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Harris Half Marathon Heb3 Part V, the Showdown... 11/07/09

Mary did a great job of the 7hr drive to Uig - this is us at a leg stretch near midnight in the middle of Skye on singletrack roads

I did a couple of hours work on Friday before Mary and I packed the car full of camping and running kit and headed off to the northern part of Skye and Uig campsite. It was a long drive made worse by a diversion at the Slig and a night-time drive over singletrack roads getting into Uig after midnight and setting up camp while asleep on our feet. However the weather was promising and after a short night's sleep we were up fresh and making porridge in the campsite in the early sunshine.

The best thing about T in the Park was driving past it at speed.

Glensheil

Glen Garry

Kintail

Skye Bridge

We had a second breakfast on the Harris ferry – I risked bacon / egg / beans and toast hoping it would be well settled before kick off, and would help me ascend the hill from mile 4 to 8 that puts a nervous tap in the raciest of trainers.

It was good to see who was going for the race – a lot of familiar faces and a large HBT contingent though none of the very fastest brown shirts. At registration and after being bused to the start 13.1 miles out of Tarbert it also became apparent there was a strong posse from Stornoway. This gave me considerable concern as Richard had informed me that we were only a handful of minutes ahead of Stornoway for the Heb3 Team prize (a shield, £200 and the reputation at stake). It also felt pretty lonely as just Mary and myself were representing PRC – Ben and Richard having run their 3 races of 5, deciding not to bother with the last event. The gang of red Storno shirts worried me and I set off like a startled horse.

Tarbert

The first red shirt to pass was Andy Joyce who ran 1.16.17 at Stornoway Half. Up the front with him was Gordon Lennox who came second at Skye Half ahead of Andy and Greig. Beside me was Terry Coyle who had run 1.19 at Arran the week before and just on my shoulder was Greig Glendinning from Bella who was leading the Heb3 ahead of Ben. So a fairly strong field.

The initial 4 miles undulates round the twisty coast with excellent views on a warm sunny day of the beaches of Losgaintir. This took away some of the hardship of running into a stiff breeze but not all. Turning one corner we saw Andy had fallen back and was walking. (A coughing bout apparently), and Terry did his best to capitalise, drawing up level with Andy. I would like to say “I held back,” but it was more of a “was left behind...” Meanwhile Greig, who had failed to start at Barra although he was on the island for the race, hadn't gone past. I sensed he wasn't back to full fitness otherwise he'd be chasing Andy for the title.

The miles passed and the course began to rise. I was able to keep the lead 3 – now more closely bunched – in sight as they ascended the 4 mile hill. I have run this course several times and the only time I felt I made a reasonable job of it was when the wind was behind us helping the direction of travel. Today it was in our faces. I zoned out a bit but tried to keep strong and in good form. There is no alternative but to change gear and crank up that hill. There is a short break where you get a breather then more up up up. I had noticed some visual markers on the bus to confirm the approaching summit, so that when we ran past the sign that didn't have the Caution Runners plaque I knew it wasn't over just yet.

The view from the bus showing the gradient of the road we'd be running up.

P-break

The p stop occurs a mile from the start to avoid the ire of the locals.

I heard footsteps behind and hoped it was Greig, a senior, and not the mv40 runner who was giving me the evils before we started. Happily that was the case though it still spurred me on as I was reluctant to drop from 4th place. We paced up the road finally seeing the Caution Runners sign and a junction to the right; hill finished soon. And with that I gave it full power. However Greig drew alongside and went past. I said Well Done but knew from our earlier conversation on the bus that he often struggled in hill races to find the acceleration off the summit into the descents. Soon as I caught my breath I eased past and enjoyed pulling away into the long sweeping downhills. I thought he would stick with me and he did.

Andy, Gordon and Greig

Terry: age is no concern.

I have run this race maybe 4 times and only last time (when the wind was favourable) did I see the big white house with the pond out front. Today I saw it. In fact as we covered the now undulating course I was feeling strong. I caught sight of the 3 leaders and it seemed Andy had gone ahead with Terry chasing and Gordon dropping off the back. I wondered if it was possible to catch him. It looked unlikely. And I didn't think it would be possible to finish ahead of Greig since he had had a couple of very fast times earlier. But he wasn't pushing past anymore and I was feeling chipper. I felt I should start the finishing sprint about the top of the steep hill that drops into Tarbert. There was still a lot of up and down and round yet another corner but eventually I recognised the sharp turn. Although I had forgotten the cattle grid which was a stiff straight-legged prance at this stage of the race.

I belted down the steep hill and tried to use the impetus to leg it up the rise on the other side. I couldn't hear Greig behind but there was still a couple of hundred yards to the line. I tried to do it in good form and fortunately there was no challenge from Greig who turned out to be a whole 13 seconds behind.

Mary frightening the tourists

I fished out the camera and took photos as folk finished. Julia was first lady by miles. After Mary came in, a few of us flopped into the swimming pool. I was very happy to have finished with only one Storno ahead and if it wasn't enough I'd give Richard and Ben a hard time about it. I had done all I could.

Jim Bruce

Louise and Mary

After some soup we went to the prizegiving where the Overall Heb3 prize as well as first on the day went to local, Andy Joyce. Jim Bruce described the series as more highly contested than usual and it was good to see a few new faces. Greig was second overall (5th at Harris) also scoring a sub4hr time for 3 Halfs (ie under 1.20 on average!) and Ben was 3rd. I was 1st vet in both Harris Half and the Heb3, which was very pleasing although Terry Coyle was ahead both in Harris Half (2nd place) and Heb3 accumulated time: 1st over 50.

Everyone who completed 3 or more races got a very groovy Heb3 tech running t-shirt with special print. Well worth the ferry fares (which seem to have come down by about a third in price over the last few years.)

And the Team Prize..? After an absence last year Porty did enough this year to scoop the cash prize and shield, so I was given an envelope full of twenties. The trophy has three HBT years followed by 2 PRCs and last year an all female team from Helensburgh took it home. However this year it returned to its spiritual home by the sea. Hurray for us!

Putting the wine in swine fever.

Mary and I fell in with the Helensburghers and went for a meal (and drinks) at a local hotel before making our way to the ferry terminal. Where the ferry was late and so we spent a very convivial hour or more drinking beers and talking running. On board, we sat with the HBTs who insisted the green pottery mug I had won was filled with their Ladies Team Prize white wine and passed round to be glugged. I didn't think I'd see the pot back in one piece but strangely it survived the ordeal and as the sun set on the Heb3 2009 there were many more drinks consumed and much rubbish talked. This continued off the boat and into the pub thence into the campsite but beyond the boat I remember nada. The camaraderie makes this series, but this year the good weather lifted it even higher.

Report and photos pb.
Video to follow.
Results / report / SRAC site
Mary's blog

Tired and emotional

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