Braid Hill race

It was a fine day in Edinburgh too for the annual inter-Varsity scamper round the perimeter bridle-path to the Braid Hills Golf Club. Three active Westies, plus Ellie the Cheerleader and (it seems) Chris' chauffeuse, turned up: aforementioned Chris, myself, and Pauline, who assures me that she lives near Damon in Morebattle, but is "behind Hawick" too. Chris and Pauline were novices on this clarty trail race (horse dung and worse), whilst I was re-living 45 years of pounding this circuit, drone drone.

To the race: Chris tells me that some poor lad got trampled at the mass start. How the gowfers manage amongst all these war-paint daubed hordes, I can't imagine. The sunny weather had made me hope for a less muddy trail: some hope. A number of runners gave up the struggle - dropping out halfway round - but the race results reveal that while a Boggie won the ladies' race (which featured one Jet Orr), it was a non-Uni runner who won the mens' race: Niall Sheehan (Lasswade) in 32m35, almost half a minute ahead of the first Edinburgh "Hairie". In addition (if you believe the results) some odd names featured, eg Dhrup DoggyDog of Manchester Alehouse, followed even more oddly by one R. Thomas of HBT (who was in fact marshaling at the golf clubhouse halfway round the course). These creative entries could be attributed to the registration by laptop: only in Edinburgh...

Westy times:
Ladies' race (3 miles)
Pauline McAdam 24m35

Mens' race (6 miles)
Chris Upson 38m17
Grim Orr 52m50 (and not last!)

Posted by Graeme Orr on Sat 12 Nov 2011 | 2 comments

Category Trail Race