Kilpatrick Hill Race

Recovery race after Jura, set off near the back, took it easy up the road, jog walk up the zig zags running more towards the top. Single file across the heather pick up the effort once onto the farm road. Managed to.overtake a few.  Back on heathery stuff then the awkward run alongside Greenside reservoir, better marking of the spikes this year and onto the last climb up the slacks, undulating start to the descent then down towards the zig zags, manage to pass a couple before the last half mile on the road to finish in about 65 mins.

Dumyat hill race

Dumyat hill race, one of the most popular hill races in Scotland with entries for the past few years of over 300. Warm evening, dry underfoot, bluebells on show through the woods. Free running tee shirt this year as well but no chip timing. Quick start hoping for a rest queing up at the hole in the wall, not much of a rest this year, easy run along the track before the climb started, took it as easy as possible but not letting too many people past. Turned at the top and picked up the effort and pace for the drop down to the bog, over the fence and eased back mindful of Saturdays Stuc a'Chroin. Back into the bluebell woods and they let us run down the rocks for a change, probably as it was so dry. Bounced off a couple of trees on the steep drop before the road providing a laugh for those watching. Short undulating run back to the finish in about 50 minutes, fastest for a few years.

Cort Ma Law

Boggiest of the Bog n Burn series, 6 miles with 1500' or so of ascent. Clear cool evening, bigger field this year. Didn't try to run all of the initial climb, jogged and walked, keep the jog going  towards the top and along a series of up undulations with a few boggy bits to get you in the mood. From the top of CML to Lecket hill is where the fun starts, band after band of emerald green bog to negotiate, initially ok, tussock to tussock, gradually going into oxygen debt, the last couple, a launch and hope, knee deep. From Lecket a short gallop down muddy tussocks and tracks, slow walk out the gulley, gradually start to jog, one last bog, caught, thigh deep, face down, crawl, running again over the style and a few undulations trying to gain and not lose places. A final fast run down to finish just over 71 minutes.

Whangie Whizz

A few years since I last ran this, different gentler start, and a run through the Whangie. Tried to run all the way, managed it apart from a jump out the rocky end of the Whangie. Finished 67th out of 96 just inside 42 minutes.

Dumyat

Runnable bog n burn race, 7pm start outside the Gannochy sports centre at Striling Uni, calf recovering and tested with a wee run over Stoneymollan last night. Pre-entry this year and a chipped finish, nearly 300 runners, a lot for a short, 5 mile with 1250' of ascent, race. Charge up the road first rest as we funnel through the narrow gap in the wall, doesn't last long enough, running again along the track, a short road climb then into the woods, didn't notice any blue bells this year! Keep running where I can and gradually yoyo past a few run walkers, a final wheeze up round the summit cairn then freewheeling down, gasping for breath, arms windmilling for balance, dodging those still plodding up. Push past others on every steep down, struggling on flats and any short ups. Back in the forest, route change, slightly longer, to avoid the bad step, tree pinball on the mudslide only a couple of minutes left now, relax and run, gradually increase the effort but don't get much faster, finish in 52 1/2 minutes, 166th out of nearly 300, the winner 35 minutes, last 1 hour 51!

Cort Ma Law

Drizzly low cloud greeted us, full kit and full kit check for all and body count before the start. The field spread out, mostly ahead on the run walk up the steep slope from Campsie Glen. Steady running past a few minor tops and a few minor bogs on the way to CML. Fun started on the way to Lecket Hill, bog city, good ones where I stepped on mostly tussocks, some I didn't and further along resorting to jump, dive, grab the far side and pull myself up while trying to overtake and not be overtaken, all too soon we started the short climb to the top of Lecket followed by a boggy run into the gulley. Felt fine on the slow trudge back to the crossover ran where I could avoiding too much of a plunge into the last big bog. Undulating run back and down the steep grassy bank to finish in about 74 minutes.

Kilpatricks Hill Race

100 plus set off, warm and damp midgy night, first and last half mile on the road. Slow jog up through the crags, undulating moorland run interspersed with farm track, spikey muddy lochside trail, jog up the Slacks then down hill all the way back for a half mile of foot slapping road to finish in 66 plus minutes.

Dumyat and a 10k

Another 300 plus runners set out on this nice midweek blast up and down from the grounds of Stirling Uni. The first and last couple of hundred yards on road, in between, a twisty forest path and an undulating hill path, runnable apart from a few rocky parts and the odd bog. Good night for running dry overhead, damp underfoot, Mudclaw's with better grip than my Swoops but a bit harder on my feet. Reached the top just over 32 mins, and ran to finish just under 51 minutes. Thursday night and the next club GP race, our road 10k, 21 runners, ran as a recovery run to stretch the legs after Dumyat, finished in 55 mins.

Beinn Dubh

Nearly 90 runners started in the second running of this short race, 4 miles with 2000' of up and down including 6 from our club, probably a record. Drizzlly with cloud on the top half, started with a jog but soon walking the steeper bits. Reached the top 6th of 6 for the club but managed to pass three on the way back. Some interesting lines taken on the way down in the gloomy mist. Finished just over 54 minutes. Good to get this years Bog n Burn series underway.

