With much of the UK basking in May sunshine Arran proved again that it is indeed Scotland in miniature, providing the runners in this years Goatfell race with a taste of all four* seasons to go with the topographical variations. When I first started doing this race in the 1990s there used to a good contingent of English club runners from the likes of Bingley, this tradition looks to be reviving with a fair sprinkling of CFR, Rossendale, etc runners taking the race in on the way up to Jura.
A smaller than usual turnout of Carnethies this year was led home by Carnethy HRD man (so it says in the results) Alex McVey, nicking into the top 10, well behind winner Finlay, although to be fair 2nd place was well behind Finlay too. Iain Gilmore was lucky 13th, just holding off the Dorian Greyesque Porty Pete Buchanan who nabbed the V50 prize. Next Carnethy home was Adam Anderson, always guaranteed to gain about 50 places on this rough and rocky descent, who just pipped Harry Gilmore (3rd v50 with Alan ‘Countryfile’ Smith between him and Pete). I finished a fair bit further back, my results profile over the last couple of decades now look a bit like the race profile itsself (I can only hope that I stay on the long run out now and don’t go subterranean). Fellow Carnethies Bob Lyons, Jim McWhinnie, and Robin Howie all made it safely back to the cakes.
*there was no sun and little warmth, but then this is Scotland so I think it’s a fair reflection of summer
Bruce Smith