Pad Race 2018 results

Note:  Race report below by Micky Anderson, Neilston worthy/highly decent M50 hill-runner & my successor at the sharp end of the Neilston Pad mini-hill-run. Rhona B and I were the solitary Westies there last Saturday. Ever Grim…

Hi folks, – what a fantastic bunch of people to spend a Saturday morning with! Hope you all now have a sense of why we didn’t want the pad race to fade away. Our youngest runner (and winner!) was just 18, and our oldest was a sprightly 70! We also had a multinational field (bonjour Cedric!).

I understand some of you mudaholics missed a wee (dry!) path through the trees just before you rejoined the main path before the water stop. Just back from clearing the route and I can see why this happened, so we’ll put barrier tape there next year and an arrow. Respect to all of you who clambered through the ditch to get back onto the path!

Apologies too for the rather shambolic ending re prize giving. We had to vacate our tent before we had a chance to process the results, and many of you couldn’t wait around any longer. Next year we’ll do the prize giving immediately after the race so there is no hanging about.

Congratulations to Kieran Cooper, race winner in an amazing 27:28, Euan Cunningham who was 2nd and also under 30 minutes, and some old fecker in 3rd. Top female was Eleanor Bailey in an impressive 39 minutes, with Rhona Bennie just edging Gillian McKinlay in the battle for 2nd and 3rd. Rhona was also 1st F50, Colin Wylie was 1st M40 in 6th overall, Patrick Collins was 1st M60, and a special mention to grim Graeme Orr, 1st (and last!) in the M70 class and an impressive 24th overall. Particular apologies to Eleanor for missing her moment of glory. Your trophy awaits.

We tried to minimise our use of plastic, hence the lack of the usual water bottles at the end, – hope you understand why.

Perhaps a bit early to be thinking about next year when this year’s mud still isn’t dry, but stick May the 4th in your diaries as it would be great to see you back.

Wear your rosettes with pride!

Micky