Trouble with Volcanoes.
Hunter's Bog Trot 17/04/10
For this race to adequately represent the club that takes its name from the swamp hole in the centre of Holyrood Park it would have to be tough, have an eccentric character and quite a lot of beer just beyond the finish line. It is, it does and it has.
The massive £2 entry fee is presumably to cover the flour markings at the turns and the bottles they give away by the armful at the end. This year to improve the incredible value they seemed to have salvaged someone else's goody bags which were pretty goody: (2.5 health/sports bars, chocolate shake, t-shirt, t-bags plus a body wipe, heel repair cream and moisturiser so you could hot foot it directly to the pub without having to shower first). I repeat all this for £2. Chris Hoy can you do any better with your (£35) half? I didn't think so.
Tony the TigerOne o'clock is a civilised time to kick off and I'm sure it has more to do with the pub opening hours than most runners' preferences. However it suits this runner fine and I made my way over to the registration in time to sign up, warm up and chat to various new comers and old timers. Great to meet up with Gerry who although he has gone over to the dark side (Bellahouston), we still allow into the magic PRC circle. Also pushing her luck was Phillipa who was wearing Carnethy colours; again we made allowances.
Willie turned up to spectate so was passed the team camera that is set to rapid fire and to focus on the Porty colours. Unfortunately the partially overcast weather didn't allow the lens to determine only the gold, navy and white of the foremost club and so I took home a near-full 8 gig card of 3,200+ photos. Ok that's a new record but unless club funds run to additional storage for my computer we're going to have to ration Willie's enthusiasm.
Filler.Its difficult though, when you see a thing of such elegant simplicity, for instance, Mike Lieberman throwing off his dentist's whites and belting down Haggis Knowe, how do you NOT take his photo. Discipline, Willie, and a steady hand on the helm. However taking shots of every Tom, Dick and Alex Jackson does sometimes bear fruit, but more of that at the finish-line...
So after some ribaldry at the start line Ivor and Robin set us off up round Haggis Knowe: the largest obstacle of the famously televised but timid international mid-winter lets-hope-nobody-trips cross country. It is the smallest obstacle in today's race. I move up to 5th place as we enter Hunter's Bog because the caffeine jockey riding my brain likes a good view from the front. At the other end of the Bog we begin the first of 3 desperate climbs and I drop from 7th to about 14th. Along the crags and as we descend Craig Love comes belting past. He always tans me in the longer events but often has the good grace to give me the benefit of the shorter sharper stuff. Come to think of it, its a while since I've beaten him. I also note that he is wearing the grey jacket he always wears, is carrying a juice bottle (he always carries – even on a 30 minute race???) and appears to be wearing plimsoles. (OK maybe trainers but nothing like fell shoes.) Undeterred by his bohemian garb he increases his lead. How does he do that?
The leaders off the crags
Along past the start / finish which allows a brief scope backwards and no sign of Gerry. This is at least some consolation as he is 1-nil up since Alloa. The trick with the next bit is to enjoy the flat section and arrive at the bottom of the Radical Road feeling refreshed and light limbed for the approaching ascent. However if you can't flag down a cab along the Queen's Drive you are forced to leg it while trying to iron out your blown quads and catch your spluttering breath.
RadicalAlmost all ahead run on the grass but I opt for the tarmac bike path which should be quicker. Not that I am anxious for the crux of the route – the rad road. In rock climbing the crux is the bit you fall off at. This is nearly rock climbing and pretty quickly I am marching – hands on knees and thinking I don't remember walking last 2 times I raced here. Maybe my selective memory cauterised those bits. I use the Mary method of running 50 paces then marching 50 (its not walking, don't let it be walking.) I am counting 50 (walking) paces but the shame is too much and I don't get beyond 30 before I start a pityful jog. However as the gradient eases off the strides become longer.
Time: 15something at the bottom and 20something at the top. My head too raddled to fine tune the maths but about 5 minutesomething of rotten. I have a feeling a bit slower than usual but there was a cruel headwind towards the top. I don't think many went past but again selective memorising may have occurred.
As we turn left to go into Hunter's Bog again, Claire Gordon who is cheer-leading not running (under the gossamer excuse of running London next week) (the day after I race twice that distance at the Highland Fling btw, hands on hips and pouting), says something like all downhill from here. Its a monstrous lie and her a qualified healthcare professional. What is the world coming to? The last climb is a repeat of the first and the only thing that is keeping me going is Gerry hasn't come past yet.
Massive crowds cheer like crazy.
However my legs don't feel much worse than on the first lap which I put down to the endurance training and 4hrs in the Pentlands last Saturday with a cycle there and back. (Though I wasn't breaking the speed limit on the bike home.) I even jog towards the top of the climb. Then try to pick it up along the crags. I thought I heard footfalls behind so let gravity drive me down the fast tracks towards the finish. I wonder how I am doing compared to the last 2 years, making an effort in the last couple of hundred to run smoothly over the lumpy turf and down the last grassy knoll to the line. Instead of stopping my watch at the line I clear it but think I may have briefly glimpsed a pb by a few seconds. In fact yes I'm nearly certain, for sure, good, yes a pb! Ah that's better. No need to check the results later.
Gerry was a bit behind – a lack of hill fodder in his diet; as on the roads he is going well. Lynsey at her first shot was (curiously) really positive. The rest of us more a sort of “glad that's over.”
Kerry's youngsters came along to cheer us on.So in comes Alex J (later at the cheeky prize-giving awarded a ginger beer) who has been jousting with his fellow team-mate all race and is just trailing said team-mate. As they cross the small stream – well watch the clip here. Sometimes it pays to have a Jarvie as camera-man.
Report pb
Photos Willie.
Ian Nimmo's photos here
I won these for 1st o/40. Mmm delicious.These photos from Ian Nimmo...
Craig
Is that a dunces hat?
terrific image
