Yetholm Hill Race 1/06/08
Scott's report
What not to do on a hill race.
Not having any races to do on a weekend sounded a bit strange for me after the last four weekends…It was after club on Wednesday that I thought that it might be a great idea to scout the seven hills route. Peter and Mary both seemed to agree… then on Thursday the emails about a hill race started to tempt me back to the dark side.
As everyone knows Saturday was such fab weather, I thought I had better be prepared for a hot running day. Sunday morning extra water and sunglasses in the car, and I’m off. The closer we got to the start of the run the lower the cloud and the more rain on the windscreen. It wasn’t until I was standing in a field listening to an official telling me the route ‘up this hill…to the hill you can't see…follow the fence to the hill you can't see…turn at the other hill you can't see…up to the last hill that you can't see… then down to the finish’. This rang slight alarm bells in the head as Paul Edwards and I could get lost in an empty room with the lights on.
The start was great, straight through a load of cow pats (ankle deep) and onto the hill; haven’t looked at the Garmin yet but I'm sure that it was a decent climb. After what felt like an age we reached the summit and time to run to make up some places, this was the last time I thought about racing. Things seemed to be going quite well, hard work but well, until that was when I couldn’t make out the people in front… panic!!!
Lucky or unlucky for me Graham Henry was just behind me and has at least a sense of direction, he knew we were wrong but had the general idea of were we should be. Ended up following him up a hill only to see Peter with a slight sense of alarm running in the opposite direction. Still not sure how but it turns out we ran up the wrong side of the hill. Then the first fall… and I lost Graham… s@&*. There was however a marshal that pointed up another hill, on and on then two marshals pointing and ‘follow the fence’ then past a stile following the fence (stopped for a minute and waited for the next runner, survival 101 stay in pairs) then past the dead sheep and…lost!!!
You wouldn't think Graham had just done 3 marathons.This is where I would like to thank the many fine people at Garmin for their hard work and diligence, the fact that downloading is still a bit iffy is by the bye, and hope they enjoy their beers on a Friday night!
Two people stuck on the side of a lonely mountain and not one of us a goat herder with a sense of direction! This is where the Garmin helped, for anyone that doesn’t know, there is a display page of where you have been, and for me more importantly where you started which was also the finish. After taking the tentative plunge over a wall and fence, through two gullies and past a wood/forest (never sure when one becomes the other) up another incline… then a path and cars… halleluiah!!
The home "straight" Mary just ahead of Scott.This is an apology to Mary, as I saw her and then started running like a mad man just to overtake her, sorry Mary.
Just push you out the way....
that's better
Other than getting soaked, lost, twisting an ankle, falling, getting beaten… it was a great day out. Next time some sun.
Scott's reckoning on his route. Going anticlockwise from the top of the page he (the green trail) leaves the correct route (blue) only to realise this towards point C. Then goes back to summit D (the Cur) passing runners coming down the correct line. All's well until after White Law when he takes the long low road home.
Peter's Report
I noticed this one midweek and Mary was free so she emailed round the troops, rallied the army and we set off to the edge of England for this 8 mile romp over the border hills near Kelso. We had heard great things about Yetholm – can't remember from who; possibly the Sarg. And as the weather had been glorious for the last day of May, packed the sun cream, the shades and dressed in shorts and t-shirts and headed south. Amanda was wearing the quick dry shorts from yesterday which had taken longer to dry than perhaps she imagined going into the sea at Gullane, but they were at last dry, the sun was out and we were on our way.