Maddy Moss Mash

Bog n Burn hill race, 6 miles and 2400' of ascent, 90 of us start on a steep uphill slope, through ferns and rocks to a flat narrow trail towards the Law. Cross the bridge and up we go, 2 miles of effort, run, walk shuffle, manage to run off the Law, up Ben Cleuch round the cairn, back past the Law and up Andrew Gannel Hill before a nice thee mile undulating downhill run to the finish, wrong choice when the path split, new something wasn't quite right but just followed the crowd on the higher track. Beat my number (63), finishing in 62nd place just  under 75 mins, a minute slower than two years ago.

Cort Ma Law

A classic Bog n Burn race tonight, 6 miles with 1700' of ascent, starting across the road from Campsie Glen Car Park, a breezy evening meant no midgies. 65 runners set off up the steep climb to start, managed to run most of it with only a couple of short walks, the trail levels off within the first mile and pain subsides as the trail  undulates a runnable up for the next two miles where the luminous green bogs between Cort Ma Law and Lecket Hill trap the unwary. Fast running into the gulley from Lecket, slow plod back out, gradually start running again along towards the stile, the last bog claims a couple of victims, over the fence across the moor and my legs begin to wobble with the effort, plunge down the last half mile to a happy finish just over 64 mins.

Kilpatricks

Kilpatrick Hill race tonight, 6 miles with 1400' of ascent, 125 runners, their biggest field yet. Set off up the road trying not to lose too much distance on the rest. Onto the hill and decided to try to run the whole route rather than mix walking and running. Ran nice n easy up the hill, keeping my breathing in check, yo yoing the jog walkers, onto the moor feeling fine for the steady run past loch Humphrey and over moorland to the tricky wee path along Greenside reservoir, eased up the Slacks, steep at first then not so steep, good fun jogging past gasping walkers, passed the Trig point in 51 minutes, brakes off for the run back down the Kilpatrick Braes to finish inside 63 minutes.

Dumyat and a 10k, Midweek racing

After last weeks stormy Stuc a calm Wednesday evening race up an down Dumyat, it was the 40th aniversary of the race, 250 plus set off, over 100 less than last year. My target was to finish inside 50 minutes. No queues at the hole in the wa' this year and no Bluebells in the woods either. Kept to a steady slow jog on the way up including where I usually walk, only walking up two rocky bits, wheeled round the trig in 32 minutes something, concentration required on the way down to avoid runners coming up and in trying to keep the intensity high, its too easy to relax and cruise down thinking this is as fast as I can go. Soon I'm crossing the style onto the muddy path twisting and sliding through the woods, feet slapping down the tarmac hill before the short wee stress inducing uphill track towards the back of the uni grounds before a welcome gradual descent to finish in 50:22. Thursday night was the Club 10k, following the old Vale 10k route except starting and finishing at the LC. Numbers slightly down this year, 14 against 18 probably due to the proximity of the Kintyre Way race on Satrurday. Three groups set off, 60 mins+, 45-60mins, sub 45 mins, I chose the last one, not that I would break 45 mins tonight, my target was to beat last nights time. The rest of my group drifted away off in front and I tried to keep a steady pace, quads a bit tender. Round Lomond Shores and into Balloch Park my group disappeared off ahead but I started to catch the earlier group giving me something to chase. Picked off a few on the way through Jamestown to the Bonhill bridge. Finished just over 49 mins in 6th place.

Beinn Dubh

A new race in place of the Whangie, 4 miles and 2000' of ascent. I have run up here often, times ranging from 46 minutes to over an hour to get to the top. My pre-race target was up in 40, down in 20 and finish under the hour. The race starts in a field just across the A82 from Luss. 91 of us set off, I start at the back and jogged up, losing ground through the first field then gradually picking people off as the hill bit into their enthusiasm. Kept the jog going past half way, walked some boggy parts and again as it gets steeper towards the top before managing to run the last few hundred yards reaching the top in just over 38 minutes, round the cairn and freewheeling back down, I pass a couple then two others pass me on the steep drop towards half way down, I work hard along the flat closing the gap ahead and overtake a few as the path drops down again, can't catch the guy who passed me near the top, I clatter down the rocky path and into the slippy field at the bottom to finish 64th just inside 53 minutes.

Cort Ma Law

My planned run to the top of the first climb changed to "walk all the way" within a few seconds of the start, ok it was a quick walk and I was far from last. Up onto the top and familiar undulating run over 4 minor tops on the way to CML summit. Slowly caught and passed the three runners just ahead. After CML the marshy run to Lecket Hill, dry this year with only the odd knee deep plunge. Tried to keep a steady pace without too much oxygen debt and got past another two. From the Lecket a progressively steeper run down into the gulley helped me pass two more tentative runners, crossed the two streams at the bottom and into good effort for a fast as possible walk mode up out the gulley, soon running again although slowly when I was caught by the last big bog as I tried to jump across, dragged myself out and set off again, thoughts of catching any more runners ahead changed to keep ahead of those behind, sneaked a glance on the last downhill and had enough of a gap to cruise down to finish in just over 71 minutes. Quick change in the car park as the midgies feasted before the drive home.

