This was the second running of the Hardwolds 80 race after its inception last year. Phil Humphries and John Ryan ran it last year, and it was Phil’s write-up that gave me the inspiration to take part. The route follows the Yorkshire Wolds Way from Hessle, under the Humber Bridge, to Filey on the coast. The terrain is undulating interspersed with steep-sided chalk valleys (think of an inverted Pentlands). Weather in the lead-up had been very wet with flooding across many parts of Yorkshire and the forecast for the day itself was bleak.
We set off from Hessle Rugby club at 8am in rain that would last most of the day and in to the night. Conditions under foot were challenging ranging from muddy through to swampy with occasionally bits of chalky gravel providing dry relief. Even so, I found myself enjoying it as I ran through an area I had not explored much before and found myself relaxing with nothing to worry about except enjoying running the rest of the day.
By checkpoint 4 (Thixendale 44 miles) it was starting to get dark and I left with a group of runners who provided encouragement and help with the navigation. While well signposted it was quite twisty making it easy to miss a turning in the dark (in fact we did make an error at one point and had to backtrack adding on an extra mile).
After about 60 miles I could feel blisters starting, not something I usually get, I assume due to having wet and muddy feet all day. I had not brought any fresh socks so continued on with my running technique getting more hobbly as the race progressed. I found the last 20 miles hard but my group of Rachel, Jamie, Danny and Tom were great encouragement, plus I didn’t want to be left behind in the dark, so I kept on plugging on. Eventually the bright lights of Filey came in to view along with the sound of crashing waves. We followed the Wolds way along the promenade and up many steps to Filey Brig before returning to the promenade and finally to the Sea Cadets Hall for winners medals and food.
The winning man was Juhana Kirk in 15:25 and the winning woman was Charmaine Horsfall in 16:28. I finished in 33rd place in 20:43. 78 finished within the 24 hours and another 9 finished outside the final cut-off. 31 DNF’d, and a winning time 3 hours longer than in 2018, probably gives a good indication of the conditions on the day.
This was a well-organised event with well-stocked checkpoints and helpful marshals. I finished on Sunday thinking that was as far as I could go and I should retire from running. By Monday morning, I was looking to see what other races they did. https://www.hardmoors110.org.uk/hardwolds-80/
Lee Murphy
(No photographs I am afraid, as it was mostly wet. And dark).
Archives for November 2019
ED XC Broxburn
Photos – Pete Bracegirdle and Gordon Donnachie
Broxburn hosted the 2nd East District Cross Country League for the season. Conditions were perfect for racing, best describe as ‘dreich’!
Phoebe Cochrane had a strong run for 59th in the ladies race.
With 257 starters the opening few hundred meters of the men’s race was a mad stampede, narrowing to a single lane before the uphill turn. The 5.2 mile course was reverse of previous years. It got rid of some old challenges but added a few new ones. There a few new tight downhill turns and which resulted in a few slides and falls (and that was just me.)
Over the three laps Mark Johnston led the way for Carnethy in 71st in just over 32 mins, followed nearby by David Begbie in 89th. Neil McLure was the middle scorer with 125th, then cross country debutant Alan Risk in 141st. Unfortunately Alan made the rookie mistake of thinking it was 2 laps but clung on round the painful 3rd lap for the team! Roddy McRae was making a welcome cross country debut for Carnethy and was 197th.
The men’s team were 17th out of 36.
The 3rd and last league match is on Saturday 18th January at Livingston. This is turn up on the day and wear your club vest/t-shirt and a number ’21’.
http://www.salroadrunningandcrosscountrymedalists.co.uk/Archive/East%20District%20League/ED%20League%20Home.html
Mark Johnston & Neil McLure
7 Hills and 7 Beers 2019 – New Record!
Saturday saw the third Carnethy running of the 7 Hills 7 Beers Challenge run. This event has been on the backburner for the past few years, having last been run in 2015, and we’ve not been the most productive in getting it back on. This is partly down to people being busy, but the main reason is that it’s a tough ol’ gig and I still have nightmares from the last time. What’s different about 2019? Well, an email from a keen runner from Holland, a guy called Pascal. For reasons I couldn’t quite fathom, he wanted to do the run. Worse, he’s got a load of mates that want to do it too. He messaged back in March looking at getting some help, perhaps support, and maybe even get some more folk to join them. I’ll be honest, I groaned when I read it, but being a good soul I tried to help with what I could.
