Mighty Milan and The Wobbly Bridge
What a fun race! The pre-race notes had been efficient and informal, with teaser videos from the Running Bear (think 5ft Teddy Bear) setting the tone. This vibe continued at registration as we each collected our race numbers adorned with not only our name but some suitably(?) positive adjective. It turned out that a local venture scout who was receiving some of the proceeds from the race to support her travels to next year's world scout jamboree, had done all 120 race numbers by hand. I was to be running under the pseudonym of "Majestic Martin"!
Having collected my race number it was good to see the familiar faces of "Jazzy Gillian", "Dashing Dean", "Tremendous Tim", "Vivacious Victoria" and "Mighty Milan" to name but a few of the 16 strong Team Moorfoot.
The pre-race briefing was good in that it was efficient and well... brief. I have a dislike of long briefings stating the blindingly obvious and this one tripped up only on the rather obvious advice not to trip up over the plentiful tree roots on the course. As if we needed telling that!
Briefing over and on the whistle from Running Bear we are off. A length of the village green before we are onto a back lane, then single-track trail and back to road as the running order settles down. Onto another section of single track before "thwack" - I find myself lying prone on the ground, having tripped over er....a tree root! I get up quickly to avoid being trampled. Feeling somewhat less than "majestic", I am pleased to discover the only new colour on my legs is brown and not red, with the landing largely being a coming together of squidgy parts of both me and the trail.
Two miles in and we reach Maxton Church. A piper offers some inspiration and some of the plentiful volunteers offer water and sweeties. The terrain opens up as we move into fields and opportunity to glance around and gauge who is in front and behind. Way in front I can just see "Dashing Dean" and "Jazzy Gillian" shortly behind him. My brain devises a race plan to catch them, but my legs quickly transmit a "does not compute" message back to control room. Instead, I engage in a more achievable mid-race tussle with a pair of Lauderdale Limpers.
We hit some open tracks and head down towards the Tweed. Across the river, Mertoun House can be seen although scarcely recognisable behind scaffold and giant shrink-wrap. The first of the Lauderdale Limpers ahead of me begins to tire and I manage to pass him. Very briefly the Mertoun House Footbridge is visible. Built in 1880 this suspension bridge is notoriously wobbly and gives its name to the race we all are enjoying. An uphill climb from the river and it becomes apparent that the second Lauderdale Limper is slow on the uphills, despite having the edge on me downhill. I briefly overtake him.
Arrival back at Maxton Church is heralded once again by the piper. I am lured into the feed station by the prospect of Jelly Babies and the Limper seizes his moment to overtake me again. We head down to the river again and he's pulled quite a way ahead. The next section is very familiar to me along St Cuthbert's Way. I relax and enjoy the open fields. It's really quite a beautiful section of the borders. At the Mertoun Road Bridge we take an unorthodox route going under it (the pre-race brief advised it had been cleared of trolls!). We carefully cross a ledge not unlike that under the south side of Tweed Bridge in Peebles, before re-joining the more orthodox St Cuthbert's Way route. The Lauderdale Limper is still ahead but I am gaining, boosted by the knowledge that the 200m long "Golf Course Hill" is fast approaching. We exit the path at the side of the golf course and onto Golf Course Hill. As per my latest race plan, the man from Lauderdale is indeed limping up the hill and so this is my moment. By the top of the hill, I finally catch him and we are back on flat tarmac. Whilst, the legs are in pain this is, I think, one of the best viewpoints in all of the borders with clear open views to the Eildon Hills to the north-east. Only a km to go and this time my legs are prepared to listen to my brain, if only not to throw away all the work they have just done on the hill.
One more short section of trail and then back onto tarmac, a couple of sharp turns and back on to the village green for the finish. A great crowd of runners, supporters and locals added to the gala day feel. Superb wooden medals, water, beer, crisps and sweeties for all on crossing the line. What's not to like?
Chance then to relax, hear about those at the sharp end of the race and cheer others home before the presentation. Our venture scout was very prophetic with her "Mighty Milan" as our own Milan was first home in a cracking time of 55:03 - not bad for 8.4 miles of fairly technical trail running. It's also a second victory in 12 days for Milan of the back of last week's win at Gypsy Glen. In keeping with informal eco vibe, Milan got a lovely rosette knitted by the local SWI. Milan was also briefly the custodian of a rather nice chocolate trophy, although this was quickly confiscated by Misak junior who clearly thought it was rightly his for being best supporter at the finish line - a view I would not disagree with. The trophy was last seen firmly in his clutches heading back to Peebles. It seems likely that anyone who is hoping Milan will slowed down by eating large amounts of chocolate in the next week will be sorely disappointed.
Carol Moss had a great run also coming in 1st Female Vet
It was a great turnout from the Moorfoots with full results as follows:
(1) "Mighty" Milan Misak 55:03 (8) Michael McGovern 1:04:57 (10) "Breathtaking" Brian Smith 1:05:41 (12) "Dashing" Dean Carr 1:06:09 (17) Carol Moss 1:07:00 (22) "Jazzy" Gillian Carr 1:09:48 (24) "Majestic" Martin Holt 1:10:50 (30) "Postive" Pamella Swalwell 1:14:38 (34) "Vivacious" Victoria Morrison 1:15:20 (37) "Humourus" Heather Young 1:16:34 (45) Ian Munro 1:20:48 (52) "Confident" Coreen McGovern 1:22:07 (64) "Nifty" Noel Quinn 1:26:24 (69) Peter "Perky" Caddick 1:27:26 (71) "Tremendous" Tim Warner 1:27:48 (99) Margaret Oliver 1:43:04.
Full Results: https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?pid=1&raceid=277286
By Martin Holt
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