Pentland Runners       

General News

New jogScotland beginners Group on Wednesday evenings.

 Anne Douglas is looking to start a new beginners group … non-runners … beginning Wednesday 31 May, meeting at Balerno HS car park at 6:55. Pass the word around !

Girls take novel approach to club recruitment

 There must be something in the air… over the last few weeks four of the girls have announced that they are expecting the pitter-patter of little feet in the household. Best wishes and congratulations to Claire Murdoch, Claire McCall, Jenny Bell and Elaine MacMaster. We hope to see you all returning (gently) sometime over the next year.

Then when Catherine Porter announced she had some news, I immediately thought “..not another one..”, but it’s news of a different sort! Catherine is off in a couple of weeks time to start a new life in the sunshine of Dubai, where we wish her all the best, and hope she doesn’t miss the rain, wind, sleet and snow too much.

Continental Drift

 I then thought that over the last few years we’ve seen folk move to several continents…. Amy recently moved to Oz, a couple of girls who competed on the track returned home to Chile, one of the girls who did the Leith run a few years back upped sticks and moved to Spain, one of the older teenagers did a gap year in Viet-Nam, and in the late 90’s Brian Mayor moved to the States. A day after this thought  (….. spooky theme music…. ) Ian Gibb forwarded an update from Brian announcing that he, and his Harmeny top, had run in the New York Scottish week 10k. Read his update at the foot of this email.

Running Performance …(that I’ve been able to track down)

Alloa Half Marathon

 164 Tim May                         1:36:50
341 Paul Thompson              1:50:43
599 finishers

Coniston 14 (miles!) 1 April

63            HAMISH BELL                    01:32:41

1268        HELEN ROBINSON             02:33:20

 1356 Finishers

Grangemouth Round the houses 10k, 23 April

 315 Paul Thompson                              47:19

Lots of finishers

Edinburgh Forthside Half-Marathon

The website has now got everyone’s “official” times, so those who weren’t listed last month are given below. Unfortunately the official results may include 5, 10, 15 or more minutes of queuing to get through the finish line.  (Apologies if I’ve missed out anyone but with 32 pages of results to go through…)

1677 Alex Gordon                  02:01:33
1821 Norma Bone                  02:02:29
2217 Geraldine Dennis          02:08:11
2361 Morag Tweddle            02:11:47
2362 Jackie Allan  02:11:49

2514 Catherine Porter           02:15:57
2515 Pauline White               02:15:59
3062 Beverley Dodgson       02:41:25
3133 finishers

London Marathon, 23 April

 5119        RICHARD S. GRAY             3:32:00

?????       Verity Missen                        3:59:??
12303      CAROLINE A. DUNN         4:02:36

14766      NEIL M. WILSON                4:13:08
28209       CLIFF  SMITH                      5:19:13

By Richard “The FLM was a great day out, I would thoroughly recommend that, if anyone is into Running, that they at least do this marathon once. My day started off at 07:00 when I went down to the restaurant for my porridge, coffee, orange juice and toast, (English porridge will never taste as good as ours ! but I was paying an arm and a leg for this 5 star hotel so I was going to have a breakfast whether I liked it or not), there where many other participants there and the atmosphere was superb also as everybody was in very high spirits. I ended up chatting to a guy called Alan, he's a professional golfer on the European tour, didn't catch his surname but he did look familiar, it's his 5th FLM in a row and he filled me in with all the gen which got me even more hyper, we went together to Blackheath station as we where both off from the blue start, there where hundreds, even thousands of runners at Waterloo Station and the train was packed en route but again everybody was in a really good mood.

When I arrived at the blue start, time seemed to fly by and before I knew it, I was lined up and the race was under way, I remember the first several miles was quite an easy pace as there was just too many runners to try and overtake but I wasn't bothered as the atmosphere from the crowd was truly amazing, there where all sorts of bands, musicians, street entertainers and discos going on around you that you couldn't help but enjoy it. I reached the halfway point in 1:44, running over Tower Bridge was cool as well as there where thousands of spectators there and the noise was deafening, when I approached the 14m marker I noticed the elite men running in the opposite direction, they where miles and miles ahead of me the pace they where running was unbelievable, even Iain would have trouble chasing them down ! It was then on towards Docklands, back to Whitechapel and then to Embankment where the crowds where still out in their thousands, I said to people afterwards that the TV didn't really do the atmosphere justice !, From there it was a right turn into Birdcage Walk and then I was on the home straight where my family where shouting their heads off giving me support at the finish which I completed in a time of 3:32:00.”

Monklands Half  30 April

 Paul Thompson    01:49:07

THE RITCHIE WONNACOTT "ALL TERRAIN CHALLENGE" SUNDAY 30TH APRIL. 9 mile and 5 mile GARELOCHHEAD
by Iain Morrice “This was the second year of holding this challenge which is held at the MOD Army training Base at Garelochhead. Ritchie was a Military Policeman and also an excellent runner who died last year and these races are held in his memory.

