Scottish Hill Running Champs Race - Scout wins national title for the third time

Fantastic news - Scout retained her Scottish title in Perthshire yesterday, winning the title for the third time (2016, 19, 20). Awesome running with a two minute winning margin, and great that Scout made the trip up from the Lake District to don the red and blue vest.

*Photos with thanks to Malcolm Patterson.

From the SHR website:

The Scottishathletics hill running championships took place on Sunday 20 th September, from Comrie on a beautiful Autumnal day. The course was an uphill only course over 12km with 830m of climb, this format is uncommon in the UK but used regularly in Europe. The first runners to reach the summit of Carn Chois were treated with a cloud inversion in the valley below. In the womens event Scout Adkin (Moorfoots) 1:00:57 was a clear winner from Holly Page (Edinburgh University HH) and Kirsty Dickson (Carnethy Hill Racing Club) in 3rd. Both 2nd and 3rd runners are fairly new to hill running so look bright for the future. Well done to all who competed and a huge thank you to Angela Mudge and her team in successfully staging the event with a number of Covid-19 protocols and 'waves' in operation. Full results on the SHR Results tab.https://www.scottishhillrunners.uk/RaceResults.aspx

Rollercoaster gets athletics in Scotland back in the groove- sort of.

 A big thank you to everyone who gave of their time to help get the Rollercoaster on on Saturday, especially when firstly we decided there was to be no senior race, due to the impossibility of complying with the 14-page SAL Covid guidelines on off-track racing, and secondly when the Under-18 races lost not only their intended designation as the Scottish Junior Hill Running Championships, but also their status as Scotland selection races. SAL decided that as we were the very first race back, it was not appropriate to designate it as a championship event; then the two junior international races due to be held later in the year were cancelled in the week leading up to the Rollercoaster.

Thanks to Eddie B and Kenny D for course markings and marshalling, Alan E and Marty D, Gillian C and Dean C for sweeping, Mike P, Alan MacD and Lucy C for timekeeping and recording, and the non-rhymers Ian and Anne Nimmo for place recording and Lauder Limper Anne Weir for first aid cover. Ta too to Pete Hall for first aid supplies which thankfully went unused.

All four races were held over the same 3.5km/175m course which took the runners straight into their ascent from the bottom of the Morning Hill field all the way up to the forest edge and beyond the log bench, still rising through the undulations before dropping steeply and turning to race for home along the John Buchan Way. It was a tough start and a baptism of fire for those youngsters trying their hand at hill racing for the first time, especially given the very warm sunny conditions.

Just the three Moorfoot juniors were involved in what were, as anticipated, high quality fields. In the Under-15 Boys race Shaun Pyman found it tough going in the heat and was below his true form in finishing 17^th in 18.42. Then in the Under-15 Girls race Elena Lee ran a stormer for 2nd in 18.57 and Abbie Little also ran well for 6th in 20.54.

Full report and results are available via SAL News

Moorfoot Strava Series Lockdown Challenge 2020

Following suggestions from various Moorfoots who have been suffering race withdrawal symptoms I have devised a Lockdown Strava Series Challenge. The challenge runs until Tuesday 30th of June.

It's a bit of fun and the main idea of the series is to provide some motivation to get you out, maybe try a new route and to push yourself as lockdown and restrictions drag on.

A selection of Strava segments have been identified – 19 in total (as in COVID 19). These segments are a real mixture, spread around the valley between Peebles and Innerleithen, with short and longer sections, offroad and tarmac, and hopefully with a bit for everyone. Please note there are no downhill offroad sections due to potential burden on mountain rescue in case of injury away from vehicle access.

To take part you need to select and complete any 10 segments out of the list of 19 that are local to you. The scoring will be worked out so that for each segment completed between now and 30 June your ranking against the other Moorfoots doing each segment the challenge will be added up to give an overall score, and the lowest scores for male and female will be announced as top Challenger for each category. Prizes are being considered - watch this space.

All government guidelines in regard to Social Distancing must be strictly adhered to

Stay local (https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/pages/staying-at-home/ )
Be considerate to other people by keeping a minimum of 2m distance at all times when passing.
Runs must be completed solo, unless you are running with members of the same household.

Avoid potentially busy times.

Thanks to Iain Veitch, Mike McGovern, Alan Elder, Andy Cox and Pete Hall for the ideas. 

