Carnethy Hill Running Club is sorry to report a troubling incident involving four senior members following the Trotternish Ridge Race. High on adrenaline from the rigours of 17 miles of hill-bothering, the grubby quartet proceeded to the men’s changing room at the race headquarters in Portree. Keen ‘to get their money’s worth’ from a shower costing £3, the members sought to make the most of the facilities – until their excessive water consumption caused a fire alarm, triggering the attendance of a fire engine.
As bells and sirens sounded, the quartet was urged to immediately evacuate the changing room by an anxious member of staff. The now-fragrant runners grabbed their flannels and soap, and reluctantly emerged from the changing room to appalling scenes. ‘There was a river of water running down the corridor,’ one eyewitness said. ‘For goodness sake, didn’t they realise this was a school?’ It is understood that an earlier allegation of less-than-decent exposure is also being linked to the four men. ‘It was only a bit of craic,’ one of the men was reported as saying after the scene at Storr Lochs Dam. A spokesperson for Portree Fire and Rescue Service said the men were ordered to leave Skye immediately. The group insisted on eating a six pack of doughnuts first, and later that evening there were reports of the men beginning a drinking spree in a mainland hostelry. The men are described as ‘veterans’, aged between 40 and 100, and some are said to be ‘champions’ in their discipline.
This disappointing behaviour followed thoroughly successful racing in what was the season’s third Scottish Championship race in outstanding conditions. Catriona Graves led from start to finish in the women’s race, with James Taylor in 3rd the first Carnethy home in the men’s race. The list of glory goes on: Andy Fallas (4th overall and 1st M40); Eliot Sedman (2nd M40); Andy Lamont (3rd M40); Andrew Macrae (1st M50); Alan Renville (3rd M50); Michelle Hetherington (3rd W50); Stewart Whitlie (1st M60). Some 25 Carnethy athletes made the long pilgrimage from Edinburgh for a race that will live forever in the memory: this was hill racing at its very finest.
What a shame then that these successes were overshadowed by the behaviour of a reckless minority. ‘Showergate will forever be a stain on our long and proud history,’ a club spokesman said, ‘but the four people involved have agreed to go on an awareness course. We have never – and will never – condone inappropriately-long showers, regardless of the cost of these showers or how dirty our runners may be.’ However, speaking from a safe, high and remote place in the West Highlands, one of the men involved insisted again: ‘Seriously, it really was just a bit of craic.’
Trotternish results are here: https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=278917
Jonny Muir