Cort ma Law

62 runners turned out for the Westerlands Cort ma Law race despite light showers and moderate to heavy midging. This field was slightly larger than in recent years so I was concerned at one point that we might run out of car park space. But it meant that I can make a donation to Lomond Mountain Rescue who turned out en masse in support.

The start-line celebration of Peter’s passage into supervet dotage seemed to cheer people up and they all trotted off happily. Dunno much about what happened up on the hill, but they all came back undamaged.

First place went to Matt Williamson (Bellahouston) in 52.17. David Riach was second man and first V40 and Westie in 52.38. Angela Mudge took 1 minute 20 seconds off Tracey Brindley’s 1999 record, finishing in 5th place overall in 53.17 and just behind Chris Upson (second Westie at 53.02). Other Westerlands prizewinners were Val Houston (third overall and first V40), Elspeth Scott (second V40), Helen MacPherson (first V50) and Donald Smith (first V60). Westerlands (Riach, Upson and Bonnyman) beat Bellahouston to the team prize. The full results will be on the SHR web-site.

Unfortunately I had to disqualify the first 2 finishers who had cut the corner, in all innocence I think, rather than continuing all the way along the fence to the final stile. Rather more frustratingly there was also a little bit of grumbling (not unprecedented I gather at this race) at registration about the full body cover rule (despite its application to all AM and AL races) and at least one chap got told off for ignoring the instruction.

Apart from that I hope that everyone had a rewarding evening. A big thank you to Stevie, Fiona, Pauline, Rob Gibson and Charlie for marshalling, Pat for sweeping, Dave C, Margaret T, Victoria Reid, Eddie and Karen MacPherson for time-keeping, Isabel and my wife for registration and results, Peter and Elspeth for the cake and in Peter’s case the cabaret, and everyone else who helped set things up and take them down again. Next year I will bring a book to read.