Callander Crags Race

No snow this year in the Winter edition of the annual Callander Crags Race but still very scenic (at least looking at the event photos post-race it looked very nice although I didn't notice it at the time, eyes being glued to the ground!). With only a weeks training in the legs and lungs after 2 weeks out with a heavy cold and a further 2 months of achilles tendon injury, I knew this race was going to hurt and I was correct!

With only 15 minutes to go before the start it seemed that the field would not be that big but clearly everyone was hiding in their cars and as the start approached they all appeared from somewhere. It looked like about 80 runners young and old on the line. The council had done a good job of cutting up two massive trees which had been blocking the path at the start but we were warned that were a further 5 or 6 trees down on the ascent to be negotiated. The ascent is one mile long (think Chatelerhault log jam but twice as steep) and now included the added difficulty of hurdling (or stepping over in my case) the aforementioned 5 or 6 tree trunks.

After moving away into what felt a comfortable 4th or 5th position in the first three quarter mile, I struggled as always when the "path" got rougher near the top and lost a couple more places. So it was not looking good for my usual dismal descent. At the top an old friend gave me the helpful advice to use my weight to catch those in front going down and couple more duly passed me as I staggered down the roughest, rockiest and slippiest part of the descent. Another friend marshalling encouraged me with the words that I looked as though I probably should have stayed at home today but despite this I was enjoying being up on the hill with the sun shining and prepared myself for the approaching tarmac road where I knew I was really going to have to push hard to catch back some places. I hit the road just as another runner arrived on my shoulder and I immediately put the hammer down, hitting sub 5 minute mile pace for a 3/4 mile and soon past one runner. The rest were well gone but there was no chance to relax with two runners close behind. I kept the power on all the way to the finish, including the final sting in the tail quarter mile ascent before dropping down to the finish, crossing the line in about 8th or 9th position in 27:51, not my worst time as I had feared (last year was over a minute slower due to the snow and ice) but well down on what I have routinely done in similar conditions.

The race was won in a new course record of 21:27 by local hill running super star Prasad Prasad (most folk were not even at the top when he had finished)! I was first M40 but had let an M50 get a minute away from me on the rough part of the descent. A great wee race in its 25th official year. Looking forward to the summer, mid-week edition (June 6th, 7pm) where hopefully we can get a few Harriers out.
Alan