news

Devils Burdens 2007

Seven Westies teams lined up for the Devils Burdens this year. That either means that you're all fantastically keen and enthusiastic - or that you're scared of me and Chris! I hope it's the former!

So - it was a lovely sunny day as the chaos in the car park grew to epic proportions. 100 teams meant 200 people on the start line raring to go. And you'll never guess who was first out of the starting blocks. Indeed - none other than our eminent Captain Chris. I'm told he led the field of 1st leg runners to the gate. Not sure how Manny enjoyed the super swift start - or sprint finish, seems running with the Captain is hard work! For the ladies Manny had persuaded Brenda to run Leg 1. This was great for our ladies team but I'm not sure how keen she was initially! Val H and Jane had a fast leg - with a bit of a battle with Keith and Tom on the way. I don't really know how the other teams got on as we were swept away by Trev to drop Hamilton at the start of leg 2. Then, so as not to get stuck in the predicted traffic pandemonium we were off again to Leg 3. We got there just in time to see a very exhausted Scott McKendrick (in potential new Westies gear) fly into the finish to set off David and Damon. Then it was Jason - who's speedy efforts were slighlty undone by the laxidasical attitude of his leg 3 team mates as they sauntered to the start. Hamilton must have run but he looked like the proverbial cool cucumber when I saw him and then eventually Shona sped in. Katherine and I were off - and then rapidly stopped agin as the near vertical ascent took it's toll. But once up the top it was a great run. The course was easy to find, the descents were fun and the sun was blazing - what more do you need? We finished sometime later and handed over to Myra who had kindly agreed to run after chauferring the f50 team around.

So again the Westies women did well. I think we were 2nd f40 team and 1st (and only) f50 team. Well done Westieeeeez Ladieeeez!

Got a Burden's story you'd like to share - please feel free to add a comment. It's impossible for one person to know what 42 others were doing!

Posted by Cat Miller on Tue 30 Jan 2007 | 10 comments

Category news

Socialise

Comments

  1. Jason R.S. said...

    Cheers Cat & here is my tale of woe: Well Scott & I were lucky to get a lift with Stef and Chris, lucky because our wise cap'n used some very crafty reverse psychology on us and I think we both ended up running quite well. As ever the Very Old Buggers team is pretty much self forming but I think Ian & Drew had a good run on leg one, coming quite well up the field. Leg 2 suited my talents as it is pretty flat and then has a thundering descent. Great, a hill race without any of that uphill stuff! So I was pleased with my run, which I thought felt solid rather than fast, so hopefully there's more to come. Also I was pushed by the spectre of Shona, who I expected to come storming past me at any time. Unfortunately nameless V.O.B. team members had been taken in by the cap'n's comments re my speed and were lounging around in their smoking jackets at the handover. Come on lads shake a leg! Finally the last leg was run by Don's mate and prospective new team member Dougie (?) for a fine team effort on a perfect running day. Lots of friendly banter afterwards. Jane & I stood around the line not knowing if everyone was finished. This is what running is about!

    Tuesday 30th January 2007 9.59am

  2. Chris said...

    I deliberately set off nice and steadily this year. Is it my fault that the rest of the runners start even more slowly? Strangely I didn't have this problem at the Bellahouston 4k on Sunday. Setting off at the same speed, I found myself more or less at the back of the field. Anyhow, I thought Manny and I had a pretty good run together, and remained in visual contact throughout. We bided our time a little too long to pass the Fife Vets and ended up having a split sprint finish with them that went down as a deadheat. Scott McKendrick was fully ready at the takeover, sporting new-look club vest!! I cut cross country to Glen Vale to pick up the action again and watched Carnethy overhauling Carnegie just before the climb up West Lomond. With low blood sugar induced double vision I jogged round to the gully checkpoint to see Ochils go through, and then watched as Fife Vets appeared on the long diagonal descent with Westies Damon and David in hot pursuit.Westies 'A' finished a deadheat again with Fife Vets on Leg 3, leaving Brian Bonnyman to determine our final placing.I jogged through to the finish at Falkland seeing Lars go by with a massive lead for Carnethy. Next in were Carnegie followed by Ochils (in no club colours). Slightly apprehensively I waited to see who was next, and to my relief saw Brian storming into Falkland with a commanding lead over Fife Vets to grab 4th place.Not a bad result, given that we had no superstars in our team!!

