Feed The Bear 24/9/05 - 9/10/05Just to let you all know about the last 3 weekends and what a great time I had doing multi-terrain races. It all started off on a sunny September day and finished in rain/hail of the horizontal type. First stop was the TWO BREWERIES Hill Race from Traquair to Broughton. You get a bus from the finish to the start and the race kicks off in front of this highly acclaimed house. It is along a road for a ½ mile then you turn into the hills for a very tough race. I carried a bottle of Iso Torque this year as the drinks station is 2 hours on. Big Werner was due to start but had to pull out due to illness. This race has a bit of everything; heather ascents/decents, up a gorge, down and up grassy hills, long traverses and the end is something special. From the 2nd last hill to Trahenna it is a track/road/track section that you can gain a lot of time if you have something left in the tank. Then it is past a small reservoir across a bog and up Trahenna which has been a graveyard for some runners who collapse with cramp and fatigue. Managed it ok with my honey gels etc and got a PB in 3.33.45. Every year I have got faster and this was my 4th. After you get a bottle of beer as you cross the line, you get changed and up to the village hall for homemade minestrone soup, homemade fruit cake, tea and a free pint on draught. Great company and to round it off I got a spot prize of 3 bottles of Broughton Ale and they even stuck a couple of flags on the label that are blue with a white X; a Call to Arms. 18 miles 4900ft £10 to enter. Thanks to Broughton Ales, Moffat Mountain Rescue etc. it is a different class race.
On to DUNBAR the following Saturday. I am biased as my Gran was born in the town and again another great event. Huge turnout from the club over this 10 mile multi-terrain course. Outstanding performances with lots of winners. Lynne, Zoe and Mary won the female team prize. Ben, Kenny and Peter the male team p
rize. Peter first Vet, Kenny was second and Ben won us first place. That’s a first in my time at the club. Thanks to Alan “I am never late” Aitchison for giving me a lift. It is a lung buster of a race but the views out to the Bass Rock were fantastic. Well done to everybody and hopefully we will see you next year at....
MANOR WATER. One week on and Peter Buchanan is going to try and be a man. Special competition this one it is called Man or Mouse. It is 26.5 miles and 8400 feet of climb on the Sat/Sun. Peter has a great run on the Sat and comes in 4th on a 10 mile out and back course over tracks with one big climb up the Scrape. Total climb is 2200ft. I have a good solid run on a sunny day. A bit like Dunbar but you are out in the middle of nowhere and underfoot some of the route is soft. A good race for any runner to do.
I did not feel very good on the Sunday morning but was well enough to do the PENTLAND SKYLINE which is 16 mile
s long. We had a club record turn out with Osaman Bin Laden, I was Isoman, Big Werner turned up with 10 cases of wine and 50 bottles of beer so he was bevyman, Mary was woman, and Peter was ---- where’s my wine man.
Did not start very well and caught Paul Eunson (Bin Laden) at Scald Law and started to move up the field. Big Werner was running well and I was feeding the bear with my Isotorque and honey gels. Had a storming finish and moved up about 30 places. Peter was sub 3 hours again and 2nd in Man or Mouse, a great effort. Mary got a PB by 19 minutes a fantastic run. Both Peter and myself should have got a bottle of wine and we will have to visit Willie Gibsons garage. That’s what you get if you do both - plus a lot of fun.
Report Graham Henry
