Gatehouse

Race review 2016

As there's only 4 days left in 2016 and I'm closing in to finish my second Marcothon, I thought I'd write some notes on my race running year.

At the start of the year, I committed to running an organised race in every month of 2016. Just for a laugh. No targets aimed for, just the participation and chance to keep fit throughout the year.

In February, I started with the Glentress Trail 10K. I don't recall how I'd become aware of it, but it was certainly not on my radar having never been to Glentress before. In Dec 2015 I had completed my first Marcothon, so was obviously maintaining some underlying fitness level which permitted me to come in 5th position. It was a good race, over interesting terrain with a good atmosphere and quite well organised. The fine weather helped. 5/113 48:58

March was a bit of drudgery, not a good selection of races available. I chose the Kilomathon to finish at Murrayfield Stadium. That was about the highlight. It was a little dull with far too much razzmatazz at the start and the route was more than contrived with a strange wandering sojourn in Victoria Park and then a ridiculous appendage before entering Murrayfield Stadium at the end. I'm sure the organisers could improve the route with a little more imagination.  79/1329 56:33

In April I wanted another trail run so headed up to the Balmoral 10K on a cold and snowy Spring day. I had never been to Balmoral (like Glentress) so enjoyed the bit of associated exploration. It was a big event, clearly well established with a strong local following. Everyone sounded like they were from Deeside/Aberdeen. It was a long way to go for a short(ish) race therefore am not sure I'd do it again.
133/1734 45:10

May passed with no organised race due to other commitments so that I packed two into June. First of all starting with the ultimate Highlander Mountain Marathon which we had booked many months previously. We knew what to expect from an event perspective having previously competed in the 2014 event but not the venue. Such is the spice of life that we were kept guessing until the bus departed from the registration building in Cannich. We had a great two days of trotting over the Affric/Mullardoch/Strathfarrar hills in some spectacular weather and not a midge in sight. 15/46 (Class C). Then at the end of June, still in fine weather came the highlight of the year, the Seven Hills of Edinburgh event. Missed the registration in 2015, fast on the mouse click for 2016 we managed to get into the Challenge. It was everything I had hoped it would be, and my few days of reconnaisance seemed to pay off and found me in first position at Craiglockhart until passing Pollok Halls. My fatal mistake was ignoring the Gutted Haddie going up Arthur's Seat and I lost the lead, then coming off the Seat my calves started to cramp up. I slogged over the finish line after a wonderful race. 5/290 2:18:56

Again July seemed to be lacking decent Lothian races. so I ended up entering the Moffat Festival of Running on a Tuesday evening. Information was light and I failed to find a route map anywhere online but made a guess from a description on the event site. It was a 15km job up an undulating valley then a steep climb to the Edinburgh road before returning to Moffat. After work I drove south and parked up on the outskirts of town. The race was pretty intense with a real club feel to the other competitors and a stonking pace to match. I tried hard but suffered from abdominal pain on the long descent back to town. 58/218 01:09

In August it had to be the Coll Half Marathon. I had supported Sally in 2013 on a windy day, but she was happy to return. We were lucky with the weather and enjoyed a fast run round the island making sure to beat Rob Wainwright on the way! Calmac even laid on a return ferry service for us back to Oban on the same day so we could relieve the oldyins of their childcare duties as soon as practically possible. 24/161 01:41:15

I had initially planned to enter the Edinburgh Half-Marathon in September with promises of fast times due to a flat course, but soon binned that idea when I discovered the entry price was beyond my means. And ridiculous. So I found another race on a similar weekend...that was asking £4! However (there is always a downside), it was an event on the British Hill Running calendar - the Merrick Hill Race and I found myself amongst some leggy ants trotting as fast as I could across some of the hardest terrain of the year. 123/197 02:02:00 

In February after the Glentress Trail 10K, some kind fellow had planted a leaflet on the parked car windscreen advertising the inaugural Tunnel Trail Race for October. Sadly the registration and start in Hay Lodge park was beset by freezing fog but was almost clear as we trotted along the Tweed. This was a dibbing start as opposed to a mass start which made for an intriguing pace as you weren't sure who was fastest or leading. It was probably best to just run your own race and enjoy the route. Fortunately some of the scenery was good with good technical terrain through the forest and eventually through the disused tunnel. 18/140 01:41:33

