Tinto Hill Race

My tenth go at this race, 200 plus starters, better than usual weather, dry and bright and not too cold or windy. Aim was to get back under 50 minutes after last years 50+PW , set off near the back, steady up to the gate, after the gate the climb starts, mixture of running the flatter bits and drop into a fastish walk on the steeper ramps. The second mile slower, there's more ascent, round the cairn, brakes off for the descent, managed to overtake quite a few only lost a few seconds waiting to get past someone on a narrow section just before the gradient eases, pushed on and happy to finish inside 50 mins about 40 seconds quicker than last year.

Ready for the off

Finished!

Tinto Hill Race

Short race up and down Tinto hill, about 160 started on a breezy overcast afternoon, rain stopped about 10 minutes into the race, wind into and across made for hard work on the way up and threatened to blow you over on the way down, ground drier than usual helped a bit, finished in 89th place a bit over 48 minutes.

Tinto Hill; Race

Late morning drive down the motorway turning off at Abingdon for Tinto, new set up this year, park and register at Damn Delicious beforw a short warm up across a couple of fields to the usual start.

Slightly smaller field this year, about 200 set off, a bit muddy on the lower slopes.

A minute or two slower than my best time to the top running all the way, turn and pick up pace, each mile faster.

Finished inside 50 mins and back to DD for some hot soup.

Tinto Hill Race

Just over an hours drive to get to Symington to register for this short Autumn race. A quick sandwich and coffee refuel in Tinto Hill Cafe before a short warm up. 200 plus set off at 2pm , started near the back, gradual climb to start then steeper with a few flat bits and rough patches. Kept a steady jog all the way up,  reached the top a couple of mins slower than last year. Round the huge cairn and off down, probably took it a bit too easy passing a few but just tracking a couple of other runners. Worked a bit harder down the last steep bit before the gradual muddy descent to the finish in 50 minutes. Good fun but need to push a bit harder up and down.

Tinto Hill Race

5 of us took part in this years Tinto, 4 and a bit miles up and down with about 1500' of climb. Nearly 250 started, ran up the trail then through the mud at the bottom of the climb and ran and walked to the top, recovery jog on the stoney trail round the cairn then brakes off for a quick as possible descent. Finished in 115th place in just over 47 minutes, great day for it, cool, not much of a breeze and clear blue skies overhead.

Tinto Hill Race

4th go at Tinto hill race, straight up and down, 2 miles each way with 2000' of ascent. After a pre race sandwich and coffee in the Tinto cafe set off near the back of 220 runners, worked my way forward before the real climb began, kept a steady jog going working at getting past a few walking or jog walking. The rocky muddy path undulates up into the mist and round a minor top before the last wee pull to the summit and a run round the huge cairn in 112th place. Worked hard on the descent gained over a dozen places, lost a couple on the flattish run in to finish in 101st place inside 46 minutes. Soup and rolls in Symington hall after.

Tinto

Third attempt at this little up and down traily hill race. About 250 entries for the 4 miles and 1500' makes for a crocodile like start as we trot up the path in a line, track muddy at first gradually gives way to a broken stoney trail then smoother chuckies towards the misty top. Round the huge summit cairn, the downward trail seems rougher than on the way up, good fun bombing down the steeper sections, finished inside 50 minutes just before the rain started. Pictures here and here.

Tinto and Ben Narnain

White topped hills greeted us to the borders for Tinto hill race, 200 plus runners set off up the trail, 2 miles up and 2 miles down, set off trying to run all the way up, managed it apart form the last climb in single file on slippy snowy ground. As I ran up other runners would run past then slow to a walk, so I would pass them, this pattern continued all the way to the top, jog stagger round the summit cairn and set off down the heathery slopes beside the path, managed to pass a few on the way down with some good tussles on the stoney path, the last few hundred yards tough as the trail leveled off, finished inside 47 minutes, then back to Symington village hall for soup revival and my 2013 SHR mug. Forecast for Sunday was good, a late start after a late night, Ben Narnain was the target, clear blue skies and snowy tops made for busy mountains. Ran up to the Narnain Boulders and into the snow.

Ran past the Cobbler and up Narnains NW shoulder, a slow trudge in the snow, the views got better and the snow got deeper as I climbed up, a clear day and I could see from Ailsa Craig to Ben Nevis.

The breeze picked up towards the top, nothing a light jacket and gloves didn't solve, as the gradient eased towards the top the crust froze and supported your weight, good for running and the snow filled gaps made the boulder field easy to cross.

Snowy mountains for miles from the top.

Fun descent going on to soft fresh snow to the right of the steeper walkers path I took on the way up, all too soon I was back down at Bealach a Mhaim and turning for Succoth on the path between Narnain and the Cobbler. 2 hours 50 runtime for 11 or 12 miles and 3800', more pictures here. Great hill run in perfect winter conditions.

Tinto and a Duathlon

A new race for me, Tinto is about 4 1/2 miles with 1500' of ascent. We set off at 2 pm up the track. Runnable at first then the undulations put me into jog walk mode up most of Totherin Hill, we bypass the top, running again around its flank through Maurice's Cleuch before the gradient puts me in my place, another walk, I gradually pick up pace towards the top of Tinto reaching it in just over 35 mins, I run round the large cairn eager for the descent realising the winner has finished a few minutes ago. Easy running down over the red felsite rock Tinto is made of wary of the frequent muddy patches preferring to go off path onto the heathery stuff at the side. I manage to pass a few people on the way back which helps to make up for my slow climb. Descent time about 14 mins, pleased to finish just under 49 mins, 163rd out of 259. Pictures here and here.

Sunday was the 2nd last race in this years Club Grand Prix, another new one, a Duathlon, a 4 mile run round the Vale then 8 miles on the bike on Auchencarroch Road, finished in 71 minutes, 6th out of 14, 31 minute run, 40 minute cycle, pictures here.