We got a text from Amanda and Scott to say they were at the Borders Hotel ahead of us so we parked there and Richard produced the “antique” compass he had offered to lend Amanda. In hill-running you are required to carry a number of obligations in case of bad weather and impromptu injury in adverse circumstances: usually a combination of compass, whistle, waterproofs / windproofs and map, the lot being contained in a waist bound bumbag. (Or worn.) Amanda had misplaced her own compass, an irony not lost on Mary. Richard presented the small box to Amanda, at which Scott suggested he should really go down on one knee. The box opened to reveal a beautiful sundial and compass arrangement that was far too elegant to take hillrunning. Especially as Richard suggested it shouldn't be exposed to the rain (which was now rattling down outside.) There was hilarity about the possibilities of an indoor-only compass and sundial and the motto in Latin across the top which possibly translates as “When Sunny there is Life” (Ubi Sol Ibi Vita) an inappropriate motto for the day and the Scottish Summer. Luckily Scott had a spare.
The announcer at the start, who was also competing, pointed out that this year for the first time we were running the course in reverse. He also said there were bonuses for anyone beating the current course records – an unlikely event he later revealed, as he always found the anti-clockwise circuit slower than the clockwise. As he put it, “Anyone beats the course record of 62 minutes and I'll give them...something.” A wag from the crowd shouted “a drugs test.”
Amanda splashes up to the finish line.
And we were off. Straight through a farmers yard of mire and over some very lumpy cow-hoofed field. Then the hills began. Navigation was going to be an issue today as after about 200' of elevation we were into the clouds and at the tops visibility wasn't much further than you could spit. Happily not much wind but a bit on the cold side for just a vest and shorts. However as that was how Scott and Graham presented at the start line I grudgingly put my waterproof back in the bumbag and followed suit. Mary took her jacket off after a mile. I was also complimenting Amanda on how the sun yesterday seemed to have bleached her legs rather than tanning them: she informed me they were not so much very white as very clean.
Not white, clean.I could tell there were a lot of different hillrunning events this weekend because a lot of the usual faces were missing. I knew this because I was keeping up with the front end as we went up the first hill. I had studied the map we were obliged to carry before setting off and knew we had four named hills, a big down, a big up, over the highest peak and turn left. (Halfway.) Trouble was it was tricky to know what was a summit and what just another lump in the mist. Even on the first ascent 2 went left and 2 right. I tried to work out which club vest would have local knowledge and was likely to be taking the best line but pretty quickly the lefties capitulated and we all went right. There is a real skill in judging the route from the movements of the runners behind you. Just because someone is ahead it doesn't mean they have taken the correct route choice. As the front 3 disappeared into the mist this became very evident as the whole of the remainder were now following me. Every now and again I would turn around and share an 'I dunno?' shrug with the guy behind. The general rule seemed to be follow the wall unless you see a red and white tape on a stick. I think I saw 2 tape sticks on the whole route. The joy of being towards the front of the race was definitely offset by the responsibility of knowing a couple of wrong turns and I could have us all back at the start/finish in 20 minutes. Occasionally we would pass an oilskinned marshal from whom I would try to glean information. I was pretty sure we were going up the Cur (the highest point marking about halfway) when one told me we were on the hill before and should follow the wall till the fence at the corner before the descent. You run for a bit and the wall goes left as does the fence. Is this the corner? Do we descend?
Richard: running tired and blindfold.I had the misfortune to look behind after a 20 yard descent to see if I was being followed or if I had gone off route and when I saw a dozen guys haring down the hill in my tracks I was left with an awful impression that they would be upon me in a moment and I'd be down to about 25th place. All this in a second 's glance over my shoulder. I had to re-group a bit and began to get out my map as the following crew drew level. An older bloke seemed to feel he knew the route and that we should be heading to a sheep fold from where the wall would take us up to the top of the Cur. We spread out in a fan across the descent until through the gloom we spotted a dry stone sheep pen with a marshal who appeared to be enjoying watching us run like headless chickens, though doing next to nothing to encourage us to proceed in his direction. As we passed he nodded “ow do” and I tried the interrogation technique to get as much route info as possible. Follow the wall again. From way over the left came one of the first three runners, not seen for quite some time, who said he was having such a good time he did the scenic route. The next ten minutes were hands on knees interspersed with a short jog all the way to the top which seemed forever. At the top turn left. I knew I could map-read: hey this stuff is easy...
