Saltire Trail Race 2019

In the Spring I started to plan out my races for the first half of the year and trawled all the usual sites like the Scottish Running Guide, Entry Central, SiEntries, Scottish Hill Racing and came across a few interesting looking events. One of them on the SRG was the 'Saltire Trail Race' advertised as an inaugural event to raise funds for the Athelstaneford Village Hall. The race information was fairly limited, and the entry system was via 'EventBrite' which I'd not used before. 

It was reasonably cheap at £11.25, but I knew a 10km trail race in East Lothian had to be good fun so quickly signed up. As the day approached, I got the usual email from the organiser explaining race timings and parking details. Crucially it was missing any form of route information. It did suggest the route was linked from their Facebook page, but I couldn't find it. Even a vague route description would have been good. 

Anyway, race day arrived with fine weather. Perhaps 12C and a light easterly breeze coming in off the North Sea welcomed me as I drove into the village. Cloudless skies. I followed the marshall's direction into a field to park in a line with the other racers near the start. An old steam-roller marked the actual start-line. 

The start-line steamroller - the whistle would launch all races

I trooped back along the road into the village to the grass in front of the Village Hall where the "Summer Fair" was just starting up. The Polis and Fire Brigade had turned up in their vehicles to spread the word. Bouncy Castle, Coconut Shy, Book stalls, Tombola, all the usual gubbins. Under a tree was a table with two seated administrators giving out the race numbers. I joined the queue and quickly started chatting to a fellow in front of me wearing a Glen Lyon Ultra 2019 shirt. I knew this race had been the weekend before, and was one I'd considered entering. Ian Burdett was a friendly chap and soon enough we'd established that he was the one who had led Roger Peppiette astray at the final Fox Trail race in March!! Even funnier was the fact that Emma Peveril was one of the administrators to give out our numbers - she had got 1st lady at that Fox Trail race, due to not following Ian.

I went back to the car to eat my lunch and gear up. I watched the 2km and then the 5km race start before taking my place. I soon realised there was a small field of runners, no-one seemed to want to actually stand on the start line, they all stood back. Not me. 

But then there was a delay; a pair were late, still coming up from the village. I decided to do some warming up on my own away from the start. Eventually it was time to go and the steamroller blew its whistle. Off we went along the side of the field, taking care not to stumble into tractor ruts. 

Within 200metres I found myself in fourth place and ran at a pace I was just about able to maintain. The route followed field boundaries for the most part, and only the odd road or track section. On a downhill, I managed to pass the 3rd place chap and stayed in the position until we reached the only water station at 5km. The leader was gone - he was stretching away into the distance. 2nd place stopped at the water station, so I and my follower in 4th took the opportunity to overtake. 

4th place chap very quickly overtook me on one of the ascents and he looked to be chasing down the leader. I was settled in 3rd. The course undulated round various field edges, not great ground but just about runnable. On some steeper ascents I resorted to walking as I was spent and soon enough got overtaken by 4th, and then 5th - Ian Burdett. 

We entered a forest where the trail disappeared and we were following rabbit runs through some thick gorse onto Kilduff Hill. I made sure to smile at the photographer.

Then there was a fast descent back to the fields and more solid ground. I had managed to consolidate my position in 5th and looking over my shoulder at the final turn realised I was safe.

I came in 5th out of 66 and the steamroller peeped its whistle as each runner crossed the rope.

Brilliant race. 00:48:16