Blairgowrie Hill Race

Went along to Blairgowrie highland games earlier today and took part in the hill race. Its marked in the calendar as 400m of climb but its nothing like that ……the organisers say its about 300 feet of climb which is probably understating it a bit …..but there’s not much climb. You basically do about a lap and a half in the arena and then off on road/track for about a mile or so …….steeply up a farm track for a couple of hundred feet then twice round a big sloping field then back the way you came …….Colin Donnelly set off at a canter closely trailed by Jamie Crowe and his old man Des ……I decided to tuck in behind Davie Duncan for as long as possible ……Shona R ( soon to be of Shettleston but proudly sporting Westies colours ) pushed on and pushed through the field finishing 1st lady in, I think, 4th place overall. I kept with Davie up the hill round the field first time and then even got ahead for a bit before he passed me on second climb in the field ……I hung on but the heat/pacehad done for me and I just survived from then on until the end. Colin Donnelly won from Jamie Crowe then Des and the race route allowed the privilege of being passed by Colin D in the field as he was doing his second lap …….great wee race and despite amount of track I’d recomend it as still a real hill race with a great atmosphere and bonhomie from the games crowd as you started / finished.