Gutsy showing at Scottish Schools and Silver for Ethan

A stiff breeze looked likely to negate fast times at Grangemouth  today at the Scottish Schools Champs but three of the four Moorfoots running produced PBs. The fourth, Charlotte Clare, ran her usual gutsy race but she is in a bit of a flat spot at the mo and was a fair bit off her best form in her U17W 800m heat. She is young in that age-group and will turn things round given time.

In the U20W 800m Ailsa Innes was just run out of an automatic qualifying spot in her heat, finishing a close 4th in 2.18 just outside her PB. That was a hard but highly commendable run given the windy conditions and it put her through to the final as a fastest loser. With a turn-round of only 90 minutes after the heats, the final was a race for the strong, and not only did Ailsa turn the tables convincingly on the girl who had kept her out of the top three in her heat, she put herself well and truly in the race for a medal. Down the back straight on lap two she latched on to her older Lasswade clubmate Lauren Dickson (Ailsa is Moorfoot trained but now races for Lasswade). With the front two clear, and a good gap back to fifth, it was a clear-cut match race between the two of them for bronze. With 150m to go Ailsa moved out to take over third spot and held a two metre advantage off the bend. But Lauren wasn't done for and with the crowd roaring the two of them down the home straight she eventually got back to Ailsa's shoulder and just, only just, sneaked it on the line. Gutting for Ailsa who had run such a superb race but she can be justly proud of a 2.16 PB on a windy day and with only 90 minutes recovery after a hard heat.

Charlotte Morrison's U15G 1500m went as a straight final and while not challenging for the podium she ran a faultless well-paced race for a three second 5.16 PB. Can't ask for any more.

Ethan Elder won the U14B 1500m last year but two separate 2-week lay-offs from training since mid-April due to an ankle injury meant he could not expect to be at his best in his attempt to repeat the feat in the U15 age-group. He had to work really hard in his heat to nab 4th on the line and sneak the final automatic qualifying place in a blanket finish, but his 4.33 time was a good nine seconds off his PB. Just one tenth of a second separated 2nd to 5th and with all four fastest losers coming from the other heat, Ethan made the final by the skin of his teeth. With some questionable timetabling by SSAA again meaning less than 90 minutes between heat and final, it was going to be a really tough task for him to be competitive in the final after a hard heat run and the four weeks of missed training. He looked goosed after his heat and it was as much a mental battle to get up for his final as it was physical. Thankfully someone had the sense to push back the final by 15 minutes to give the boys some additional recovery time (although no-one told the boys about that before they were due in the call room!). Thankfully too, the pace in what was the very last event of two full days competition, was sensible over the first two laps with Ethan able to sit comfortably mid-bunch. At the bell the expected kick came and spreadeagled the field. Although there was no instantaneous matching reaction from Ethan, he dug in to stay in touch with a possible medal position going down the back straight for the final time. With hot favourite Lewis Dow surging clear, Ethan showed incredible guts to haul in the others and push into second place round the final bend. Down the home straight his strength was evident for all to see as he made inroads into Dow's lead. Although clear, Dow was anxiously looking over his shoulder as the shouts for Ethan sent the message that he was not yet home and hosed. The gap proved to be too big for Ethan but it was an amazing turnaround and he so deserved his silver medal. On top of that it looks like he sneaked a PB of 4.23 although that is unofficial on the coach's watch, the official time TBC. Guts, pure guts, which was enough to elicit some  post-race "French" praise from his coach.

Trotternish Ridge 2017

When I think of Skye, I never imagine it is that far away. It’s up there on the north left of Scotland, romantically, little more than a Flora MacDonald - powered boat ride from the mainland.

Not so, it would seem – Portree it is in fact a five and a half hour trip from Peebles, covering 258 miles. With this in mind, drinks and snacks are stockpiled and the Ipod loaded up before the off.

