Lee Pen Hill Race at Innerleithen St Ronan's Games 2023

Saturday saw the culmination of Innerleithen St Ronan's Games Week with the hosting of the oldest organised athletics meeting in Scotland, Instituted in 1827.

Starting with the Lee Pen Hill Race which includes 1,200 brutal feet of climb and then foot burning descent within the ‘modest’ 3 mile course which had a 35 competitors this year, the largest entry for many years. 

Jacob Adkin of the local Moorfoot Runners club not only took the win but smashed the record that had stood for almost two decades. He clocked 22:38, and was over four minutes clear of Matthew Sullivan, also of  Moorfoot Runners. Jacob is from Peebles and has some amazing acolades to his name including winning the European Mountain Running title in 2019, and finishing 20th at this years World Champs in Austria. He was up and down before most of the field had made it to the top!

It was fitting that the trophy was presented by the previous course record holder Euan Jardine, who is now the Leader of Scottish Borders Council. And similar to last year where both the men's and women's race was won by a couple it was Katie Hall, Jacob's girlfriend, who was fastest, and they each enjoyed a £80 top prize.

For the men 3rd was Irvine Welsh of Gala Harriers, 1^st Veteran was Kieron Ross in 4th, and 1^st Local, 2nd Vet was Andy Cox of the home club Moorfoot Runners in 5th. Mairi Eades was second woman, Isla Patterson 3rd, Kate Jenkins 4th and 1st Vet, and Magda Janus was 1^st Local. Other Moorfoots running were Jen Misak 2nd FVet, Colin Williams, and Martin Holt

Many thanks to Walkerburn resident and Gala Harrier Bob Johnson, for providing the sponsorship of the substantial Hill Race prize fund through his company Realistic Engineering Analysis, and he also found the energy to do the race!

Full results below and on Scottish Hill Runners soon.

Position	Name	Club	Time	Category	Cat Pos	Local
1	Jacob Adkin	Moorfoot Runners	22:38	M	1
2	Matthew Sullivan	Moorfoot Runners	26:54	M	2
3	Irvine Welsh	Gala Harriers	27:51	M	3
4	Kieron Ross		28:11	MV	1
5	Andrew Cox	Moorfoot Runners	28:30	MV	2	Y
6	Brian Marshall	Haddington	28:38	MV	3
7	Craig Mattocks	Carnethy	29:02	MV	4
8	Greg Harradine		29:47	M	4
9	Paul Williams	Carnethy	30:29	M	5
10	Katie Hall		30:35	F	1
11	Noah Carson		31:15	M	6
12	Colin Williams	Moorfoot Runners	31:19	MV	5	Y
13	Mairi Eades	Edinburgh Uni	32:05	F	2
14	Isla Patterson	Gala Harriers	32:24	F	3
15	Scott Robson	Carnethy	33:20	M	7	Y
16	Alan Tait	Motherwell AC	33:29	MV	6
17	Marc Overman		33:33	M	8
18	Iain Bell	Gala Harriers	33:42	MV	7
19	Bob Johnson	Gala Harriers	33:51	MV	8	Y
20	Steve Jones		34:13	M	9	Y
21	Kate Jenkins	Gala Harriers	34:26	FV	1
22	Mike Rutherford	Lomond Hill Runners	35:19	MV	9
23	Christopher McKiddie		35:32	MV	10
24	Gordon Pryde		37:17	M	10
25	Madga Janus		37:34	F	4	Y
26	Jennifer Misak	Moorfoot Runners	37:58	FV	2	Y
27	Kane Cutler		38:43	M	11
28	Poppy Lunn	Gala Harriers	39:29	F	5
29	Gill Lunn	Gala Harriers	39:42	FV	3
30	Ross Dalgliesh	Gala Harriers	39:50	MV	11
31	Lisa Dalgliesh	Gala Harriers	40:05	F	6
32	Martin Holt	Moorfoot Runners	42:02	MV	12
33	Bruno Gieggrich		44:55	M	12	Y
34	Paul Lockie	Teviotdale Harriers	46:03	MV	13
35	Charlotte Hendry	Gala Harriers	47:40	FV	4	Y

Great photos on facebook by Neil Renton and Lorna Eades