Jim Hall said...

The 20th Two Breweries race was well attended with over a hundred runners, despite the loss of several familiar faces away in Bavaria at the World Vets Championships. The day was overcast and still, rain threatened and there was an autumnal chill in the air. However the clouds remained high enough not to interfere with navigation, nor indeed interrupt any views.

The start was the usual mad gallop out and along the road from Traquair grounds, followed by a calf-straining climb to the appropriately named Birks Hill. This was the last we saw of the leading pack where I assumed Chris Upson and Murdo MacLeod were in contention and representing our interests. Also in front of me, was Steffan Gorgas, going well and dispelling any inclination I had of teaching this young upstart a lesson in how to finish long hill races.

I don’t know whether it’s the long, gentle, dangerously runnable, climbs or knee-deep heathery descents that sap the energy from the legs, but by the time you are on the second hill, Hundleshope, you know its going to be a long painful day. I was only just ahead of Peter Baxter and Christine Menhennet (forming the Westies veteran peloton) there but I knew that this would not be for long. They eventually overtook me at Dead Wife’s Grave (more like dead Westie’s grave) and demonstrated their dedication to serious training by disappearing depressingly quickly. Pete was going surprisingly strongly despite having completed the Mourne Mountain Marathon the previous weekend (coming fifth in the Elite) whilst Christine was having an intimate tussle with a girl half her age (how I envied them both).

From here on in, for me it was just survival. Although the enforced slow pace does allow a casual perusal of the beautiful countryside, exhaustion and exposure are a constant threat. Surprisingly there didn’t appear to be the usual debris of collapsed runners on Trahenna where my shuffle continued, taking care to avoid any sudden movements that might reduce me also to a cramped-up heap. Eventually the Greenmantle brewery was in sight and in my head I could hear Kenneth Wolstenholme announcing “They think its all over…..it is now”. And indeed it was. The complimentary bottle of Greenmantle at the line was a nice touch, and an aperitif for the main course in the Village Hall (a barrel on Autumn Gold - 3.5% - a little too young, I thought). At least I wasn’t the last Westie over the line, Elspeth Baxter was dangerously close (nothing personal) behind me and Drew Turnbull put in a brave performance at the back end of the field (I appreciated his Margaret’s support, sending me the right way at one vital point).

Colin Donnelly broke the finishing tape (if there was such a thing) as a veteran winner in a race where, like the sport nowadays, half the field were vets. Westies got third lady/first lady vet (Christine, picking up over two gallons of beer – not bad for a tee-totaller!) and we would have got the veterans team prize, if there had been one. Chris managed to dive over the line just ahead of Murdo but a minute down on the first lady, ex/Westie and socialite Kate Jenkins. The prize-giving was the usual generous, well-organised, well-fed and sociable affair, allowing many old acquaintances to be renewed. Bill Sheridan should give master-classes in how to organise a first class hill race.

Wednesday 30th November -0001 12.00am

Drew said...

1 c.donnelly 2.51.04 1/402 p.mobray 2.51.423 j.coyle 2.54.4518 k.jenkins 3.21.21 1/L20 c.upson 3.22.1821 m.macleod 3.22.3433 s.gorgas 3.35.0040 p.baxter 3.42.1742 c.menhennet 3.44.49 3/L 1/LV47 j.hall 3.52.2849 e.scott 3.55 2093 d.turnbull 4.48.3297 finished * 102 started

Wednesday 30th November -0001 12.00am