Water of Leith Half Marathon 6/12/08
The whole field at the start - photo taken by Jim BuickAlways dangerous to sign up for a race, run the day after a party. Woke up at 6.30 feeling less than special and dry of mouth. Still felt grim jogging down Leith Walk to the finish of the race where we got on a coach that took us to the start of the Water of Leith Half up near Balerno. As the website says the race.... “was born out of the heart felt yearnings of HEB 3 runners not getting a Hebridean race fix from July till May! Thus SRAC’s Jim Bruce and HEB3 running pals put together the Water of Leith.”
First group to set off. Yes that is sheet ice.It is deliberately kept small scale as too many folk charging down the pathways and across the busy roads might draw unwelcome attention. The thing that makes it special is its a handicap race with the slowest runners – those who estimate their finishing times to be about 2hrs to complete the 13.7 miles of trail and tarmac – start at 10am with the last runners starting about 38 minutes later.
Lead group hits the first, and pretty much only, up hill.Jim Bruce gave us some witty chat on the way up the road about the route and conditions and asked us to pay attention to the flour markings that would guide us at junctions and crossings. Ben got out the printed route notes to study as he hadn't done this one before but like a lot of us is well familiar with 95% of the route from training runs. Himself and Gareth M were the back markers and starting last. I was given a 2 minute head start as the second last to leave “group,” and Mary and Richard were setting off about midway through the pack. When we disembarked the coach it was immediately apparent the road was slick with ice and that it would be a major hazard today. A group photo was taken and the slowest runners started at 10am.
A bit late in the day Ben studies the course route notes. Hat from Equador.A couple of minutes later the next group set off and so on. People are asked to give a recent half marathon time and estimate the time they will do. This favours those who are in the process of improving (generally beginners) rather than the usual suspects, but Jim scrutinises the entries and this year had a 5 minute forfeit for anyone doing 5 minutes quicker than their handicap estimate. As Richard was not really racing (saving himself for an ordeal next weekend) he was allowed a rather lax handicap and possibly incurred the 5 minute forfeit finishing well up the field.
Sunshine on Leith (did I mention it was perfect weather although a bit nippy)Its a long wait while everyone sets off in small groups and you begin to wonder if you'll ever catch any of these runners given their head start. Since the other guy running with me had pulled out I was offered the opportunity to start with Ben and Gareth but I felt I might need a 2 minute advantage and so started on my own, hoping to keep ahead of the last 2 whippets for as long as possible.
The course begins by climbing a short hill and is then just about entirely downhill (or flat) for the next 13.7 miles. So its a bit longer than the traditional distance and today it certainly felt it, as patches of ice strewn along the pathway would reduce you to half pace while negotiating the very slippy conditions. I nearly lost it a couple of times. After the initial climb a long downhill over iced roads and pavements leads down to Balerno and Douglas's neck of the woods. Sure enough he was out with a camera but as he emailed later... “My career as a society photographer got off to a bad start this morning. Missed Richard altogether (DNS?) , managed one blurred shot of Mary. First I couldn't get the camera to switch on when you flashed by, then pressed the wrong button when Ben appeared, switching the thing off. On the trail I got an even blurrier shot of you then the thing ran out of juice for Ben. In short no photos...” Thanks for supporting anyway Douglas (who appeared at a second point further along the course as well.)
finish line at LeithLater Lynn appeared also with camera so look forward to more promising results. (see below) It was great to get unexpected support along the way. I believe Karen was also out but I didn't see her. By about mile 5 my hangover was lifting perhaps the vigorous exercise perhaps the paracetemols but I was beginning to settle into a reasonable pace, though I didn't see any other runners until just before the Lanark Road where we crossed the pedestrian flyover then followed the pavement down to the Water of Leith Centre and continued down the river bank. Jim Buick was there cheering folk on and warning of the icy conditions. I was itching to know where Ben was and if he was on my tail but didn't take more than an occasional glance back to see if I could see him behind. No sign yet. I reckoned that with my generally quick start and his recent dip in fitness (the w-word) I could probably stay ahead for about 10 miles. Gareth is a harder guess – on form he is a race winner but can be troubled by dnfs and mixed performances. My worst fear was the two of them would spar off each other and blast past together about four miles into it.
went skating at MurrayfieldAnother mile and still only an occasional runner and were they racing or just out training? I said well done to everyone I passed wearing a number. Road crossings: first one no traffic and swanned across. Then next one and there was a queue of slow moving cars. I opted not to dive in between but looked so anxious and revved up on the pavement a driver flashed me to cross. Same at next road – I must have had a look of panic. I certainly felt like the fox to Ben and Gareth's hounds and it kept me pushing the pace.
Approaching Murrayfield and we had to cross a small metal pedestrian bridge. I nearly went my length onto the bridge and then again, coming off, providing today's joke: it was like an ice rink at Murrayfield! Quite a few nearly came to grief there. I began to see more competitors in twos and threes now and wondered what sort of distance we had covered. I know intimately the different mile markers from my home, up the WoL run, so after a bit of calculation I reckoned we were about the ten mile mark at the Dean Village, and therefore it would be about an hour. I looked at my watch and it was exactly the hour. Strangely this may be one of the fastest 10 miles I have ever run, the ice offsetting the downhill. And as I was now overtaking folk every half mile I began to feel strong. No sign of Ben yet. Approaching Stockbridge and there's a running style I recognise. I overtook Mary just before the crossing at Pizza Express taking a devil may care attitude and dashing “like a wild animal escaped” as Mary was later to describe it, through the traffic. Going past Mike Lieberman we exchanged encouragements and I requested he trip up Ben should he appear.
the winnerA lady before Canonmills said I was in 28th place. I promply overtook 27th. However with just a couple of miles to go it seemed unlikely to be able to catch another 25. The front runners were probably crossing the line by now? Still no Ben. Life was good! I was enjoying this. Past B&Q then into the last mile and past Richard's house. There were now loads of runners and I took great pleasure in saying well done to each as I bombed past. I hadn't bothered to count down from 25 but was still passing folk crossing the last bridge and along the water side to the finish.