Fast forward to Saturday at 11am: 31 runners huddled into the back room of the Kilderkin shortly after opening. Five flew-in from Holland for this run, four travelled from Glasgow, three from York, and nineteen from the greater Edinburgh area. The 31 were split into 13 teams of two or more, based on drinking pals, route knowledge and my guesswork about how fast they could run. A full roll call below, there’s too many this year to introduce properly. Luckily for us all, the weather was near perfect – dry, little wind, and cool enough for good running. Too cold to hang around at the official start, so we staggered that start line from inside the pub, with teams of two or more making their way to Calton Hill in dribs and drabs. Alan Lawson, the race supremo from the proper 7 Hills race was in attendance to send folk off. A few nervous faces, and mine was one of them. We staggered the runners on a loose “seeding” that I guessed and it seemed to work ok, the first to go were the expected slowest (wrong!) and fastest last (correct!). I was paired with Roly who is faster than me (correct!) but I was definitely a better drinker (wrong!).
Looking out from Calton hill, here was the challenge facing us all:
- Work in teams of at least two (you and a drinking buddy).
- Start at Calton Hill. Follow the standard 7 Hills of Edinburgh checkpoints, anticlockwise route (Calton-Esplanade-Corstorphine-Craiglockarts-Braids-Blackford-Arthurs-Calton).
- Between each summit, you must stop for a drink at a pub.
- It has to be between each summit, you’re not allowed to miss one and have two between the next summits.
- You cannot stop at the same pub twice (Ooooh…Craiglockart, Braids and Blackford suddenly become a problem!).
- To be considered for the record, you must follow “race” rules, i.e.:
- Must be a pint of beer.
- No spewing! It’s a race for civilised gentlefolks, after all.
- Deviation to other drinks, volumes and or barfing (deliberately or otherwise) means you’re doing the “challenge”.
Roly and I were the 2nd last to go, taking a terrible line off Calton Hill (doh!) and down through the crowds of the Royal Mile. Roly pulling away early, and pushing through the crowds like a snowplough, me struggling. We got to the first pub in good time, but took ages to get served, time ticking away. Behind us, the expected fastest team of Alex and Sasha were on the charge. All eyes were on them. Well, specifically, all eyes were on Sasha. Sure, he’s fast, he won the SHR under 23 championship, but can he drink? Alex is a strong runner, slower than Sasha, and so he would likely suffer all the way round the run. HOWEVER, if Sasha can’t handle the beer very well then Alex could be in for a reprieve. Alex’s day was going to hinge on the first pub.
So….?
Sasha skulled his pint before Alex raised his glass. Oh dear! He’s some kind of drink-running polymath. Ah well, sucks to be Alex!
I couldn’t gloat, I felt Alex’s pain. Roly is a faster runner and, as I quickly learned, definitely a better drinker too. Roly also downed his pint in a single throw, while I took three scoops to get it down. Broken hearted, I left the pub as a condemned man, holding onto Roly’s ankles for the remainder of the race. My last running-only race was in February 2018, so all this shouldn’t be a surprise. Sasha and Alex quickly passed, never to be seen (by me) again!