Kilpatrick Hill Race

Just made the start arriving straight from work for this bog and burn favourite, 6 miles and 1400 feet of climbing. A bit midgie for tonights 99 runners. Tarmac to start before a steady climb up the Kilpatrick braes, on top progressively faster running across the moor as I catch my breath then onto a landrover track covered in chuckies, sore on my feet so I kept to the side, past loch Humphries then onto moorland again a few ups and downs, one fall, don't step on wet rock at speed,  to a narrow tricky trod alongside Greenside reservoir, the short climb up the slacks feels hard but you can jog most of the top half if you don't look up. Past the trig point and I can breathe again, over fences and ditches then running hard downhill towards the steep drop back to the dreaded foot slapping tarmac to finish in 65 mins.

Midweek Races

Ran the Club 10k race on Tuesday and felt as if I was running on someone else's wibbly wobbly legs, the race started and finished at Balloch Castle and followed the old Polaroid 10k route. Within a couple of hundred yards I new it wasn't going to be fast. I settled into a steady pace and watched the rest of my start group go off into the distance. It was Luss Road before I caught and passed anyone else. Felt good on the short downhill stretch into Lomond Shores then slowed down again on the flat run through the complex. Eased up the hill into the Park to finish just over 54 mins.

Last night was Dumyat hill race, 5 miles and 1200', I wasn't looking forward to it after Tuesday's struggle. Arrived just in time to register for the 7 pm start, big field again, turned out to be about 380 runners. No time or desire to warm up before we were off and running. Road and farm track to start, gently climbing, felt ok, legs much better off than last night, I felt I could run again. The track soon undulates up through the forest with a few bottlenecks where everyone queued and I could gasp a few extra breaths. Onto the open hill and ran where I could, the leaders start to come back down sooner than I hoped. Avoid the worst of the bog then a last push for the top. Start the run down freewheeling until I gain some sort of breathing control pushing hard on the downs but unable to keep it going on the short flats in between. Reach the bottom for the run back along the track to the Uni, slight uphill at first and loose a few places, able to relax for the closing few hundred yards as they are downhill, accelerate through the finish in 53:24.

Maddy Moss

Perfect evening for running, and a new race for me. This is the longest of the midweek races, 6 miles and 2500' of ups and downs to come. The start is a few flights of steps up the Mill Glen behind Tillicoutry. A short steep climb to start so a wee jog for show then walk till we get to a narow runnable path contouring round Kirk Craigs into Mill Glen, a short drop down steps into a gulley then up onto the Law. A scramble at the bottom before steep grassy slopes, hands on knees and push for about half an hour until I crested the top, sweat pouring off me and the other 127 runners on the tough climb. The next top, Ben Cleuch is less than a mile away with only 300' up so we all run it, not very fast but its running. Round the cairn and ease downhill halfway back towards the Law and we swing across to Andrew Gammel Hill, another short runnable climb. Just over half way now and its downhill all the way from here. A nice track takes us into a Glen where we run along a narrow path cut into the steep hillside, difficult to overtake. Just when the path opens out the ground becomes steeper and rockier to test your nerve. We join the outward route for the last hundred yards dropping down through gorse, rock and heather. Stood and watched the next few runners finish before a quick change and a pint in the Woolpack. Drove home to a crimson skyline silhouetting the mass of peaks to the north. Pictures here.

Cort Ma Law

Boggiest Bog n Burn race for a while, 6 miles and 1700 feet of ascent. The rain held off but the ground was soft. After the climb up from Jamie Right's Well to the top of Cort Ma Law you think the hard work is done then you hit the undulating swamp on the run round to Lecket Hill. An emerald green sea, your not sure if its ankle deep or waist deep, you find the waist deep ones when your going like a wee train, its hard to get going again, then you stop at every one, suspicious, you hear the runner behind coming and just go for it. Three thigh deep plunges meant the runners behind kept catching up, the soft ground making for a hard run. Respite after reaching the top of Lecket, downhill and the bogs are narrow enough to jump. For a change I managed to stay on my feet in the run into the gulley then a slow trudge back out. Slowly get back to running but one more plunge just before I reach the safety of the path. Jump the fence and run as hard as possible across the moor and a fast descent to finish in just over 69 minutes.

Dumyat

Extremely dry for the Dunyat race, 5 miles 1250' of ascent, a nice wee up and down from the grounds of Stirling Uni. Over 300 runners made for a busy race, started in the middle of the pack lost a few places going up then got them back going down. Road and track leading into bluebell woods then onto the hill, ran more of the ups than usual and got to the top in just under 32 mins, about a minute more than I was looking for, concentration a bit wayward. Round the trig point and down through a mass of runners still coming up, gradually picked up the pace making good use of gravity but wary of a fall on the busy paths. Nice run down through the woods, the steep muddy bank too dry to attract much of a crowd. Nice n steady along the up part of the track then gradually wound up the pace all the way to the finish once back on the downhill. Finished in 155 place in 49 mins 10. Civilised end with a shower and then the Uni cafe for food before the drive home. Some pictures here.