TRAIL RACE PRIZE WINNERS

Here are the prize winners from Calderglen Harriers Trail Races held on 28/06/2019
Only one prize per person except team prizes and only one team prize per club per race per gender.

1K  1st  male Jamie McCarthy   Cambuslang Harriers      1st female  Anna Ross     Glasgow Tri
      2nd male Ewan Kennedy     Cambuslang Harriers      2nd female  Lola Finnigan North Ayrshire AC
      3rd male  Kyle Patterson     U/A                              3rd female  Emy Finnigan North Ayrshire AC
       Male Team    NO WINNER                                                                      
       Female Team  North Ayrshire AC    Lola Finnigan, Emy Finnigan, Rachel Forsyth

U/12 3K   1st male  Sam Rice   Kilmarnock Harriers        1st female  Adele Street  North Ayrshire AC
               2nd male  Craig Shennan   Giffnock North AAC   2nd female  Eva McAlpine Calderglen Harriers
                3rd male   Calan Chong  Giffnock North AAC    3rd female   Millie Gairn  Airdrie Harriers
          Male Team    EKAC    Euan Thorpe,  Ben Baillie,  Jamie Connor
       Female Team   Calderglen Harriers   IEva McAlpine,   Cara Rooney,   Emma Hutton


U/15  3K   1st male  Robbie Woods   Cambuslang Harriers  1st female  Hannah Ryding Giffnock North AAC
                2nd male  Jamie Philips   Kilmarnock Harriers   2nd female Niamh Murphy  North Ayrshire AC
                3rd male   Calum Charters  EKAC                      3rd female  Kate Paul  Giffnock North AAC
          Male Team     EKAC  Calum Charters,   Christopher Cairns,  Sam Hosie
        Female Team  Cambuslang Harriers  Eva Ritchie, Fiona Hay,   Eilidh Kennedy

5K    1st male     Drew Pollock Cambuslang Harriers    1st female   Ruth Joss  Shettleston Harriers
        2nd male   Michael Black Cambuslang Harrier      2nd female  Kathryn Pennel Shettleston Harriers
        3rd male   Simon Fraser  Hamilton Harriers         3rd female  Charlene Manley  Shettleston Harriers
 1st male vet    David Cathie   Whitemoss AAC          1st female vet   Kelly Baillie  EKAC
 1st male junior  Kai Newell  Cambuslang Harriers    1st female junior  Susie McLaughlin Cambuslang Harriers
     1st male team   Cambuslang Harriers  Drew Pollock, Michael Black,  Kai Newell
     1st female team  Shettleston Harriers   Ruth Joss, Kathryn Pennel,  Charlene Manely

10K  1st male    John Fergusson   EKAC                           1st female    Jill Smylie     Giffnock North AAC
        2nd male   Keiran Cooper  University                       2nd female   Mary McCutcheon Giffnock North AAC
       3rd male   Daryl Reid  EKAC                                     3rd female  Charlotte McKenna Giffnock North AAC
       4th male    Steven Campbell Greenock Glenpark       4th female   Yvonne McNairn Giffnock North AAC
       5th male    Paul Murphy   U/A                                  5th female   Romy Beard  Bellahouston RR
       6th male    Richard Cooper Cambuslang Harriers       6th female   Kristina Greig  Bellahouston Harriers
       1st M Vet   Connell Drummond  Kilmarnock Harriers  1st F Vet   Allie Chong Giffnock North AAC
       2nd M Vet  Matthew Williamson  Blane Runners         2nd F vet  Pamela McCrossan Clydesdale Harriers
       1st M40     Scott Wilson  Giffnock North AAC             1st F35      Emma Blair  Garscube Harriers 
       1st M45    John Brogan  Airdrie Harriers                    1st F40     Stephanie Lille  Giffnock North AAC
       1st M50    Keith Haining  Jog Stewarton                     1st F45    Jayne Macnamara  Bellahouston Harriers
       1st M55    Ted Gourley  Giffnock North AAC              1st F50     Maria Doherty Glasgow South RR
        1st M60    Donald Petrie  Kilbarchan AC                   1st F55     Karen Moore    U/A
        1st M65    Peter Rudzinski  Clydesdale Harriers         1st F60    Maureen O'Hara  Garscube Harriers
     1st male junior   David Chisholm Hamilton Harriers      1st female junior   NO WINNER
     1st male team   Giffnock North AAC   Ted Gourley,  Colin Wylie,  Scott Wilson
     1st female team   Giffnock North AAC   Jill Smylie,   Mary McCutcheon,   Charlotte McKenna
     2nd male team     EKAC   John Fergusson, Daryl Reid,  Arthur Mulholland
     2nd female team    Bellahouston RR   Romy Beard, Siobhann Dunn, Anne Campbell
     3rd male team    Cambuslang Harriers  Richard Cooper,  Paul Kernohan,  David Thom
     3rd female team   Greenock Glenpark Harriers   Marion Monk,  Cheryl Thomas,  Marianne McKay