In November I entered the Edinburgh Mens 10K after a friendly recommendation of good 10K timings on a fast course. However, with a field devoid of women at the top of the Mound, the first 1k was was challenging few minutes of elbow jostling and positioning. The straight flatness of the Western Approach road was hardest and I struggled to keep the pace as we entered Murrayfield Stadium for the sprint finish. I've already entered 2017! 154/1190 41:51

Hardest - Merrick
Fastest - Glentress
Slowest - Moffat
Won't repeat - Kilomathon
Will repeat - 7hills, Glentress, Mens 10K

And so...to end the year I decided to challenge myself to the Marcothon again.

M16.4 Pentlands

Meall an Fhudair

Edinburgh Men's 10K

My final race of 2016, I had registered for this one a few months ago after seeing a flyer at Ratho EICA. A friend who had competed in 2015 said it was a fast course and a chance for a good time.

Once registered, I was bombarded with frequent emails from the organisers reminding me to download and read the Entry Information Pack but any of the links I followed seemed to take me to the registration page. Very frustrating, but all I needed to know was where to go and when : the Lawnmarket for 10am on Sunday 6th November.

The forecast was suitably seasonal with temperature of 5C and a strong northerly wind; I chose to wear leggings rather than shorts which would be their first race outing since Glentress in February. After dumping the car in Murrayfield Road, I caught the 26 bus with a few other like minded runners and disembarked at George Street when it started on a diverted route due to the race course at Market Street.

A short trot up the Mound stopping for a pee at the public toilets on the corner of Princes St and then I found myself on the Castle Esplanade with a few dozen other lycra clad men pretending to warm up in the biting wind. I was very early, still 30mins till the start gun so I found some shelter behind Ramsay Gardens.

Down to the start pens and I lined up with The Yellows. I had presumably been asked to predict my finish time so had been allotted a category. As far as I could tell, the order was White, Red, Yellow and then Green. Two pace-makers jostled their way through the pens, one for 50min the other for 45min. I made sure to keep an eye on the 45min guy - he was my initial target.

10am came and off we went after a minute or so of walking to the start and then it was hell for leather down the Mound to the gap between Art Galleries. Not a great route, and then sharp right along the path in front of the Scott Monument. This was not great territory, more akin to the start of the Cramond Parkrun. Narrow, many mixed paces and no opportunities to pass. Quickly we emerged onto Waverley Bridge and I was able to get the pace up curving into Market Street. Into Jeffrey Street and I was able to pass the 45min pacer before we careered onto the Royal Mile again for the long and fast descent to Abbey Hill. I was passing many runners at this stage, but made sure to keep my place once we hit the flatter ground to Royal Park Terrace.

I passed another runner and took a triple take as I went by - it had to be Spud (Ewen Bremner) from Trainspotting fame. [Sadly he wasn't - according to the results]. Into the Queen's Park and flat ground allowed me to settle into a self-dictated pace. I targeted runners ahead and gradually picked them off as we reached Dynamic Earth and the turn onto the Cowgate. Of course there had to be some uphill and my pace slowed as we toiled up past the excellent Holyrood 9A burger joint into the Cowgate proper.

Into the Grassmarket and the noise of some supporting spectators at the west end spurred me on into the West Port and the wee kick up towards Lady Lawson street. I swung the arms to keep the pace up and onwards into Bread Street. Ahead I could see some major traffic restrictions in Lothian Road and I made sure to follow the marshall's directions into the west lane that was bollarded off. Round into the Western Approach Road and then a joyful 3km back towards Murrayfield Stadium. What a pleasure it was to run along this road that has no pavement!

But at the 9km marker I looked at my watch - 37:37. Hmmm no chance of beating 40mins then. Struggling a bit now, as a couple of blokes panted past me. Down into the stadium complex, past the war memorial and then a bit of contrived routing round a marquee tent to make up the distance to 9.96km! Now being overtaken by a fair few athletes. Into the stadium for my final 16second blast to the finish line. 41m51sec. 154/1190.

