Edinburgh to North Berwick 6/5/06
Warm weather and a headwind combined to make the annual Edinburgh to North Berwick race feel the full 22 miles. Actually a couple of gps devices confirmed its length at 21.8 or thereabouts but it felt a long, long way - especially for those foolish enough to have done a marathon recently. Brains melted, wheels came off, but eventually we all trundled over the line. Ricky felt it was unsporting of me to shower and change and get back down to the finish before he had left to shower, hence the threat of violence in the photo below. However I felt it was unsporting of Willie to run behind me for a large part of the race only to go past, looking fresh, in the last mile. But due to there being a stronger contingency of men in his (older but fitter) age group than mine, I walked off with a shiny cup while he didn't.
Portobello shone through, picking up both team prizes, while Tom and Michelle both made third in their age groups. (Tom's cup was picked up by Graham - see photos below.)
Lots of support from non-running PRCers was much appreciated.
Thanks are owed to Jim Heneghan, who led the marshalling team. Bert seemed to pop up every 5 miles or so, as did Rab on his bike, and there was a flotilla of support on bicycles cruising the course. Another appreciated feature of this race is the bring-your-own-drinks-and-we-will-place-them-at-5-10-15-miles. I was nearly out of steam by mile 10 but my mix of energy drink and iso-torque with a taped on gel put a tiger in my tank. Sadly I think it would have taken a course of steroids by the time I got to mile 15 to bring me back from the dead. Pictured right are our bottles with coloured hats to enable quick recognition at a busy water station.If I did just one thing right this year it was possibly to take along a folding camping seat (complete with footrest and cup-holder). The wait in the gym hall - bereft of any comfy furniture - before the return on the bus, has always seemed interminable, however this year it was done in style. Some scoffed but I think it will be all the rage next year...
Report PB
Here's what Tom has to add
At times it felt like a Wednesday night run with the club, everywhere I looked there were porty runners, in front, alongside and behind me, add to that the incredible support from porty non runners, I cannot remember being in a race with so many porty runners. I have never felt more relaxed in any race before, especially from 16 miles on, I felt that good I even managed to increase the pace over the last 2 miles!!! Finished behind Sandy Wallace from HELP, one of these days……………………..
Many thanks to my fellow club members, both runners and spectators, who encouraged me all the way. Think it’s my turn next year to give some touchline support?
Roll on Edinburgh Marathon……..well. we’ll see
Report Tom Watson
Photos;
Gillian Hewitt, Peter Buchanan, Mary HunterWillie Jarvie 2.31.10
Peter Buchanan 2.31.39
Keith Mayfield 2.37.49
Tom Watson 2.38.59
Michelle Tham 2.42.06
Ricky Fraser 2.46.33
Andrew Jeske 2.46.42
Graham Henry 2.47.33
Ben Carter 2.48.44
Shelagh McLeish 2.50.14
John Pickard 2.50.39
Karen Young 2.50.39
Sally Scott 3.00.24
Alan Aitchison 3.02.32
Richard Dennis 3.11.11
Mary Hunter 3.12.21
Bernard Gillard 3.26.361st Male Team; Willie, Peter, Keith
1st Female Team; Michelle, Shelagh, KarenFull results here
Just in; the following photos taken by Fiona Mayfield
More photos, this time from Alan Munro
And yet more... thanks to Gillian Hewitt
