Boring but true: I like logical thinking, good planning and evidence-based decision-making. So it’s a bit confusing that despite an extensive evidence to the contrary, I ran the first 20 minutes of the 2021 Meall a Bhuachaille Hill Race as if I’m as fit as I was last time I ran the race (2019 –
Exciting stuff as 29 Westies, 10 volunteers, 1 dog and 10,000 midges gathered for the first Club Race of the Summer League. James Bowden (1st overall) won the coveted prize of 1 x Yellow Melon and 1 x book JD’s pal was trying to get rid of, setting a blistering pace leaving Will Beresford (2nd)
WESTIE BURNS NIGHT 2021 Toast Tae The Laddies Christine Menhennet I thank you, Mr Calder, for your fine toast to the lassies; so fine it was, that it restored in me a mere moos’s tail hair of faith in the Westie male spirit – a matter that has been concerning me greatly of late
I signed up for this race in a fit of hill-racing enthusiasm during what is now known as the “pre-Carnethy-5-in-2020” era and was full of regret and nerves on the journey there. I needn’t have worried. Mum got us off to a great start, taking an outstanding line through the gate and navigating the oozing
This year’s revamped Devil’s Burdens saw a record (probably) 13 Westerlands Teams assembled. 30 Westie Women ran, with female Westie numbers further bolstered by two girl-dogs, two girl-babies and three girl-spectators. Leg 1 saw a stellar line up of our finest solo competitors, who for the most part decided to ignore all lesser teams and
The first Loch Ossian trip took place in 1990, in celebration of the birth of a future leader of Westies just across the border in Carlisle a few months prior. It was attended by a number of Westies who ran a number of different routes and ate a variety of things from the major food
As I lined up on Saturday for the start of my second Tinto Hill race (first one was in 2014) I did wonder how I had ended up here surrounded by Westies and wearing a Westie vest myself? One of my first memories of Tinto was about 15-20 years ago taking Jenn and her brother,
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 the odd short race and watching faster, fitter Westie Women
For this year’s Extravaganza, a herd of very hardy Westies braved the wilds of Dumfries & Galloway to run a relay of 114.2km exactly from Newton Stewart Youth Hostel to the most Southerly point of Scotland. The 5.30am wake-up call meant that cheerfulness was the key selection criteria for Leg 1. Michelle (Team Plunger), Rod
A race report from each Captain – we’re spoiling you… Things that were completely grim about this race The wind speed The purple tights of the man who wrestled me out of the way on the Carnethy scree section Katie’s broken finger The dash across the first lumpy field Ally’s post-Westie-Wonder-Bus hangover JD beating me