Then a funny thing happened: as we descended to the col through some unpleasant tussocky grass we came upon Graham and Scott and a happy gang of runners stomping up to meet us. I was very glad it was them not us who had taken a wrong turn and were making their way back to the top of the aptly named Cur. I was also glad of the marshals at the next left turn discontinuing our climb up the Black Hag, (another romantic nomenclature) and sending us along the Pennine Way to the finish. You got the feeling on a sunny bright day there would be lovely views from these hills but today it was just low drizzle and dark shapes half seen in the misty grey fur. Tell a lie there were skylarks chirruping from time to time, a sorry reminder of this being the first of June.
I hadn't really studied the second half of the route in the same detail as the first. All I could remember was that there was a big hill, White Law, about half way then a downhill all the way to the car park. So when we came to a gate and the option to go through and right, or past and left I got out the map. It seemed to suggest right and I returned the soggy remnants to my bumbag. I also noticed Jill Mykura and others right behind and hoped I wouldn't have to stop again. The path was now wider and faster and when White Law appeared it wasn't too long a haul up it. The guy behind who had been right with me since the gate started shouting stuff and I shouted back that this had to be the last uphill? He hoped so and we marched up it together. I had the feeling he was younger than myself and possibly not a vet40 (untrue) – I was about to confirm this by watching him go past but strangely I picked up the pace as we went past another brave marshal and the climb levelled off. I had stayed ahead on the last climb and now felt it would just be a short descent to the finish so maybe I could keep ahead for that too (again untrue). I think we did a couple of turns I wasn't expecting and then over another gate maybe and a contour up to the right. I felt I hadn't seen any of this on the map and that we might be going the wrong way until I caught a glimpse of the guy ahead just a few hundred yards in the direction we were now going. Funny how you assume the guy ahead knows best. However it was the right way and after a small climb the path descended wide and green and myself and colleague found ourselves 4 minute miling down this soaking grassy slope which did a couple of slow turns before hitting some thin gravel single track. In the distance the carpark came into focus out the gloom (what a relief) and I noticed I was catching the guy way ahead who seemed to be going well but not top speed. I like a good downhill but was still four seconds behind him when I crossed the line.
Amanda's legendary muffins were a highlight.The last mile left me lightheaded from gasping and I was pretty brainless as I struggled out of wet clothes into dry and got the camera out to snap the other Porties as they came off the hill in what seemed almost random order. Graham recovered well from his diversions, and in pretty good form considering the three marathon escapade of late. Then Amanda who was taking a holiday from Doctors Orders and breaking in a new pair of Inov8s. Big smiles and a future downhill star. Then Mary who was caught by Scott in a very ungentlemanly race for the line! I think Scott ran further than any of us today. (There were no trees or dead sheep on the course I ran.) Then bringing up the rear was Richard who couldn't see anything for the rain on his specs. Good sight is crucial for off road running and I didn't envy him his grim day in the rain. He was, as ever, very sporting about the misery of it all. I'm glad to report to his mum (who had specifically requested) that we took him home less muddy than from Knockfarrel. (Hello Mrs. Dennis and congratulations on that recent significant birthday!)
Due to all the mist and route-finding I didn't realise until a bit later that I had come third overall. Highest ever hillrun placing, a couple of bottles of ruby beer and a cd of fiddle music. Nice one! I have a feeling I benefited from others' worse navigation, rather than my own skills in that field. Happily between the sweepers and the mountain rescue everyone was eventually accounted for.
And I suppose if we must have gloomy overcast drizzly days in this waterlogged country then perhaps this is the best possible way to spend them. Wouldn't mind revisiting in better weather.
This is the remnants of Scott's map: a thing of beauty but maybe not the best navigation aid.Report pb
Results here
Photos Scott and pb
Report and Photos at Northumberland Fell Runners site here
