Glamaig Hill Race

3rd race in this years SHR championship gave me a good excuse to have a go. Mean to be a tough race even though its only a short one.

About 200 set off from the Sligachan Hotel across a bridge and along a short section of road before joining a narrow walkers path undulating gently upwards across moorland towards Glamaig.

The ascent is a a steep grassy climb, a few rocks come flying by dislodged by runners ahead. Gradient eases and after a grassy gulley a bouldery clamber to the top, round a cairn gasping at the stunning views then plunging down steep scree covered slopes, rocks and dust flying everywhere, towards the bottom the scree blocks a bit bigger slow the pace a bit then onto grassy slopes back to the road to finish at the hotel in about 84 mins.

130th out of 199 finishers.

Great wee race with the Sligachan Hotel providing a free dinner, drink and ceilidh after the race. More pictures here.

Yetholm Hill Race

Next SHR Championship race, long drive about 2 1/2 hours to get to the start at Halterburn in the hills behind Kirk Yetholm. About 140 set off, anticlockwise this year, I've done both clock and anti clock before. The anti route undulates up over five wee hills on the way out to the Curr then two on the way back. The first climb and the Curr are the biggest. Walked the ups ran the flats and downs. From the Curr the route undulates down and managed to run all the way, finished in about 1 hour 47.

Chapelgill Hill Race

Chilly short race, the first counter in this years SHR Championship.

Field slightly down on expected, about 130, probably due to the baltic condititons in Glenholm. Started towards the back and immediately felt like I was hyperventilating, this lasted 5 or 10 minutes, after that I revertted to a wheeze, behind many I would normally keep up with. Slope eases towards the top and manage a slow jog round the summit marshalls tent. Steady run back down through the heather avoiding the frozen path, managed to overtake a couple on the way down, finished warm in about 37 minutes, soon cooled off once I stopped. A few pictures here.