Two of the Pentland runners , Carl Dennis and Iain Morrice ran the very challenging 9 mile all terrain race. This event is well organised by the Military Police and is run over closed Army firing range access roads and Foresty tracks and paths. This really is a challenging race over some very steep inclines, it was worrying to note that after running uphill for about 2 miles we arrived at a bend in the road which had a large sign stating "ENGAGE 4 WHEEL DRIVE NOW!!!!!!!!! ", to say it was steep is an understatement. The race was run in perfect warm conditions and skirted high above Loch Long heading West towards the Arrochar Alps and the lovely top of Ben Arthur (The Cobbler ).  The field was a small one for this race, 130 approx hardy soles, it was very friendly almost like a family run event and the race was started by Ritchie’s 2 young sons. There were plenty of water stations on the course which were really welcome as each station was sited at the top of steep hills. This race really is a cracker and although very hard it is definitely one that should be on the Pentland Runners annual calendar.

At the end of the race we were transported to the Army Training base in police wagons where we were dropped off at one of the mess halls. Each entrant received a cracking t shirt, canvas holdall bag, water bottle, excellent pair of walking socks and loads of chocolate things and tea coffee and sandwiches. All these goodies were supplied by the sponsor of the event "ALL TERRAIN CLOTHING" of Loch Lomondside.

PS: Nice touch this year was Ritchie’s wife running her first ever race by doing the 5 mile race.”

IAIN MORRICE 1 hr 8 m
CARL DENNIS 1 hr17 m

THE EDINBURGH TO NORTH BERWICK 22 MILE ROAD RACE SATURDAY 6TH MAY
Once again the Pentland Runners were out on mass for this scenic 22 mile road race organised along the East Coast by East Lothian Council. 6 male runners took part this year but unfortunately none of our ladies were able to compete this year which was a real pity.

The race starts with 2 laps of the Meadowbank Stadium before heading out onto the road which takes you down to Portobello Promenade. You run along the Prom and emerge at Joppa  and continue onto the Honest Toon of Musselburgh where you skirt around the old Fisherrow area as you past the old harbour. You continue along beside the race course and turn at Levenhall and head towards the Pans and Port Seton. Continuing along the road you pass the Longniddry bents and arrive a Aberlady where you pass the RSPB bird sanctuary. Its then an uphill climb to Gullane heading towards Direlton. You follow the old road through Direlton and head our for the last 2 miles towards North Berwick where the finish line is beside the Post Office.

This race has a limited number of entrants (150 ) and you have to be able to complete it in under 3hours 30 due to road closures and Policing arrangements.

It was a very warm day this year and the many water stations were welcomed by everybody, many of the runners encountered "THE WALL" slightly earlier than normal at 16/17 miles due to the heat. For some reason there are not many youngsters take part in this race maybe its because you don't get any goodies at the end, interesting point though.

The race is used by many as a wee tester for the forthcoming Edinburgh Marathon and lets the runner see how they can handle this race distance, it also allows them to evaluate how to hydrate and how to pace themselves. The Pentland runners were no exception to this as some of them had never ran this type of race distance before, of the 6 runners 5 are doing the Edinburgh Marathon so this was a real tester for them.

This is a well organised annual event and many of the old runners keep coming back year after year to compete.

40   Hamish Bell                     2:44:30

52   Iain Morrice                    2:49:11

76   Kenny Tindall                 2:56:29

78   Tom White                      2:57:54

97   Andreas Wilhelm           3:11:28

130 Paul Thompson              3:35:27

134 Finishers

Edinburgh BUPA 10k, 7 May

By Bob “On a cool, wet, misty day that epitomised the word “dreich”, we had a healthy turnout of folk ready to challenge the undulations of Edinburgh.

I’d just started my warm-up (!) in the field when I thought I heard the gun go for the start of the first wave. Having endured Embra starts before, I thought “stuff that” and continued to warm-up in peace for a couple more minutes before sauntering over to a deserted Start area ready for a quiet jog. Unfortunately I soon caught the tail-end of the wave of humanity. It’s a bit like ski-ing a mogul field running through the crowds,  lamp-post, kerbs, marshals etc….

As well as the undulations there was that that long haul up Holyrood Park to the Commy Pool. Fortunately it was so dreich on the way up I couldn’t see the full climb .. or maybe it was my glasses steaming up. What a noise runners make! The pitter-patter of not-tiny feet at the bottom of the hill was replaced by wheezing, grunting and panting at the top – not a nimble footfall to be heard. Then back downhill again, squeezed to own side of the road – another mogul field of runners. Then there was that final sting in the tail up West Port with a sharp turn up into Lady Lawson St before a comfortable saunter along Lauriston Place before heading back into the Meadows.