Any questions just ask, Cheers, Colin 

The segments are listed below and shown on the map

Segment Number	Segment Name on Strava	Route description	Distance	Ave Gradient	Tarmac / Offroad	Fastest time
1	Downhill Ride https://www.strava.com/segments/17155824	Down the Sware from the top to the road	0.58km / 0.36mi	-11%	Tarmac	1:16 (m), 2:12 (w)
2	Cademuir Run to top https://www.strava.com/segments/4935920	From the gate on Ederston Road to the top of the very steep hill opposite cademuir Hill	2.7km / 1.71mi	6%	Offroad	13:35 (m), 16:16 (w)
3	Sams challenge IV https://www.strava.com/segments/17502873	from the Top of the Sware to the Edderston Road junction	1.27km / 0.79mi	-4%	Tarmac	4:02 (m), 5:04 (w)
4	Haystoun to Bonnington Rd https://www.strava.com/segments/24007485	From gate to just before junction with Bonnington Road	0.60km / 0.37mi	Undulating	Tarmac	2:05 (m), 2:01 (w)
5	Gypsy Glen to Kirkhope Law https://www.strava.com/segments/8537266	From the bridge crossing the burn to far summit, missing out the top of Craighead	4.4km / 2.7mi	8%	Offroad	22:56 (Jacob!), 34:59 (w)
6	JB - Post to Bench https://www.strava.com/segments/8615175	From wooden post at start of cycle way up Janet's Brae to bench overlooking Linnburn (just before green route track end)	1.78km / 1.11mi	7%	Offroad (mostly)	9:02(m), 9:09(w)
7	Kittlegairy to Traquair https://www.strava.com/segments/9193357	Back road 10km from Peebles to Traquair, starting just past the second entrance to Kittlegairy ending at the Traquair crossroads	10.1km / 6.26mi	Flat(ish)	Tarmac	37:15 (m), 45:24 (w)
8	Tunnel to Bridge https://www.strava.com/segments/13044943	From the Peebles side before you enter the Eshiels tunnel  to start of the Cardrona bridge on Bike Path	5.2km / 3.25mi	flat	Tarmac	18:05 (m), 21:00 (w)
9	GT Buzzards Road Climb from Road Junction https://www.strava.com/segments/8729073	From beside Glentress cafe to buzzards nest on the forest road up	2.7km / 1.75mi	6%	Offroad	12:45 (m), 16:03 (w)
10	Kirkburn Upper Rd Climb https://www.strava.com/segments/1641448	From Cardrona Forest car park south and climbing on the forest roads	2.9km / 1.8mi	5%	Offroad	15:52 (m), 17:17 (w)
11	New easier climb! https://www.strava.com/segments/18017368	Switch back trail from Cardrona Forest car park up to the first fire road	0.58km / 0.36mi	9%	Offroad	2:27 (m), 2:49 (w)
12	Wallace Hill Rd to Kirkburn turning point https://www.strava.com/segments/19956376	From middle of Cardrona Forest heading north contouring on forest road	1.7km / 1.05mi	1% Flat(ish)	Offroad	07:59 (m), 10:20 (w)
13	New Cardrona Bridge(Innerleithen end) to Give Way sign at end of cycle path, Innerleithen https://www.strava.com/segments/6407883	from the new Cardrona bridge to Innerleithen	3.2km / 2 mi	flat	Tarmac	11:05 (m)
14	Black Knowe to Lee Pen https://www.strava.com/segments/18614761	Along the ridge from the style at the fench at Black Knowe to the top of Lee Pen from behind	2.77km / 1.72mi	Undulating	Offroad	12:54 (m), 16:47 (w)
15	Lee Penn https://www.strava.com/segments/6661887	From the end of the street opposite the Coop at start of track leading into the woods to the top of Lee Pan	2.35km / 1.46mi	13%	Offroad	15:01 (m), 19:57 (w)
16	St Ronan's Terrace down - new road surface to loos https://www.strava.com/segments/24007651	From road start at first / last new house to the Public loos	0.53km / 0.33mi	-8%	Tarmac	2:08 (m), 2:14 (w)
17	Traquair-MM Climb https://www.strava.com/segments/5676521	From a few 100m metres up from Traquair village hall to the top of Minch Moor, following the MTB red route once you hit the first junction with the forest road.	5.6km / 3.5mi	7%	Offroad	29:21 (m), 38:00 (w)
18	Nice new path https://www.strava.com/segments/19309085	From the start of the new bikepath spur at Walkburn to the Haughhead bridge by the caravan park	2.12km / 1.32mi	flat	Tarmac	7:59 (m), 8:58 (w)
19	Caberston to Caddon Bank fire road climb https://www.strava.com/segments/6477587	From the entrance to Traquair forest at Plora to the top of Caddon Bank on the forest road	3.02km/1.88mi	4%	Offroad	14:28 (m), 15:07 (w)