Having slogged round the Fisherfield Corbetts last week with my wife waiting patiently for me it was a pleasant relief to stroll up the tourist path with Anne to the top of Ben Vrackie to complete my round of the Corbetts. This was one only 12 that I walked up, the rest I ran thanks to the experience gained with Carnethy.
For that I have to thank two people in particular. Firstly, Willie, who persevered over a number of years finally persuading me after I had retired from my day job to leave road running behind and join Carnethy to enjoy hill running. Also Nigel Rose whose journey runs gave me the first taste of long runs in the hills and the confidence to set off on my own.
Thanks Carnethy.
Arthur Harkes
Archives for September 2015
Merrick hill race
The last time I did this one was in 2007 over a longer tougher route. It’s a bit of trek from Edinburgh, but this year I was only an hour’s drive, so decided to have a go. The route seemed to have reverted to the old one with the steep ascent up Fell of Eschonchan, but forestry work meant we had to go up the “tourist path”. The tourist path turned out to be very rocky and stony especially at the beginning and the first serious climb through the trees. After that it became a lot better.
The first summit Benyellary came earlier than I expected, but it was in heavy mist. The path is fairly obvious and the luminous yellow marshall even more so. There was some decent fast running here down the Neive of the Spit. The winner Gregor Stewart had already passed me on the way down. The final ascent of the Merrick itself was a bit of a slog and it was hard to see the best route to the top. A quick tap on the trig point and I set off full pelt on the way down. I could just see someone ahead and managed to catch them.
Back at the Neive of the Spit the mist cleared, so I took a couple of photos. I’m not as adept as Digby, so I lost some time. The climb back up Benyellary took a bit out of me but once on the descent I recovered and gradually closed on another runner, who seemed worse at descending than me, if that’s possible. The run back at the bottom was pretty horrible over the boulders on the path, but I got back unscathed but lost a lot of time.
I finished 1st V60. Ok there were only two of us, but nevertheless. The only other Carnethy was Adam Anderson who finished 6th.
Results http://www.shr.uk.com/RaceResults.aspx?RaceID=RA-0101&Year=2015
Thanks to Girvan AAC. I hope next year we can avoid the “easy” tourist path
Brian Howie
Mourne Mountain Marathon 2015
Just the one Carnethy team at the Mournes this year – everyone else seemed to be in Jura for some event that wasn’t even on the SHR calendar – but what a team! Easily the best dressed team on the hill, Mike Lynch and I were in the ‘B’ Class. It was Mike’s first MM, and his being a self professed navigational novice the nav seemed to be down to me.
A leisurely trip over gave us time to watch the film Everest in Belfast, so we were well prepared for ice storms and oxygen starvation, though the navigation did seem to extend only to following a rope up and down.
Day One took us from Bloody Bridge river west around Slieve Donard, Cove, a tricky ascent up Ben Crom (scrambling required!), a long trudge to Slieve Muck then North a field below Craigdoo, near nowhere really, for overnight camp. We were in 12th place from 27 at this point. Some tricky controls to find, you had to go by the control description rather than the grid reference which was a bit dodgy in places. Some local knowledge would have helped too, some super contouring paths not making it to the map. Irish bog is as wet as Scottish bog (though less midgie, which is good). Mourne Mud is really quite sticky, but there was a useful foot spa at the overnight camp | |
Day Two took us back over Craigdoo, Slievemuck (apt name), then a choice of order for the next three controls where we seemed to make a better choice than most, gaining a bunch of time on many teams. The route took us around Slieve Meelbeg, Slieve Meelmore, through Hares Gap and then a final big climb on Slieve Commedagh before a fast descent to the finish at Tollymore. Remarkably we were 4th on the second day, taking us to 7th overall in the B Class, and third MV. Even more remarkably there were no arguments and Mike is even considering doing another one. |
Joel
Simonside Fell race
Lovely weather makes any race better, and this one more so as the views are lovely. It is also one of a small number of races where you can see the whole race from the start, rather like Goatfell. And like the Traprain Law race this starts from a show, the Thropton show, and also features a river crossing. The course attracts road runners as there is some tarmac, but also fields, forest and hill, with some attractive ascent and descent on the sandstone outcrop. It’s about 10k and 350m of ascent. The show has some interesting events – including falconry, yapping dog races and sheepdog duck herding amongst other things. The produce prize entries were remarkable, particularly if you were hungry, or cynical. The race prizegiving was publicised by means of ESP but consulting the piece of paper later I found I hadn’t won the V60. A very nice day out. Results to follow
Digby
Alternative Carnethy 5 results
Disappointing turn-out this year saw 10 men completing all 5 events in the allotted time. No females did all five but Margaret Forrest did complete two. The top three men consisted of Neil Burnett 3rd in a total-and-much-manipulated-time of 2:29:12; Graham Nash 2nd in 2:20:41 and the overall winner, Steven Fallon, in 2:17:11. Steven managed to displace the two previous winners by superb running; his age (52 as opposed to the other two at 46); and the fact that he did a 5:58 for the doonhill. The doonhill time being magnified by a factor of 6 in the so-called “results process”.
