Maddy Moss Hill Race

5th go at this race, starts and finishes just behind Tillicoutry. 70 of us set off up steep grassy slopes to reach the path traversing round to the Law, slow climb running where I could, undulating run from the Law to Ben Cleuch then back across to Andrew Gannel Hill. Short down and up through Maddy Moss before a long gradual descent towards Tillicoutry, the last section providing a mixture of rough and steep grassy descending to finish in about 78 minutes.

Maddy Moss hill race

Warm sunny evening, race or head for the hills, decided to race, early start 7pm got there with half an hour to spare. Short steep climb to start before a narrow flat trail to the main climb up the Law, hands on knees and push for 20 plus minutes with a few wee short jogs on the flatter bits. Enjoyed the climb probably meant i didn't push it too hard or hard enough. Over the top of the Law and running to Ben Cleuch round the cairn and back past the Law to Andrew Gannel hill. A short down and up then a longer down hill to Mill glen to a short steeper rocky drop to rejoin the outward track back to finish inside 75 mins.

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.

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.