It’s a fine afternoon and I am soon on the way through Perth and heading for Dalwhinne for my turn off on the A9. I make good time getting over to Spean Bridge, past Loch Lochy to Invergarry. Soon, I have Loch Cluanie on my left and then I drop in to Glen Shiel. I travelled this route many years ago but not on such a clear day and have no recollection of just how massive the hills are on either side. I imagine someone must have glued the boulders to the hillside, so that they don’t roll down and crush gobsmacked drivers on their way through the glen!

The Ipod has gone from AC/DC to Aerosmith and the Allman Brothers play me in to Kyle of Lochalsh. I realise now that I didn’t hit the ‘shuffle’ button!

It’s a fine night and the Cuillins are vast and menacing in the distance. 32 miles of island later and I am in Torvaig Campsite a mile out of Portree. Tent up, bed inflated, I head back to town to load up with the ‘Mallaig Fish and Chips Special’. Not completely as described, however, I have had some carbs and head back to my pitch. I watch a little of Gran Torino with lights out around midnight.

Ten minutes to five and the dawn chorus kicks off with versus one to six thrown in for good measure!

Registration is in Portrree High School between nine, and ten and after a form of porridge, I am there, numbered and kit checked. Kit includes additional food, a survival bag (Ta Pete H) and an extra running top. With that and the fluid, the rucksack (kindly borrowed from Andy C) is a bit weighty. As this is a Scottish Championship Long Classic counter, the limit has been raised to 150 runners. So, quite a buzz around check in.

Pre-race talk is at 9.45 and buses are thereafter loaded with runners and after a spell (some of it spent captivated by the scale of the ridge and some of it trying to recall what it was that I was doing here in the first place) we are all at Flodigarry for the start.

Harry Martin

The ridge resembles series of waves, frozen in motion. Geologically, a very long landslip of basalt lavas sitting on softer Jurassic shales – sliding slowly towards the sea. It is dark, wild and vastly foreboding – decidedly Tolkienesque. Here be Hobbitses!

Jasper Jansen (checkpoints on most prominences)

It’s 17 miles start to finish with 6000ft (1828 m) of ascent in between. Seven check points to be covered with seven tags to be dropped into seven little orienteering Bagginses. There’s a chill wind blowing and we all courie around an imaginary start line. A casual countdown and we are off.

Checkpoint 1 is a manageable run up onto Meall na Suiramach (531m). Findlay Wild and Andy Fallas are already heading away from the pack.

From this point, there is an exciting descent down to Checkpoint 2 (Quiraing car park) where I manage to make up a handful of places. Some water here and off on mainly moor for a 5 mile tussocky trek to Checkpoint 3 on Beinn Edra (611m). Good visibility here and it is possible to see the hills of the Outer Hebrides.

Walkhighlands - Beinn Edra

Checkpoint 4, at Beallach na Leacaich, is a 3 mile jaunt from 3 and another welcome water stop. I’m not feeling too bad at this point and munch an energy bar on the ascent. More featureless moor and Checkpoint 5, Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh Ruaidh, (593m) appears. Tag dropped and onwards.

Over the next two hills, I start to lose my drive and feel generally dehydrated. I have been taking in fluid from my rucksack but am losing much more in salt than the fluid contains.

Hartaval (668m) is a large wedge of hill but I manage to get up and over it. There is some tricky navigating down through some steep, rocky terrain – but following the experience runner in front, I manage to weave a way through. From the top of Hartaval, the climb to The Storr (719m) looks outrageous – but once at the base – the hill seems to shrink a little. I am passed here by an HBT lady who is gliding up the slope.

With some effort, I am over the Storr and heading down the steep hillside to the precarious Bealach Beag. Following some clambering there is a marked route down to the road. I can see the HBT lady and catch her on the road.

Within a mile, I am on the final dash across the bridge at Storr Lochs Dam.

I had set myself a target of 4.30 (don’t really know why) and managed to finish in 4.33. Not far off target! With this being a championship counter – all the big boys and girls were out to play so I finished a way down the pecking order – Interestingly, if I had run in 2013, I would have been 3rd !

