KB5 Road Race

Whilst searching for results and information about the GU5 race in February, I came across this reciprocal race organised by the Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds club. With a minimal entry fee (£7) and a good, logical route, I happily entered.

As per usual, the best laid plans were overturned with a dump of snow on the Saturday morning between 03:00 and 10:00. It turned to rain soon after and turned to sloppy wet slush. When I reached the King's Buildings car park at 11:30, there was a mixture of deep puddles, tarmac and rutted slush on the pavements.

On the way to registration in the Common Room, there was a mixture of hardy shorts-and-vests and full covered runners. Not so many old duffers like me, but that was to be expected for a Uni race. At 11:55 I found my way to the start line where after the usual short briefing we were off.

Wet tarmac for the first 200m out of the campus, and then left onto the slushy pavement heading towards Blackford. There were some very fast runners in this field and I soon found myself amongst the old duffers, some females and larger young males. After a mile or so, I felt my shoelace loosening which was unusual. I couldn't run the race like that so took the decision to duck into a bus shelter to retie.

I lost about 5places in doing so, most of which I had already overtaken so I knew I'd be able to claw them back. We had to climb round the side of Blackford up the wide Midmar Drive and had to keep to the road due to the pavement slush. On the climb to the Braid Hills hotel, I finally managed to regain my position before the shoelace stop.

The route turned east onto Braid Farm road and the runners were spread out. Despite the race marshal asking us to run on the pavement (in the slush), we stayed on the clearer tarmac road for a short while, before the narrower carriageway meant we were forced into the pavement slush. It was heavy going, and I was only able to keep running due to being in a race. If I'd been alone, I would have surely taken a break.

There was a sharp left into Alnwickhill Road and I was overtaken by a vested HBT runner wearing a wide brimmed sun hat and long grey socks as we sploshed down the steep brae. Onto Liberton Brae for some more downhill and then into Mayfield Road for the final climb back towards the King's Buildings.

I had managed to keep my position, but the lack of overtaking indicated a fast field. I got through the finish and returned straight to the car.

No idea of my result since the organisers don't seem to think that important to publish, even 2weeks after the race.