Ahead, we caught Mike and Calum. They’d gone into the castle to have a beer at the Officer’s Mess, and then down to a strip bar for their second pint. These lads were taking-on the event with a touch of class! With two pints down early, they said hello to my mum and pushed-on hard to Corstorphine Hill. Roly and I then caught Pascal and Leon, and then into a bar on Corstorphine Road. All was going fairly well until that second pint – Green King IPA. The beer had turned bad, and tasted of a horrible beer-vinegar hybrid. Keen to get going, we stupidly finished the pints, only to regret for much of the subsequent run. Corstorphine Hill tagged, and again met Mike, Calum, Pascal and Leon off the summit, and Jeff’s team going the wrong way! Next – The Pub! This section is a slog, and only notable for the car driver that took exception to Roly’s green cross code skills.
We caught Graham and the sailors just before The Pub. The sailors (Woody, Steeley and Paul) had been duped into running the Scottish Islands Peaks Race as an all-rounder team next year. Graham does this often, he’s very persuasive in a weirdly positive way. He then duped them into doing this run. Fools! However, they were having a blast! The three sailors were smiling all the way along, being shown around by Graham. Cheers and laughter as we passed. Great to see!
Pascal bought a round for everyone in The Pub, and we were off again. Craiglockart Hill next. We met Tjalling and Archie running the opposite way – they’d somehow missed Corstorphine Hill and were now heading back for it. Kudos to them for seeing it through. Ouch!
Over the summit, and on to the Braids Hotel, passing Mary, Matt and Sean. Inside we met Bob and Raoul, another Dutch pairing. They were grinning from ear to ear – was it just me that was having a torrid time? Mary, Matt and Sean arrived, grinning, taking selfies and having a laugh. Maybe it was just me? Feck. The beer was going down a bit better, and the Pentland IPA was the best of the day. Onwards!
Up to the Braids to meet the next hurdle – the Braids XC was being run at the same time as our race. As Roly and I ascended, the fast lads in the 10km race were barrelling downhill. Thankfully no clash, and I was happy to see that they looked just as miserable as I was feeling. Summited, then took a bad line down to the golf club. I’d called last week to ensure they were open, and ok with some people arriving. The club were great fun, and welcoming too, but there was no draft beer. Only cans. Fizzy, fizzy cans. Three cans across two glasses gave us our pints, and I tried my best to get it down but it was a struggle. Back onto the stairs and I threw-up in my mouth, nearly spewing on Bob who was climbing at the same time. I swallowed it down, and took a wee moment to compose myself. Thankfully, there were some distractions on the bridle path that took my mind away from hurling.
Down through the Hermitage and up Blackford Hill to see Andy Spenceley taking photos on the summit. Hello, Andy! Then down the steep bank, a quick pee, then past the pond and up Oswald Road. Ahead, we caught sight of Ivar dipping into John Leslies behind Mark and Tom. We shimmied through the houses and into The Salisbury Arms for the 6th swift beer. I can’t remember what it was, but I remember it being quite nice. Both pints down, and back on the run.
My memory gets a bit fuzzy on the ascent of Arthurs Seat. We both agreed that the “best” route was using the Gutted Haddie, which in hindsight may not be that all that wise. It was exciting though! Roly stopped for a pee and I made tracks over the top and let him chase me down to the pub. Final pint! Jarl, 3.8%, sunk swiftly. The end was in sight! Ahead, other teams were finishing, and a few teams were just behind. Roly took of up the hill while I gave chase as best I could, passing Alex, Sasha, Nick and Peter outside the pub and then Neil and Graeme near the summit.
Finally, the summit checked, and then the best part of the run: the walk back down to the pub, descending back down into the old town under the watch of Arthurs Seat. Everyone glowing. Runners and finishers mingling in the bar made for a great environment, and lots of fun to be had. Team by team, we all finished quickly, with the exception of Archie and Tjalling, who were finishing their 26mile marathon effort as they got lost a few times during the day. Soon enough though, we were all done, home and safe.
So. the scores on the doors!
