Posts Tagged “races”

Chris Brotherston has just sent in his race report from the 2011 Ben Nevis Hill Race:

It seemed like a big ask with all that ascent using only two blistered feet, the rain plummeting from the heavens and the gallus mountain clothed in dank mist. This was it……the Ben Nevis Hill race, the thing you hear about as a kid and think to yourself “wow, these guys must be superhuman”. And then as you stand at the start line you see the super human athletes such as Finlay Wild (no relation to the humble Oscar or his long suffering wife) and Angela Mudge (whose dog is even faster than you) or Stuart Mathieson (just being pseudo sycophantic there Stuart). But they are in the minority the rest of us are human; some carrying injuries while others carry hangovers and overhanging bellies. But, that’s hill racing with its motley assortment of craggies on the crags, sloppers on the slopes…..and the illiterate alliteraters….

Anyway, back to the hill race……….and in a hill race everything is about feet….how many feet of ascent and descent…how are your feet…..what are you wearing on your feet……did you keep your feet (no I gave mine away to a passing tourist who got in the way on the bloody zig zags!)…wow what a feat (!).

Anyway back to the hill race….it starts as most race do and then finishes. In between there are a hell of a lot of feet (4370 feet of ascent, 1000 runners feet and 500 incredible feats). To some it is running up and down in an incredible 1 ½ hours, to others it is completing it in just under four hours, while all those in between have their own personal goals.

An experience it was; an achievement it was; an emotional experience it certainly was; a joyous pleasure…..well I think I will leave that feat to the imagination…….

Wouldn’t change it for the world though….

More details, results and… FEATures (boom *tisch*) about this famous hill race at http://www.bennevisrace.co.uk/

Update: Entries to 7th November have been posted here.

A list of all entries received to the Jimmy Irvine Achilles Heel Bella 10k, so far (31st October, 2010) is available here. If you’ve entered, please check your details are on the list, and get in touch by e-mailing info@bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk if you’re not on the list as you’d expect.

If you’ve not entered yet, there’s still time, but the event is filling up fast. See the event pages for entry details, and get your form in the post.

The course maps have been updated on the Events page also.  If you have been studying the maps, you’ll now notice a slight change in some of the markers to reflect the fact that the course has now been accurately measured by an approved measurer.  This resulted in a change of position for some markers, and a new finish point.

After last year’s gale force winds, the weather gods were slightly kinder to the 95 runners at the Bella Ben Venue Hill Race today, with a torrential downpour on the start line and only 30mph winds on the ridge to contend with.

But the weather did not stop some fast racing, with the lead changing hands many times between the top group before Matt Sullivan (Shettleston) & Peter Devenport (Bellahouston) used local knowledge for a good line on the final downhill on the open hillside from the ridge into Gleann Riabhach, and managed to pull away from the others. Matt held off Peter to win in a time of 1 hour 10 mins for the 8 mile course, but if Peter had not been forced to stop and tie a shoe lace in the run-in, the finish could have been even tighter. Finishing close behind this pair were the Shettleston duo, Tom Owens and Jethro Lennox.

In the ladies competition, Jacqui Higginbottom (Carnethy) used her speed (& long legs) on the steep trail section to overcome Shona Robertson of Westies, while Ellie Homewood, also of Westies finished in third.

In a tightly fought male vet race, the eventual winner was Bruce Smith (Carnethy) from Will Manners (Strathearn) and Alan Gilkison (Westerlands). In the ladies vet competition Fabienne Thompson of Carnegie held off the Carnethy pair, Joanne Anderson & Joan Wilson.

The teams prizes were split to the east & west of the country, with Shettleston winning the men’s (Matt Sullivan, Tom Owens, Jethro Lennox) and Carnethy winning the ladies (Jacqui Higginbottom, Fiona McKinnon & Joanne Anderson).

Being a new race, not everyone took the optimum route today, and I’m sure everyone knows of places where they can shave off a few seconds in the big race next year, but spare a thought for the runner who took a very non-optimum route, and ended up at Kinlochard, resulting in a 12 mile taxi ride back to the finish!

Ben Venue is one of the SHR championship races in 2011, so with this being the first race over the full course, we are keen to learn from your experience, so please send any comments or suggestions for improvement to benvenue@bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk

The race doubles as a fundraiser for the Lomond Mountain Rescue Team, so many thanks to all the runners, marshalls & helpers who helped raise £500 for team funds.

Hope to see you all next year!

Results available as either a PDF (link) or Excel (link)

Sunday 8th August was a fine day for the Achilles Heel Bella 5k race, with the sun making a pleasant appearance for the first time in a while.

152 runners took part in the event, 35 from the host club Bella Road Runners. Achilies Heel Bella 5k Results 2010

Winning the mens race in fine style was Paul Sorrie from Shettleston Harriers in an excellent time of 14:59, a new course record.

Eilis McKechanie from HBT won the womens’ race in an equally impressive time of 18 mins.

Paul was followed by David Millar, Irvine AC who took the M40 prize and third was Bella’s own Kenny Richmond. In the ladies race Garscube Harriers runners Lesley Chisholm and Kirsty Husband took second and third place respectively and Lesley first FV35.

