Scottish Masters XC - Kilmarnock

Frances making steady progress

[Photos from Kenny Phillips added to web album]
The weather forecast predicted snow for Saturday afternoon but the reality turned out to be much worse, driving, freezing rain turning the day into a survival exercise rather than a race. At least snow would have been dry! Club president Frances Maxwell was our only lady competing and having completed a warm up lap with Frances about an hour before her race, the verdict was that the course was tough but the underfoot conditions seemed quite good with the exception of a section of twisting, single track footpath through the woods which was very muddy and treacherous with hidden tree roots, rocks and overhanging branches and tree trunks to divert the attention. However, at this point it seemed unlikely that I would be starting the race as my heart rate was within a few beats of my maximum even on the gentle warm-up and my legs were dead, confirming that the coughing and sore head through the week were not my imagination! Frances was also struggling to shake her New Year cold. What are we like!

By the time the ladies race started the rain was heavier and the underfoot conditions deteriorating. This did not deter Melissa Whyte (F45) of Inverness Harriers who ran away from the field to win the 6k race in 22:54, 6 seconds clear of Angela Mudge (F40) and 20 seconds ahead of Fiona Matheson (F50). Frances finished 35th in 29:31 but is clearly still under the weather as a few of those in front normally only see the back of Frances.

Conditions for the men's 8k race were atrocious as the rain was turning to sleet and the wind was gusting strongly. None of us looked enthusiastic, Andrew McCaffrey, Andy Henderson, Jim Holmes, Chas Steven, Russell Couper, Benny Rooney and Kenny Leinster all looked like they were on their way to a firing squad. There was no way to warm-up properly in this. Doing strides was fine wind assisted but at some point you had to turn back into the wind and rain to get back to the start and instantly froze with the wind/rain chill. Finally the starter called us to the line where the packed runners generated some heat and shelter but all too soon the race was off (from this you will gather that I had foolishly decided to start the race and put myself up near the start line).

The hooter signalled the start and we were off on a soft and spongy course. The narrow, ideal racing line was now occupied by the pack, so some hurdling was required to clear low bushes to the side before hitting the first, slippy, twisting descent. Even now I couldn't get a breath and was feeling panicky because of this but moved through a few places just to get a view of where I was putting my feet and perhaps to relax a little. The men had one short lap and then two long laps to do. Within the first km it was obvious I was not going to be able to finish without doing some health damage. I thought about stopping at the end of the short lap but carried on a hundred metres beyond that hoping that I would suddenly feel better. As I turned into the biting wind and rain, I couldn't get a breath and stopped, maybe only the 2nd or 3rd time I've dropped out a race in my life, so not a happy feeling. I caught a glimpse of Jim Holmes, Andy Henderson and Kenny Leinster all close to each other and running well, a situation that they maintained till the end. Andrew McCaffrey was some distance ahead of this group and Benny, Russell and Chas were battling on further behind. Russell was then to have an accident, twisting his ankle badly which forced him out of the race too (I know that Russell will be claiming this as a technical victory over me because he got further into the race than me before he dropped out but I will want to see all the video evidence independently scrutinised before I accept that). I meanwhile was wishing that I could have carried on because the torture of trying to get out of my spikes and into trainers for the 400m walk back to the school was sending me very close to hypothermia and my body was shaking violently. To misquote that well known Stratford Harrier, William Shakespeare, "A tent, a tent!  My Kingdom for a tent....".

By the finish the Harriers were in the following order: A McCaffrey (M45) 34:14, J Holmes (M40) 38:06, A Henderson (M55) 38:24, K Leinster (M50) 38:33, B Rooney (M55) 43:00 and C Steven (M50) 46:14 and were 19th team (4 to count). The race at the front was close, being won by Kerry Liam Wilson (M40) 28:35 followed by Bobby Quinn (M45) 28:44 and Kenny Richmond (M40) 28:47. Just to rub salt into my wounds, at the point I dropped out I was lying second M45 a position I should have been able to maintain under normal circumstances. Oh well, roll on the National (and the tent). Very well done to all who turned out to run in a brutal cross country race. I doubt there will be any photos of the race to follow as the conditions were only suitable for underwater photography.
Alan