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East District Cross Country,
Dunfermline 18/02/09

The U/17 boys with the women close behind set off.

Looking out the window on Sunday morning (with the heater on) it was an easy mistake to make. The weather looked sunny and bright so I forgot about wet weather gear and to take more than a vest or 2 to run in.

Mary undeterred by lack of team-mates, the weather or common sense.

As we arrived in Dunfermline the skies had changed to a sombre dark grey and the rain began to fall. It was falling as a heavy sleet by the time the girls set off: I say girls plural but in fact Mary was the sole PRC representative, others having partied too much the previous night, fallen foul of the lurgy, or just chosen to go for a longer Sunday run elsewhere.

Not that the 6k of the women's race or the 8.6k men's, felt all that short. What with the inclement weather and the heavy going underfoot there were several folk from both events who failed to get to the finish line. I also saw various mud-covered youngsters from junior races retiring tearfully with parents/coaches in tow, the quagmire of the course taking its toll throughout the afternoon. There were also many filthy knees and hands as competitors hit the deck, and a few mud moustaches where they then wiped their faces.

Helen went for the rain jacket and gloves style.

The rain had been falling steadily for a couple of weeks and the course was a near continual stretch of churned up ankle deep mud. Apart from where puddles of water collected and made it shin deep. Usually there are corners of the cross country like this but it seemed Dunfermline had no drier grassy parts to kick off the fiendish ooze. Tell a lie there was 50 yards of carpeted tarmac on the far side of the course early on.

1 & 2. Megan dominated from the start - this was about as close as Jenny got. (Both vets by the way.)

Clair was fourth, a strong mud-covered performance.

Megan finished 20 secs+ ahead of next girl

So after a brief warm up during which the PRC male contingent appeared in 2s and 3s, Mary set off. Some women wore just vest and shorts while others wore raincoats, gloves and balaclavas. A heavy cold sleet was falling and the video camera never came out the bag. I ran a bit of the course trying to work out where the girls would next appear, taking a few photos while trying to warm up. I got fairly soaked through. After Mary passed the second time I headed to the start / finish to get ready for the race. I could tell from the energy and breathing of the women beyond the finish that the course was going to be demanding.

Sarah Legging it.

I managed to position myself towards the front, not wanting to get caught in the log jam as the course narrowed shortly after the start. The men's course did one small loop and two long. The first few hundred yards were all about staying upright and keeping the pace and although I thought I did a good job and was well up the field I caught a brief glimpse of James towards the front of the pack miles ahead. It was James's first appearance in a Porty top; one of his reasons for joining the club was so that he could take part in the cross country. And he was certainly going for it.

Tony with Colin Wilson of Carnethy

Round a few corners and over the 50m of carpets before heading off onto the first long loop. Up a slope and you really needed to keep the momentum going or you would slide back down the mud. Various twists and turns, all the time trying to negotiate worse and deeper mud. This was really taxing and culminated in a short steep ditch down, then back up where it was almost impossible to keep your feet. From here you then went skirting round 2 dreadful ploughed fields. Already tired by the previous wet and slippery mud your shoes began to pick up the sticky clods of drier ploughed earth until it felt like you were running with filled hot water bottles tied to your feet.

The men

Up ahead I saw Brian Cruickshank try a line 5 yards in from the edge and I copied this for a short while. However there was no easy path and I noticed he didn't repeat this on the second lap. Best to stick to the outside worn route. Although there was a huge swamp you had to swim through near a gate where tractors had churned it all up. At times I was reduced to nearly a walk. And as you got past the first field you entered a second nearly identical before reaching its boundary and turning left. The boundary markers kept you in the field though it was mighty tempting to get out and onto the road going down the side. There was some relief as there was a grassy edge to this that you could almost run along and suddenly you could get some purchase underfoot. However it was then another left turn and a long slog across earthy grassy muddy stuff before the ground rose and you hauled yourself out onto the road before back into the final area of churned muddy paths rising and falling as you approached the start / finish area.

James - towards the front

I was well done in before starting the second lap and unable to muster a smile for Mary and Helen who were taking photos and cheering us on. Back over the carpet, back up the mud slide, in and out the muddy bluebells and then those awful, awful ploughed fields. I think about this point I began to lose places. I certainly lost the will to live. Many folk cheered on Tom Scott who I realised was just behind and I knew it would only be a matter of time before he went past. I think he drew level towards the end of the killing fields but using just hubris I managed to hold on till we got round the next corner. There is a photo of me on roadrunpics having aged ten years at this point. Not pretty.

Ian on the first (big) lap working his way through the field

Tom came past on the downhill and said hello. Now if I had a bigger heart I would have thought how good it was that the old goat was going strongly and it wouldn't be as much fun if I could beat him every time. I followed him down a long slope which you couldn't go at full throttle as there was a sharp corner at the bottom. You could see the slips and slithers of sideways travelling footprints.

Graham wanting a bigger work out cycled there.

Nearly home but first a couple of undulations. Mary and Helen cheered us on and Mary shouted “go Porty” which let me know there was a clubmate on my tail. I thought it might be Gerry in which case I was going to be beaten by Tom and Gerry. However Gerry was on his second race of the weekend having run a 10k the day before and a bit down the field as a result. It was Ian and he swept past in a convincing fashion on the up hills towards the end getting a second ahead of Tom by the line. Great finish by Ian. Again if I had a bigger heart.....

Ian about to overtake.

Top marks to all the officials, route setters (Martin H. I presume), marshals, helpers and timers. As Robin of HBT said, a big thanks to the Jackson 2! for all their hard work. A lousy day to be standing outside in the cold and rain and snow, and although the sun came out a bit during the men's race it still wasn't one of the better days to be out and about. Mary lasted as long as possible taking photos before calling it a day and retreating hypothermically to the cafe for a hot drink.

If anyone wants to run in the Masters at Irvine 7th Feb please make yourself known as entries have to be in this week. Also put the 21st Feb in your diaries for the National Cross Country at Falkirk – always good fun and a varied course. Maybe we can get 2 full teams?

Report and photos pb and Mary
Results here
Great photos from Roadrunpics here
More photos here