There were 5 juniors taking part and these were Andrew and Rachel Nash (maintaining their 100% turn-out for this event ever since its first year) and Rosie, Ronnie and Solly Jones. Fantastic effort by these five soon-to-be club champions. The distances and resulting times differed so much that no overall winner was declared and all five will receive prizes.
I would like to see changes for next year: I think that all five runs need to be very simple so that prospective competitors don’t feel stressed about what they should do and where they should go. The events will still be tough but very simple. A quick glance at a map should suffice in my opinion. I’d like to see a recognised junior course as well as a good bit harder senior course. I’d also like to see cycling introduced. That said the course designers over the years have been brilliant and the whole idea would have stalled many years ago without their brilliant support and enthusiasm. Many thanks therefore to the captains, Iain and Helen, Graham Nash, James Hardie and Matt Davies. Good on yer.
Many thanks to all those who took part in the week…. Hope you enjoyed the hard training and the resulting beer…
Bob Johnson
Wed training
Lunchtime sprint session
Handicap Series 2015 final results
Some stats from 2015:
Total number of runners = 65
Average per race = 37
Total minutes of running = 11117, ie 7.7 days
Willie Gibson and Alan Hogg managed all 6 this year and 6 people did 5 races:
Neil Burnett, Mark Hartree, Moira Stewart, Irene Schierloh, Helen Wise and Allen Flockhart
Phil Young
Results from the Arthur’s Seat Handicap (if the 3 runners without start times can remember them, send them in):
Runner | Handicap | Run Time | Finish Time | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Digby | Maass | 10.31 | 45.19 | 55.50 | 50.0 |
Euan | Burns | 3.22 | 52.59 | 56.21 | 48.4 |
Bob | Waterhouse | 15.07 | 41.59 | 57.06 | 46.9 |
Willie | Gibson | 12.09 | 45.54 | 58.03 | 45.3 |
Andy | Spenceley | 21.17 | 36.48 | 58.05 | 43.8 |
Win | Rampen | 13.06 | 44.59 | 58.05 | 43.8 |
Neil | Burnett | 22.25 | 35.41 | 58.06 | 40.6 |
Alan | Swanson | 19.52 | 38.54 | 58.06 | 40.6 |
Alan | Hogg | 21.23 | 36.44 | 58.07 | 37.5 |
Holly | Burns | 14.01 | 44.38 | 58.39 | 35.9 |
Adam | Gamble | 0.00 | 58.47 | 58.47 | 34.4 |
Alastair | Heggie | 0.00 | 58.52 | 58.52 | 32.8 |
Anthony | Hemmings | 22.09 | 36.43 | 58.52 | 32.8 |
Phil | Young | 18.36 | 40.16 | 58.52 | 32.8 |
Mark | Hartree | 21.17 | 37.50 | 59.07 | 28.1 |
Peter | Baxter | 12.57 | 46.51 | 59.08 | 26.6 |
Alistair | McGowan | 0.00 | 59.08 | 59.08 | 26.6 |
Moira | Stewart | 12.01 | 47.14 | 59.15 | 23.4 |
David | Harrington | 18.36 | 40.53 | 59.29 | 21.9 |
Irene | Schierloh | 4.04 | 55.25 | 59.29 | 21.9 |
Andrew | Shepherd | 21.19 | 38.30 | 59.49 | 18.8 |
Joanne | Anderson | 17.23 | 42.32 | 59.55 | 17.2 |
Cali | Ingham | 2.22 | 57.33 | 59.55 | 17.2 |
Craig | Mattocks | 25.38 | 35.06 | 60.44 | 14.1 |
Anna | Hayes | 15.41 | 45.27 | 61.08 | 12.5 |
James | Hardie | 23.49 | 37.98 | 61.47 | 10.9 |
Richard | Chandler | 0.00 | 63.06 | 63.06 | 9.4 |
Sandra | Chandler | 0.00 | 63.07 | 63.07 | 7.8 |
Phil | Humphries | 21.10 | 42.50 | 64.00 | 6.3 |
Hilary | Spenceley | 1.56 | 66.44 | 68.40 | 4.7 |
Cat | Meighan | 14.47 | 55.28 | 70.15 | 3.1 |
Helen | Wise | 17.06 | 56.23 | 73.29 | 1.6 |
Series results:
Runner | 1 - Boghall | 2 - Meldons | 3 - Eddleston | 4 - Gladhouse | 5 - Dreghorn | 6 - Arthurs Seat | Best 3 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Helen | Wise | 43.3 | 40.9 | 48.7 | 30.4 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 132.9 |