Place prizes and spot prizes have already been awarded
Vouchers will be posted on Monday and should arrive by Wednesday

Vertical Mile - Small Field, Big Performances

In a week of extreme contrasts in weather, the Vertical Mile drew the short straw with fairly miserable, drizzly conditions persisting throughout the event. Not too bad for running though. Unfortunately the numbers were significantly down this year and we had the smallest field ever. This did not prevent the achievement of many fine performances though.

Fastest on the night and retaining the VM title was Mark Saez in a time of 6:49 who was pressurised early on by Chris McCarron (7:05). Although Mark was slightly slower than last year, the conditions were far from perfect and the road quite busy. On the other hand, this was Chris' first vertical mile, making it particularly difficult to know how to pace it. Jim Holmes did all he could to challenge for the Grand Prix, finishing third in 7:51. This would be at the shorter end of David Wardrope's race range but he ran strongly to finish in 8:03. Eddie Reid was managing the starting process, so effectively gave everyone else a slight start. However Eddie chased down the field to finish in 4th in 8:17. 

Alison Lessells was also on a GP and Club Championship deciding mission here and had a determined, post-holiday run to win for the first time in 8:29. Morgan Beaton was running the VM for only the second time and smashed her previous best by over a minute in 8:43. Julie Thomson also took a chunk out of her previous best to finish in 9:19. Next in was Russell Couper in an almost identical time to last year of 9:26. Lorraine Buchanan was in Grand Prix winning mode, finishing in 9:30. Finally, a very siezed up Andy Henderson completed the results in 9:55.

After running the few miles back to the club, trophies and trays were presented to the winners Mark and Alison (if anyone knows where the Ladies' Vertical Mile trophy is, could you please let Russell or Kenny know).

Well done all and thanks to Frances for capturing everyone in the photos here.

Alan

Provisional Trail Race Results

30/06/2019 - Results updated (affects one entrant on the 5k only - age category changed).
29/06/2019 - Results updated (affects 3k only). We had a few finish line problems during the 3k in particular caused by race numbers not being clearly displayed (e.g. not pinned to the front of competitors' running tops as the Scottish Athletics race permit regulations require but instead pinned to the leg of the shorts and partially hidden by overhanging vests or wrapped around a very small leg!) which had a knock on effect on several 3k results (once we had wrongly entered a number in the timing system, we couldn't enter it a second time when the person with that number crossed the line, so the second person inadvertently appeared as a DNF). Anyway, it should all be corrected now. The document at the link below has been updated.

A set of provisional results for all the races are in this document. We will validate and update over the next few days and upload the final results to the Trail Race Results database on the Calderglen Harriers web site.
Alan

Tables and cool boxes

Last minute call out for anyone who may have portable foldaway tables for tomorrow night. 3 ideally but whatever you have would be great.

