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
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