Definite room for improvement. Next time I'd make the following changes:

1. Position myself nearer the head of the Yellows at the start
2. Concentrate on one runner who is going faster than me and try to keep him in view
3. Avoid being overtaken (if at all possible) on the Western Approach road
4. Be concious of segments on the route

Strava stats and route here:

Tweed Valley Tunnel Trail Race

Back in February when we did the Glentress Trail Race which started my year of races, there was a leaflet left on our parked car windscreen advertising this new race to be held on 1st October 2016. The details were a little light at that stage, but the main tag line was the 600m disused railway tunnel that would be used on part of the route. I kept hold of the leaflet, and later in the year when planning my race for October, this one suited best.

When I left Edinburgh, the fog had rolled in so that my drive down the A7 to Peebles was interspersed by fiddling with fog lights and slower than normal traffic. As I passed theough Eddleston just north of Peebles, the car temperature gauge registered +2C!! I was soon parked up at the Hay Lodge car park by 9am. In the still thick fog, I wandered across the wet grass of the park towards thr sounds of a PA system down by the river. 

I was obviously early, and managed to register, pick up my number and dibber with little drama before returning back to the car to wait in relative warmth. By 09:40, there was a definite brightening to the sky with suggestions of blue above the fog. I got changed and headed down to the start where there was now a long queue of people waiting to register. 

10am arrived and the man with the Microphone suggested those keen 20km athletes should gather at the start. I hung back and decided to film the actual first dibbers. But soon enough the sheep instinct took hold and I entered the funnel. 

Very quickly I was regretting my decision to hang back, since the first kilometre was very narrow and I struggled to get past the many slower runners in front. Once we were onto the old railway past Neidpath Castle, I was able to pass unimpeded and for the next six or so kilometres I was gaining and passing all runners ahead. 

The climb up the steep tarmac of 'The Sware' was the first tough section which required some walking to my shame. A quick swig of cold water at the first water station where we entered more of a trail section through woods with a gradual climb up towards the high point. 

Out of the trees and at last the fog has cleared

Through a wall and back into the woods again for a very technical slippy descent back down to almost river level. I was being chased by a panter now, and it spurred me on. I let him through at a gate, but then we played cat and mouse back up the road towards the farm of Edderston. On the gentle descent to Manor Sware, I cranked up the pace and stormed ahead into the trees again athe confluence of the 10K route. This section through South Park Wood was perhaps the least satisfactory of the course; a lot of weaving around trees and fallen trunks, not a very direct line.

Since we had now joined the 10K route, there was much more traffic on the trail to negotiate, but they all kindly stood aside when they heard my puffing.

Into the tunnel

The tunnel was not quite what I was expecting, with only a couple of orbing lights. Underfoot was heavy stones, laid evenly but quite tricky to run fast on. Add to that the darkness, and it made for a challenging 600m. I almost ran into at least two people when trying to overtake.

The finishing 1km was around the Hay Lodge Park which seemed a bit contrived, not dissimilar to the Kilomathon around Murrayfield Stadium in March. I dibbed at 1hr41m33s, 18/140.

Merrick Hill Race

The fast descent off The Merrick

Earlier in the summer, I had my mind focused on my September race as being the Two Breweries on 24th September. It would certainly be the azimuth of my running year and I would need to do a couple of recces to understand the route. But late in August, a double booking on the weekend in September, meant that I couldn't enter the Two Breweries race. Plan B was another race on the weekend of 17/18th September. Looking at the excellent Scottish Running Guide calendar, I found the Edinburgh Half-Marathon on the Sunday might be worth a look. It promoted itself as "a great route for fast times, if you want a PB, this is the course for you!"

I started the registration process and then reached the payment page....£37! Someone is having a laugh surely. How can they justify that? Its not even a marathon. My wallet closed and I went back to the Scottish Running Guide for another scan.

Aha! I thought as I spotted The Merrick Hill Race on Saturday the 17th. I knew The Merrick, having previously walked up it in 1999 and I had walked through Glen Trool on the Southern Upland Way in 1990. I could imagine running up and down that. The distance of 12.4km sounded doable and I remembered the ground being fairly grassy. What was even better - the entry fee was only £4!

