Seven Hills of Edinburgh Race 20/6/10
The Q&A
What is your greatest fear?
The fear that the sum of the parts of the four recce runs for The Seven Hills were nowhere near the sum of the whole. This fear was confirmed.What keeps you awake at night?
The recce runs for Seven Hills of Edinburgh. Useless fragments of mental mapping, pieced together subconsciously, at night drifting off to sleep, infiltrating the dream sequence to a point where I’d wake up: Lost in a wood, in Craiglockart. Again.What is your favourite film?
Werner Herzog’s ‘Fitzcarraldo’, as it reminds me of the Seven Hills. Specifically the scene where they have to haul a steamship up and over a small mountain (to a river on the other side). To parallel: Someone else’s big idea, and before you know it, you’ve signed up, and you’re exhaustively struggling in a monumental effort which feels like you’re single handedly shoving all 320 tons of the ‘Molly Aida’ up Arthurs seat.What is your favourite word?
FlatWhen were you happiest?
Before I ran the Seven Hills, listening to pre-race banter from Graham Henry and his tale of forgetting his running shoes this morning, and nearly having to run in clip-in cycle shoes (The madness of this I find appealing). Also a synopsis of last years race where he had cycled for 3 hours beforehand up from Selkirk. Legend.What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
“it’s no fun unless it’s no fun”. I’m slowly (but reluctantly) beginning to understand this truism.
What do you consider your ‘Seven Highs’ of the race?
1.The witty stewards pre-start commentary in a gesture to health and safety. Mulling over the risk assessments, I ‘missed’ the start, and was shunted into action by an over-eager motto-chanting HBT runner. The whole field then hurtled full pelt, 200m to the top of the staircase to Waterloo place. Which, as usual, was filled with wandering tourists from all corners of the globe. Luckily only the weak and the old ones were trampled under foot.
2.A careering and scattering sub-six pace field swarming onto Northbridge, with surprised traffic skidding to a halt as the running riot swept across then through the Northbridge Arcade to Cockburn Street and up Fleshmarket Close, (Which I’d not thought of before - must have saved a whole five metres).
3.Cruising down through Corstorphine, fast paced with big long strides (ie. overstriding) and feeling like it was a 10km road race (This ‘high’ was very short lived), then picking up the challengers, and ‘gently’ screaming encouragement to any PRC (bit full on at times).
4.Craiglockhart Hill and catching up with an arch-rival tri-athlete friend, (Richard Bruton, 2.05.53 (hammered me by 5 mins in the Chris Hoy)). So I paced with him (and navigated him – owes me big time) to Pollock Halls.
5.Windmilling and cartwheeling over the public golf course and screaming my head off in either pain or pure joy. Exhilarating
6.The rocky scree and climbing of Arthurs Seat (Not the steps), and passing Michael Fullerton (2.05.56) getting George Salmond (2.04.59) in my sights. Too fast for me (again (and MF overtook me as did my arch-rival on the final ascent to Calton Hill - Blast!)).
7.The white line, cheering and encouragement from clubmates, and still being able to manage a decent looking faux fast(ish) finish.What do you consider your ‘Seven Lows’ of the race?
1.Each and every one of the Seven Hills
2.From the Esplanade, I had a double stitch and was struggling badly, and thought It may have been the inappropriate late breakfast or eating too late last night. However looking at my garmin and reading 6.15 I realised it was just the pace (Paced with Douglas Carstairs (1.56.32), but not for long - far too fast (Well done Dougie)),
3.At Craiglockart Gordon directing folk into that deep dark wood, which revealed a scene of hellish nightmare. Runners go well straight and flat, but the incline had collected about a hundred people. Very noisy, lots of arm flailing, lots of hanging on, lots of ankle grabbing and an HBT bruiser who slid back down, ‘log rolling’, taking two others and myself with him. Gimme a break big man!
4.That grassy park after Fly Walk. The ‘breaking action’ of inefficient downhill running diagonally at speed, put a massive stain on my ankle. It tends to overpronate, and felt like it was at 45 degrees, and about to snap, which meant I had to consciously overcompensate, which was painful. And I couldn’t slow down. At this point I felt the race was really physically aggressive and almost intimidating.
