After a wonderfully exciting and interesting 5 day non stop sail of 500 miles, and 7 days of overland travel covering 135 miles, Alan and I arrived at Loch Rannoch. Alan’s Blisters from early on had become infected and his feet were swollen. My heel blister scabs from my April Recce had burst and were also causing problems. After a days rest with no improvement, actually they got worse, we decided that we needed to give our feet time to recover. So just like the book where David Balfour was laid up sick for at least a month, we are planning to resume the run in August.
Alan and I were both given antibiotics as soon as we got home and the feet are improving.
Willie Gibson
Archives for June 2016
June Handicap Results
Lovely weather for the June handicap, although this also attracted plenty of tourists, who tended to get in the way, somewhat.
PB and a win for Bill. Well done.
Newbies Mike J and Dave W joined us this month. So their handicaps are set to their actual time.
July handicap will be on the 4th
Mike Lamont
Gargunnock Show hill race
With the vast spread of races on across the country last weekend I plumped for the relatively nearby Gargunnock Show race as a wee recovery after Jura. Whilst Digby was enjoying all the trappings of the Helensburgh Highland games James Waldie, myself and about another 60 odd runners also had a field to start in. Less big men throwing things here though but more young farmers tug of war, best sheep in Stirlingshire, and shining tractor competitions to keep us amused before the start. Oh, and plenty of poo to avoid in the start arena after the earlier beast judging.
Talking to the regulars before the start turned out fell shoes were a mistake and trail would have been enough to cope with the terrain. Wee lap of the field, out onto the main road and then up some pretty decent tracks for about 1000ft onto the flanks of the crags to the south of the Forth (not sure if they’re the Touch hills or Gargunnock Hills, but as it’s the Gargunnock show I’d plump for the latter*). Up front in the race (from what I saw as the road reared up through the edge of the town) Ochil local Graham Gristwood was ahead with a Dark Peak runner being chased by James.
Route takes a nice winding path up the hillside, steep, (but tantalisingly not too steep to start walking) before levelling off at marshal with very large flag (and some much needed water). Descent is down a good fast LandRover track back to the road, after which it switches into a woodland cross country (with a wee climb to keep you awake) back into the finish.
A free bottle of Fallen brewery beer, energy bars, oranges and cake at the finish to make it all worth the while (and no cramped legs which was also nice).
*(which rules it out being subtitled either The Johnny Cash/Depeche Mode memorial ‘reach out and Touch hills’ or the AC/DC ‘Touch too much’ race)
Bruce Smith
David Greig and Angela Mudge on Radio 4
What does it take to be a successful runner of extreme distance and why do people do it?
David Greig is the Artistic Director of the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh and an internationally successful playwright. He’s also an ultra-marathon runner who has twice completed the punishing 96 mile West Highland Way as well as many other long-distance races. He took up running fifteen years ago when he stopped smoking and running has since become an endorphin-fuelled obsession.
Available on iPlayer – http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07dlww6
Highlander Mountain Marathon
2 Happy Chappys Finish!! (the name of the beer and also the drinkers)
Trophy, for 3rd team on B who weren’t old or had at least one female… We came 12th overall, having been 15th in chasing start.
Great photo of us at a checkpoint from Nick Brown
Jeff
Yetholm Hill Race Report
As Scotland basked in fabulous weather for a change, and folk headed north and west for Highlander’s, Helensburgh’s, Trotternish’s, Orchy’s, etc, a group of 8 Carnethy’s headed south to the Yetholm Hill Race on Sunday. I travelled with Mike Andrew who was planning for a MV50 win to add to his Borders series tally and was quietly hoping Stewart Whitlie would have taken the kids to the Meadows Fayre or the beach. Unfortunately for Mike, the car next ours in the car park contained Stewart with family.
A relatively small field of about 65 folk paid our £5 and sweated around a great wee anti-clockwise route of tops and green hills for just under 13km and just over 750m of climbing. The running was a mix of great green trods and dry paths with a few potholed areas and rushes to slip through. I stripped off to get some sun and did pass a few folk but noticed on the steep hot climb that took us to the top of The Curr and the turning point, that the winning time would already have already finished (note to self: must try harder). From the turn for home, the route descended the Pennine Way to the East of the Halter Burn on a long and fast descent of Steer Rig with one last climb over White Law that took us down to the finish.
A youthful HBT Doug Tullie won in 68:31, Barefoot Brian Marshall came 3rd. Carnethy’s got a few prizes although Mike went home sulking a bit over his lost points from Stewart, consoled by 3 beers, a water bottle and not having to drive.
Stewart Whitlie –1st MV50, 2nd overall
Mike Andrew – 2nd MV 50, 6th overall
Sally Best – 2nd female
Carnethy Men – 1st team (as Neil Pendrich (13th) and Steve Simkin (29th) had left, I took the beer (36th)!)
A couple bailed out due to injury and sickness, getting lifts off from the Borders MRT – who gratefully received a worthy donation of ~£350 from the event.
Photos courtesy of Mike Andrew
Mark Hartree
It was a beautiful day in the borders for my first hill race of the year – a carefully chosen Kirk Yetholm. Inspired by Nicola Dunn’s report from a couple of years back, I was pleased to see a very small female turnout, thus maximising my chances of finishing in the top 10 women. This was easily achieved as only 8 women stood at the start line. Six Carnethies lined up for the off, with excellent results: Stewart Whittlie was 2nd overall and first MV50; Mike Andrew was 6th and 2nd MV50; and I was 40th and 2nd female. Woohoo!! Very sorry to see Nicola turn her ankle coming off the first hill (and no I didn’t trip her up in my eagerness for a prize). Get well soon Nicola. The chaps won the team prize too (joint with Moorfoots), and over £300 was raised for mountain rescue. A great effort all round.
Here are the links to some photos taken by Steve, and the full results.
Sally Wastling
Helensburgh games hill race
Helensburgh is a pleasant surprise with streets laid out in the style of Edinburgh’s new town, but as boulevards, with wide green lawns at each side (and the second highest propery prices in Scotland apparently). The games are the usual mix including very large men heaving big stuff around, dance competitions, track events, wrestling and the hill race. Warm and humid but the sun held off for the most part of the 8.4k race up the modest Tom na h-Airidh hill at 354m, sparing those of us already scorched. Well marked – which didn’t stop me missing the way a couple of times, dragging fellow race newbies with me. I happened to be camping at Loch Lomond and was alerted by Eóin’s FB post about it. I thought to pot chase, but there was no pot! Never mind, it was a good outing, and in true games style the race finish is a lap of the track, with an appreciative audience, something I rather enjoy.
Digby
ETU Triathlon European Championships Lisbon 2016
Congratulations to Wintervals regular, Carolyn Dyson, on her recent triathlon success! She placed 4th in her class at the European Triathlon Championship in Lisbon. Third Brit in her class, too! The result was so good that she already qualifies for next year’s European championship, which means she can spend the rest of the year eating cakes. Fantastic result!
Results are here.