    Tuesday 30th January 2007 12.19pm

  3. Jason Lab Rat said...

    "...no superstars..." more of the reverse psychology I see, you are clever!!!

    Tuesday 30th January 2007 4.09pm

  4. Dave said...

    Magnificent as the individual and team performances were, highlight of the day was Manny's new goateeeeeeee! Quote of the day came from Brian Brennan:

    " Where's the rest of the jazz band?",

    followed closely by Gillian's

    " So where's Scooby Doo then?".

    It would be totally unkind to suggest that Manny's new hairy chin is a device to gather up all the slevver that constantly emanates from his mooth, as one member suggested. Rumour has it that the finely crafted beard has been growing since last summer and that it's only now that we're starting to notice.

    In any case, it takes a brave man to debut his new hairstyle in front of 42 Westies and 600 runners...so well done Manny and take a bow!

    Tuesday 30th January 2007 8.57pm

  5. Graham K said...

    A few team reshuffles saw me paired with Steffan on leg 3. Normally, Steffan is normally quicker than me ...and today was no exception. After the transition, we started the climb up through the woods towards Bishop Hill - legs a still sore at being asked to move upwards but ok.

    Within about 5 minutes I felt like spewing - nae idea why, but I was not feeling good. Steffan took the lead and I tried to focus on his heels for a while. Fellow Westies Trevor and Don passed us - Steffan reminded me they were vets ... I tried to step the pace up to catch the auld folks but couldn't. Over Bishop things felt a little better, it was possible to breathe a little clearer and whilst the pace may not have been ideal ...the views were great. Back on the ascent of West Lomond and the spewy feeling returned ! The steep descent down the gully was fun but the traverse down towards the wood made up for it in a not so fun way (is it better to have a straighter descent then run along the base of the hill - not sure ?!?!?!?). Once in the woods is was a case of keeping Steffan in sight and keeping going - it was nice to hand over to Johannes who was on leg 4 !

    A fantastic day out and big thanks to Steffan for suffering the arthritic donkey which was me !

    Tuesday 30th January 2007 10.04pm

  6. dt said...

    What a day ,weather was fantastic,everybody did great especially Sally &Dugald one sore point mybackside,took a fall off East Lomond and landed on ar--- didnt think much about it,but now havehuge black & blue bruise and one hand twice the size of the other, hope it clears up soon.Welldone to Capt Chris for organization

    Tuesday 30th January 2007 10.37pm

  7. Manny said...

    One can't help suspect an element of jealousy in Dave's comments about my facial insulation, however as tactiacl, move it worked a treat 'cos none of the opposition had a clue who the knew guy was that could keep up with Chris for change over the first 300m - I reckon that's what threw them all!!The beardy also quite nicely deflected the usual unwanted attention to the size of my post Christmas guts.It was noted that all the people doing the stand-up comedy about my cool new look were themselves all losing hair faster than I am growing it, including Gillian.Anyway th clarinet lesson are coming along just nicely thank you very much.....

    Wednesday 31st January 2007 12.08pm

  8. cc said...

    'Cool new look' and Manny - I don't think so. He must be having a mid-life crisis a year early.

    Wednesday 31st January 2007 1.43pm

  9. Chris said...

    So that was Manny...... I thought I was running with Acker Bilk.

    Thursday 1st February 2007 11.34am

  10. Dave said...

    Jealous????...I don't think I displayed any jealousy about Manny's magnificent adornment. I've started growing one in time for the Burdens next year! By that time old Fidel may have bitten the dust and I'll be his doppelganger!

    Thursday 1st February 2007 6.49pm

Subscribe

RSS Grab our RSS feed

Last 10 posts

show older news

Authors