Saturday 17th arrived and the weather forecast was perfect, dry with no rain expected, light winds and cloud base above summits. It was going to be warm. Lazily, I let the car satnav decide the route to Glen Trool and I ended up on some very windy single track roads. I had plenty of time though, so made sure to enjoy the views of the Rhinns of the Kells as I drove south.

I arrived at the old Caldons campsite car park at about 11:45 with other racers joining me. I took the bike out of the back and headed along the road towards the start at The Bruce's Stone. I heard a few grumbles from other racers who were having to walk the 1.5miles each way. At registration, I was asked to show my gear (all competitors had been emailed in the week to bring full body cover, hat, gloves, map and compass). But as a clueless amateur I left it all back at the car. Fortunately they let me off; I wasn't a contender clearly!

Back to the car to get changed and eat some lunch before heading back to the start line. On the advertised map of the route, it struck directly up the Fell of Eschoncan where someone had used a garden strimmer to beat a path through the thick bracken. How kind.

At 13:00 we set off, me not too far from the back keeping clear of these athletes. A short trot up the road and then onto the bracken path. I had not experienced something like this before so wasn't sure of the etiquette, but it all seemed amiable. There were very few chances to overtake and I think most people were happy to stick at the pace of the mass.

Head down for the initial ascent

Shortly the bracken receded and the slope fell back after 200m or so of ascent, the trotting began along a single track bog to eventually reach a forestry track where I could increase the pace and strides. It was downhill at this point before passing an encouraging  marshall and entering the forest for a steep climb towards Corse Craig. Ahead I could see the familiar figure of Ranjit in his FiveFinger shoes. I recognised him from the Moffat race in July. As him I passed I said my greetings and we panted a brief conversation. He wanted to know what club I was running for and insisted I joined Carnethy.

Out of the forest, the path improved. It was a surface of gravel with good drainage ditches. Although it was steep, there were some sections could be jogged briefly. I looked ahead and was amazed to see tiny figures in the distance approaching the summit of Benyellary already. I fell in step with a male runner from Westerlands I think. He was wearing a yellow vest with a W on the back. However, I started to get a bit annoyed by his pace. The slope of grass was wide and uniform. I would start a brief run for a few metres and gradually pass him; he seemed to start running just as I did, but then continued beyond where I would start walking and start walking directly in front of me. He did this on at least ten occasions and it became irritating.

Even as we ran down the Neive of the Spit towards the Merrick, he matched my pace so that we reached the summit at the same time and then began the delightful descent down the Rig of the Gloon together.

Starting the descent off The Merrick with my shadow in the way

I tried to loosen up and increased the pace on the soft grass, but too soon the ground degenerated into wet slop and rocks and the brakes went on. He passed again. Then the terrain became a bit more technical with crags, tussocks and man-eating bogs. I face planted tripping over a tussock near base of the ridge. The W man was ahead and I managed to pass him again just before we reached the Kirn Burn. I sploshed into the water, grabbed three quick mouthfuls and then struggled up the boggy tussocks beside the wall onto Cragnine. The W man was behind me but distant. At last!

Now I was following a red vested man who was doing a steady pace. I set in behind him, legs really tiring now so no energy to overtake. Coming off Buchan Hill I was now behind a group of 4 and I made sure to stick on their heels as we careered down into the cow field. The fallen fence almost garotted me as I ran into the single strand of wire and boinged back up the slope.

Descending off Buchan Hill, W man in the distance

I made sure to pose for the camera

The bottom of the field was another fence just beyond a stinking bog of cow shit, mud and water but travelling too fast to care. On the other side of the fence were a group of spectators and marshalls I think. I heaved myself over the fence like a numpty and onto the track. I was now following a female who powered up the steep track.

The final fence. Some runners actually jumped over this, aye right!

Some runners who had already finished were walking down the track giving encouragement. But it was far too steep to run properly and I waivered between walking and very slow jogging. The finish appeared round a corner and I struggled through the line in 2hrs 02mins. 123/197

Good race but I think I need a vest.