Auldhouse 5k Time Trials 2013

The lighter nights can only mean one thing - time for our monthly time trials around the Auldhouse circuit. The dates for this year are all on Thursdays as part of normal training and have been chosen not to clash with mid-week Grand Prix races. For those who have not done this before, it is an individual time trial where each Harrier is set off at 30 second intervals, with the fastest runner going last such that we all finish within a short space of time of each other. Previous years' times are available using the menu on the left.

The dates for this year (all Thursdays) are: 9th May, 6th June, 11th July, 8th August and 5th September. The last event will start and finish in Auldhouse and be followed by the usual refreshments there.

It would be appreciated if everyone participating could report to the club before 19:30 to allow me to record the names and allocate the start order. If you cannot make it to the club, then please text/e-mail me or leave a comment.

Alan

West Highland Way Weekend

Update: as of 23rd April, there are now 3 places left on the bus.
Update: as of Monday 8th April, 2 places left in hotel and 4 places on the bus.

This year’s West Highland Way weekend will be 1st/2nd June. The total cost for the weekend will be £66. If you are travelling in your own car the cost is £46.

A deposit of £20 is required to secure your place on the bus, no deposit no place! Frances will take deposits from Monday at training and there are only 17 places available on the bus. Places will go fast so don’t delay.

For those new to the club the weekend consists of early morning pickup on the bus (approx 4am) then everyone will get a leg to run between Milngavie and Fort William although you are free to run with others on their leg. Accommodation is dinner bed & breakfast in the Ben Nevis hotel and a gentle activity on the Sunday morning (bring swim wear) before returning to East Kilbride by Approx 6pm.

Frances

Bog and Burn Race Series

As we enter the season of mid-week races, Kenny Leinster would like to bring to our attention the Bog and Burn series of hill races. These races are all reasonably local and short in distance. So why not try something different. Full details of the series are below (click on each race name). All the races are enter on the night.
Alan

Bog & Burn Championship

Overview The Scottish Hill Runners Bog & Burn Championship is designed as a fun series of Wednesday evening hill races across Central Scotland.2012 final positions

Races The 12 races in the 2013 Bog & Burn Championship are: Bog & Burn Races - 2013 Race Date Kaim Hill Race 17 April Beinn Dubh, Luss 24 April Dumyat 08 May Kilpatricks 29 May Cort-ma Law 05 June Ben Sheann 12 June Red Moss Revolution 19 June Law Breaker 26 June Turnhouse 03 July Maddy Moss 10 July Cairn Table 17 July Caerketton 14 August

Rules Eligibility: Competitors must be over 16 on January 1st 2013 (i.e. born in 1996 or earlier). Races: Competitors are free to choose any combination of the above races. Scoring: Points are awarded for a runner’s finishing place in each race, and their aggregate score is calculated from their best 5 results.

Awards There will be prizes for category winners which are awarded after the final race in the series.

Chatelherault Sessions 2013

Our popular fortnightly training sessions around Chatelherault Country Park commence on Monday 22nd April, starting at 7:30. As for last year, please make use of the main Chatelherault Car Park (indicated by the green arrow in the map below), entering through the main Chatelherault entrance opposite Chatelheraulut railway station on Carlisle Road (A72). Either make your own way there or if you need a lift, be at the club, changed and ready to run at 7pm at the latest.

The route follows a challenging 7 mile circuit which is great training irrespective of whether you run it hard or take it easy.

For your diary, the dates for this year are: April 22nd, May 6th and 20th, June 3rd and 17th, July 1st, 15th and 29th, August 12th and 26th.

View Larger Map

Devils' Burden - All is now explained!

After several months of speculation surrounding the reasons why our most experienced hill navigation team went off course on the Devil's Burden, it seems that the Daily Record may have the answer. However, I am not sure that this eases the pressure on Billy and Kenny in any way! Thanks to FB contact Tommy Lawrence for highlighting this post.
Alan

Islay Meeting

We would like to have a brief meeting this Thursday 18th April after training to arrange mainly how many cars and whose cars to book on the ferry. Although it is some way off (first weekend in August), the car and passenger prices for pre-bookings are extremely good just now, significantly cheaper than last year, so now is the time to make the booking. Also, if we leave it too late the ferry will become fully booked as some found out last year.

Eddie

Tom Scott 10 Mile race

It was a fine Spring morning for the latest GP race which also incorporated the West District 10 Mile Championships, The SVHC 10 Mile championship and Scottish Athletics GP race 1. As the tempreture was low we were all keen to get going but there was a small delay while the organisers got themselves ready and then we were off. Eddie had managed to get himself in front of me before the start (not sure how that happened) so I never headed him but the rest all moved past and away within the first couple of hundred yards. I took a steady start to try and run the same pace I had ran at Alloa and was only just off it but through 6 miles I was inside my target time but with tempretures starting to rise I knew it was going to drop. As I started the final lap the mile times started to plummet but I wasn't too dismayed as I hadn't had a good sleep the night before and I was still well inside any time I had ran the course before so as I dragged myself over the line it was almost 2 mins faster than my previous course best (1.33.06). Nearer the front it looks like Eddie Reid and Stephen Reilly had a good battle and surely must have ran most of this together with Stephen running 1.07.07 with Eddie not far behind in 1.07.25. Next Harrier in and running very consistently despite a lot of overseas work commitments was David Herbertson (1.10.57) closely followed by Kenny Leinster (1.11.10). Just as well he is running well enough to keep David in sight otherwise who knows where he might have gone. Also keeping close quarters was Jim Holmes probably just making sure Kenny stayed on course (1.11.19).

We then had our only Female representative of the day with Julie Beveridge  again running very consistently with (1.12.23) and I believe putting herself into the lead in the Ladies  scratch championship. As we move down the field we had John McBride running another solid performance on the road (1.15.32). Next in was Richard Lawton who has been struggling all week to rid himself of a niggle he picked up at Livingston last week but managed a very respectable (1.22.31). Then of course as mentioned earlier was me. Winning times today were Robbie Simpson (Deeside Runners) 50.25 and for the Ladies Fiona Matheson (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) 58.08.
Thanks to Sandra, Frances and Dorothy for their support today.

Thanks to Frances for the photos, more of which are here. The album will be updated with more photos at the end of the week.
Alan

Grand Prix and Tom Scott Road Race

The Grand Prix and Club Championship scores have been updated ahead of Sunday's Tom Scott 10 Mile Road Race. Use the usual links on the left to access the latest positions. All the best to those competing tomorrow on what should be a nice day for a 10 mile race with cool conditions and only a very light breeze.
Alan