May is usually the month we start to complain about the heat and start to reminisce about those cold, wet windy days in the winter.  Fortunately for those who are averse to running in the heat, we’ve had lots of cold, wet windy weekends for nearly all the races folk have been doing this month.

Update on the new running groups

Monday @ 7:15    Paul would like to see a few more folk in order to make this a viable running night.

Tuesday @ 9:30am   Norma’s had a couple of girls coming along .. more needed.

Wednesday Beginners Group @ 7:00: We’ve had a good response to this, with about 12-14 beginners starting.  With Anne now looking after the new beginners, Bob is taking the intermediate runners who want a slightly less arduous run than the main group.

Club Photo, 13 June

I thought it would be good idea to have a club photo on Wed 13^th June after the youngsters have done their Water of Leith “Mini-Marathon” and before the adults set off (ie at 6:59 pm). Not obligatory, but it would be nice to see a large turnout of brightly dressed runners.

Steady run to Flotterstone Inn, 17 June

While the fast folk are running at Peebles I thought it’s about time for a new route for the intermediate runners, with refreshments at the end, so we are proposing to run over the Pentlands to the Flotterstone Inn on Sunday 17^th June.

This will be a steady paced, social run of about 9.5k, with a lot of down hill (as we drive and walk up the hill on this side).

We’ll need to organise cars, so those who are interested please let me know.

Variable speed training

Quite a few folk “enjoyed” (??) the fartlek session on 23^rd May and are thinking about coming along to a track session on Thursdays. I am there every Thursday 6:30 – 7:30 except: when I’m on holiday, helping with juniors events, working in London, or the track is closed, frozen or under snow. So come along and feel some real pain. Regulars know that I also work with some junior sprinters, but distance runners are not required to run as fast as the youngsters …..

(PS: I’m away on Thu 7 June, but around most Thu’s in the summer)

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Norman’s Law Hill Race – 5.5 miles, 750ft of climb - 7^th April 2007.

By Ian May: “It is said that as one gets older you get wiser – nothing could be further from the truth as I attempted my first ever hill race.  Perhaps an extract from Fife AC’s description will give a flavour of the race:

“Starting from the idyllic setting of the Lower Luthrie Farm cow-sheds the course follows road, bridle path and then footpath due west towards Ayton. Turning right at a farm gate the path meanders towards the summit with runners free to choose their own route to the cairned top”

“Then the fun commences as runners are free to follow their own route back to the finish at the cow-sheds and a rousing reception from the bovine population.”

There was also a tremendous reception from Fife AC.  A tea was provided after the race as we recovered in the sun outside Luthrie village hall.

My eldest son, in his first race for many years, finished 11^th in 34.28!!”

Result

 97 Ian M May 47.03

111 finishers

Loch Katrine 12K - 28^th April 2007

Paul Thompson and I had decided that a good way to limber up for one of those special Sunday runs (mired in myth and legend, well mainly mired as Paul found out when he lost his shoe) would be a run along the shores of Loch Katrine.  It was not quite what one would expect as the out and back race is along a road that is somewhat hilly – Ian’s description is somewhat lacking in adjectives supported by strings of expletives (Paul)!  The weather was sunny and warm with a strong wind for the return 6K – by which I mean the cool, refreshing, following breeze on the way out turned into a howling gale on the way back, poetic license not withstanding.  It was well organised and would be worth other members considering entering it next year.  Whilst I was pleased to knock over 7 minutes from my previous run here 2 years ago I had hoped to break the 60 minutes!! Paul was simply glad that a rapidly improving Ian didn’t storm past him on the way back!

Unfortunately the organisers have not published results – or replied to my e-mail – so the results are provisional.

