“ Round and round the Radical Road the ragged Rascal Ran”
Anonymous

Aye, well round and round a few rascals ran in this the final handicap of the season, mostly above the Radical Road thankfully. Some permutation of the night’s format—the wonderful organiser; the classic and central, run; the great weather; the free food and beer and prizegiving later; tempted almost 40 runners out to run over igneous sills, banded haematite and a teschenite mass and apparently through quite a few gorse bushes. Only Richard Lathe took the opportunity to collect some geological samples en route with an ingenious use of that pouch of tissue that covers the knee. A band of medical students—and we hope, soon to be new members—who have of late been accompanying us on Wednesday night runs eyed his wounds dubiously, perhaps even speculatively, but wisely did nothing … Well, there was free beer to be drunk!

As usual, several folk went astray. Choosing the wrong way off both the summit and Crow Hill are usually the norm but running in a straight line from Whinny Hill to the top of Salisbury Crags was a first—and hopefully—last for anyone.

When Cali stripped off to change into the Leader’s Vest on the start line, it obviously knocked her partner Bob off his stride as she went on to finish a few strides before him to take 2nd place in the series overall. Some families go the whole hog, and in what I think is a first in the handicaps, the Hogg family took the first two places in the night’s race, with Jonathan just coming in ahead of his Dad, Alan. Arthur’s Seat, actually Ard-na-Saighead, means the Hill of the Arrows, and both Jonathan and Alan went for the arrow straight but higher and longer route back from the foot of the crags. Not so, Willie Gibson who proved that good route choice is as useful as speed as he was passed at least four times on the course by a confused Chris Durn before he picked up sixth place, 32 points and the series Trophy.

Then off to KB for a free meal and the handicap prizegiving to end a wonderful night!