Race over, Tent down and into the car for the 5 hour trip back to Peebles. A long drive but I return to some chilled Guinness.......My Preshuuuusssssss!

Quiraing behind, The Storr ahead,

And there are many paths to tread,

By the bealach, corrie and col,

Where glassy, snaking rillettes fall,

The horde is loose, the quarry known,

Remove the one upon the throne,

But to his heels, no one can cling,

And Wild is crowned the mountain king.

JRR Token

Brand new 'his and her' records set.

Results here

LAMM 2017 - An Teallach, Fisherfield and the Fannichs

This year's Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon (LAMM) location was announced on Thursday lunchtime - up near Ullapool, in the shadow of the popular Munro An Teallach - so a long drive up on Friday evening for the two days of mountain navigation, general bog bashing and rock hopping.

A new team this year, with daughter Mhairi giving it a go - sensibly, we chose the D-class (approx 20Km /1200m ascent each day), but remaining a full on mountain challenge in a fantastic location, with stunning scenery and varied terrain.

Day1 22Km/1200m
D-classers were bussed out past Braemore Junction and set loose in the Fannichs, at the eastern end of the event area. Six controls to navigate through between start and mid camp, and we were soon up above the 900m contour. The big decision was between controls 3 and 4; we chose the 'contouring' option rather than the more obvious 'over the tops' choice; not much in it...
35th out of 50 in our class at the mid camp; 6hrs46mins...some work to do on Mhairi's feet overnight...

Day2 22Km/1120m
Heading back towards Dundonnell now through the Fisherfield hills, and straight up 800m from the off. A bit of rain and some hill fog, forced waterproofs and compass out briefly, but was clear again within the hour. Relatively straight forward controls, but a few final tricky 'knolls' to locate as we contoured around the corries of An Teallach before a long descent back to the finish.
Mhairi's feet holding up, but obviously hurting on the descent - what a trooper though, full on run along the road/field final 800m. 32nd on day2 in 6hrs31mins

Early morning at mid camp

Full LAMM info/results here...

Regards...
Kenny

Scott is 1st Vet 50 at Edinburgh Half Marathon

Scott MacDonald continued his 100% winning streak as a Vet 50 making it 2 from 2 by winning the age group category at the Edinburgh Half Marathon on Sunday morning clocking the highly respectable time of 1:21:56, 87th overall. Scott was in great form prior to his pneumonia in his left lung that hit him on his birthday and made his loose 2 weeks of training in the month before this event, and Scott went off like a man on a mission going through 10km at 37:20, unfortunately his missed training caught up with him in the last 5km otherwise he would have surely been sub 80 mins.

Glentress 11km trail race report from Friday evening

Report from Alex:
No one could have predicted the soaring temperatures of the very first Tweedlove 11km trail race. As I left my car at 17..45pm the barometer shouted 28 degrees at me, yes that's 28 degrees in the late afternoon in the Scottish Borders, aka Costa Del Peebles.

Scorcio - Andy, Darin, Mike and Ruth line up at the front

The premier GT 11 was a well organised, friendly event, well attended with 128 racers and friendly marshals and much needed water stops on the climb up to the top.

It was great night for The Moorfoots who turned up and supported the local event with both enthusiasm and determination despite the unprecedented warmth. Andrew Cox stormed home second overall (50.07) with a super speedy effort on a course which encompassed a 375m climb up the beautiful trails of Glentress and back down some of the more technical rooty shared trails. The canopy from the trees was all the more inviting on Friday night as it provided some much needed shade for the 200 or so runners braving sub tropical temperatures Peebles had to offer, humidity being the most vivid memory most will be left with from the race (if not a touch of sunburn). Darin Douglas was second Moorfoot home (5th, 2nd MV) followed closely by Michael McGovern (6th, 3rd MV) and Iain Roberts put in a sterling effort and continued to improve with a solid 28th place.

The fabulous Ruth McKean ran brilliantly retaining her recent streak as First Lady overall and First female Moorfoot over the line and Alex Nisbet (me) came in 3rd Female Senior which I am delighted with as I am not ashamed to say that I struggled in the heat!

