Crieff 10k

This race took place on Sunday 11 July in its usual time slot in the racing calendar. A few Harriers have done this race before but I don’t recall anyone running it within the last five years at least.  This was my first race in seventeen months and the small race capacity of 200 appealed to me as I eased back into racing and the slightly different conditions we are experiencing at races at the moment. The race was split into two start times with the first 100 going off at 11.00 and the second 100 going off at 11.25. I was off at 11.00. 

Numbers were sent out in advance, I was asked not to arrive before 10.15 (for 11.00 start time) and to arrive race ready (no changing facilities).

The race started at its usual spot from Morrison’s Academy sports ground and there was ample room on the playing field to do a warm-up and space out pre-race.  The race is billed as being multi-terrain and I would say about 8k at least was off-road.  The course heads out over Laggan Hill past the Baird monument and back along the banks of the River Earn via Lady Mary’s Walk. All in it was billed as having 220m of total ascent and a lot of the climbing was done in the first 3k. I did find the going a bit tough for my first race back with the humid conditions and the hills. The trails were narrow in places and it appeared it had been raining in the last few days so it made for boggy underfoot conditions. 

I finished 5th female in a time of 45:26 and overall reasonably pleased given how I felt during the early part of the race. Strathearn Harriers put on a well organised race in the current climate and I was glad a race of this size was my first race back.

Julie