Kilpatricks Hill Race

My 10th running of the Kilpatricks Hill Race (6 miles 485 metres) was a very pleasant one and I would like to thank Christine and everyone else who made this and previous year’s races possible. Despite advancing years and increasing laziness I still managed a “sort of “ PB" in that I was all of 4 seconds quicker than last year - 57min 15sec, though still a minute behind Murdo, drat! I was even in exactly the same position, 23rd/55 runners, as last year!! It was a gorgeous evening for the race, warm and sunny and no midges thankfully, though I imagine that next week at Ben Sheann in Strathyre will more than make up for that. At the start it resembled a Westies club run with about half the field made up of almost 30 yellowdoubleyoos. A few Greenock road ragers zoomed off at the start while the rest of us plodded on behind up the first uphill road section. I tucked in behind Murdo, concentrating on him to try and take away the usual pain and stress I seem to suffer at the start of races, and we made good progress up the road and on to the first field where I reverted to my usual mix of running and walking. I seemed to be feeling OK and passed Murdo, Simon and Johannes towards the top of the ridge and kept a decent pace down to the track. The slight uphill took its toll and Murdo edged past me, which actually was good for me as it gave me someone top tag on to and feel like I was actually racing, rather than just plodding round as fast as I could. I just got past Murdo again on the track and led my wee pack on to the heather and bog part of the course. This lead didn’t last long and Murdo once again passed me, again allowing me someone to focus on through the rough stuff which was actually good for me. We passed Stuart Simpson of Ochils at this point, which is unheard of, and then ran round the narrow reservoir trod keeping a sharp eye out for any leftover bits of Graham Benny’s knee from last year. We managed to avoid the metal spikes and rocks on this bit and then hit the foot of the climb up The Slacks. At this point Don was hot on our heels and I was hoping to use the threat of him catching me and the lure of Murdo ahead to spur me into life, however, my shoes had other ideas, as having only just put in laces before the race, they had come loose and I realised that I would be even more rubbish than usual at descending if I didn’t stop and tie them. On the other hand I knew that stopping for even a minute would be fatal in my Westies battle and so it proved. Murdo got a big gap on me and Don closed right in and then displayed his superior descending skills by taking over a minute out of me from the trig point. I did my best to stay with him, but my wee legs just couldn’t do it. Simon also charged past me on the final field. I ended up pretty pleased with the way I had run and don’t think I could have gone any faster on the day – doesn’t stop you wishing you had though, does it? Damon was 3rd, Nigel 4th, Val H was 1st, Cat M 2nd and the Westies Women won the team prize. Well done to all. Afterwards 18 of us enjoyed a fine curry at The Indian Orchard and toasted Dave Calder’s (50th?) birthday with a few sweet lassies.

Results here

Other Westies reports -

DAMON=This racing lark is getting to be a bit of a habit. Just 4 days after getting comprehensively knackered at Yetholm, I found myself with a water-tight pretext for a trip through to the rainy west for a day's work, and thought I'd bag a race to help justify the drive. I'd struggled big-time on Monday and Tuesday with a very stiff thigh after Yetholm, but it seemed a lot better on Wednesday morning, and a day at climbing up and down ladders and in and out of small spaces Carbeth Fishery had loosened me up nicely. I ran the first couple of hundred metres with Nige, who filled me in on the runners in front. Graham campbell of Highland set off lke a startled hare and scampered to the first grassy climb with a 30m lead, with Stuart Simpson (?) and John Stevens of Ochill giving chase. Knowing that the bulk of the climbing comes early, and that I was bound to lose out to all and sundry on the descents I gave it some welly on the long climb to the landrover track, by which time I was clear in second place, with Graham 20m ahead and Andrew McColl of Greenock 40m behind. This changed little on the fast track section past the first reservoir, but on the tussocks I started to lose ground on Graham, and young mcColl came skipping past looking very frisky. I was steaming hot by now, and stumbling all over the place on the bog and tussocks. This section was much longer that I remembered from my only previous outing here seven years ago, and by the time we reached the second reservoir Andrew had passed Graham and Nige had made up the best part of 100m, and was chasing me hard. A brief word of encouragement (or was it abuse - too shagged to know) from Chaz and it was over the bridge and onto the Slacks. The first two were miles ahead now, and with Nige breathing dowm my neck I knew the only chance of keeping him at bay was to put a bit of air between us on the climb.
By the time I reached the trig point, after an unexpectedly long climb, I was hot as hell and ready to expire. My left shoe had come undone on the climb and was getting increasingly flappy. Fear chased me down the extremely fast descent, during which my other bloody shoe came untied, much to my disgust. Surprisingly Nige didn't pass me, possibly because of his continuing knee problem. I reached the road with a gap of about 20m, and legged it, shoes flapping and laces whipping my calves down the last half-mile to finish 3rd in 46:57, a shade under a minute behind Andrew, who had pulled away from Graham for a comfortable win. Steffen was the 3rd Westie home, just behind a brace of Glenpark runners, and we had a fun few minutes wondering whether we'd pipped them for the team prize. I had to leave promptly, but as far as I know we just nicked it, 25 points to 30.

DON= Good run by you guys at the sharp end. I can fill you in on some of the mid race shenanigans. This was my first race since Cathkin Braes so I was not sure what kind of nick I was in. I slotted in to my usual company as we jogged up the first climb (ie JD & Murdo). However, they got away on the climb as I struggled with the heat. As we got to the top, something occured that has never happened before. I got passed by a Westie Wummin ! ie Val ,going like a train. I dug in and managed to sneak past on the first little descent down to the loch Humphry road. I could see JD & Murdo slugging it out with a group of about 8 other runners about 300yds ahead but was not optimistic about catching them. The group in front began to fragment and I began to feel stronger as we got on to the rougher stuff off the road. By the time we crossed the dam below the slacks I had passed 2 or 3 guys and Murdo had got away a bit from JD who I had in my sights. Stuart Simpson who was having an off night cheered me on as i chased after JD who stopped to tie his shoelaces (the dreaded shoelace demon had struck again.) By the time I hobbled over the coffee table JD was only 10m ahead, & I knew I would get him on the descent but Murdo was out of sight. It was time to put the boot in . As I ran down the field to the road, passing Michael Diver in the process, I could see Murdo crossing the cattle grid. I hit the road at the same time as an unattached guy called Hugh who looked like a supervet,but as soon as we hit the tarmac he took off like a scalded cat.I dug in and kept him at bay, and we began to catch Murdo at a hell of a rate. We just beat him to the line at which point I collapsed in a heap.