Pos	No.	Name	Club	Category	Time	Behind
2nd	30	Andrew Cox		M	00:50:07	+00:01:12
5th	36	Darin Dougal		M40	00:50:57	+00:02:02
6th	95	Michael McGovern		M40	00:51:21	+00:02:26
8th	96	Ruth McKean		F40	00:54:08	+00:05:13
28th	125	Iain Roberts		M	01:04:43	+00:15:48
30th	110	Alexandra Nisbet		F	01:05:08	+00:16:13

Full Race Results can be found here: http://timing.tweedvalleymtb.com/TweedLove2017/GT11/

Magnus and Paul do the first Stirling Marathon

Magnus Skea and Paul Nichol took part in the inaugural Stirling Marathon. The course is a bit undulating so not exactly a PB course. Magnus clocked 3.19.20 and less than a minute behind Double Commonwealth gold medal winner and running legends Liz McColgan (OK she's getting on a bit now but sounds good!). It’s fair to say Magnus hadn’t exactly done the amount of training you would expect in a typical marathon training programme so he was delighted with the time which wasn’t far off his PB set last year.

Moorfoot marathon fan Paul ran his second marathon in month having raced London last month and set a time of 4.00.39, just outside the 4hr barrier and unsurprisingly slower than his London time.

Congratulations both of you

Paul looking far too happy for a someone running a marathon!!

 

Magnus looking rather happy after the marathon with his Stirling gin!

 

Gypsy Glen Hill Race 2017 report

The race was a success and described in nut shell by Mike Pearson as:
Nice evening, good run, great atmosphere, everybody happy!
Many thanks for Mike Pearson as race organiser again, and Peebles Community Council providing marshals and registration, and the other Moorfoots helping with the event - Alan MacDonald, Eddie Balfour, Lucy Colquhoun, Ruth McKean, Kenny Davidson, Colin Williams as course setters and start and finish line crew.


Mhairi, Alex, Pete, Alan and Donald after the finish

The 2017 Gypsy Glen Hill Race had an outstanding entry of 73 runners and was won by Tom Martyn of Edinburgh based Hunter's Bog Trotters who broke the course record, set only last year, going under the 31 minute barrier for the first time ever to clock 30:46. First woman home was Peebles' own Susan Ridley, Edinburgh Athletic Club, winning the woman's overall title for the 5th time in 9 years, as well as being the first female veteran. Lots of clubs represented with the largest contingents from Portobello, Moorfoot Runners, Pencuik Harriers and HBT.  Full results here

Out of the Moorfoots in action this year, Mike led the way and was first home closely followed by Darin (3rd and 4th Vet respectively). Dave Gaffney had his first outing as a Moorfoot with a solid performance and Mairi Wallace placed as first female senior (3rd Female overall) with the stand out Moorfoot performance in her first race on the course. Alan, Pete, Donald and Alex were all very close with the order changing depending on the part of the course they were on (up vs down vs trail vs road) with Alex placing as third F Senior so great result for the first time at the race. Mairi Davidson did very well on only her second hill race ever so congratulations.

Place	Runner	Category	Cat Place	Time
7	Mike McGovern	MV	3	35	:	36
8	Darin Dougal	MV	4	35	:	53
20	David Gaffney	M	9	39	:	7
32	Mairi Wallace	F	1	41	:	29
39	Alan Elder	MV	22	42	:	56
41	Peter Hall	MV	24	43	:	18
42	Donald Mitchell	MV	25	43	:	31
43	Alexandra Nisbet	F	3	43	:	42
72	Mairi Davidson	F	9	54	:	13

Lots of pictures from Colin here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskVnUKne
and on the Moorfoot Facebook Group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/moorfootrunners/


Mike and Darin leading the charge

Dave Gaffney - so quick he's blurred



Finish line crew prep huddle!

Lovely evening for a lung buster - the view from the top