5.Blackford Hill, just after emerging from Hades (Read ‘the Hermitage’) and I could feel the last energy reserves drain as my legs pushed up those seemingly infinite steps towards the top, followed by another delightfully fast descent and more ankle screaming, then that long miserable uphill road at Causewayside, I was totally juiced out at this point, and running on nothing more than adrenaline.
6.Jumping over the seven foot high wall at Pollock Halls, I winced (and swore) at the force my ankle had to bear, but luckily the bridge of my foot took the brunt with a clean break (well it felt like it). Then, towards Arthurs Seat, the onset of cramp in my calves began to set in. Fabulous!
7.Clearly the worst thing of all was the 7 Hills long sleeved top that I bought was far too short on the arms. Discrimination against long limbed ecotomorphs! And I left without picking up my ‘doubler’ whisky miniature. Another cruel blow.Which living person do you most admire, and why?
Anyone who has ran this race for the first time, and their optimism, and hope, that it would be a less than hellish experience. Also those who have ran it before, as they knew what was coming!What has been your biggest disappointment?
That it may have only been a dream, (or my worst nightmare ever).Which words or phrases would you use to describe the race?
GBHWhat do you owe Portobello Running Club?
6 minutes and thirty eight seconds.What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Knowing that I’d NEVER EVER have to do this race ever again.Where would you most like to be right now?
The Netherlands.Questions – Rosanna Greenstreet
Answers – Ian McMillan
Michael Geoghegan's ExperienceFeel the need to write a wee report about this one as it’s been on the to-do list for an awful long time. So many thoughts and reflections in the aftermath: what went wrong, what went right, what could have been better?? Overall though the race lived up to its reputation and I really enjoyed it.
The race kicked off at 10.15, 30 minutes after the challenge and I set off very quickly determined to get a good start and avoid any congestion towards the castle, I did this but going into the gardens following a Gala Harrier I inadvertently took the slightly longer decent, upsetting but life goes on. The road towards Corstorphine hill my pace slowed a wee bit and runners started to go by, I was pretty comfortable with this as I knew there was so much fun and games to come. Up and down Corstorphine hill past a few of those who’d gone by me and on towards Craiglockart, the next section was pretty grim as I noticed the heat and tried to stay focused on the job at hand.
Going through Stenhouse Drive I got a huge shout from some Portobello challengers. Very much appreciated and before I knew it I was at Craiglockart tennis courts and starting the assent of Craiglockart Hill, passed an awful lot of people here, mostly challengers but I’m sure a few racers too, before heading off towards Braid Hill. At this stage the kamikaze route planning comes into play, getting between Braid Hill and Blackford Hill was hilarious, I basically took as direct a route as I could find (though the stream), which seemed to work well but certainly wasn’t being adopted by the majority. Similarly coming off Blackford Hill I neglected to follow the masses though the allotments based on a rumour I’d heard on route to Goatfell, and choose instead a steep decent and exit from the park via the main entrance. On leaving Blackford hill, the realisation came: I was very very tired. Still all you can do is deal with it, and I managed to negotiate my way threw the surprisingly unpopular Pollock halls route to Arthur Seat. At this point I became aware of a Carnethy runner that had been in front or behind me the entire race. We fought our way up and down Arthur Seat, which was, needless to say, very tough but unbelievably I managed to negotiate my way ahead of the Carnethy runner on the decent (unprecedented). Getting back up Carlton Hill was unbelievably difficult and I think if you compared my first mile pace and my last mile pace the difference would be vast. Crossed the finish line in 11th, in 1.52, which was better than the pre-race prediction and managed to be part of the Portobello team that won second team prize so not a bad days work.
The post race atmosphere was really good with the selection of food plus the view of Edinburgh in good weather, which is always good for the soul. Can’t decide if it was foolish or not starting off at a suicidal pace or how optimal my route was but these are questions for next year. I was very pleased at getting a prize for 2nd team, with Jonny and Gareth finishing 6th and 10th respectively in very good times.
A superb race and good to be back in a running environment having missed the club session the last 3 weeks running (shameful).
Congratulations to all who took part and also to Alan Lawson for organising what is an excellent race.