Edinburgh – North Berwick Sat 5 May

By Kenny “We had a good turnout for the Edinburgh to North Berwick run - a tough 22 miles round East Lothian.  This race is a killer for no other reason than you can see the end (North Berwick Law) pretty much from the start.  Very nice scenery (think more Gullane/Aberlady than 'the Pans'/Cockenzie Power Station).  Tom and I ran together (until about 19 miles) and then...well I will let the results speak for themselves.  Weather was OK to start with (the one and three quarters laps of Meadowbank not too hot) but it got pretty warm for the last 10 miles.  And that hill through Gullane golf course is a nightmare.   Three minutes quicker than last year so can't complain too much - only glad Caroline wasn't doing this run.  Clearly, after my success at the Dunbar 10K, I had some Talisker 10yo prior to starting this race - just 25ml though, nothing daft.   Great end to the race, when they close off North Berwick high street and a guy on the PA shouts your name as you arrive at the finish - a good marathon warm-up too.

12            Andrew Neilson   2.28.41

62            Kenny Tindall        2.53.18

70            Tom White            2.55.39

116          John Gordon         3.21.42

117          Alex Gordon           3.21.42

127          Willie Cummings NTG (pretty sure Willie finished but maybe outside of the 3.30 limit).

This makes it 2:0 in this summer’s “Kenny v Tom” challenge

Edinburgh 10k Sun 6 May

The Edinburgh 10k is the second in our series of monthly medal handicaps. But the results site is one of those professionally produced ones which does NOT support a search by club name, so I’ve only found times for folk I knew or thought were doing it. If anyone else did it, could you forward me your time, (by 9 June) then I’ll calculate the 2 winners of the monthly handicap.

959 Paul Thompson                             47:35

1016 Ian May                                       47:54

1322 Catherine Barr                             49:23

1961 Peter McGavigan                       51:46

2067 Christina Doyle                          52:09

2596 Morag Tweddle                           53:56

2672 Sally May                                     54:16

2675 Beverley Dodgson                      54:17

3418 Alison Smith                               56:59

3581 Norma Bone                                 57:38

5004 Catherine Markey                      1:03:01

5166 Sarah Craig                                   1:03:50

6071 Lindsey Middleton                     1:10:36

6072 April Birrell                                  1:10:36

6321 Aileen Macleod                          1:14:33

Auld Toon (Dunfermline ) 10k, 9 May

147           Paul Thompson                     46:06

264           Beverley Dodgson                54:05

334 finishers

Penicuik 10k, 12 May

65 Andreas Wilhelm            43:48

82 Robert McCauley            45:25

89 Paul Thompson               46:27

190 finishers

Womens 10k, Glasgow, 13 May

1259         Beverley Dodgson                53:34

6340         April Birrell                             68:18

6344         Lindsey Middleton               68:18

6379         Aileen MacLeod                   68:24

11881 finishers

Round the grounds 5k, Riccarton Campus, 13 May

One of the club’s youngsters, Harris McGaff, in his first “adult” race showed many of our more experienced runners a clean pair of heels in this gentle able through the wooded trails at H-Watt.

The 5K ended a rather busy week for Paul, having completed 4 races in 8 days, plus a hard training session at Saughton.

28             David Gibson                         18:31

40             Harris McGaff                        19:45       (U15)

77             Paul Thompson                     21:22

89             Alex Gordon                           21:51

112           Alan Grierson                        23:43

135           Norma Bone                           26:25

149           Helen Robinson                    28:09

172           Gail Crosbie                            31:35

212 finishers

Kinross Half, Sat 19^th May

A few folk warmed up (or rehearsed their wind & rain technique) for the Edinburgh marathon with a taper-down half at Kinross. Not my idea of a gentle taper-down session!

