A fine day for trotters

Last Saturday, and a fine sunny one in Holyrood Park. Five Westies (plus a friend/apprentice) turned up for the annual procession of brown – and other – vests round the undulating Bog Trot. Starting near the back of the field, I saw little of the efforts, except to note that Gregor was prominently placed on the first grassy climb. I gained a few places there, then lost one or two on the descent. YP complimented me on my vest’s unique DIY “W” as I completed my first lap, then it was the long haul up the paved pathway at the base of the Salisbury Crags. This I shared in a long tussle with a V50 triathlete – finally got the better of him, only to be passed on the final descent by some wee guy in green. Bah!

There was then a long wait for the last runner to finish before the much-touted prizegiving could begin. Unfortunately, the HBT winner (Murray Strain) turned this into a brown beery procession of BYBs (bright young Boggies) receiving their beer or boxes of Maltesers. At last YP was allowed to proceed with his wacky “spot prizes”…but the rest of the Westy contingent had had enough (and no prizes) by then, and had headed back west.

Spot(less, we hope) prizes: this year YP saw fit to “fit” the junior HBT lasses with brown socks, while the junior HBT men got….brown Y-fronts. Like a demented magician reaching into his lucky bag, YP then asked whether any Hibs fans were present…and I fell for it. My prize for this confession was a big jar of jam, I suppose because Hearts are called the Jam Tarts locally. Worse was to follow: YP: “Any Westies present?” and as last man standing, I was presented with what looked like a chicken drumstick. Far worse: it was a pig’s trotter!

Results:     1. M. Strain (HBT)      26m50

                 7. S. McCormack (F)   29m24 (female record)

Westies:   15. Gregor Stewart      31m03

               24. Alasdair Duke        33m05

               44. Chris Upson          35m33

               62. Rod Fleming          37m24

              113. GrimGraeme Orr    45m10

              129 finished. Rod’s chumette/apprentice ran just one lap – good for a tough race.

And I was pleased to record a time 1.5 minutes faster than 2 years ago, on (supposedly) a slightly longer course. Mind you, in 2005 I almost matched Rod’s time. Not fade away!