Also slightly concerned about chocolate melting in the heat. So might be an idea to have loads of cool boxes . If you have anything, can you bring along please.

Cheers, jim

Trail Race Catering

As you are aware, we provide a buffet for our guests after the trail race. I would be grateful if members would consider how they might contribute to this. Only items purchased from a shop e.g. cakes, biscuits, crisps etc or food made up on the premises e.g. sandwiches are suitable. Due to catering restrictions home baking is not acceptable. As we did last year, any members who wish to donate money towards this will be able to do so by speaking to myself or Frances. If you prefer to bring something shop bought this can be brought along on the day.

Thank You,
Jim

Trail Race Roles

Dear All,

This spreadsheet details everyone's role at Trail Race. I have based these on what you have said about your availability. If you are not sure where your marshalling position is, please speak to myself, Ruth, Davie, Frances, Richard, or Martin. Failing that, we will fill you in on the night.

Roles are subject to a bit of flexibility on the night. If you have any concerns please let me know and I'll try to fix it.

Thanks,

Jim

Men’s (and Women’s) Health 2019

So, keeping with tradition the usual posse of me, Graham Ramage, Stephen Phimister, Mark Saez and joining us this year, Neil Green set off bright and early on Sunday morning to make the short trip, all shoe horned in to Stephen’s car, down the M77 and on to the Glasgow Museum of Transport – the starting point of the Men’s Health 2019 10k.

For four of us this would be our 5th consecutive year taking part in this version of the event (it’s had various route changes, finishing points and other minor details altered) and for Neil this was his maiden outing at the event, buoyed by a very successful showing at last weekends “Roon the Toon” 10k at Kilmarnock.

Eating my porridge before leaving time, Tomasz Schafernaker, the BBC weatherman, was making passing remarks about Central Scotland (and Glasgow in particular) (it seemed he knew I was watching and was talking directly to me!) being in line for some pretty heavy rain, hail and even thunder and lightning! Jeezo. Time to rethink the wardrobe! Anyway, it seemed the aforementioned Tomasz (I’m not writing that surname again!) was on the wind up, other than a fairly heavy shower well in to the race the conditions were ideal.

Arriving nice and early we set about our pre-race routine and you’ll remember me telling you in previous reports that the Transport Museum designate the Ladies toilets as Male toilets given the influx of men taking part – seems obvious, however – at this year’s event there were dozens of women lining up to take part too. I’ll leave you to ponder the politics.

Warm-ups well underway, we bumped in to big John McBride, another serial Men’s Healther and Paul Kane was spotted perched on a bollard having cycled to the event from EK.

Also signed up and taking part were Gerry Mullen and his son Ross and following a brief chat with Gerry we wished each other well and got on with the job in hand.

This event, although growing in size, isn’t an out and out club race, there aren’t many club vests to be spotted although again this year there were more than have been evident in previous years. So, with that said and about 10 minutes until the gun we all slotted in to where we belonged in the grid. Me and Stephen, rather modestly, a good bit back in the Red Wave, Graham a bit further back and Mark and Neil chests against the tape!

BANG – and we were away! Usual route – making sure to take in the cross-country section of the SECC car-park, bloody hell, The Boys From the Blackstuff could make a few Bob seeing to that.

Stephen and I started together but there was no way I was going to hold on to his pace having completed the first mile in 6.20m/m so I backed off and wished him well. Going to be his year in our very good-natured rivalry I guess.

On along the Clydeside, where at exactly the same spot as last year one Mr Ian Tomb came trotting up behind me “I’ve been trying to catch you since the start” Déjà vu! (read last year’s report). Ian it appeared was up for a well-intended blether, me on the other hand, no words, so before long he was on his way in pursuit of Stephen.

As the race sauntered along and just before the turn for the King George V bridge, I spotted Neil at the side of the road, stopped. As I approached he re-joined explaining that after the first mile he felt devoid of any power with nothing in his legs to keep the pace going. He’s been busy with training and racing lately and really pumping in the miles, maybe a total rest is in order. Anyway – fortuitous for me he became my un-official pacer for the remainder of the race!

