Slippery People
Shell Bay Sandy Slither 25/06/10
The final in the trilogy of this week’s races: Seven Hills, Red Moss and Sandy Slither. Each as different as the other - like a Kelloggs Variety Pack of races. The Frosties (Dunbar 10k) is always the most popular and goes first. And this one is the less popular cocoa pops, which although has a ‘snap, crackle and pop’, does turns the milk brown. However I was pleasantly surprised as within itself, it contained all the different varieties (certainly of running surfaces).
A nice chap did a course description, which unless you’re in the leading pack seems very little point of listening, and I was well away trying to decide whether Rice Crispies was REALLY my favourite variety pack cereal, or just the only one of the eight that I could remember?
PB explaining the route choice is a complex algorithm of surface preference combined with slipstreaming the runner ahead.
note Ian's midgey bites (far right)
Crooky (number 4) sporting a go-faster haircut
Consequentially, missed the start again, and was again shoved into action, this time by an AnsterHaddie. Need to pay more attention! Actually, since being attacked by flesh eating midges on Wednesday, I’ve been on Piriton tablets to calm down the red lumps and bleeding sores that have manifested, with drowsiness and a general dopey demeanour as a side effect. Enough excuses!
Nice fast tarmac start, which broke everyone up a bit, but ended a bit too soon, and we were vaulting over a five bar gate onto the main event. First section was awful, either running on a deep shale, or very slippy stinky seaweed. Allegedly there was sand somewhere. This developed into pebbly stones and indeed sand, but was quite rocky, and with lots of pools of water for added value. The field went quite wide at this point as people tried to pick out the best line, and the most stable running surface. This, to a road runner, is disconcerting, but all races of recent have no exact route. It must be a Scottish thing.
Chris, Gareth and Brian after the caravan pk.
Feeling it tough by this point.
Ian was on a yellow card for wearing the same unwashed vest as WednesdayAgain, the surface changed into a long sand flat (via a wide water body (ie wet feet)). Then pace really picked up here. I found the shoreline sand (rather than tide rippled sand), was much firmed, and was able to set a decent pace. I caught up on a runner, but still had three on my tail. So I tried some surging bursts, which varied in success depending on water depth, and firmness of sand. Although I put a good distance between us, I had used up too much energy and went back to square one with three on my tail. This wouldn’t happen on a road.
Unfortunately I hadn’t anticipated the depth of the approaching river, jumped in and stumbled , which let the three go ahead. I squelched up into the caravan park, and holidaying dogs stared at me, too lazy to chase. I tried to hang on to the three, but lost concentration a bit, and ended up running on my own around the headland and up the steps to the top of the hill, where I made good progress on a runner ahead. I reached him at the clifftop pathway, which was too dangerous to pass, and decided to hang back and do a running recovery. He must have blown it all to get here quickly, but wasn’t going great now. Come on, Shove up a bit! Still too difficult to pass. Then the steep stair descent, and I could hear a clattering runner behind; I let the yellowtop pass.
Neither could get infront of slowboy, as we were now on a narrow rolling sand dune path. This was all really hard work. I kinda wanted to stop, but something just drives you onwards. Most of this was thigh high vegetation, and you really couldn’t see the path to anticipate whether you were going up or down, which meant a lot of head lolling about, and was a pain in the neck in general. Also my midgy bites were being dry whipped by the grasses, then had a good roughening up with the thistles, and this was after their earlier salt bath. Just what I needed. I was a bit on the sore side, and not the happiest of bunnies.
Gareth moved quicker over the soft sand and into first place. This superb photo by Baza shows him getting his first win.
HURRAY!Finally, the golf course gave a decent path of dual carridgeway width - but on a hill. So I took the lead, which surprised the yellowtop. Then at the top a nice flat wide mown grassed area, which was a delight to run on after the sand. I felt comfortable and picked up the pace, as did the yellowtop (reluctantly). The grass lawn was shortlived and we were back onto the sand, AGAIN. I opted to stay up in the dunes and found it stable enough to push quite hard, but I wasn’t going in the right direction, so had to cut down (over the softest of sinky sands) and intercepted the yellowtop again. Again a varying terrain, slimey seaweed clad rock, more large pools of water and differing sand densities, gave it an ‘interesting edge’. Then the end in sight - A final long sand flat to the finish at the Ship Inn. Easily a mile. Okay, lets get on with this.
Yellowtop’s breathing wasn’t right so I knew he was canned, and instead focused on a Ferranti 200m ahead, and really pushed hard with high knees and longer strides, making good progress, but realistically I’d need another mile. A final river, more soft sand (which looked firm), and then an all out sprint to the finish. An interesting, tough. coastal race – very East Neuk. The climb wasn’t too bad, but dealing and choosing the correct running surface was tricky.
A great acheivement from PRC - winning five prizes! Gareth was first, Amanda First lady. Peter was second MV, With Sheri first FV and Gillian first FSV. Well done guys!
In case you’re wondering the Kelloggs Variety cereals are: Corn Flakes, Frosties, Coco Pops, Rice Krispies,
Special K, Honey Loops, Ricicles, and Rice Krispies Multi Grain! The world of the variety pack has clearly moved on!Report Ian McMillan
GeoTopical mapping Ian McMillan
Photos - Ian Brodie, Gillian, pb, Ian/Thea and Baza aka Barry Davie who managed to capture the start, the middle (just coming out the caravan park) and the end: whole set here
Mary's Blog here
Results / website here
First man
First Woman
Porty dominate at the prize giving.
Winning cake!
So another very jolly race. For a lot of the Porties their third championship race in 6 days. It seemed to be a bit of a mistake when we realised we had set it up like this, but many rose to the occasion and we probably had the largest team entry in all three races. We certainly made our presence felt at the Slither, a great fun course and about the best way you can spend a Friday night. Some (Bert and Jenni) even made the Parkrun next morning showing you can't get too much of a good thing. Well done to everyone who stepped up to the mark for this mini festival of running and helped contribute to our growing reputation.