First Male Team prize went to Bella Road Runners: Kenny Richmond, Ciaran Dougherty and Craig Ross. First Female Team was Garscube: Lesley Chisholm, Kirsty Husband and Jill O’Neil.

A fine selection of food was on offer after the race in the Palace of Art for runners and helpers to savour and enjoy the excellent sunshine. Many thanks to all of the volunteers who helped provide such excellent support to the event.

Photos will follow soon. Thanks to Gerry Scullion for the race report!

Photos from the 2009 Ben Venue Hill Race are starting to appear. Check back for further pictures, or post a comment with links!

Pictures in the forest of all runners from Alasdair McLeod:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43183046@N05/sets/72157622514811606/

Above the forest by Ian Nimmo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottishhillrunners/sets/72157622387565595/

And from the finish by Chris Upson:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisupson/sets/72157622392072319/

The weather looks lovely!

Entries for the Achilles Heel Bella 5k are now open.

This year the event takes place on Sunday, August 16th. Race starts at 11am, with declaration and changing (from 9.30am) at Palace of Arts, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow.

Pre-entry is £5 for SAL members, and £7 for non-SAL members. There’s an additional £2 for entry on race day. Minimum age of 16 on race day.

Visit http://bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk/bella5k for more detail and to download the application form.

In what was one of the biggest turn outs from Bella at the George Cummings Relay Races, four men’s teams and three women’s teams from Bella RR helped to make up the 48 men’s teams of 4 and 27 women’s teams of 3 in a 2.7 mile race in dreich conditions.

New women’s Captain Carla got of to a winning start as the women’s vet team team won 1st prize.

Full results at the Kilbarchan AAC website (PDF), and individual club results available on the forum. Photos here (facebook, courtesy of Greig) and here (Ian), and course map here. Thanks to Ian for the write-up.

John Milligan sent in this report about a jog in the country he took part in yesterday:

This is the story of 7 brave Bellas who entered the 19 mile race through hell known as the Two Breweries. 

Of the 7 who entered only 6 made the start, death intervened for the 7th (un)lucky runner – not his own. 

Of the 6 who started 2 ran the race finishing in the first 20 Kenny 16th 3.07 Mark J 17th 3.09. 

The other 4 barely survived their journey to the battlefields of Peebles. I was next Bella in 4.25 closely followed by Alan S in 4.28. Dave Boyle made it home in 4.33 with John S dipping the line inside the 5hr cut off. 

Big thanks to the support crew/drivers Nikki, Sally, Sandra & Tracy without whose support, Lucozade and freshly peeled Mars Bars etc we would never have survived. 

Bring on the Man or Mouse I might be able to move again by then! 

4 Bellas braved the horrendous head wind yesterday in the Quiraing 10k in Skye, myself, Scott, Emma and Andy.  Scott was 2nd overall with a pb of 33.33, Andy was 3rd with a pb of 35.21, Emma won the ladies challenge in 39.45 and I was 3rd with another pb of 45.26. It was a great day out, a very friendly race, £1.50 for all the cakes you can eat and the added entertainment of a belly dancer…..just don’t ask!!!

Scott and I have had a deal on for the last 4 years that we could only drink the bottle of champagne he got for his club marathon record when we both got a pb in the same race……..at last!!!!

Well done to everyone to ran in the Bella 5k this year!! Prize winners and results below, or click here for the full 2008 results.

A huge thanks from me (Linda) to everyone who participated today, whether it be running or helping out. It was a huge success yet again and i’m looking forward to seeing everyone back in 2009!!!! 

• 1st Male – Paul Sorrie, Shettleston Harriers, 15.28
• 2nd Male – Matt Williamson, Bellahouston Road Runners, 16.16
• 3rd Male – Sean Fontana, Victoria Park City of Glasgow, 16.26
   

• 1st Female – Michelle Hetherington, Helensburgh, 18.52
• 2nd Female – Emma Birnie, Bellahouston Road Runners, 19.15
• 3rd Female – Donna Finlayson, Victoria Park City of Glasgow, 19.29
   

• 1st Male 40 – Alastair Douglas, Victoria Park city of Glasgow, 16.50
• 1st Male 50 – Graham Crawford, Springburn Harriers, 16.52 
• 1st Male 60 – Tony Hall, unattached, 23.10
• 1st Male 70 – David Murchie, Eastleigh RC, 23.40
   

• 1st Female 35 – Sarah Dowling, Bellahouston Road Runners, 19.56
• 1st Female 45 – Pam McKay, Broomhill, 19.58
• 1st Female 55 – Janie Hall, JogScotland, 26.35
• 1st Female 65 – Sallie Lloyd-Jones, JogScotland, 36.37
   

• 1st Male Team – Bellahouston Road Runners: 2nd Matt Williamson, 5th Scott Kennedy, 7th Colin McGill 
• 1st Female Team – Bellahouston Road Runners: 2nd Emma Birnie, 4th Amanda Wilson, 6th Sarah Dowling 

Also a huge well done to Emma Birnie and Andy Birnie (no fix honest!!!!) for winning places into the Great Scottish Run. And Colin McGill for his place in the Edinburgh Marathon or Team relay…….get training guys!!

Enjoy the race? Why not complete the Runner’s World feedback form (link)?