Alan Renville’s course had 77 people sharing up the handicap points, and I know quite a few others (including me) did non-competitive easy-paced efforts to discover a new route. Also, one baby (Jennifer Misak’s) did two recces of the course, and three new members ran this as their first Carnethy events, so Welcome! to Imogen Bevan, Sebastien Menu and Aron Mitchell.
Ideally, I’d have asked one of the much-bothered cows to give me their perspective on events. Hopefully, calm has returned to their lives after a couple of weeks of intermittent invasion by heavy-breathing, swearing, confused humans. From the reports, it seems some of us take an aggressive approach to them while others engage in polite diplomacy. And others got lucky with a ‘nae coos’ / ‘coo-free’ run. The Normands didn’t have to deal with cows but gave up time helping a horse and rider who’d got stuck in a gate.
Apart from cows, another feature of the route that was much discussed and praised was the ‘blue zone’ which provided multiple possibilities but with no sign of a consensus on the quickest way across: Mark Hartree, “5 [yes, FIVE!!] different ways tried with less than 1 minute between them”, Michelle Hetherington, “When I recced the route by going round twice I was unsure to high, low or middle contouring around Allemuir.” And Willie Gibson complained about it: “After getting to the make-your-mind-up point 1.5 minutes ahead of my 1st attempt, I went high and lost the advantage, only to make it up on the way back. Was it due to climbing less or running better? It is hellish, please don’t give us choices.” Overall, however, this cunning piece of course design from went down well: Andy Spenceley: “I’ve no idea which is the fastest way across the blue zone, but just know I prefer the lower route. But it was a master stroke to have the route choice.”
Also popular was the run in from Green Craig: ‘nice, zippy ending’, ‘lovely descent’, ‘fantastic – lovely views over the city’, ‘now my fave way off Allermuir’. Of course, there’s always one, and it’s only in a hill-running club that a route can be ‘too runnable’ – yes, Willie Gibson, chuntering again! If the Carnethy 600 doesn’t cheer you up Willie, I don’t know what will :).
Several people commented that their times were remarkably close to their predicted ones. If only we’d known, the club could have cashed in on the new handicapper’s algorithm skills and got him to solve the exam results debacle. Gordon Eadie, who matched his predicted time to the precise second, is so spooked he’s asking for a witch trial.
It’s all to play for heading into Round 4, and the Carnethy 600. Willie Gibson has a 10-point lead in spite of all the grumbles, but Handicaps have a way of catching up with you and fast starters tend to get reeled in. And with the three best scores out of six counting, the winner may be someone who hasn’t even started yet so time to get out there…..
And finally, selfies. I’ve only included those this time that came directly to me so if you have one, do please email it in. Lee Murphy and Michelle Hetherington provide amusement but I like the faces of real joy and exhilaration: Britton Smith, Imogen Bevan, Catherine Forrest, Clare McDonnell, Jennifer Misak. And for stunning photography: Sebastian Menu!
Kenneth Fordyce