Holly | Burns | 40.4 | 34.8 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 35.9 | 126.3 |
Alan | Hogg | 49.0 | 27.3 | 30.3 | 35.7 | 38.2 | 37.5 | 124.8 |
Digby | Maass | 32.7 | 16.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 35.3 | 50.0 | 118.0 |
Peter | Baxter | 8.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 48.2 | 42.6 | 26.6 | 117.4 |
Moira | Stewart | 0.0 | 7.6 | 36.8 | 46.4 | 32.4 | 23.4 | 115.6 |
Joel | Sylvester | 2.9 | 48.5 | 31.6 | 32.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 112.2 |
David | Harrington | 45.2 | 0.0 | 32.9 | 0.0 | 33.8 | 21.9 | 111.9 |
Mark | Hartree | 13.5 | 33.3 | 6.6 | 0.0 | 48.5 | 28.1 | 110.0 |
Win | Rampen | 12.5 | 0.0 | 44.7 | 19.6 | 0.0 | 43.8 | 108.1 |
Bob | Waterhouse | 17.3 | 0.0 | 35.5 | 0.0 | 25.0 | 46.9 | 107.4 |
Alan | Swanson | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.8 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 40.6 | 106.4 |
Allen | Flockhart | 7.7 | 45.5 | 18.4 | 39.3 | 7.4 | 0.0 | 103.2 |
Willie | Gibson | 29.8 | 10.6 | 21.1 | 23.2 | 19.1 | 45.3 | 98.3 |
Anna | Hayes | 39.4 | 9.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 45.6 | 12.5 | 97.5 |
Irene | Schierloh | 42.3 | 0.0 | 11.8 | 21.4 | 30.9 | 21.9 | 95.1 |
Neil | Burnett | 21.2 | 19.7 | 0.0 | 25.0 | 29.4 | 40.6 | 95.0 |
Phil | Young | 27.9 | 0.0 | 34.2 | 0.0 | 23.5 | 32.8 | 94.9 |
Paul | Burns | 50.0 | 13.6 | 28.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 92.6 |
Euan | Burns | 0.0 | 42.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 48.4 | 90.9 |
Cat | Meighan | 48.1 | 30.3 | 0.0 | 10.7 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 89.1 |
Christopher | Busby | 28.8 | 43.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.2 | 0.0 | 89.0 |
Andrew | Spenceley | 10.6 | 31.8 | 0.0 | 5.4 | 0.0 | 43.8 | 86.1 |
Cali | Ingham | 16.3 | 0.0 | 7.9 | 0.0 | 47.1 | 17.2 | 80.6 |
Jeff | Roberts | 0.0 | 4.5 | 38.2 | 0.0 | 36.8 | 0.0 | 79.5 |
Cameron | Murray | 18.3 | 36.4 | 23.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 78.3 |
Steve | Best | 30.8 | 0.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 22.1 | 0.0 | 77.8 |
Craig | Mattocks | 19.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 42.9 | 0.0 | 14.1 | 76.2 |
Alex | McVey | 23.1 | 0.0 | 26.3 | 0.0 | 26.5 | 0.0 | 75.9 |
Lindsay | Donald | 4.8 | 37.9 | 9.2 | 0.0 | 27.9 | 0.0 | 75.0 |
Alan | Reville | 46.2 | 28.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 74.9 |
James | Hardie | 24.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 39.7 | 10.9 | 74.7 |
Gordon | Cameron | 34.6 | 24.2 | 14.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 73.3 |
Georgina | McAllister | 47.1 | 18.2 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 68.2 |
Cathy | Southworth | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 44.6 | 17.6 | 0.0 | 62.3 |
Fionna | Mackinnon | 0.0 | 22.7 | 39.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 62.2 |
Matthew | Jones | 41.3 | 0.0 | 19.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 61.1 |
Joanne | Anderson | 22.1 | 21.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 17.2 | 60.5 |
Kate | Jenkins | 31.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 28.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 60.3 |
Doug | McQueen | 0.0 | 47.0 | 13.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 60.1 |
Andrew | Howett | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.5 | 39.3 | 8.8 | 0.0 | 58.6 |
Mike | Lynch | 0.0 | 15.2 | 0.0 | 41.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 56.2 |
Keith | Burns | 0.0 | 6.1 | 47.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 53.4 |
