Pentland Runners       

Admin Stuff:

Following the club AGM in Sep where we agreed to set up devolved councils to co-ordinate the activities the 2 (possibly 3) wings of the club, we had a good turnout at our first Runner’s Council Meeting on 23rd Oct.

The main decisions taken were:

> The Wednesday night group will continue in the same format, with Paul Thomson and Tom White as group Leaders (Kenny as backup).

> Pauline will chair council meetings, and Verity will be secretary.

> Tom White, Paul Thomson and Iain Morrice were elected onto the main club committee

> Alex Gordon will lead the club’s organisation of the Rigg race

> Iain Morrice will organise a Sunday morning pre-Christmas social run.

> Alan Grierson will organise a social event – probably late January. 

Full minutes are / will be on the web-site, along with updated descriptions of the club meeting times.

We can also announce that we agreed to link-up with the Pentland Tri club so that it becomes another wing of Harmeny’s activity. This means that those who are involved with both sports only pay a single club membership fee, and the arrangement will mean we will submit appropriate affiliation fees to the respective Triathlon and Running/Athletics governing associations.

The next Runners Council meeting will be on Thursday 4 January at Currie Rugby Club, 7:30. This is open to all runners. Come along if there’s anything you’d like to raise.

Beginner and Improver groups:

We’ve now got three groups for various levels of beginners / intermediates

Beginners group: Sunday Mornings                                 target 15+ mins

Intermediate group:   Wed evenings                                 target 30+ mins

Steady runners:  Sunday mornings                    8k / 60 mins            (now too good to be called beginners)

Members of each group would welcome additional folk to join in, so pass out the word.

Membership subscriptions for the year 1/10/06 – 30/9/07 are now due. A membership form can be downloaded from the website, www.pentlandrunners.org.uk

Members receive a 10% discount at Run & Become, Dalry Rd, and also at Run-4-it in Lothian Rd

Performances

Glasgow Half-Marathon        3 Sep

I’m only aware of one runner in it this year, Bob Turner who was a very respectable 57^th in a time of 1:16:47 in a field of 7568 finishers.

Oban Half Marathon, Sunday 1st October 2006.
By Iain: “Leaving Balerno to drive up for the Oban half I was reminded that Autumn was starting to kick in with fine low temperatures and the Tups in Glenbrook looking very happy with big broad smiles on there large faces. We travelled up early on the day for this race and were rewarded with some fantastic Scottish scenery and weather. The Pass of Brander where many an ambush had taken place was looking great with not a rogue to be seen. Loch Awe was covered in heavy mist over the water which always gives and eary feel.

As I looked up west, high on the craggs above the Pass I saw 2 Eagles doing some beautiful touching manovers. As we were approaching Oban, just after the Connell Bridge I was able to watch a cracking male Hen Harrier skirt along the ground obviously looking for his breakfast.

The half Marathon is organised by the Atlantis Leisure team and is run around the Oban Town area, it’s a small event with an average of 90 runners taking place. The route starts from the Leisure Centre with a police escort vehicle leading the way with blue flashing lights throught the Town past the harbour. You then run out past the Puffin diivers Centre and out past the old township of Gallanach, all the time with Kerrar Island on your right. The clear skies and sunshine were breathtaking as you looked South West towards Jura and Colonsay. The route doubled back and into Oban heading up the steep incline to McCaigs folley. It was then around the perimeter of Oban heading toward the Kilmartin/Lochgiphead road and back to the harbour area. This was the hardest part ( all they tourists were sampling the excellent Oban fish and chips , mouth-watering or what). The route then headed out towards Ganavan Bay along the waterfront with cracking views towards Mull and Lismore.

Excellent well organised half with brilliant goody bags. only 2 of the Pentland Runners completed in this race which was a real pity because the weather was perfect with views to die for.

Results as follows from 89 runners.
Andrew Neilson 1 hour 25 Mins.overall position 10th.
Iain Morrice 1 hour 29 Mins. Overall Position 19th. 4th Male Super Veteran.

Dunbar 10 Mile Multi Terrain race Saturday 7th October 2006.
By Iain “The annual Dunbar running club 10 miler was held on a clear, chilly and very windy Saturday morning. This race is a hard 10 mile Multi terrain run over roads, farm tracks, farm yards, fields and the high hill of Doohhill. A well organised and friendly event which is normally run by the same faces each year. The high point of the run is Downhill at approx 600 feet straight up from the sea level, none of this starting halfway up on these types of runs. Although when we reached the top of the hill it felt like we were on top  of the world with spectacular views towards Edinburgh, The Forth and the many Inch Islands with the Bass rock shimmering in the midday sun, or was it shivering in the strong winds.

