The Alt Carnethy 5 went ahead with a slightly different format this year. Runners had 2 weeks to complete a series of 5 races and submit their best times. There was also an organised group effort on one course every weeknight for anyone looking for some chums.
Some runners opted for big days, getting several routes done in a day. Others spaced them out over the two week period.
It was great seeing folk out getting their efforts in, squeezing it in around work and domestic jobs (like Stewart moving house..). The beauty of this format is it gives people chance to recce – exploring new trods and finding ways to shave off precious seconds. I bumped into Michelle whilst busting my gask up Gask, who went on to run the route in the opposite direction to decide which is best. Gask is a tough hill whichever way you go at it.
Dam Dam Dam made for an interesting route with a significant shortcut involving tricky nav and tussocky nonsense underfoot (made harder for runners who did it in the dark, fog and rain) – the jury’s out on whether it’s worth it. Allermuir up / down is a lot simpler – not many route choices there, the main challenge was picking a day where the wind wasn’t trying to scoop you off the hill, and avoiding the coos. I think most folk did these two in one outing up then down, except Lucas who did down then up.
Caerketton Erraid involved a meaty start to get up the hill and a lovely section through the Erraid woods to finish, where picking the right line got tricky. This must have been tough for many, having already done other routes on the same day.
Well done to everyone who took part! 16 runners did all 5 runs. And congratulations to Alex McVey and Pippa Dakin who are the overall male / female winners. Alex smashing it with 1st place in every race.
Rob Owen
Race participants
Dam, Dam, Dam | Allermuir Up | Allermuir Down | Caerketton Erraid | Busting a Gask |
17 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 16 |
Male – 5 races
Name | Dam, Dam, Dam | Allermuir Up | Allermuir Down | Caerketton Erraid | Busting a Gask | Grand Total |
Alex McVey | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Stewart Whitlie | 4 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 20 |
Steve Best | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 26 |
Richie Umpleby | 10 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 31 |
Alistair Black | 6 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 35 |
James Britton | 2 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 39 |
Harry Gilmore | 9 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 40 |
Neil Burnett | 7 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 42 |
Rob Owen | 5 | 1 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 43 |
Christopher O’Brien | 13 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 8 | 50 |
Gordon Cameron | 11 | 12 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 70 |
Mark Hartree | 14 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 83 |
Michael Wilkinson | 17 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 92 |
Female – 5 races
Name | Dam, Dam, Dam | Allermuir Up | Allermuir Down | Caerketton Erraid | Busting a Gask | Grand Total |
Pippa Dakin | 8 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 42 |
Michelle Hetherington | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 68 |
Hilary Spenceley | 16 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 88 |
Each race times
A wee note to say how much I enjoyed the latest edition of the Alt C5. Always a highlight of my running year, there were four new routes this year which added to the enjoyment, and even had me out recceing! Thanks to the pals who accompanied me, with much dam-damming on the rough route ( who called it “Joy”, Mark?) on the Bonaly course. It turned out the long way round on the real attempt took me exactly the same time, but avoided the risk of breaking an ankle. On recceing the Caerketton- Erraid route, I emailed Mark to ask if he REALLY meant us to go down the horrible left hand side of the fence off Caerketton, rather than the lovely grassy track on the right. When he replied in the affirmative I wished I hadn’t asked the question but had used my common sense( which clearly differed from his)! “Bust a Gask” gave us the option of running clockwise or anticlockwise. Those who know why I, briefly, “had a hand on the handicap trophy”( thanks Ken, my head has shrunk back to normal!) will understand why I picked the clockwise route with steep climbs and more gradual descents…apart from the horrid one at the Flotterstone end of Glencourse reservoir. Allermuir Uphill was a delight as usual, and Mark allowed me to take a minute out of him. The Allermuir doonhiller was much nicer than previous years’ Caerketton Downhill.
I was at the back of the field in all five events, but I did do them all in a week and felt energised and well chuffed to be one of the 16 to do them all. Many thanks, Mark, for all your efforts. I hope they are now a firm fixture in the club diary and that more folk will be encouraged to take up the challenge in future. I’m living proof that you don’t have to be young and fast!
As the AGM approaches, it also feels timely to reflect on all the work the Committee and others have put in over the last year to keep us stimulated, fit and sane. Thank you! The pandemicaps were great, with so many novel routes, and the new format of a few weeks to run at a time/in weather conditions of your choosing or opting for in-person races. I discovered I DO run faster with a Nicki/Nikki on my heels! Even downhill! Several of these have become favourite return-to places, and new trods have definitely developed. The 12 hills of Christmas also took us out to less familiar parts and involved the additional challenge of competing against the Trotters, as did the Bucket List Challenge (I didn’t see the otter or the sunrise/sunset but otherwise ticked everything). Particularly memorable were Allermuir to the Sea with a swim at the end, and exposure conditions for the Taps Aff on Black Hill
Thanks too to everyone involved in organising all the tech in the background, the google sheets, handicaps, and all the Covid stuff, particular thanks to Nikki Dunn on that front.
Hilary Spenceley