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Red Moss Revolution

This was the first-ever running of this race, and the last in the 10-race Bog and Burn series. There was a good turnout, dominated by HBT, but with a decent presence from the Westies too. The 19:15 start helped those of us who were stuck in horrendous rush-hour traffic at the Glasgow end of the M8.

The race started with a section of tarmac, gently downhill at first then more sharply up to the house at the top of the drive, before heading out onto the track over the moor. I decided to give it some welly out of the start, reasoning that I should run well on the bits I could, even if it was just downhill tarmac! As ever, Manny and Chris disappeared towards the horizon pretty soon after the kick-off. I maintained a higher-than-usual position as we gradually gained altitude across the moor, although I was wheezing and grunting like a pervert who's late for a meet at the strip club by the time JD passed me just before the gate to Hare Hill.

The ascent to Hare Hill was also runnable, and another Westie (didn't notice who!) passed me here. I went over the summit at the same time as Megan Mowbray from HBT, so I figured I was still doing well by my standards here. The downhill took us through some rougher stuff, with paths and trods petering out into heather and bog. As the heather got higher, I tried bounding through it, which was tiring, then I tried mincing through it, but failed to get in touch with my feminine side, so ended up walking out of it, gubbed and defeated. Sad when you can run the uphill bit but need to walk down! Both male and female Westies passed me here, but as I'm the new guy here, you'll need to fill in the names yourself.

I was glad I wore my hill shoes for the steep muddy descent to the bog before Black Hill, as it was a real "tea-tray for yir erse" job. I heard the guy behind me fall a few times. After a short but steep climb onto the Black Hill track, it was a long fast downhill trail run to stretch the legs, then a left turn across the end of the reservoir. Or not. Y'see, I went straight on...only to be shouted back by the Carnethy guy who had been following me. Cheers mate! I managed to regroup after a couple of minutes on the homeward trail (and it was a long run back, or so it seemed), and re-took Carnethy Bloke in the wee section through the trees. Quite rewarding when you can find the extra strength. I had another flirtation with navigational disaster when I almost went through the wrong gate, but thought better of it. I have a feeling an AL race in the mist might not be ideal for me. Who says these routes are obvious?

As I got to the finish, Chris was already looking relaxed and taking photos of later finishers, and Manny reckoned he might have been in the top 10 home. Well done to all Westies who ran. Good sprint finish by Donald! I reckon I took about 46:30, in what might turn out to be one of my better hill runs.

I thoroughly enjoyed this course, being of the more runnable variety, and having all sorts of terrain. Sadly I didn't make the pub afterwards. I had donated a lot of blood to the midges, so I made a bolt for home.

Next up - Broadwood 5k on Thursday night. Why, oh why?!?

jdchrischrisdonaldrob and jacquesellie and richardsimonsimon and val

Posted by Johnston Orr on Thu 16 Aug 2007 | 6 comments

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  1. Manny said...

    Will somebody get Johnston a vest!Running incogni, incognet....disguise, is not on you know - we need to have targets to aim at during races and a white t shirt doesn't count!I only had to win this race to take the Bog & Burn series title and spent the week working out the million & one variations of what would happen if Dan Gay & Steve Fallon were to beat me, not turn up, finish in different positions etc, but on the start line the assembled field looked more like a race for top prize of a life time supply of beer, and therefore it didn't really matter - John Stevenson's lead in the series was secured, because we were all about to get humped by an outrageously good field and thus fail to improve on our points position.I set off rather mischieviously at full pelt, just so I could be 1st for 400m, then exploded in a fireball on the first and only steep climb up the tarmac road to the open hill. My nonesense cost me good bit of time, and I took to the top of Hare Hill to recover and start reeling in Dan Gay, Chris, Elke Schmit etc, but once I got going again I ran well, even along the purgatorial long, flat, reservoir side track to the finish, where my calf went TWANG with just 200m to go, forcing me to give a place to a Lothian runner, which I believe cost me 3rd place in the B&B overall.Ho HumThe rest of the good turn out of Westies were not far behind, with Val H coming home to claim 3rd (&1st V40) in the series, and Donald 2nd V50!! Soup & beer in the pub before the prize giving, then the long, long drive home!

    WESTIES!!

    Thursday 16th August 2007 9.57am

  2. Chris said...

    Indeed - the top turnout of runners blew Manny's plans of Bog and Burn victory out of the water - despite his spirited charge for glory at the start.Manny did well to finish 10th behind Donald Naylor, Al Anthony, Kenny Richmond, Graeme Campbell, Ian Wellock, Al Hart, Duncan Coomb, Adam Ward and Ross Milne.

    A good fast runnable course apart from the section of knee-deep heather on Hare Hill, and the hideously slippy mudbank down to the swamp before Black Hill. This is where I dropped places to Manny, Des Crowe, Jamie Thin and Jamie Stevenson.

    Full Bog and Burn results will be compiled later, but well done to ValH on 3rd female in the series after Angela Mudge and Elke Schmidt, and to Donald for getting 2nd V60!

    Thursday 16th August 2007 11.17am

  3. Graham K said...

    My most embarrassing hill running moment to date last night ...

    Finished work later than expected, then underestimated the journey time to Balerno, then went to the wrong car park (too late even for the 7:15 start anyway) - ARRRRGH - drove back west with a red face !

    Thursday 16th August 2007 12.24pm

  4. Jacques said...

    I thought I would give you all a head start by getting stuck in traffic, then getting lost in Balerno and finaly starting the race after everyone had already disappeared into the distance...As "white shirt 2" I managed to overtake the same Carnethy guy as "white shirt 1" on the finishing run out, so he will be a bit depressed to see two Westies in front of him on the results.Next year I might even make the start on time.

    Thursday 16th August 2007 1.18pm

  5. Manny said...

    Good grief!!Westies seem to become a dab hand at turning up late for races - Graham, Chris and a few weeks ago Rob & Val managed to miss Creagh Dhubh!!Any other stories of mis-timings or bad navigation....?

    Jim Hall loves reliving our trip to Kinnoul a few years ago, when yours truly registered in time but couldn't find the start line until 7 mins after the gun, and Mr Hall buried himself to the get home in front of me.Not as exciting as his climbing tales...

    Thursday 16th August 2007 4.36pm

  6. Johnston said...

    ResultsPhotosDefinitely an improvement for me, finishing ahead of a few people who would normally beat me. I even managed to stay in front of my nemesis for the season, Rod Pugh, although I know he arrived slightly late!

    Friday 17th August 2007 8.40am

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