Team | Time | Notes |
Sasha and Alex | 2:14:25 | WORLD RECORD! (previous 2:22:43) |
Peter and nick | 2:25:11 | 8 min PB on last time. |
Jim and Roly | 2:38:06 | |
Pascal and Leon | 2:54:44 | Dutch National Record! |
Mike and Calum | 2:56:25 | |
Bob and Raoul | 3:18:34 | |
Jeff and the York Beer Runners | 3:40:50 | Fastest ankle sprain post-race. |
Graham, Woody, Steeley, Paul | 3:42:29 | Sea Cadets Record. |
Mary, Matt and Sean | 3:57:55 | |
Archie and Tjalling | 5:54:47 | Fastest marathon |
Graeme and Neil | 2:48:23 | Fastest Challengers (half pinters) |
Mark, Tom and Ivar | 3:22:56 | (half pinters) |
Gio and Rich | 3:49:50 | (half pinters) |
As expected, the winners and new WORLD RECORD was Alex and Sasha. Great running! They both get an engraved tankard for their efforts. Everyone else gets a race coaster, in homage to the original 7 Hills Of Edinburgh Race. Massive thanks to Alan for coming along for the fun. I hope you enjoyed it, and remember more than I do! With everyone home, there was only one thing left to do, and that was toast our successes with even more beer…and then blackout. Not to worry, it seems I got an Uber to a Five Guys, and I definitely woke in my own bed. Whatever did people do before you could track card transactions, eh?
Special mention for Roly who would definitely have ran a quicker race with somebody better, definitely challenged second at least, and also for paying for all the rounds (I owe you some money! ).
Massive thanks to all that took part, especially Pascal who was the reason that all of this happened. Cheers!
Jim
Pascal’s photos here.
Andy’s photos and other tales, here.
Borders XC – Gala
Strong field today at Gala for round 2 in the Borders XC. Eóin Lennon taking pole position for Carnethy, with fourteen of us out running in total. Good showing of #DogsAtRaces, with Carnethy outnumbering Gala Harriers in this category. Alex came a very respectable 7th, especially after smashing the 7 hills 7 beers record the day before!
Cross-Country Round-up
Borders XC 2019/20 Series: November Update
Seventeen Carnethies made it down to Lauder (two weeks ago) for the first in the Borders cross-country series. (A couple of us fresh from doubling at Tinto the day before!) A hill-race in miniature, Lauder had a variety of terrains, based around variations on the theme of mud: steady climbs, flat and fast sections, and slippery descents. A variety of techniques were employed to cross the swollen burns following heavy rain, with some Carnethies opting for the fully immersive approach. An excellent lentil soup followed in the post race refreshments.
Another strong field of Carnethies made it down to Gala on Sunday for round 2 in the Borders XC. Eóin Lennon came round in pole position, with fourteen Carnethies out running in total. Carnethy also picked up first place in the team score. A good showing of ‘dogs-at-the-races’, with Carnethy outnumbering Gala Harriers in this category, thanks to Gordon’s two canine companions. Two of us had already managed to lose our bib numbers after Lauder, so we had to get creative with the marker pens and some spare bibs…
Braid Hills 2019 XC
With a couple of keen Carnethies opting to do this an appetiser for Gala XC the following day, there was a good turnout from the club in both the 5km and 10km courses. As hoards of fresh-faced uni students descended into King’s Buildings for registration, even some of us younger Carnethies were feeling our age a bit here. Nevertheless, Carnethy finished 3rd team overall, with Eliot Sedman coming 1st M40 by a clear margin.
Declan Valters
Charlotte shines in World Long Distance Mountain Running Champs
Congratulations to Charlotte Morgan, running for GB, who has just finished 7th and top British runner at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Patagonia. Results and the event web site are here.
As Scottish Athletics reports: “And the current FPSG Masters Athlete of the Year came up with a performance to match those of Douglas and Adkin as she too made the top ten with a fine seventh place finish. Morgan, the v40 athlete from Carnethy Hill Runners, clocked 3 hours 58.54 for the 41.5k course with 2184m of climb and was the first of the British team to finish. Charlotte won this particular title a year ago in Poland.”
