The Scottish Mid-Trail Championships 2018

On the descent

After not doing Killin 10k last week I got back on to continuing to get myself race fit by doing this year's Scottish Mid-Trail Championships in Falkland, Fife for the first time.

 

I made sure I set off in plenty of time as the AA route planner said it would take 1h 18 mins but I need to make sure I have time to get lost and park the car.  Needless to say it didn't take long to get lost as I had in my head I was driving towards Stirling before heading east.  I pulled into Stirling services for a comfort break and check my directions which on inspection told me to head onto the M8!  So abandoned AA route planner and used sat nav from Stirling services to Falklands which despite not having a clue where I was going got me there no problem.  I pulled into the Falkland Community Hall car park to get parked and abandoned my car to run in and pick up my number.  After that I had no idea where the race started so asked a local Fife AC runner where I could park and the race start.  As I followed his directions I was very lucky and found a space in the crowded village quickly which helped me to relax.  I preceded to get my race number and trail shoes on and decided to follow other runners in the hope they were going were I was going. 

 

The race start was very understated on road corner with spectators on either side not very Championship like.  Anyway I carried on warming up and keeping an eye out for George & Joanne who were down on the entry list but as time drew close 2pm race starting time there was no sight.  At this point I meet the local Fife AC runner (Brian Smith) again and it turns he knows George from his east coast running exploits. Brian said hello George. Final race instructions and we were off!

 

Rare flatter part of course

Starting as the race means to go on it was a hilly start and didn't let up over the next 10k.  We preceded up a tarmac road which then took us off a single track route ascending into the woods which opened into a rocky road uneven surface, big stones in the ground and on the surface so you had to watch where you put your feet.  This type of terrain you could easily strain an ankle or worse.  Carrying on down this track for a bit the leading pack (2 runners) passed me around 19 minutes with no other runners in sight. So I kept going hard but careful and the track was beginning to descend down before looping back up a single sand track route which felt the log jam and vertical mile combined.  At the top you turned left and started looping back the course with descends now ascending.  Then we turned left again and ran down a familiar black ash Chatelherault style of terrain for a mile until at the bottom there was huge sharp climb up to exit the woods and onto a country path with hedges either side.  This final path out of the woods was good terrain and allowed me to pick some speed and not feel concerned taking is on the road we started on and run down to the finish.

 

I crossed the line in 49:54 in 64th out of a field of 78 men and combined field of 121 men and women. This was one of the toughest races I have done and all the Chatelherault and effort seasons give me the strength to get round. I definitely felt I ran better than I did 3 weeks ago so encouraging.

 

Famous face in the crowd.  When I was in the Falkland Community Hall getting my free refreshments (which I think they were hit with the food legislation we were for our own trail race with no soup or sandwiches just lots of pre-packed biscuits, juice, teas & coffee). Anyway the famous face was Willie Rennie (Lib Dem Leader / PH Racing Club runner) who ran a respectable 39:16 in the M50 category

 

Richard

Link to results:
http://salroadrunningandcrosscountrymedalists.co.uk/Archive/Trail%20Running/Mid/Results/National%20Mid%20Trail%20Race%20Results%20Index.html