A low key race in its 14th year was a blast for me. The Water of Leith Half Marathon runs from Harlaw Road in Balerno and finishes in Leith. Its half a mile over the half M distance, down-hill, twisty in places, wet and muddy under foot. The odd road crossing to test your car avoidance skills, a blast. It runs as a handicap to get everyone in together at the end for lashings or tea and medals. There was plenty of that followed by a few beers and nibbles in the pub.
There were a good bunch of Carnethies at the muddy start in the woods with people nipping off for discrete and not so discrete pees and things. Having never run a half marathon race before I figured go off as fast as I could and hang in there. The good news was that I overtook a lot of runners and was overtaken by only two, including Roddy McRae, who I was sure was Graham Nash and therefore put up my best fight for the last 2 miles – only to find Graham was a bit further back. The result for me was totally trashed legs for three days after. Kate Fraser and Philippa Iveson were the first girls after the winner – Neil Jones. The results are below to figure out who did best with or without the handicapping.
Mark Hartree
Results for Water of Leith Half Marathon:
1. Neil Jones 1.47.21
2= Kate Fraser 1.51.52
2= Philippa Iveson 1.51.52
4. Ian Cadogan 1.43.44
5. Angus Thomson 1.31.05
6. Keith Martin 1.35.31
7= Judith White 2.26.51
7= Len Friday 2.26.51
7= Robin Wombill 2.26.51
10. Roddy McRae 1.30.37
11. Mark Hartree 1.34.40
12. Fiona Carver 1.43.03
13. Finlay Slane 1.42.08
14. Stuart Duncan 1.47.14
15. Phil Young 1.31.21
16. Sheila Morrison 2.28.24
17. Graham Nash 1.19.40
18. Gordon Cameron 1.33.42
19. Shona Young 1.41.55
20. Nicola Freedman 1.47.08
21. Martin Caldwell 1.35.10
22. Alan Yardley 1.42.14
23. Steve Best 1.25.21
24. Andy Whitmey 1.26.25
25. Val Herring 2.29.32
26. Vince Fraser 1.37.42
27. Brian Reid 1.36.54
28. Paul Young 1.32.58
29. Alan Inglis 1.30.01
30. Ruth Paterson 1.43.23
31. Seona Burnett 1.45.27
32. Sandy Wallace 1.3830
33. Douglas Graham 1.36.42
34. Barbara Livingston 1.44.47
35. Jim Alexander 1.55.49
36. Drew Sharkey 1.20.52
37. Helen Falconer 1.38.53
38. Simon Axon 1.40.04
39. Scott Craighead 1.24.05
40. Crawford Allan 1.39.17
41. James Robson 1.33.35
42. Alistair Ross 1.51.46
43. Anya Powers 1.54.07
44. Frank Ovens 1.50.44
45. Steve Crane 1.30.59
46. Graham Henry 1.35.15
47. Isobel Burnett 1.40.23
48. Louise Provn 1.43.32
49. Mike Lieberman 1.40.35
50. Robin Livingstone 1.40.36
51. Neil Burnett 1.31.52
52. Nicola Nash 1.51.23
53. Alex Hilliam 1.32.39
54. Tim Hyatt 1.41.56
55. Lucy Colquhoun 1.37.03
56. Gav Brown 1.36.09
57. Max Scharbert 2.02.21
58. Simon Smith 1.54.37
59. Martin Macintyre 1.39.10
60. Jim Salvage 2.07.27
61. Dean Friday 1.51.40
62. Scott Balfour 1.39.32
63. Stewart Roxburgh 2.11.07
64. Derek Henderson 1.58.54
65= Louise Kay 2.16.02
65= Sue Kingston 2.06.02
67= Margaret Douglas 2.16.06
67= Maureen Macleod 2.04.06