Trouble at the Top

Maddy Moss Hill Race, 15th July 2009

"She’ll ask about your top. She’ll no’ be happy", says The Passenger.

"I didnae want to wear my Westies vest. It’s my first hill race of the year and I’ll get a stinking time ‘cos I’m just going to start from the back and trundle round as best I can", I explain. "She won’t like it", warns The Passenger.

Anyway, I find myself without regulation Westerlands colours, squinting up into the lowering sun, still static at the back of the field as Donald Evans powers upwards, leading the field on the initial steep climb. I’m making steady progress once on the open hillside, and have a wee social banter with Andy between The Law and Ben Cleuch, but when I next turn to speak to him he’s gone. At least it can’t be into a bog this time. Donald, Chris and Owen are already heading over the next summit before Donald’s road shoes prove to be his undoing and Chris comes home as first Westie. The Passenger, Steffen, Murdo, JD, The Captainess, and Dave Rogers all pass by, heading down as I jog on to the summit of Ben Cleuch. Dave is wearing a Defi T-shirt. I wonder briefly if he’ll be in trouble too. I see Pat coming up as I jog down and over to Andrew Gannel Hill, then I lock into the narrow trod for the long road home. For once I don’t trip over my big feet, and make up a couple of places. I hold my concentration on the final steep descent to the finish safely, and join the Westies huddle.

"WHERE’S YOUR WESTIES TOP?!" demands The Captainess.

"It’s my first hill race of the year and I knew I’d cause a stink so I didn’t want to disgrace the Westies colours", I plead. "That’s a pathetic excuse. It’s almost girlish", derides The Captainess. I hang my head and skulk back to the car, firmly rebuked.

"Told you she’d ask about your top", says The Passenger.

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.