Results as follows.
Iain Morrice , 1 hour 8 Mins, overall position 39th
Tim May, 1 hour 9 mins, overall position 49th.
Andreas Wilhelm, 1 hour 9 mins, overall position 50th

Aviemore Highland Half Marathon, 14th October 2006.
By Iain “This was the first running of the half marathon which was organised by the fantastic caring people from Badaguish outdoor Centre. This centre is situated on the Cairngorm road and is recognised by the fantastic wood carvings of animals at its entrance. The Centre arranges outdoor activities for children of all abilities and is also a Centre for respite/care breaks. Harmeny had a large entry for this one with people staying 1 night, 2 nights or travelling up on the day. I travelled up on the day with a young Harmeny runner who was sitting all nice a cosy and almost collapsed as we drove past Newtonmore where the temperature dropped of 4 degrees, Ah the joys of youth!!! and central heating. The entry was restricted to 600 runners, the organisers had to turn away 200 unhappy bunnies. Just goes to show the popularity of this revitalised area of Scotland. The route could only be described as breathtaking, stunning, fabulous, unbelievable etc etc. The route started in the forest area beside Badaguish and zig zagged and crossed the many forest tracks around this area. It then crossed the road at Glenmore and then followed the sandy paths around the edge of Loch Morlich emerging back on the main road at the metal bridge of Rothiemurchas.It is then the run down the main road towards Aviemore passing over the Old Spey Bridge and the Old Bridge Inn under passing the railway line itself with the final section passing beside the Youth Hostel and the new wooden lodges of the MacDonald Highland Hotel.

If you have a wee notion in your mind to do a half Marathon next year then this IS THE ONE to do. Honestly, everything about it was excellent. Check out the web site for some good info.  http://www.aviemorehalfmarathon.org/

Big Big mention, Harmeny AC won the team award, the first time that we have won a team award for a Half marathon.”

3               Bob Turner                             1:16:50

15             Paul Houston                         1:24:15

16             Andrew Neilson                    1:24:21

44             Iain Morrice                           1:30:20    3^rd Vet male

147           Tom White                             1:41:49

252           Lindsey Boyle                       1:50:35

285           Paul Thomson                       1:52:39

297           Carol Blamire                          1:54:05

303           Anne Douglas                       1:54:16

383           Norma Bone                           2:00:11

492           Morag Leitch                         2:14:39    3^rd Vintage lady

495           Pauline White                        2:14:48

529 finishers

Wet, Wet, Wet: Linlithgow 10k, 24 Sep

 45 mins to go: It was chucking it down. The streets were deserted apart from normal Sunday traffic. There was no queue for the toilet. But there were tell-tale signs that something might be happening in this douce wee town. Small groups of skinny folk in not-Sunday-best bin-bags were beginning to huddle under the dripping concrete outcrops of Linlithgow High Street. The main phalanx of skinny folk were holed up in steamed up cars in Tesco car park, waiting for the rain to stop.

15 mins to go and the bin-bag army are congregating at the start to the sound of a Samba band. Just like Rio.. The traffic is stopped. The rain isn’t. We walk to the start, and like a swarm of butterflies casting off their cocoons, the bin-bag army is replaced by cold, pale skinny folk in their running gear.

It’s an undulating course. The bit round the loch wasn’t undulating, just a very long, muddy puddle. We were now too wet to notice the rain. Some of the rural undulations have an ambition of one day being called a hill. We’re out again into country roads before a long sweep back into the town, and one final climb to the finish area. The reward was a long-sleeved sky-blue top which, like all the skinny folk, I immediately pulled on to avoid hypothermia. From bin-bags army to sky-blue army. An appropriate colour I thought not. The sky was grey.  It was still raining.

Some of the girls must have done a lot of chatting on the way round as they arrived within a few places of each other. Congratulations to April Birrell who completed her first 10k and is now an official member of the skinny folk brigade. Less fortunate was Anne McNab who had to pull out with a knee problem two thirds of the way through – but the distance she managed has been recorded on her sky-blue top.

8               Bob Turner                             34:49

303           Bob Douglas                          51:17

353           Norma Bone                           53:26

354           Jackie Allan                            53:40

355           Morag Tweddle                     53:42

373           Beverley Dodgson                54:45

462           April Birrell                             62:48

480 Finishers

Linlithgow was the final 10k handicap in our summer medal handicap series. The girls all came in slightly under their targets, so rain & chatting obviously improve performances, and this month’s winner was Morag Tweddle. Although beaten by all the girls, on handicap, Bob Turner had the consolation of being 8^th in the overall race, and had the honour of trouncing me on handicap (and in real-time).

