At 10 I headed back across for the race briefing. Looking around the other runners, there was an overwhelming female majority and only a few younger males. Interesting field.
After the briefing we all headed for a wee walk up to the old Melrose Station platform next to the A6091 road that bypasses the town. I warmed up with a sprint along the platform gravel before lining up near the start. Off we went at a hurtle along a flat path for a kilometre or so and I quickly foud myself in around 4th position as we hit a road. Frustratingly the marshalls stopped us all to allow a bus to pass - the first three runners were already away which meant we lost ~100m between them.
The next 2km was brutally uphill and the first female in the race overtook me to gradually stretch ahead. I kept my position from the snorter behind me.
After the long climb I was happy to still be in 5th position |
Not long before we left the tarmac |
Onto the 'red road' - a vehicle track of reddish Eildon earth which ran along the south side of the peaks and eventually downhill to join tarmac for a while. I could just about see the first female in the distance ahead perhaps 200m away as she passed the only water station on the route, manned by some cub scouts.
I declined their kind cups and headed left for the muddy climb up into the woodland below Eildon Hill North. This climb was really tough and I struggled to keep running. After another marshall with a camera, the route turned sharply right for a long fast descent to the old road near Eildon Mains. I could hear some approaching footsteps behind and reluctantly allowed them to catch me.
A bloke, not the snorter came alongside and we had a brief chat.
I slip into 6th place |
More mud and gates and then some views of the Abbey through the trees told me the finish line was close. It arrived quicker than expected and I huffed my way across.
Quite good fun and a challenging route. I'd probably do it again.
00:59:31 6 / 123
00:59:31 6 / 123
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