2B-21

With a bit of ducking & diving on the Friday to get three Westie entry forms delivered to Bill for the evening, and a panic call from Pat at 8am on Saturday morning to say that she had a tyre puncture (Thanks to Drew for helping out), it was finally a bumper turnout of seventeen and a half (Jim Hall) Westies that graced the start line at Traquair House. With this 21st race being a British and Scottish champ event there was almost 220 starters so by the time everyone got checked through, we didn't get started till about a quarter past 12 (Pat's reference point). The dash out the grounds and along the road saw the usual to and fro as runners settled into their pace and on the first little pull up Grieston Hill I noticed Pete was right on my tail. Good I thought, as I can let Pete use his superior knowledge of the best race line and I just keep in contention and follow him, simple! By the next little rise of Orchard Rig I'd opened about one hundred metres on Pete and glancing back, glad to see that he was using the higher trod that I was on so I must be right. Wrong, a few minutes later when I was nearing the top of the rise, I noticed he had dropped to the lower trod but too late for me, extra climb, lost seconds, so it was an easy wee jog down to the col with Pete arriving at the same time. Ok, I'll just sit on his tail this time but on the initial steep climb to Birks Hill already my legs weren't playing ball and Pete kept getting further away. Jim Hall now passed me and he put in an effort and caught Pete by the top of Birkscairn Hill but although they had about two hundred metres on me, I gave it some welly down the heather and caught them both about half way to Glensax. Needless to say, wiley old Baxter was up to his tricks again and headed off left at the bottom to take the gully route for Hundleshope and although the recce of a month ago showed that it was a good route, I followed the herd and Jim Hall and took the direct heather slope upwards.

Despite adequate food and fluids on route, my legs were heavy and Jim again opened up a small gap on the slope. Spying Baxter coming out the gully route on the left about two hundred yards in front of us spurred Jimbo on even more and by the time I struggled into the strong westerly at the trig, they were both out of sight. Slipping and sliding through the churned up trod traversing Broom Hill I could see Pete keeping his gap on Jim up Stob Law but my tussle with them was over. Slowing even more over this little climb, and down to Glenrath farm, several hundred metres of tarmac was all it took to know that my legs didn't have the second half of the race in them and without a moment of hesitation I clocked into the checkpoint and immediately clocked out of the race. Chatting to a couple of other 'DNFers', I shouted on the other Westies when they came through, namely Elsie, Val, Ana, then a gap to Drew and Liz, clasping her side with the old stitch problem. There were only a few more runners then a big gap and the marshals said they were only waiting for two more folk. After a while, big Max from Kilbarchan AAC came jogging round the corner and Pat with him, at which point they were informed that they were timed out. Max was relieved and didn't seem to mind but certainly not our Pat. As the race had started late, Pat had being adding this time delay on to all the cut off points so as far as she was concerned, she was still within the limit. The marshals however said that the delay had already been accounted for so it was with gritted teeth that Pat entered the broom wagon. Losing champ points today was a blow to Pat but the fact that she would now have to do the Skyline in a couple of weeks was rubbing salt into the wound, as far as she was concerned. The slow drive round to Stobo and then the wait for another non-existent DNFer didn't help matters and I could tell Pat was stewing over things in her mind. Finally getting out at Broughton Brewery and meeting other Westies, Pat was by now livid and she did well not to throttle any officials but words were certainly going to be exchanged.

Having paid my entry and run for two hours anyway, I picked up a bottle of Greenmantle and chin wagged with others on their performance. It turned out that Jim never managed to close the hundred yard gap on Pete and he finished 31 seconds behind him. New Westie signings Sarah and Iain had a good solid run for their first attempt at this event with even mutterings that they might think about the Pentlands in a fortnight. Elsie trotted in looking fine, and Ana must have put in a good 2nd half race as she had over hauled Val, who came in a while later complaining of a stitch. Another wee gap to Liz whose own stitch had eased over the latter miles and allowed her to get ahead of Drew who came in sporting a toothless smile, the tooth falling out on route or something! (Or maybe he had bumped into Pat)

Of the others, Manny was first Westie, complaining of only taking 5 minutes off his pb and not breaking 3 hours. Damon blew up in the 2nd half and only just managed to keep ahead of Chris by 23 seconds, who had a good run and took about 9 mins from his pb. Steffen also had a stormer despite the windy conditions and well gubbed his 3 30 aim with a 3h 24m, hence why he was beaming like a Cheshire cat all night. JD just cracked 3 30 as well and don't really know how Murdo and Don felt about their runs?

Prize giving saw beer abound, Nick Sharp of Ambleside getting the guy's prize and Tracey Brindley storming the women's first spot. Carnethy also gubbed the ladies team event and their men sneaked it from Shettleston on the day so it should make the final champ event at the Skyline very interesting in a couple of weeks. Big Dixter got a special 21st prize for being the only person to have run every race and our own Pete Baxter got the 1st local prize. Unfortunately Peter also got last prize in the fashion stakes later on at the ceilidh by unzipping his two part trousers to reveal a clashing pair of brown shoes and pulled up black socks with PMT written on them - and to think this guy is a consultant!

Thanks again to Bill for all the organisation, the Broughton ladies for fine food, and everyone else who helps to make this a great day out and a fun filled evening.

Posted by Charlie Campbell on Sun 26 Sep 2004 | 1 comment

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