Results

East District Cross Country League, Meeting 1, Deans, Livvy, 21 Oct

By Kenny: “The first East League Cross Country of the season was held in the picturesque little hamlet of Deans (at the high school - I had no idea that education in West Lothian continued past the age of 12).  Quite possibly the most difficult place in the world to find.  Tom and Kenny had high hopes of an extremely strong team turn out so they could potter round in a non-competitive way....no such luck.
 
It was as wet, boggy and dirty as an Iain Morrice special.  The ladies were off first on a couple of 'medium laps' and looked to be enjoying it absolutely no end on the first lap.  Three to count for the ladies and we got four home.”

66            Janice Carruthers                  26:54
86            Verity Missen                        28:53
94            Lindsay Boyle                       29:59
99            Norma Bone                           32:02
 108 finishers
We’ve high high hopes that the girls can beat last year's league position of 13^th . (The guys have high hopes of beating the girls.)
The senior men were then off on a couple of 'large laps'.   The now traditional grudge match between Tom and Andreas was in evidence - 'you will never beat me again', or words to that effect, said Andreas.  'I'll see you at the end' replied Tom.  Then it started to rain, just in time for the off.
 
We had eight men running and the finishing order was (six to count for the men).
 
77            Robert Turner                        30:44
143          Andrew Neilson                    33:12
157          Dave Gibson                          33:54
194          Tom White                             35:34
197          Andreas Wilhelm                  35:55
207          Kenny Tindall                       36:41
237          Robert McCauley                 38:34
260          Alan Grierson                        42:05

268 finishers
 
Excellent effort from Robert to lead us home.  As an indicator of the standard, Robert was 77th (out of about 300) and he is quick - some of these guys are very quick!  Also excellent to see a couple of our newer members making their debut - hopefully this has not put them off.

Typically, Tom had a few words to say to Andreas after the race - 'I'll take you home and put you on my mantelpiece'.  'You must be on drugs' said Andreas - the “rivalry” goes on!  Also, thanks to Pauline for the photos and completing the 'official duties'.”

League details are at http://www.eastleague.freeserve.co.uk/

And a report from from Andreas … you can almost feel the squelch…

“Mud, Sweat, Blood and X@&%
I wasn't expecting this to be that muddy, so I brought my "Not-so-bad-conditions" running shoes, as opposed to my "very-muddy-conditions" running shoes. This proved to be a gross error of
judgement, especially because it was raining heavily the days before the race. I arrived at the venue too early as always, so I spent some time admiring the trees and collecting some tree seeds which I planted at home to combat climate change. Then I watched the kids race each other (aka Junior races) and contemplated that even those 9 year olds are probably faster than me. Then it was time to warm up. The grass was wet and the soil was soggy, but the air was fresh and temperatures weren't too bad. No need for the woolly underwear. I collected the race number from the XC Team Coach Tom and joked
with my team colleagues for a while. A few strides to bring the engine up to serious working conditions and it was time for the start. A last prayer to the God Of Running and we were off.
This race is two loops around the park in Deans which has plenty of trees, not too many hills (except Dechmont Law, which we ran passed without regret) and plenty of muddy sections. My strategy was to keep it steady at first and put the hammer down during the second half (I must have dropped the hammer in the mud). The muddy sections were really muddy this year compared with last year and due to my inapt shoe-choice I slipped and sled all over the place with the result that I slowed enough to get beaten by Tom. In the end I finished about 20 seconds slower than last year but, in my opinion, the course was about 1 minute slower than last year, so a net improvement of 40 seconds (according to my accountant). After the race it seemed that the shower facilities proved more popular than usual because there was a long queue at the men's showers, long enough to reach into the main hall. I noticed some female passers by shaking their heads when walking past “The Men covered in mud but not covered in much else". I, at least, had the dignity of wrapping a towel around myself. All in all, Cross Country racing is all about fun in the mud (and saliva dripping profusely around the corner of your mouth, of course).”

Never mind Ant v. Dec, the next instalment of Tom v. Andreas is on Sunday 26 November at Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy, and this one will be close! A special warning to Tom – Andreas will have the right shoes this time.

Tom is co-ordinating the Men’s team and Verity the Lady’s team – so give them a shout if you’re interested. There’s no entry fee – turn up on the day and run. Beveridge Park really is an attractive venue, with wooded parkland, trail and grassland.

