Having been out travelling most of last week I had hoped one of my fellow CHRC racers might have tapped the plastic to let you know how Jedburgh went. Alas, they left it to me to belatedly say something on this lovely race and course through the Borders of Scotland from Jedburgh, north to the three Eildon Hills and back using some of the fabulous long distance paths that feature in this area of the Borders. There is a map of the route here: http://www.mapometer.com/running/route_2054461.html
About 200 folk started on a damp and wet morning with bands of rain forecast till about 2hrs into the race when it looked like it would clear up.
It was cool and most wore waterproofs but I planned to go hard and opted to risk the weather not getting worse by going in a T shirt and vest for the Charity I had been running for (SMA Support UK). As the BBC Adventure Show was filming I figured a bit of advertising for them was good and there were a few other Carnethy vests on show to promote the club. Dougie Vipond kindly did an interview with me at the start and the finish and while not quite Parkinson, I hope to get the charity a feature.
Race plan was – heck, being the 7th Ultra this year, give it nails, smash last years’ time, aim to get under 6hrs, feel brilliant and totally done in at the end, and don’t ever enter so many long races in a year again! The first half of the race went to plan. I went off positively and ran comfortably with a few others. Then I missed a turn while running with Caroline McKay led 8 others behind us the wrong way. Shame for Caroline as she was first female at that point. We realised a sign must have been missing after about half a mile and 50 steps resulting in time spent figuring out our error and confirming no-one had a map on an otherwise well-marked route. This resulted in me relinquishing my 10th place to about 30th after back-tracking, some cross field running, fence hoping, golf ball dodging and general ‘ the route must be over there somewhere-ing’. A bit deflated, the wee Eildons above Melrose and St Boswells seemed hard and I slipped back (Anthony got me back for Glencoe here), then gained a few places. The only bit of my overall race plan that really worked was that I managed to feel totally done in at the end, but 11 minutes slower than last year, not the 17 mins faster that I had hoped.
1st | Lee Kemp | 4:56:36 – New course record |
2nd | Ian Symington | 5:00:01 – How miffed not to get under 5hrs! |
8th | Matt Curry | 05:29 – First CHRC |
12th | Nick Williamson | 05:46 – CHRC |
21st | Lorna McMillan | 05:58 – first female (New female course record |
25th | Anthony Hemmings | 06:09 – CHRC |
27th | Fraser McCoull | 06:12 – (completed the WHW Triple Crown) |
35th | Mark Hartree | 06:28 – CHRC |
37th | David Hanna | 06:31 – CHRC |
There may be a few other Carnethies, sorry if I missed you but results are Here: http://www.jedburghthreepeaksultra.org.uk/#!results/cxrq. Look out for Carnethy faces when the Adventure Show covers it in a few months.
Mark Hartree