Criffel hill race

First of the 2017 SHR championship races, only 10k with 500m plus ascent, 200 set off, half a mile of road then some forest trail before the fun starts, mud mud tussocks mud, swamp, varying from 6 inches to a couple of feet deep, roots rocks and old fences doubling as trip wires add to the fun, knockendock hill first then a slight drop and heathery swamp to Criffel. Round Criffels small cairn and run down as fast as you dare, fallers everywhere caught out by hidden mud filled holes. Back over knockendock and down the mudslide, took it too carefully until overtaken by a couple of other runners, raised the intensity, caught them up and eased past gradually, the mud dried out , trail running now overtaking a couple then one final kick over the last 50m gained me another place, finished 136th in about 1 hour 25. Not a race I would have gone to if it wasn't a championship one, hard work going up and required full concentration on the way down. Great fun, well organised by Dumfries running club.