Euan | Boyd | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.9 | 44.1 | 0.0 | 53.0 |
Hilary | Spenceley | 0.0 | 1.5 | 40.8 | 7.1 | 0.0 | 4.7 | 52.6 |
Nicki | Innes | 37.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 50.0 |
John | Busby | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 50.0 |
Mairi | Brown | 33.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 47.9 |
Mary | Lye | 25.0 | 0.0 | 22.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 47.4 |
Trevor | Collins | 0.0 | 0.0 | 46.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 46.1 |
Abigail | Roberston | 5.8 | 39.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 45.2 |
Olly | Stephenson | 0.0 | 3.0 | 42.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 45.1 |
Andrew | Shepherd | 0.0 | 25.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 18.8 | 44.5 |
John | Ryan Preston | 0.0 | 0.0 | 43.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 43.4 |
Philippa | Ivison | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 26.8 | 14.7 | 0.0 | 41.5 |
Oliver | Reed | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 41.2 | 0.0 | 41.2 |
Angus | Davidson | 38.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 38.5 |
Kathy | Henley | 35.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 35.6 |
Adam | Gamble | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 34.4 | 34.4 |
Iain | Innes | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.9 |
Anthony | Hemmings | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 32.8 | 32.8 |
Alastair | Heggie | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 32.8 | 32.8 |
Jasmin | Paris | 14.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30.5 |
Alistair | McGowan | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 26.6 | 27.5 |
Michael | Andrew | 26.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 26.9 |
Benedict | Bates | 26.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 26.0 |
Gavin | Frizzel | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 20.6 | 0.0 | 20.6 |
Liam | Braby | 20.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 20.2 |
Shane | Bouchier | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 17.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 19.2 |
Ester | Fazekas | 1.9 | 0.0 | 17.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 19.0 |
Maggie | Crebor | 15.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.4 |
Richard | Chandler | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 9.4 | 15.3 |
Kate | Fraser | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.7 | 0.0 | 14.7 |
Sandra | Chandler | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 7.8 | 13.7 |
Patricia | McAllister | 0.0 | 12.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.1 |
Iain | Whiteside | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.8 | 0.0 | 11.8 |
Konrad | Rawlik | 11.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.5 |
Simon | Titmuss | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.3 | 0.0 | 10.3 |
Gio | MacDonald | 9.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.6 |
Anna | Falk | 3.8 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.8 |
David | Ramage | 6.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.7 |
Phil | Humphries | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
Michael | Wilkinson | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 |
Lisa | Gamble | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 2.9 |
Jean Baptiste | Richon | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 |