Ken Laidlaw 105 Mile Cycle

SUNDAY 23 AUGUST
105 miles 10 000 feet ascent

Wet, wild and windy - yet somehow I enjoyed it! The weather started on us just at the 9am start and didn't relent all day. Over 200 likeminded nutters turned out for this beautiful, rolling route from Hawick Rugby Club. We headed of to Bonchester Bridge and swept down to Newcastleton for the first tea and cake stop at 30 miles. I caught up with fellow Westies runner and now Borders resident Damon Rodwell here. A steep climb out of here took me up on to the high moors and down to Langholm where it was bucketing it down. I turned round here to head north via Eskdalemuir, passing the Tibetan monastery en route to a sweeping descent with a Falkirk cyclist down to the 66 mile tea stop in Ettrick. Gloves, balaclava and tights were donned here for the very hilly last section - Berry Bush, The Swire, Woll Rig and Leap Linns, before a cracking fast last few miles from Roberton where I passed a bonked Damon. I was really pleased merely to have got through it all in the dire weather and even more chuffed to finish in just over 7 hours and about 80th of 215 starters.









Race website

Lomonds of Fife Hill race

SUNDAY 16 AUGUST 2009 - 18km 1130metres

Well, I'm sure plenty of people around me were racing, but I was plodding along on legs that had turned to mush, lead mush to be specific. At least the weather was fine and the views over Fife lovely, which distracted me a little from the effort to merely keep going and not drop out. It all started so well, with a good power walk up West Lomond, just edging ahead of Ellie and feeling not too bad. On the sloping traverse into the forest I started to slow and Ellie sped off, and when we reached the runnable forest tracks I was a goner with the race only started. I could tell straight away that this was just going to be one of those days, so settled for just trying to make the most of what little energy I had. I waved runners past on the narrow trod up to the monument and Davy Duncan came past also, but I hung on to him for a while till East Lomond. A cuddle from Brenda at least lightened the mood here. He got away from me on the long run back, as I grimly tried to not lose too much distance. At the next checkpoint on the Maidens fort he didn't seem too far ahead, nor did Tom Bowie and Jocelyn Scott of Fife AC, but in the heathery plod off here I almost seized up and they disappeared.

The run to the 2nd ascent of West Lomond was into a fierce headwind, which slowed me to a crawl, and I was dreading the short but steep climb to its last checkpoint. John Telfer and a few others caught me up here, and this seemed to energise me a bit as I pulled away from these chasers to the top. All was downhill now, which was great, though the infamous bum-slide still had to be negotiated. I only gathered up a few kilos of undergrowth up my shorts, and fortunately no thistles or rocks. This mad descent is captured somewhere on YouTube, and some crazy Swedish runners had found this and had come all the way over on Easy Jet especially for this race, attracted by the madness of it. I finished in 2h 15m, well down on the last 2 years' times, but quite pleased that I had actually got round at all - definitely time for a rest I think. Manny had a great race to finish 3rd behind Brian Marshall and Jon Ashcroft, Chris wasn't too far behind him and Ellie ran well to finish in 2nd place. Many thanks to Lomond Hill Runners for this well organised race, complete with goody bags and tea in Strathmiglo Hall afterwards.

Results and photos on SHR website

1st - Brian Marshall - 1h 40m 52s
3rd - Manny Gorman - 1h 42m 48s
8th - Chris Upson - 1h 48m 38s
34th - Ellie Homewood - 2h 7m 40s
48th - John Donnelly - 2h 15m 40s

Glenshee 9 Munros Hill Race

SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 2009
33km 1800 metres

Sunday proved bright and breezy for the second running of the Glenshee 9, a rare chance to knock off 9 of the easiest Munros in Scotland. Heading up in the Captain’s car the talk was of poaching and insurrection in the Westies ranks as rumour had it that our prized Snake Riach was being groomed by the Shettleston Mafia. Would the lure of hanging out with proper runners overcome the delights of the monthly curry night? The public need to know. That aside it was a grand day out. The weather was perfect, then scenery majestic and the company, of course top notch. David Riach was first home in a Westies vest (we think, or was it blue & gold underneath?) followed by Chris, Graham “Berlingo Boy” Kelly and Ellie with myself a couple of minutes adrift. Having decided not to waste the Saturday by resting up I had enjoyed a nice long cycle round Glen Lyon so started off nice and gently to ease my weary legs into action. I had a really enjoyable race as a result, tracking rivals Louise Burt, Colin Wilson and Bob Allison over the first six Munros till the road crossing where I passed Louise and Colin.

This was despite my left Innov8 Mudclaw deciding it had enough of its outer sole, which parted company with the midsole in rather messy divorce. This resulted in the midsole gaining custody of the front half of the outer and cruelly tossing the rear half aside, with the aid of a vicious Stanley knife. Partially shod I managed OK over the last 3 Munros and even descended the infamous Tiger mogul ski run with only a few skids. I finished in 4hrs 45mins, 32nd of 69 starters. Lovely soup, tea and cake ended the day and The Snake even came over and talked to us Westies commoners which made our day. We think we have held on to him for meantime with threats of disciplinary Committee meetings, but I think it is time for an online SOS petition – Save Our Snake!

Results