Report
For a good few years I have been wondering
if this race was worth the
effort. The handfuls of people that turn up every
year seem to enjoy it though.
When I was asked if I could put
it back one week and hence avoid "The Ben" and would I mind
it being
an SHR
Championship, at last, I thought, perhaps we will have a good
turnout.
I decided to head down earlier this year, so leaving Roslin at
9:30am, Shane, Moira and I followed a host of straw bales, the
odd tractor
and a few infuriating 30mph drivers who put on the brakes for
every corner. So after putting up the odd sign we ended up arriving
at Corehead
around 11am to find a good few runners already there.
The sun was beating down as we collected the £2 from the runners
and discussed the course. As ever, people misjudged the time taken
to get
from the top of the Beeftub to Corehead by road, and at 11:55
there were a few still arriving. I decide to put the start off
by 10 minutes
to give the latecomers a bit extra time.
With 86 runners (more that the last 8 years added together), I
decided to start the race from across the first barbed wire fence.
It was
a wonderful sight watching the runners spreading out on the first
climb, and I could see the heads of the leaders bobbing on the
horizon as the tail enders reached the monument.
About 10 minutes after the last runners went out of sight Brian
closely followed by Stewart appeared descending the steep slope
to the finish. Stewart seemed to be spending a fair amount of
time on his bum, Brian was sure footed as ever and was maintaining
his
lead.
The order of the fastest runners was fairly well sorted by the
point that we could see them but further down the field the were
some
good tussles. Jamie Taylor must have been rushing as he left his
house in the morning. He turned up with 2 right shoes and somehow
manage to
run round in
them. Mike Browne brought up the rear, having had a good
warm up run from the registration.
The prizes (as usual) had the Bovine Theme, consisting of Torro
wine, Bovril, Oxo cubes, a Steak Pie and much to the disgust of the
runner who ran back 200 metres for his spot prize, some beef stock!
The good weather made it a fun event, so many thanks to all the
runners that made the trip, especially to the Lochaber contingent,
a long way to come for a 30 minute race (I know, as when I left
at 2pm I was heading up to Oban to catch the 6pm ferry to visit
The Coyles on Mull).
Thanks to Mr Williams at Corehead Farm.
Willie Gibson
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