66             Andreas Wilhelm                  1:35:23

124           Tom White                             1:41:07

160           Paul Thompson                     1:44:00

241           Alex Gordon                           1:52:42

338           Bev Dodgson                        2:07:52

366           Norma Bone                           2:12:12

367           Pauline White                        2:12:12

402 finishers

Dunfermline Half, Sun 27^th May

212           Paul Thompson                     1:44:35

477 finishers

Edinburgh marathon, Sun 27 May

By Kenny “The Edinburgh Marathon was met by a torrential downpour on Sunday morning - brilliant I thought, anyway - none of this tropical weather than had upset everyone in Paris. I ran with Tom initially and we caught Caroline in Musselburgh and we all ran together until about 16 when I started to inch away.  The course was basically from Princes Street to the coast, through Musselburgh, the Pans and Cockenzie Nuclear Facility (amongst other traditional Edinburgh Tourist Traps) out to Gosford House where we turned and finished at Musselburgh Racecourse.  There was a bit of a headwind on the way out but a following wind for the last 7 miles which was a godsend (quite literally, I guess).  Now things went well until about 25 at which point things fell apart and I had to take a short walk and about the four furlong pole (= half mile = 800 metres in new money) to go, Caroline passed me and called me a lazy ****.   A 'sprint' finished ensued, which I lost but I think there was revenge on chip times for the Edinburgh half.  399th in 3.23.39 - pleased with that.  [NB Iain Morrice's long runs on a Saturday am do you good in the long run, even if it doesn't feel like it at the time....]”

399 Kenneth Tindall             03:23:39

530 Thomas White                03:28:49

947 John Gordon                   03:42:49

1557 Catherine Barr               03:58:12

1558 Alexandra Gordon        03:58:13

2459 Norma Bone                  04:28:24

2462 Pauline White               04:28:28

2551 William Cummings       04:32:13

2749 Beverley Dodgson       04:41:55

Rigg Race, Mon 28^th May

A big WELL DONE to Alex and the mini army of club helpers (Paul T, Paul M, Anne, Maureen, Claire, Catherine, Pauline, Verity, Tom, Ian H, Caroline, Kenny, Louise) and anyone else who helped out on the night. (There’s a useful ladies x-country team in that list!) Extra praise goes to the spreadsheet team lead by Paul Thompson as we got the results onto the web-site before 11:00 on Monday night.

There were a few pretty useful performances (*), including a run by Norma who had run a marathon the day before! There was a healthy gathering of prizes in the local runner’s categories. We retained the local team prize, and were second club overall behind Corstorphine, but ahead of CofE, Central and HBT. It’s the first time since the race went “open” that we’ve had 4 runners in the top thirty.

9               Andrew Neilson                    00:33:58

23             Paul Houston                         00:36:49

26             David Gibson                         00:37:22  2^nd local, 1^st local 40+

28             Alan Kerr                                00:37:38 3^rd local

36             Iain Morrice                           00:38:55 1^st local 50+

53             Iain Crombie                           00:40:17

71             Andreas Wilhelm                  00:41:40

84             Hugh Chalmers                      00:42:22

93             Wendy Beardmore                00:43:06 1^st local F, 1^st Local F 35+

115           Ian May                                 00:45:05

117           Trevor Jackson                      00:45:26

125           Janice Carruthers                  00:46:30 2^nd local F

129           Neil Wilson                            00:46:58

132           Chris Doyle                            00:47:28

144           Peter McGavigan                  00:48:38

168           Norma Bone                           00:57:57 1^st local F 45+

169           Helen Robinson                    00:57:57

170           Ray Wyper                             00:57:57

174 finishers

Team Scores (first three finishers counting)

1               Corstorphine                          12

2               Harmeny                                 58

3               Central                                    59

4               City of Edin                           115

5               Lothian                                   125

6               HBT                                         138

7               Balerno High                          193

8=             Dunbar                                    210

8=             Leith VIC                                210

10             St Mungo's                            251

11             Norton House Hotel             329

* Note: “The handicapper” has noted those useful performances and will do a final tweak before the Peebles 10k.

Monthly Club Handicap

For newcomers (and a reminder to everyone else) we designate some local 10k races, plus our own pursuit handicap race, as club medal handicap events. “The Handicapper” maintains a list of 10k target times based on performances. For the designated races we calculate how everyone performed relative to their target times. The leading male & female win a very prestigious medal,…then get their target time reduced. It’s only open to club members. To get a Handicap please forward some verifiable times from recent 10k or half marathon races. Handicaps are updated regularly during the season according to performances.

This year we’re including one 5k and one half-marathon – see the list below for the designated events.

The next one is the Beltane 10K at Peebles, and quite a few folk have already entered.