Through the city centre out towards Glasgow Green where it immediately became apparent that some major changes to the route had been effected. I’ve got to say that the changes made were not for the better as this section of the race involved tight turns, slippery surfaces (this is where Tomasz’s promised squall finally descended upon us) and a 180 degree turn around a cone on a narrow path, not ideal in an event with 2k+ runners trudging along! Anyway, as we reasoned later it was probably to reduce road closures and the ultimate cost of policing the event.

Back in to the merchant City, finish line beckoning, Neil dragging me along like an old coat we managed to get a bit of pace going for the last quarter mile and round the twists and turns eventually crossing over the line together.

Ross was the first Harrier to finish in a splendid show of running, his time a very swift 35.50 and placing 6th overall. Hats off to you Ross!

Mark who was expecting to go well also had a bit of a crash in form running out of gas around the 4 mile mark and came home in a time of 40.05, still, not a disaster!

Stephen, despite thinking that he went 42.05 with which he was a bit non-plussed later confirmed that his time was actually 41.06, so a good performance there and only a few seconds down on last year.

Then me, not having had much training in my legs due to my recent illnesses and a belter of a head cold which came to live with me on Friday, wobbling over the line in 42.48 with Neil.

Gerry was next home in a very respectable 46.39 although we didn’t manage to catch up at the end for a report on how his race went.

Then Graham, who admittedly has struggled to get much running done at all due to other commitments, running home a few seconds shy of 48 minutes in 47.54.

John McBride crossed the line in a steady 54.39 with Paul Kane coming in with a solid 52.49. Ian Tomb showed in the results to have finished with exactly the same time as Stephen (41.06), well done there.

With everyone home safe and sound and with all the racing stories exchanged, we set off on our two- and half-mile jog back to the Transport Museum for our traditional post-race purvey and photo shoot – remember we pose at a different exhibit each year, last year in front of the Ambulance, as though to mock our condition.

This year it was suggested more than once that we should use the Electric Vehicle charging points as a backdrop, such was our depleted energy levels but, in the end, opted for the back of the bus to Auchenshuggle, once again asking a foreign tourist to capture our snap – though this year the fella doing the honours had a bit of a shaky hand and we needed a couple of go’s.

Great fun, great laughs and a brilliant well needed cup of tea at the end of the morning, this is definitely not a 10k for the racing purists among us. The course is tricky in places, not very well marked out at some points and that brilliant section of xc over the car-park make it a bit more of a fun run than a serious racers event.

We enjoy it nonetheless and it gives us a great chance for a catch up, so here’s to next year.
Maybe, all being well and performances meriting it, we’ll pose in front of the fire engine!

Martin.

Hebredian Half Marathon Series: Part 2 - Isle of Skye

A fortnight on from Stornoway and Joanne and I were on the road again, this time to do the Isle of Skye Half Marathon.  We had decided for this journey, due to the time we were leaving EK on the Friday, that we would stay at Kyle of Lochalsh.

We woke to a lovely Saturday morning and after breakfast (we were envious of the full cooked breakfast that was on offer but that would have to wait till Sunday) we set off for Portree, on the Isle of Skye, a journey which involves crossing the Skye Bridge.  We arrived in Portree in plenty of time for the race and even had time to do a warm-up and get some pre-race sightseeing done.  It was obvious even at this early stage it was going to be warm for the race.

The Skye half marathon was going to be the biggest of the half marathons we had entered as part of the series.  This half was to be run on closed roads.  Like Stornoway a piper led the runners to the start line.

The first mile and a half involved a gradual climb out of Portree before a steep climb at Druimuie.  This then led to a downhill section to the Kensalyre turn.  The race was a constant up and downhill and in the heat I was finding this hard going.  It was a welcome sight at around about mile 7 when a resident had set up a hosepipe outside their house.  The last mile was all downhill and should have made for a good finish but I had nothing left in my legs and the last half mile felt more like a mile.  The race finished at Portree high school.