Also a special mention to another Carnethy running, Nicola Duncan, who was representing Ireland. She finished 47th in 4 hrs 47:03.
The 7 Hills 7 Beers International Race
Reports:
We’d also like to acknowledge the welcome given by the other teams. The camaraderie is what makes the whole thing worthwhile. Camaradie is key, and so is preparation.
I couldn’t take a nice couple from York to The Pub. Well, I was going to take them to seven pubs, just not that one called The Pub. My memories of the place from last 7H7B were of it having a weird atmosphere, poor beer selection, and slightly dodgy looking clientele (not only those in running gear), so better to avoid it. I also suggested going to a nice pub in Morningside instead of cans of Belhaven Best in a golf club, which they were quite happy with too.
When I knew we were going to have a mixed team I did look at previous times to see what the record might be for that. 3:39 seemed within reach for our group even if we did take a longer route and enjoy drinking nicer beer. Unfortunately we were a couple of minutes outside of that, probably lost right at the beginning as we got stuck behind other teams in Ensign Ewart for at least 3 minutes before being served. Ah well, we had a good time and that was the main aim, plus we beat the sailors, something that became a target as we kept bumping into them and receiving “encouragement”. Definitely succeeded in having a good range of beer with no repeats: Stewart’s Jack Back, Cromarty Hit The Lip, Guinness, Stewart’s Pentland IPA, Inveralmond Ossian, Stewart’s 80/-, Fyne Ales Jarl.
Thanks to Jim and all involved, put 15th March in your diary if you like this sort of thing as 7 Hills 7 Stouts will be back, or take a look at the 7 Hills Marathon Challenge. /running/local-run-routes/7hills
Jeff
7 Hills 7 Beers runners on top of Blackford Hill – including Dutch runners!
Being new to hill running I asked to be teamed up with somebody who had a plan, so I was happy to be put with veteran Mark Hartree and young contender Thomas Wright. We started well with Mark kindly offering at our first pub, to jump behind the bar and serve us our beers if the bar staff didn’t get a move on. We decided to drink halves and quickly settled into a pattern with Tom leading the way, getting called back by Mark when he took a wrong turn, and me doggedly following behind gasping for breath and cutting corners. Mark led us up all the hero lines – straight up the steep side of Craiglockhart hill, wading across the burn at the Hermitage, jumping the wall at the back of Pollock halls and climbing straight up and then sliding down the rock face at Arthurs Seat. This was the first time I had run further than a half marathon and Tom revealed this was the first time he had drunk 3 and ∏ pints. Despite our relative inexperience we seemed to be making good time by my standards, but I could sense Mark wanted more. Perhaps it was the shouts of “Where are you, Tom, you donut!” and “Stop feeling sorry for yourself!” that kept me going. Finishing in 3 hours 22 minutes and avoiding a visit to A&E count amongst my greatest achievements. I vow to drink pints next time.
Ivar Bundulis
More photos…
Carnethy AGM
After a very exciting AGM (think December 12th General Election with bells on) we now have a new committee that will do doubt be “Strong and Stable” and a president that is prepared to “die in a ditch” if he can’t get us out by 31st Jan (think he was talking about the pub?). The new names on the committee are –
President: Mark Hartree
Secretary: Nicola Dunn
Membership Secretary: Dorothy Elliott
Captains: Eóin Lennon & Anne-Sophie Ruget
Ordinary Members: Nicky Innes, Ken Fordyce and Mike Lynch
Co-opted members (and vice captains) : Kathy Henly and Lucas Lefevre
New race organisers are: John Ryan Preston (Carnethy 5 from 2021) and Dorothy Elliott (Traprain Law).
Other positions (Treasurer, Journal, Web, other races) are unchanged. If you don’t know who your committee are, their mug shots are here.
Also at the AGM, Willie Gibson was given Life Membership for his enthusiastic services to the club over many years.