Tom also has entry forms for the East District x/c championships at Galashiels on Saturday 9th Dec.

You have to be a paid up member of Scottish Athletics [you can join on line at www.scottishathletics.org.uk ] it costs £15 but you get 3 or 4 magazines a year and £2 off every race plus you get to run in the championship races. If you want to run let Tom (3461458) know as the entry forms have to be in soon (by 25 Nov) and the saf no is needed for the entry form.

The men’s race is over 10k (ladies 6.4k) and only costs £3.50p [what a bargain]. We need at least 6 men for this to make up a scoring team so the more people turn up the better - this is not a league race, it is the championship run.

JEDBURGH HALF MARATHON SUNDAY 29^th OCTOBER

By Peter: “9 Harmeny runners plus an honorary member namely David Syme’s daughter Fiona took part in this event. Last year it was raining, cold, windy and hilly. This year it was dry, warm (but not too hot) and there was no wind. It was still hilly but the hills did not seem so steep in the conditions and overall it was much more enjoyable than last year. Harmeny tops were in evidence among the 643 runners and everyone agreed that it was a pleasant experience ie if running a half marathon can ever be described as “pleasant”. There was a general satisfaction with race times which were as follows.”

174           Tom White                 1.36.51

185           Caroline Dunn          1.37.38

406           Paul Thompson         1.51.08

426           Verity Missen             1.52.10

427           Peter McGavigan       1.52.13

499           David Syme                1.58.02

53?           Beverley Dodgson      2:00.??              (unfortunately not as 1.48.27 as reported, but still a pb)

541           Norma Bone                2.01.45

615           Pauline White              2.15.10

643 finishers

Lasswade Cross Country, 5 Nov

24             David Gibson                         44:35

40             Andreas Wilhelm                  47:21

61 finishers

Mark’s message from Oz

By Mark Doughty: “I hope you have all had a great long hot summer of running in Scotland.

We have been here for 3 months now in Melbourne and its spring time. Winter was like Scotland in May but without the rain. Spring bounces between 18 deg and 35 deg depending on what way the wind is blowing. It never seems to rain here and they are all whinging about the lack of rain...not me though! We have found a nice house to rent for the next 12 months, only 100m from the beach and beachside cycling/running paths.
I have been training with Sandringham Athletics Club every Thurs at their track. There is a core group of around 20. Half of them can do 10Ks in under 36 Mins. So its a fair old challenge for an old duffer
like me to keep them in my sights on the 500m reps.
I haven’t entered any running events here in Melbourne yet, though the running season is just starting (after the winter cross country season) and there are some good events coming up.
I ran in the Balmoral 5K in Sydney a few weeks ago. It started at 7am on the Sunday morning to avoid the heat and throngs of people, as it ran along the beach promenade. 300 entrants and I came in 12th in 19mins. Everybody then went for a latte and breakfast in the sunny cafes....just like in Portobello ! I was ready to go back to bed.
Whilst in Sydney we had a barbie with the De Boers (Anna, Amy and family) from Balerno. The De Boer girls are starting to sound a bit Aussie after 12 months here.
THE KIDS: You would all be amazed at the junior athletics here....every Saturday morning (8.15 am for 3 hours) our kids go to Sandringham Little Athletics There are 400 kids at the track (ages 6 to 16)and they take part in 4 events each Sat...from 70m to 800m and all the field events...each event is electronically timed and recorded on a spreadsheet every week for the whole season as they try to beat their PB.
There’s music and a BBQ throughout the 3 hrs....and it’s on every week...mostly in sunshine....at clubs in every suburb across Australia. The de Boers do the same in Sydney. Every suburb has a floodlit running track and athletics club...and swimming club, and soccer club and cricket club and basketball club and netball club and 10 tennis clubs (are you getting the picture of the Aussie emphasis on sport?)
So you lot keep training hard, and get those kids running fast, cos these Aussies are a real competitive bunch !”

Forthcoming events

Sat 26 Nov              Cross country,  Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy                       (team event – no entry fee)

Sat 9 Dec                E District CC Championships,             Galashiels

Mon 1 Jan              Portobello Promethon, (4 miles) Seafield

Mon 1 Jan              Edinburgh Triathlon

Sat 13 Jan               Great Winter Run, 5k, Holyrood Park                Enter at www.greatrun.org

Sat 20 Jan               Cross country, Broxburn                     (team event – no entry fee)

Sun 6 May              Edinburgh 10k      Enter at www.greatrun.org