Photos - Thea McMillan, Willie Jarvie
Results here
Back in 1997, having spent time living and working in both London and Edinburgh, I decided that I preferred Edinburgh and that's where I should live. London was not the place for me, it's fine to visit, and even a good place to live for a while. But I wanted to live in a city with a medieval old town like Edinburgh's, with dark wee closes and wynds. And a castle, a palace and a huge great extinct volcano and crags slap bang in the middle of it. A bunch of other hills and parks around about too. (And some beachy goodness nearby too in Portobello - 'Edinburgh's seaside' :-)) And all within easy travelling distance of each other - you could go to all these places on foot within a day if you wanted...
What I didn't know then is that there's a race that proves the point!!! I never knew this race existed until a couple of years ago, and before joining PRC I wouldn't have thought for moment that I'd be able to do it. This report is pretty late so I'm not going to go into how I slept the night before, or what I had for breakfast or whatever. Instead I'm going to take a leaf out of Ian's Q&A report and just record the 7 most memorable aspects of the race for me.
1. Before the race on Calton Hill Glorious sunshine and phenomenal views all around. Great camaraderie between runners. There was already a special feel to proceedings. (There was a moment where I became slightly apprehensive as I went to take a photo of the Challenge starting and expected them to go in the opposite direction, so got a photo of their backs disappearing.... How well had I planned my route..?!)
2. Running up the royal mile to the castle. This is why the 7 Hills, and not the marathon, is truly *the* Edinburgh race. You actually go through the world famous centre of town, past St Giles and the castle. It felt superb running up there with one or two hundred other runners, past bemused tourists and exchanging banter with stall-holders. Then cutting off down Johnstone Terrace down some of those old town steps... (*other routes can also apply)
3. Coming back down Corstorphine Hill First point of the route where thought I could go wrong, where you saw other runners coming back past you, people heading in different directions. Race kind of came alive then and another dimension was ended. Turned left down the track despite others heading on to the road and made up ground on the downhill!! First time one of our recce'd routes visibly paid off and I loved it!
4. Getting to Craiglockhart Hill I was convinced that I'd get lost between Corstorphine and Craiglockhart, I just don't know that side of town well. But not only did I make it there safely, having picked up all the roads and cut-throughs I'd wanted to, I started noticing that some of the other runners round the top were challengers. This might be wrong, but it gave me a real confidence boost to have caught some already. I felt rejuvenated and flew past a bunch of people on the way down the path back to the road.
5. Coming off Blackford Hill Another confidence boost... At this point I knew I was going to make it all the way round without getting lost. Had negotiated all the bits I know less well, and the new shortcuts and paths that I'd only learned on the recce a couple of weeks before. Nice steady gradient to run down and good to see Willie taking snaps too. As a former Edinburgh Uni student (did Biology at Kings Buildings) this side of town is not only familiar it's tinged with nostalgia... so coming on to West Mains Road was nice.
6. Arthur's Seat The climb up and the run down were both easier than expected! Again, thankful for the recce earlier in the week to know what I was up against... But it wasn't without adversity, on the downhill especially... First, a rock got kicked down which hit my left shin. I still have a cracking cut and bruising 2 weeks on. And then when I hit the tarmac path at the foot of Arthurs Seat I got cramp the like of which I have never ever had in a race before!! My right hamstring seized right up and I literally could not move. Limped, hobbled, stretched my way forward and managed to get going again. (By this point I'd have crawled if I had to) Only for my left hamstring to cramp up on the path up from Calton Road to Regent Road.
7. Back on top of Calton Hill Glorious sunshine still, plenty of support not only from other PRC'ers but also from the lovely Mrs Mac and the 2 Mac children, out picnicking on the hillside. Great quiche and pie, and one of the best prizegivings I've been to. (egs - "First placed Dutch runner?" "No-one run with a dog this year?") plus my whisky miniature for 'doing the double'! Awesome. I was totally wiped out by the time I got home and struggled to stay awake all afternoon. But you know what - I'll be back. And I'll be another runner who raves about this race too.
Thanks to coach Bert for leading recce's beforehand, don't know how I'd have managed without them. Thanks to the club for getting me to a point where I not only actually consider absurd races like this, but finish OK and even have a good time!
Report Sandy Macdonald
