Meall a’ Bhuachaille

Tent up, ankle taped, Kendal mint cake consumed, bladder emptied, and I’m ready to start the 6th and final race of the 2019 Scottish Hill Champs – Meall a’ Bhuachaille (nice to say, hard to spell). The start line is a mass of foot-stomping…

Pre-Race Ritual

Over my first summer season of hill racing I have developed a finely tuned system that I utilise before the gun (or horn, whistle or person shouting “GO!”). I’m generously willing to share it with you, my fellow Westie.  Kipchoge…
Poet Laureate

A field to far

" A field to far" was coined down Kilmarnock way, An interesting addition to our XC day, It was a boggy zig-zag,marsh of unusual camber, Which slowed our progress to a slow motion meander Yes, we all agreed it got the lungs going, The…

West District XC Relays 2019

Dear Mr Callender, Herr Quinn has forwarded your useless report from Kilmarnock to the Race Report desk for my examination and/or reply. Unfortunately, we have no Ludicrous Gibberish desk, or it would have ended up there. What kind…

Conquering the Pentlands

After successfully completing Manor Water the day before (I might have mentioned to the odd Westie I was doing the Man or mouse) , Rob and I piloted my chariot in the direction of Hillend. It was great to see Plenty of other Westies in Attendance…

Two Breweries 2019

The week I joined the Westies, Gregor sent out a link to these nice prints. Can’t have a print unless you’ve run the race so my well-laid, best-made plan was to run Arrochar as my Scottish Champs long counter and then see out 2019 running…

Hodgson Brothers Mountain Relay 2019

Hodgson Brothers Mountain Relay, an event unbeknown to me, as a newish Westies recruit, but a highlight in the fell running calendar. Oversubscribed entries every year means the calibre of entrants is high and the event is taken seriously. So…