All finishers received a bottle of Eagle Ale (a local ale) and a t-shirt (note to the ladies in the club - the t-shirt came in women’s sizes as well and not just your generic small, medium and large!).  There was a food village set up in the school car park and this had a wide variety of local produce.  Your race entry also entitled you to a free swim or spa and there was plenty of showering facilities.  With it being such a lovely day Joanne and I headed into Portree and got ourselves a well deserved ice-cream.

As I mentioned in my first report the trips were all going to be characterised by a gin from each location.  So while wandering around Portree we stumbled upon Misty Isle gin, distilled in Skye.

And for the history lesson - we stopped on the way back at Eileon Donan Castle, just outside Kyle of Lochalsh, one of the most picturesque castles in Scotland.  The castle was founded in the thirteenth century.  At least four different versions of the castle have been built and rebuilt since then.

Yet again we both had a great trip and the run was only half the trip, with the trip also giving us the chance to visit and explore new places.

So we move on to the last of our races in the trip (and the last race overall in the Heb 3 series) the Isle of Harris half marathon, when we are joined by Karen and Alison as we celebrate the end of the Heb 3 series.

For anyone wanting to see our progress in the Heb 3 series then the results after the first three races can be found on Stornoway Athletic Club’s website.

Julie & Joanne

Basic Life Support

Just a wee reminder that we are holding an update on basic life support and defibrillator training up at the club Wed 12th at 8pm. Hopefully see Some of you there

Chatelherault World Championships 2019

Our fortnightly trip to Chatelherault Country Park for an enjoyable 7 mile training run turns into a more competitive outing once per year when it becomes the Chatelherault World Championships, one of the final few races in the Harriers' Grand Prix. It can't be that unenjoyable though given that all but one of the 14 Harriers who lined up on the start line had arrived knowing it was race night as they had remembered their club vests, as the photo above shows.

After a short warm up and briefing the Harriers lined up and set off on 7 miles of hard effort. Andrew Buchanan made the early break from the start and would have an almost solo effort all the way around except for an encounter with a hissing badger high on the far side of the trail. When I heard this, I remembered the time about 20 years ago on one of the club's earliest Chatelherault training runs when Martin Duthie and I were running ahead of everyone and at that exact same point a badger ran out of the undergrowth and I had to hurdle it as it snapped at our feet! I think we can say for sure there is an established badger set out there. Andrew escaped unscathed to record a comfortable victory in 50:35. Next across the line and having a great run was Stephen Phimister in 53:57. Russell even let him keep his Grand Prix points despite not wearing a club vest. Jim Holmes was glad to be running rather than swimming in a cold lake as he had been the day before and powered across the line in 57:32. It's no surprise that Eddie Reid's legs were shot after the previous days ADIL half marathon leg but Eddie still managed a respectable 58:54. Unfortunately Richard Lawton is suffering from an inflamed Achilles tendon attachment which makes every run painful (and especially painful the next day). So Richard's time of 61:52 was impressive. Morgan Beaton was the first of our ladies across the line, absolutely smashing her PB in a time of 63:05. Julie Thomson was close behind in 63:31, an excellent time. Gordon McInally had a bit of a race on with Lorraine Buchanan but managed to hold on to finish in 64:59, Lorraine at his back in 65:11. After another gap, Russell Couper finished in 66:42, his fastest for some years, just keeping ahead of Seonaid Morton (66:50) who was escorted safely around the unfamiliar route by Geo Ferguson (66:52). Martin Howell and Chris McCarron were both ill in one way or another and stopped short of the finish. Frances Ferguson was our photographer for the night and captured the action at several points near the start and finish of the lap. Thanks to Frances for withstanding the midges! Frances' photos are in this album.

The GP is now set up for the final showdown at the Vertical Mile in a few week's time.
Alan