This race popped up a couple of weeks ago on the SHR Facebook page, so a few of us thought we would give it a go, given it was (with the Alloa Half Marathon excepted) a light racing fixtures weekend. Harry and Andrew Gilmore picked me up and we headed to Callander (via Stirling Uni, to pick up Iain) and arrived in plenty of time. Given the perceived low key nature of the event, we were surprised to see the likes of Jasmin, Andy, Helen, Sam Hesling, Malcolm Patterson and the like limbering up on the beginnings of the route when we arrived. Our collective gulps were eased when we discovered they were on a training weekend and not racing against us. We passed them all later on their way from Ben Gullipen summit (we assumed) and we were heading up. It was nice to get some encouraging words as they passed, as we struggled for breath.The 13.5km course itself is very straightforward and left registration and climbed up a forest track all the way to the radio mast at Ben Gullipen, with a few sharp turns thrown in. Although the gradient is not particularly steep, the ascent is one of those endless gradual climbs that we all hate (don’t we?). The descent is fast and seemed (for me anyway) if anything, longer than the climb, and I was glad to see the finish. Andrew led from start to finish and won in 50.41, although Gregor Stewart from Westies was on his tail throughout. Iain came in 11th in 58.48, and I was 14th in 60.32.
The prize giving was an interesting affair – clearly they (the organisers, Skidaddle) were new to all of this – and it had the feel of a village fete about it, with prize winners strictly on a first-name-basis only. This worked fine until we got to ‘Brian’ for 3rd MV. There were two Brians you see (and no doubt they were both very naughty boys) but luckily Brian Brennan of Westerlands admitted it wasn’t him, and Brian Marshall of HELP stepped forward to claim his medal. Phew!
The results came out without me in them too (initially) but we’ll gloss over that. All in all, shamateurish in the best sense, but a fun day out nonetheless.
Results here (who knows who is still missing from them?): http://skidaddle.org/2015%20Ben%20Gullipen%20Hill%20Race%20Results%20Seniors.pdf
Mike Lynch