Eildon 2 Hills Race,2012

And so it came to pass that Struthers & Semple were off on another one of their jaunts. With a quick wave to Johnston, a very,very, drookit Johnston(this was Sat, mid-day and it was just chucking it down monsoon -like), we were on the Motorway.
In fact,after all the showers here in the west, it brightened considerably as we travelled east, south-east,south. Melrose had very good fortune for it’s Gala Day.
Organiser,Paul Morris,gave notice just before 3.00 that after the Highland Dancers we would be off. Please note the scene, hill-runners doing their pulling & stretching, then almost joining in and having a bit of a jig here and there then coming to their senses and thinking,steady,steady, this is a serious business,can’t start dancing now -Brian Brennan will probably turn up and give us all dog’s abuse for enjoying ourselves too much.Phew think he’s on holiday,or…………..
With a quick lap of the field in the middle of the town we were off – main street – then up, up, up, and yes, up. This, as all who have attempted this SHORT race will testify is HARD. After about a minute from the start you are going steeply uphill. Did i mention it was hard? Not complaining,no,no,it’s a wee cracker. At the first top you could surely collapse, but you have places to catch on the downs,HAAAAAAAAA.That is if you can keep your feet when all about are loosing theirs,(no the anatomy is wrong there is’nt it?).So you hammer on,lungs slightly recovering,perhaps and then up the zig-zags to the second top. Now your racing,that’s it,but for goodness sake watch that adverse camber,clayey section on the way down.I did’nt come all this way to go head over……….at the last. Down,down, slip-sliding through the clay,still vertical.Then to the wooden steps,there must be 20,no 30,40? let’s say a lot. Tried coming off them nearly collided with the fence,not a good move. Then your back on concrete,there’s a gallery, there’s applause,there’s music, (there’s love and romance)Oh no that was later. It’s the main street now and you have been warned that the road is not closed to traffic, so you are on your own to fight your way through.Actually,it was fine – drivers were giving you the road.Now to that lap of the Rugby field in heavy conditions. Don’t you just love

it? Suddenly,too suddenly,it was all over…….and nobody shouted.
Seemed to be the only Westie there(like Brian at Falkland). No, Ian was walking his own route and not in the race. Damon,however was wearing a black Westerlands tee, circa 2000, he said, which we both found hard to believe as it was in pristine condition. Damon had another stormer of a race,(he always does here)and came in 3rd in 32.51. So does that mean points? Unless Yer man Brennan invokes an obscure ruling from the Constitution citing:”……….that you did both willingly and knowingly transport a Westerlands member to the site of a Scottish Hill Race whom then blatantly failed to enter said Race and therefore denigrated the hallowed Gold and Black of Westerlands CCC. ……..indubitably an extremely serious offence to which there can only be one……………….”
Hope to see a veritable phalanx of westies next year. It is clearly a wee cracker.
5.8K 460M.
1. P. Faulker Carnethy 31.09
2. B. Marshall HELP 31.41
3. D. Rodwell Border & Rescue 32.51
5.& 1st.V50 R.Gallagher Carnethy 33.05
1st(14) Female C.Morgan Carnethy Senior Ladies 35.38
2nd F (39) F. Dalgleish Gala Vet 40 38.56
52. H. Semple Westerlands 41.55
3rd. F F. Sepherd Gala Vet 40 44.27

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