Well done to the Sunday morning girls who managed their first 10k, especially Elaine + baby MacMaster, who I think might now hold the club record for the 10k in the pre-natal age group.”

142           Mark Doughty                                      00:39:39  

638           Andreas Wilhelm                                 00:45:27 

1545         Neil Love                                              00:49:42

2311         Bob Douglas                                        00:53:01

2436         Peter McGavigan                                00:53:33

2608         Cliff Smith                                              00:54:17

3427         Anne Douglas                                     00:57:29

3519         Morag Tweddle                                   00:57:50

3525         Jacqueline Allan                                  00:57:52

4397         Maria Kellacher                                   01:02:04

4650         Victoria Chalmers                                01:03:33

4665         Louise Tindall                                      01:03:39

4793         Jennifer Polland                                   01:04:43

4815         Sarah Craig                                           01:04:53

5141         Catherine Markey                               01:08:04

5143         Elaine MacMaster                               01:08:05

5522         Aileen Macleod                                   01:13:50

5604         Heather Love                                       01:16:10

David Gibson wasn’t “officially” running, so his injury at the 6k point is unofficial. Bad planning, getting injured after the long haul up the hill.

 If I’ve missed anyone out, please let me know!

Monthly Medal

This was the second in our monthly medal series, based on performance in relation to target times:

Results

Handicap targets will be tweaked further when Rigg race, and other results are in.

The remaining handicap events are:

 4 June                      Dechmont Trail 10k, Livingston               <<<<<<<<<<< NOTE!

6 Aug                     Scottish Gas 10k, Granton, Edinburgh

27 Aug   tbc          CLUB PURSUIT HANDICAP (10.7k)

24 Sep                    Linlithgow 10k

(More may be added)

Trossachs 10K, Aberfoyle 13 May

 By Bob  “As an antidote to the crowds, hills and streets of the Embra 10, this is a gem of a run. Forestry roads, an undulating course, nothing that could really be called a hill, and a field of 160, mainly locals plus a few East Coast old codgers who seek out scenic runs. The Start and Finish were at either end of a large car park. I think the Start was about 12 metres from our car. Also leading off the car park were toilets (no queues) a Garden Centre (for pre-race browsing) and a coffee shop (for post race relaxation).

I think I’ll add Trossachs sous-arbres to Dunbar sur-mer into the relaxing and friendly run list.”

80             Bob Douglas         51:09

93             Anne Douglas      53:17  (1^st in age group)

 160 finishers

Later that day, at the Penicuik 10k..

 .. Andreas had what was almost a week-end off … only running 10k

26             Andreas Wilhelm                  43m 25s

97             Beverley Dodgson                58m 05s

 106 finishers

Riccarton 5k

 This was the first running of this event round the Riccarton Campus of Heriot Watt, and five of our members went along. Considering the various injuries they’ve all had, I’m not sure there were five fully fit legs between the five of them, but everyone achieved did PB’s. I think April, Anne and Heather enjoyed overtaking some of the students over the last kilometre, and had enough left for a smiling sprint finish.

26             David Gibson        18m 31s

86             Alex Gordon          21m 31s

171           April Birrell             33m 11s

172           Anne McNab        33m 14s

173           Heather Love        33m 22s

 199 finishers

This was the first year this event is held, so it would be great if we could support it with greater numbers if it’s repeated.

Scotland Run, New York

Scottish Masters Track & Field Championships, Scotstoun, Glasgow 20/5

There were two Harmeny members at Scotstoun, June Duffy, Chief Starter for the Championships, and Bob Douglas being started in the M50 100m. It was chilly, dreich , wet and into a 0.9 m/s headwind. I was edged out of second place at about the 70m mark, but picked up bronze in 13.74s. I’m definitely a 70m specialist. Then off to putt a few shots and a silver for 8m 85. I didn’t bother with the 200m this year … I don’t like bends, or long distances.

…. More trackies ??

I’m sure a few more of our Over 35’s could do something at a National level, and as some of the Thursday night crew would like to test themselves we’re going to have race night on the track, and everyone can come along to have a go. To avoid the Embra marathon, summer hols, track meetings etc it might be a Wed night in August, but I’ll send out reminders once we’ve sorted out a date.

Children’s Mini-Marathon

A reminder to everyone that we’re organising a Water of Leith mini-marathon on Wed 7 June at 6:00pm  for the clubs youngster, so if anyone would be able to act as a running helper, it would be appreciated.

We’re also doing a Mini championship night for the kids on Monday 29^th with Long-Jump and 100m .... helpers appreciated.

We had over 50 youngsters for the first mini-championships night on 15^th, and as Jen, Mark and David will confirm, “out of chaos comes ordered chaos, and out of ordered chaos comes a Track & Field event”.

Jings, whit a month