorfoots made their way by car, ferry, bus and foot to the pleasantly situated Lochranza Hostel (Not yet a full ‘Hostelry’ due to the lack of forward planning in the beer department – more on that later!)

Chief planner, Kenny, organised the trip and Alan, Simon, Dorien, Kerry, Ewan and Hamish took up the offer two days of running on the bonnie Isle of Arran.

Day 1 was 13mile, 3000 foot run up Glen Rosa to Caisteal Abhail and down Glean Easan Biorach.

Day 1 Route

Top End of Glen Rosa

The initial run in was fairly steady. A short stop for a snack followed by a stiff climb up around Cir Mhor (Simon did his Alpine Ibex impression here as he bounded up the steep stone staircase)

Top of The Stairway

We then made our way round to Caisteal Abhail. Unfortunately, views were not to be had but you still got the feeling that you were standing aloft and that there were vertical drops on three sides.

Looking back to Cir Mhor

We then picked our way, off-piste and downhill to the scrape in the earth that was billed as a ‘road’ – or was that a ‘path’ Kenny? Certainly in need of the TLC of the National Trust to drag it up to anything approaching runnable. A surprisingly ‘claret free’ descent, by all, took us down to the distillery and the jog in to the Hostel. Food was rustled and lost calories were replaced. We had hoped to replace fluids in a similar fashion but there were a limited amount of beers remaining in the fridge behind reception. Determined that essential fluid replacement should not be neglected, we bought the rest of the beers and enjoyed with our puddings.

 

A 9.30 start on the Sunday morning run saw us heading on a lower level (8 mile/1000ft coastal route)

Sunday Route

The weather stayed dry, and we took in some excellent views of a very still, Sound of Bute. An easy paced run along to Laggan Cottage was punctuated with some rock clambering.

Lunch at Laggan Cottage

 The cottage sits on shore of The Sound and here we had a short snack and then we were off on the climb over the top, passing by Bearradh Tom ‘Muidhe and down by Allt Chailean. A nice descent that seems to run along the top of an old dry stane dyke at some points.

Downhill Off The Top

Back to the hostel and back in clean dry clothes we were back on the bus to Brodick, in good time to catch our ferry. A good feed on the boat and back in the car to Peebles.

Initially, Arran seemed far away but having made the trip, it’s not that difficult to get too and from the chat on the trip – most will return for future visits. It’s a bit of a gem, with countless running possibilities.

 

 

 

 

 

GB Hill Trials and Dumyat Hill Race Results

Jacob Adkin and Scout Adkin both win on Ben Lomond Friday night 20 May at GB team uphill-only trial to win national titles.

Scout then raced again on Sunday at Alva in the up and down champs that doubled as the Senior Home International representing Scotland, as well as the GB team trials  followed up with another win . 

15 year old Thomas Hilton was also racing in the U20 trial race which doubled as the Scotland U18 trial for the International Youth Cup in Italy. Results TBC but we think Thomas was 9th overall and 4th U18 Scot. There is some doubt whether it is a team of 4 or just 3 so we’ll need to wait and see on selection. But he is eligible for next year’s event if he just misses out this time round.

Well done all - Simply Superb!

The Dumyat Hill Race had almost 350 finisher entrants, each tackling the 390m climb across 8km of tough terrain, in the highest quality mid week hill race in Scotland on Weds 11^th May

Daniel Lavin was first Moorfoot home in 22^nd in 38:32 pipping Andy Cox in his first race as veteran 30^th in 39:04, and finishing as third M40, and Scott Robson (running as first-claim Carnethy) was 105^th in 45:43.