National Mid-Trail Race - Falkland Estate

Race Elevation Profile added to end of post.
A team of 10 Harriers made what is now a regular journey through to Falkland on Saturday for the National Mid-Trail Race Championships. Summer made a belated appearance with glorious, warm sunshine present for the whole day. With all the Harriers present and registered we headed off for a recce of the start of the course. For the previous two years, this course had been flat or slightly downhill for the first 1 or 2km but this year the race started with 1.5km up a very steep hill on the first loop and then back up that same hill a second time on the second long loop. It would have been a nasty shock if we had not checked out that hill during the warm-up. Unfortunately during that warm-up George Stewart's dodgy calf packed in only 200m into a very gentle jog and his race was over before it had even started. This was a real pity as George is very much a local celebrity on the running scene in Fife as he does so many races over there. Frances Maxwell was our only lady running today and was facing the "15km" course for the first time, the ladies having previously covered a 10km course in this championship. Stephen Phimister, Geo Ferguson and Jim Holmes were also making their first appearances on this course whereas Joe Shiels was making his first appearance in a Harriers' vest; a tough race to make your debut on. Alan Derrick, Russell Couper, Billy Buchanan and Kenny Leinster were back on the course for their second or third times so knew pretty well what was facing them.

At 2pm we were ready for the off but unusually this race did not start behind a line. Instead the start was "neutralised" as the organisers were not allowed to start the race out on the estate road. The starter walked the entire field en-masse from a field through a gate onto the estate road at which point we were allowed to start running as we each passed through the gate. Very unusual! I was aware of 3 or 4 other M50's in the field who were also selected for Scotland so knew this would not be an easy race in my age  group. I therefore decided to start more quickly than I have in recent races to try to get to the narrow path on the first ascent first and not to get blocked in. This strategy seemed to work and I soon found myself in a group of 4 on the ascent with the first two ladies and a younger Cambuslang runner. After the first 1.5km of climbing, the route dived steeply back down a forest path which was reasonable underfoot but still risky at the speed we were descending at. After a long descent, we found ourselves back on the muddy, twisty ascent that had been used in previous years going all the way back up to the same elevation we had just descended.

By this time my group had reduced to three, me and the two ladies. We emerged onto a forest road and immediately turned left and downhill to join the famous beech hedge lined path which took us back to the steep road we had first run up. Then we were back up that first hill again, this time carrying on up beyond the steep downhill path and onto the main forest road climb with which we are very familiar. At this stage one of my main M50 rivals, Jim Buchanan from Dumfries Running Club, breezed onto my shoulder and I knew already that I had overcooked the first loop in my eagerness to get to the first hill first. The pack soon became four as the second lady dropped off but the Cambuslang runner was back with us too. We stuck together all the way along the forest road and on the long descent at the far end but I was only just hanging on on the downhills. We then came to the bit that we all dread, the steep, sandy path (with a fallen tree to jump over this time too) that climbed back to the forest road. We were all power walking on the steepest bit but my quads were done in and I dropped back 10 or 20 seconds behind. As I emerged onto the forest road, I had no problem getting back into my running but the damage was done and I could not close that gap. At 11km, just before the final descent, I was surprised to see Robert Gilroy running towards me with some other leaders and I cursed myself for not checking the course map beforehand. Surely there was not another loop back up this hill again. With less than 4km to go, I could not see how they could fit another loop in so just thought that Robert was so far ahead that he was on a cool down! Wrong. Robert and 3 or 4 others from the leading packs had gone off course somewhere. Oh well, nothing I could do about that.

The final 3km (it turned out the course was 14km rather than 15km) absolutely flew by as it was downhill all the way and the pace hit 5 minute miling. Unfortunately I was only gradually closing the gap to the pack in front who were also flying and my chance of winning the M50 title was gone. Running at that speed over quite a long distance was a real thrill though and soon I was at the sharp 90 degree bend through the farm gate and a further 50m through the field to the finish line. A quick conflab with Jim Buchanan confirmed that he was first M50 and I was second and that a handful of leaders had gone off course so I was also 8th overall, much to my surprise in a time of 56:15.

Behind me Stephen Phimister was having a fine run, despite niggling foot pain and completed the course in 65:09 (the official times from after the first 10 or so are really messed up; this is the time from Stephen's own watch), cheered on by his son and daughter. Jim Holmes demonstrated his returning form, finishing in 65:26 (tbc) and must surely have had Stephen in his sights. Kenny Leinster and Billy Buchanan had a race long tussle with Kenny just about throwing away the win by stopping at the gate rather than running into the field as Billy closed up behind him. Startled into action by our shouts, Kenny somehow got going again and crossed the line just ahead of Billy in 67 minutes (from his own watch) with Billy only seconds behind.

Geo Ferguson really relished the challenge this course posed and, as he has done so often recently, finished powerfully in (time tbc) with Joe Shiels only 5 or 6 seconds behind. Frances Maxwell is also piling in the marathon training miles just now and this was another chance to get some tough miles in the pocket. Frances crossed the line in 73:43. Finally, Russell Couper was having an enjoyable run and certainly looked comfortable enough when I passed him on my way down to the finish. Russell finished in 92:49 (own time), rounding out a great Harriers team performance.

The team of Harriers then made a very impressive sight by conducting our stretching routine on the lawn by the duck pond, a ritual that we all definitely felt the benefit of. From there we walked the short distance back to Falkland Village Hall for the other ritual; a cup of soup and a roll prior to the prize giving. I was then very pleased to receive the Scottish Athletics silver medal in the M50 age group; my first national individual medal, despite having picked up a handful of team medals over the years in the 6-stage and national cross country short course with the Harriers. A big thanks to the Harriers who supported this championship event which so suits the sort of training that we do in Calderglen and Chatelherault; lets see some more out next year. A special mention to Stuart Waugh and the Phimisters for their shouts of support on the course and to George Stewart for his support despite the disappointment of not being able to run himself.
Alan

Race Elevation Profile!