A composite photo of the home-labelled team prize beersIt took a while to catch my breath but I stopped my watch then started it quickly to time how far behind Ben was. One minute and no sign. Given he usually takes 3 minutes off me over 13 miles I was very pleased. Then his signature style from across the water and he came striding home. I urged my watch to count 2 minutes before he crossed the line but he managed quicker, beating my time by JUST 6 SECONDS – the fastest time of the day. Since the prizes are awarded on a first-to-cross-the-line strategy neither of us won anything but I was very pleased. (Gareth never appeared. Apparently he disappeared off Ben's shoulder from the start and dnf-ed himself at some point though how that works on a point to point course I'm not sure. Hope he didn't fall.) I was also unable to eat or drink much for a few hours after having run myself to the point of feeling a bit awful. A pint in the pub helped a good deal where we enjoyed the prizegiving. First across the line was a woman for the first time in the race's 8 year history, one of the first to start group. The team prize went to Jim Bruce and his Stornoway team-mates; some originally labelled bottles from HBT – last year's winners, who were unable to attend this year. In the pub drinking beers Mary's toast of HBT seemed apt as we had been drinking booze the night before and here we were again.
The winning team Jim (right) and fellow runners.Big thanks to Jim Bruce and team for organising this great race, especially the lady* who provides top food and drinks at the finish. An end of year treat. So good I had to have an afternoon nap!
Report and photos pb, and thanks Jim Buick for taking the group start photo (and marshalling)
Jim Bruce emailed: it is Lynda Dodd who travels from Inverness every year to provide the superb food. I usually manage to donate around £150 from the entry money to the Anthony Nolan Trust, which is the charity Lynda supports.
Water of Leith 2008 THE RESULTS
Finish Position Runner Handicap Run Time
1 NASH, Nicola 2.00 1.54.08 Winner
2 OVENS, Frank 1.50 1.44.20 First male
3 DENNIS, Richard 1.45 1.39.23
4 INGLIS, Alan 1.35 1.30.40
5 CHAPMAN, Mark 1.48 1.44.10
6 ATKIN, David 1.35 1.31.15
7 AKERS, Heather 1.45 1.41.15
8 BRUCE, Jim 1.48 1.45.00
9 SINCLAIR, Ryan 1.40 1.37.22
10 BROWNIE, Allan 1.45 1.42.30
11 WEEKS, Peter 1.35 1.32.40
12 MACIVER, Marie 2.00 1.57.45
13 AXON, Simon 1.32 1.30.02
14 MARTIN, Keith 1.45 1.43.33
15 JOHNSTON, Susan 1.43 1.41.42
16 SADDLER, Gerry 1.45 1.43.57
17 SCOTT, Alastair 1.48 1.46.56
18 ROBERTSON, Alan 1.43 1.42.01
19 HENDRY, Robert 1.28 1.27.13
20 MACLEOD, Maureen 1.45 1.44.28
21 DOUGLAS, Margaret Ann 1.50 1.49.31
22 BUCHANAN, Peter 1.24 1.23.36
23 CHRISTISON, Alex 1.48 1.47.42
24 FRASER, Barry 1.32 1.32.00
25 GORDON, Alasdair 1.50 1.50.22
26 COLMAN, David 1.40 1.40.22
27 YOUNG, Phil 1.33 1.34.02
28 YOUNG, Keith 1.48 1.49.10
29 SMITH, Graham 1.28 1.29.22
30 MOON, Carolyn 1.53 1.54.23
31 CALDER, Mandy 1.53 1.54.26
32 KEMP, Ben 1.22 1.23.30 fastest runner
33 RUTHERFORD, Kevin 1.42 1.43.38
34 YARDLEY, Alan 1.35 1.36.48
35 LIEBERMAN, Mike 1.34 1.35.57
36 IRELAND, Derek 1.35 1.37.18
37 CAMPBELL, Robert 1.53 1.56.13
38 WADDICOR, Sue 1.48 1.51.13
39 WOMBILL, Robin 1.50 1.53.42
40 HUNTER, Mary 1.42 1.46.27
41 HILL, Douglas 1.50 1.54.25
42 CARR, Gillian 1.35 1.39.48
43 ROXBURGH, Stewart 1.48 1.53.02
44 CEDERSTROM, Bernt 1.35 1.40.04
45 LYALL, Jack 1.45 1.50.06
46 PIRIE, Leslie 2.00 2.06.25
47 McRAE, Roddy 1.33 1.39.28
48 SADDLER, Christine 2.00 2.06.50
49 PIPER, Claire 1.50 1.56.58
50 CARR, Dean 1.28 1.35.16
51 McCRAE, Lori 1.40 1.47.36
52 ANDERSON, Christine 1.40 1.47.36
53 CEDERSTROM, Susan 1.45 1.53.06
54 HENDRY, Lisa 1.58 2.06.24
55 MACIVER, Malcolm 2.00 2.13.10
56 WATSON, Norah 2.00 2.13.10
57 FRASER, Vince 1.40 1.54.39
pacer NASH, Graham 2.00 1.54.10
MAYZE, Gareth 1.22 DNF
Stornoway Running Club team winners
These photos just in from Lynn...
