TOF (continued......)

Race 3 : Uphell Time Trial, East Lomond mast car-park 1.4 mile

continued........
Race day is here - the majority of tourists (back up to 161) parked at
the top at the mast car park. I headed up in plenty of time, but didn't
want to run down too early as there's nothing worse than warming up by
running down the hill and then standing about. I timed it about right
and probably only had to wait a few minutes until my name was called
into the starting queue. Not so good for Joanne as she had another 20
minutes to wait. It just ads to the pressure hanging about watching
about 151 runners go off before you. My starting point was that I can't
run all the way up the hill, I never have been able to. My tactic was to
go slow and steady and try and run more of it than I had managed before.
I finished in 85th on 15.48 which did surprise me as I had achieved my
objective of running more of it than previous attempts and didn't feel
as bad. As it turns out, I was 50 seconds down on the previous year. So
"the jury is out on tactics" as my normal sprint/walk method seems to
have served me better than a steady pace.
Joanne found the hill really tough, but still managed to run 99% of it.
Afterwards she thought that she should have ran much better. However,
she still finished 49th with 14.39, 6th female and 4th in FS. Course
knowledge and previous experience would have helped.

Race : 4  Cambo Estate, near Kingsbarns about 4 miles Trail
This was 2 laps, the first half lap was a mixture of grass and trail,
but the second half was more down hill and very similar to our own glen.
153 lined up in the rain for this one with minimum warm ups all round.
My first lap was too quick as I was up with people that were ahead of me
over the last few days. I struggled to hold on to my pace and slowly saw
people pass me on the second lap. I also had one eye to the next race
which was the longest and very hill. I finished 89th in 33.54.
Joanne felt her legs really heavy but was more at home in this terrain.
She finished 45th with 30.35, 6th female with all the first 6 females
being within 1min 37sec of each other and much closer than previous
races. Going in to the last race, Joanne is sitting 5th female and 3rd
FS. The 1st FS is 4min 9sec in front, but there's another 2 FS's just 1
min 22 and 27 chasing. Still work to be done on the final one.

Race 5 : Mega Monimail Marvel 4.9m trail/hill race
The final day. Ah....!! In one way it was the best day, I felt better
prepared plus there were few cars on the road on a Sunday, allowing us
to get there 2hrs before the race. On the other hand, you do have tired
legs. Nothing that bad that would prevent you running, just minor aches,
but it will be the same for all. We recced the first 2 mile on the way
back yesterday and I was painfully reminded what it was like - first
half mile was on the road, then a 2 mile climb in WHW terrain, before
coming to a mast which signaled a fairly rapid decent back to Letham. I
had decided to go off slow and see how i felt, maybe pick up with a pack
and try to hold them until the top, plus it was the last race and it
didn't really matter how much effort I put in to it. I never told Joanne
this of course and advise that we need to both really go for it. I felt
a bit sorry for her as she was in 4th place going in to it and I knew
she'd have to battle round it to hold or improve her place.
2pm and we are off in to the sun. I soon forgot my tactics and was
running well in a pace that I could cope with. I was relieved to reach
the mast and knew the majority of it was down hill from that point.
Having ran it last year, I was aware that the finish was
different......just didn't realize that they would keep teasing you with
a down hill followed by a short up hill several times before you get
there. I finished 85th in 41.26
Joanne said that she loved the course and felt just at home. She
finished in 36th place with 37.17, 4th female (first 4 were within 1min
17secs)

Overall: I was 77th with 2hrs 28.49 secs (never won anything!). Joanne
was 34th with 2.15.21 - 4th female and a nice £50 in prize money to buy
everyone a drink in Islay. The female race first and second finishing
didn't change in all 5 races with the Cruikshanks sisters remaining
consistent throughout - 1st Ailsa FJ 2.07.04, 2nd Jennifer FS 2.10.14,
3rd Lynne Stephen V50 2.12.19

As usual it was very well organized in terms of marshaling, results
published on Fife website and facebook within an hour and 100's of
pictures from professional and amateur photographers. I stated the event
not having been running as much or with distance in my legs, I found
some parts very tough to handle, but had lots of good spells within
races. Hopefully it will kick start me out of that first pack!!
Joanne was the opposite as she has the endurance and was using it to
build speed for Islay. She ran really well and was right on the leaders
tails should they have "a bad day at the office". She thought that the
first race (the beach) and the last were her best. Course knowledge
plays a big part and when the leading bunch are finishing within a
minute or two, it's even more important.

George