Westies Corrie of Balglass Run

WED 27 JUNE 2007
A great turnout for this combined run and social event from Val Houston's house near Fintry. Up round the Corrie of Balglass and then back down for lots of great food and chat. Big thanks to Val and everyone else who contributed to a great evening.

Photos

Peter Baxter's 50th Birthday Party

SAT 23 JUNE 2007


A fun day at Pete and Elspeth's in Peebles celebrating Pete's 50th birthday

Mid-Summer Madness on Ben Ledi

THURSDAY 21 JUNE

What else do you do on the longest day of the year?! Run up and down Ben Ledi (879m)avoiding the nearby thunder & lightning,run along to Callander and back; have a wee rest and then at 8.30 walk up it again with Rowena and Julia.The run up was warm and humid with great views at the top of the thunder and lightning all around, before a quick exit downhill. By the time of the walk the weather had calmed down and we had a lovely walk up, enjoying fine views and good weather on top at 10pm. A great way to spend the day.

Photos

Cort Ma Law Hill race

WED 20 JUNE
What a cracker of a race. Many thanks to Dave and his merry band of helpers. My fifteenth race on Cort Ma Law, and faster than my last few efforts. That was mainly due to the gut-wrenching efforts to beat ex-Westie Jim Hall in the last mile or so. I had got in a decent warm-up for a change so I did not suffer from the dreaded dead legs/lungs syndrome at the start. After reeling in Birthday Boy Baxter I settled into a decent slog up the ridge, just ahead of Jim and Murdo with Val and Graham just easing away from me on the way to the trig point. On the boggy messy trod to the Leckett Jim went past and this spurred me into chasing him from then on, rather than lapsing into my usual trance-like state of steady plodding. After the massive detour to the new Stevie Bell appointed turning point, I hared off after Jim down to the gully and back up to the stile. With Jim and Helen Stuart of BRR in sight I tried to squeeze some extra effort out of my weary legs in pursuit of them. I caught Helen and then really upped the effort to get Jim, just managing with a final mad burst to haul him in just before the line, despite him tripping me up – I just bounced off the grass and back up again – and got revenge for my Goatfell defeat. My heart rate monitor showed that I had averaged 163 bpm for my 61m 21s effort, 90% of max! Just shows you what the sight of an old man in tartan shorts can do to you!!
Finshed 25th of 61 starters; 6 miles 480 metres ascent

Results
Westies reports

Hebridean Challenge Training Day, Amulree

SUNDAY 17 JUNE 2007
Lots of road cycling for me after Glen Rosa on Sat.

Glen Rosa Hill Race

Sat 16 June 2007

Where were the women??!!
Yes, for the first time that any of us could remember there were no women running a hill race! Shock horror!! Well if you weren’t there, man or woman, then you missed a fine day out, just a pity about the rufty-tufty race that we had to endure in the middle of it. Westies had about a quarter of the field for this 13 mile – 5800 feet race from Brodick castle down into Glen Rosa, up onto the ridge and along to Cir Mhor, down to The Saddle, up to Goatfell and back down to the Castle. The clag was down on the tops and it was a bit windy at time, but generally it was not too bad at all. If you forget about the unnecessary near-drowning experience of Murdo by Scott (avoiding the nice wee bridge metres upstream), the steep, chaucy (and slow) 1st climb, the rough meandering contouring, the lonely plod up North Goatfell chasing Dave Rogers’ shadow and the dilly-dallying run down off Goatfell then I suppose I quite enjoyed it really. Carnethy pipped us for the team prize on time of the first 3 runners, despite us having 5 in before they even had 3 finishers. Don showed that he is in fine form for his forthcoming 50th later in the year, followed by Murdo then a close bunch of Scott, Dave and Steffen then me and Jason (sorry for leaving you pal but we had a ferry to catch). A truly classic race that deserves a bit more interest than the 27 (all male) runners who turned up. Thanks to organiser Paul and his helpers, and especially to all the Mountain Rescue people manning the many checkpoints.

1st - J. Ashcroft - 2h 38m 38s
2nd - S.Fallon(V40) - 2h 43m 18s

6th - Don Reid - 3h 04m 56s
9th - Murdo MacLeod - 3h 11m 30s
13th - Scott McKendrick – 3h 17m 10s
14th - Dave Rogers - 3h 17m 18s
15th -Steffen Gorgas - 3h 17m 38s
17th - John Donnelly - 3h 25m 47s
23rd - Jason Kaushal - 4h 30m 01s

Organiser's Report
Results

Tayvallich Hash Camping Weekend

8-10 June 2007
A weekend of glorious weather in deepest Argyle for the Trossachs Hash House Harriers annual camping trip to Tayvallich. Friday night was spent in the Tayvallich Inn enjoying a few ales. On Saturday I cycled over to the start of the run near Cairnbaan. We enjoyed a lovely run round the forest tracks and Crinan canal paths, with a beer stop nera some ancient cup & ring stone markings. Lunch was in the beer garden of the Horseshoe Inn in Kilmichael Glassary. I then spent 2 hrs or so cycling back to Tayvallich in the glorious sunshine, visiting the ancient hill fort of Dunadd and Crinan on the way. The Sat BBQ was a roaring success in perfect weather. On Sunday the run was at Lochan Coille-Barr and a great trail was laid by Ian and Simon in the woods. Lunch was again at the Horseshoe Inn, and then home!

Photos

Duddon Valley Fell Race

Saturday 2nd June 2007

I returned to this Lakeland Classic (@18 miles/1900 metres)to see if the presence of a much bigger British Champs race could spur me on to a rare PB. It certainly did - by 20mins, aided by cooler conditions and a decent winter free of injury. I was chuffed to just get under 4hrs in 3h 58m 20s,171st of 367 starters, though I was still well over an hour behind the winner Ian Holmes and 40 mins behind the first lady. Chris was well ahead of me as usual, but still feeling the after effects of Jura last week, and Ellie had a smashing run to finish only 3mins behind me.

Duddon Valley website
Photos

Cornalees Hill Race

30 May 2007



A lovely evening down in Greenock for the Westies versus Greenock grudge match in the hills. I kept a steady pace up to the top, legs feeling a bit heavy, and then spurred on by Ellie and Cat right behind me I put in a bit more effort for the downhill return. Great views over the Firth of Clyde. Tea and buns were gratefully devoured in the Greenock clubhouse. Thanks to Stevie and his clubmates for their hospitality.

Results
Chris'photos