The remaining designated events are indicated (**) below.

Forthcoming Events

Sat 2 June               Trossachs 10k      A wee gem. Highly recommended

Wed 6 June            Corstorphine 5 K road race, Turnhouse

Sun 10 June            Dechmont Law 10k Up-down, Up-down, Up-down, Up-down. I think that's four                    times

Sun 17 June            ** Beltane 10k & junior 3 k races, Peebles

                                An addition to our club medal series

Sun 17 June            Edinburgh Seven Hills

Sat 23 June             Rob Roy Challenge               Info at www.robroychallenge.com

                                Contact Iain (449 6546) if interested.

Tue 26th June     JogScotland Challenges (5k) Edinburgh:  Inverleith Park / Botanic Gardens

                                Split into 2 races (Fun runs) Enter online at   

                <http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/index.php?p=80&itemType=fixtures&itemId=696>

                <http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/index.php?p=80&itemType=fixtures&itemId=697>

Sat 28 July              Musselburgh 6 mile road race

Sun 5 Aug              ** Scottish Gas / Granton 10k &

                                ** 5k We’re making the 5K a club handicap event as well.

Sat 11 Aug             Haddington Half

Sun 19 Aug            ** Club 10k-&-a-bit pursuit handicap race.

                                (Avoiding the Bank Holiday Week-end)

Sun 1 Sep               Great Scottish Run / Glasgow half & 10k

Sun 29 Sep             ** Linlithgow 10k

Sun 7 Oct                Loch Ness Marathon / 10k / 5k

                                www.lochnessmarathon.com (& entry forms available)

Sat 14 Oct               ** Aviemore Half

                                A good one to do, and as trophy winners, honour is at stake.

                                As an additional incentive, we’ll make this a club medal event.

Sat 10 Nov              Glen Clova half marathon.

                                Contact Ian (449 6546) IMMEDIATELY if interested

The Scottish Athletics fixture list for the coming summer is at http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk

Spare entry forms and race posters are available on the Games corridor notice Board in Balerno High School, at the Gymnasium end.

Inverness Marathon

Places are still available to members of Scottish clubs until 1 Sep, so it’s not too late to enter….. and if you do, or have already entered, contact Wendy as she’s looking for someone else who’s going and / or building up with long runs (circa 1hr 40- 1hr 50 half pace)

Variable speed training

Quite a few folk “enjoyed” (??) the fartlek session on 23^rd May and are thinking about coming along to a track session on Thursdays. I am there every Thursday 6:30 – 7:30 except: when I’m on holiday (next one is 7 June), helping with juniors events, working in London, or the track is closed, frozen or under snow. So come along and feel some real pain. Regulars know that I also work with some junior sprinters, but distance runners are not required to run as fast as the youngsters …..

Assorted Clubs events

For the record, below is the current programme of things we are organising for adults and juniors over and above the normal running & training times.

Mon 4 June, 6:00                   Junior Mini-Championship evening 2: Sprint & Long Jump.

Fri 8 June                Ten-Pin Bowling – now fully booked

Wed 13 June, 6:00                Junior Mini-Championship evening 3: Water of Leith Race.

                                                Helpers to accompany the juniors are welcome.

Thu 14 June           Third Forth Valley League meeting for the club’s juniors, Livingston

Sun 17 June            Intermediate Runners group run to Flotterstone Inn

Sat 23 June             Family Fun Run (all ages): Meet at Harlaw Reservoir Car Park for 10:00

Sat 21^st July           Final Forth Valley League meeting for the club’s juniors, Grangemouth Stadium

Sat 28 July             Family Fun Run (all ages): Meet at Harlaw Reservoir Car Park for 10:00

Thu 2 August        Track Race Night at Saughton.

                                Last summer several the folk who had been training hard (and some not-so-hard) came along for an evening of track races (100m, 200m, 400m 800m and 1500m) to see if they had a potential Olympic career behind them. This is open to everyone, adults and juniors.

Sun 19 Aug            Club 10k-&-a-bit pursuit handicap race.