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 https://bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk/bella5k for more detail and to download the application form.
Racing
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Chief Bella supporter (and surely member-in-waiting) dd_bdlm sends this report from yesterday’s Skye Half Marathon: The Skye Half Marathon turned out to be a purple dominated affair. Around 300 competitors ran in sunny but windy conditons. The race was led from the off by Graham Bee (Fife AC) who won in an impressive 1.15.48 Second was Gordon Lennox (unatt) and then the intrepid purple trio of Scott Kennedy (3rd), Andy Birnie (4th) and Greig Glendinning (5th) easily brought home the team prize. Second Claim Bella Andy Joyce (today running for Stornoway) was 6th. Christopher McKiddie also ran for Bella but unsure of his time. The ladies race was won comfortably by club president Emma Birnie managing to make it home just under 1.30. The prize giving had the nature of a take-over about it with the boys winning their place prizes & team prize and Andy also winning MV40 prize. Then Emma also won the Female Vet prize as well as the overall first female. With a very generous if unusual prize list next year we will need to consider a Bella Van to bring it all home! Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8 … 6e23d6cc15
Emma has sent this excellent race report from the The Inter-Counties Fell, on Saturday 23rd May at Hutton Roof Crags near Kendal: Bella was represented by Kenny Richmond, Iona Robertson and Emma Birnie all running for the Scotland West team. The course was a tough 7 mile slog up to Hutton Roof crags then a long undulating cross country course to the near vertical acsent up Farlton Knot and back for a fast grassy descent back to Hutton Roof village. The West teams led the way in the Scottish stakes with the West girls team (Fiona Maxwell (Shettleston), Iona and Emma) bringing home bronze medals for third place and the mens west team (Matthew Gillespie & Tom Owens (both Shettleston) & Kenny Richmond the 3 counters) securing 4th place overall. Other Scottish team results are as follows: Women – Scotland East 4th (just beating Greater Manchester on first-team-home), and Scotland Central in 8th. Among the men’s teams, the honours were in the same order with Scotland West 4th, Scotland East 6th and Scotland Central 9th. The Scotland North teams were incomplete. A great day out with fabulous cakes on offer at the village fete afterwards! Full results are here: http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2009/hutton.htm
Just a bit of blowing the club trumpet here…don’t know about anyone else, but we’ve been smiling over the last few days at the variety of races that Bella runners (and riders) have been turning up at. In the last week or so we’ve had: Greig pot-hunting on the roads and farm tracks of the Borders Bella sweeping all before them at Goatfell Joe running his 2nd superb ultra in a month a record Bella turnout at the Glasgow parkrun Ewan conquering the hills of Windermere Brian O’D flying the flag at Loch Leven Richard hashing with Mendip Hills Hash House Harriers (MH4) Mole, Bruce G and Jackie (and others?) braving the hairpins and carpet tacks on epic cycle events a couple of Bellas winning a bizarrely handicapped ’10k’ race on Skye (albeit running in the colours of their 2nd claim club!) In the coming week we’ve got (among others): a Bella contingent heading to the Inter Counties fell race in Cumbria more (even more remote) pot-hunting from Greig on the Isle of Lewis the Polaroid 10k series kicking off in Helensburgh another parkrun So we’ve got 5ks, 10ks, HMs, Marathons, Ultras, Hill Races and cycle races. Throw in the ongoing Duathlon training which folk are doing in preparation for the Highland Cross and the Corrieyairack Challenge, and I think you can say we’re diversifying more than most clubs! Doesn’t make writing training schedules any easier though! It’s all great to see and illustrates that we’re so much more than just a road running club. There’s something for everyone at Bella!
Hot off the press, Ian Goudie has sent through this race report from Wednesday’s Troon 10k: “Wet wet wet! and breezy blowy windy!” is how one of the over eight hundred runners at the 24th Troon 10k described Wednesday’s race. The torrential rain, sleet, hailstones and gale force winds made it a challenging event but the marvelous support provided by Scott, Craig, the stewards and the hardy Ayrshire locals, kept runners going to the very end. The wild weather didn’t stop Bellahouston RRs taking 35 runners for a jaunt along Troon’s South Beach esplanade. Bella’s Star of the night was Emma Birnie, who finished first in the Women’s Vet Race and third in the overall Women’s Race in a great time of 39:54. However on a night when everyone had to battle against the elements, every one of the Bella 35 were winners! Full result and photos are available on the Troon Tortoise web site: http://www.troontortoises.org.uk Ian’s personal race report is available here
A great turnout at yesterdays Jack Crawford 10k. A total of 29 Bella’s taking part, and some good performances in less than ideal conditions. A stiff and chilly wind, plenty of mud and puddles, and the infamous canal path. With a much bigger field this year (347 participants, compared to 262 last year) meant passing on this narrow course was more important than ever, and no doubt frustrated a few ambitions for pushing PB’s or gaining positions. Certainly a great set of results at the front of the pack from Andy, Greig, Alasdair, Liam and Bryan, but no details as yet on whether a team prize was taken. Norman, Ian and Tom certainly continue to battle it out in the vets championship, with a complete mirror of positions from their Nigel Barge results. Tom took the well deserved honours this week, leading the group throughout. A surge from Norman in the last stretch of the course just wasn’t quite enough. Special mention also to Lynne Andrew. Great to see her back running again after her operation last year, and I’m sure I speak for everybody in saying we look forward to seeing you back at the club again soon! See also: Full results at Springburn Harriers website here. Danielle’s pics.
Here’s Brian’s report from yesterday’s “Eddie’s half marathon” in Fort William: Greig and I, with support crew of Danielle and the dogs, headed north for this half marathon in Fort William. Excellent weather conditions allowed for some spectacular scenery on the drive up, and indeed throughout the race. Snow capped hills all the way. The race starts and finishes on the shinty pitch next to the Nevis Centre, and it’s an out and back course. We headed out through a housing estate and onto a cycle path for the first mile or so, then onto the roads all the way to a turning point at half away with only a few turns to get us there. It was a bit hectic for traffic with runners on both sides of the road and the cars having to get between us. Limited marshalling, and this caused a problem for Greig on the way back as he and the group he was running with ended up on the wrong path for a short time (about 19 seconds worth claims Greig!). I was delighted to get a new PB 1:21:43 and finish in 10th place, but hats off to Greig for another stunning performance. He finished 5th in 1:19:18. That’s his first sub 1:20 and he did it in style. Afterwards there was loads of biscuits, tea and coffee for the presentation. Slightly disappointed that with the range of prizes on offer Greig didn’t manage to bag one but I don’t think that took the shine off the day for any of us. Thanks to Danielle and dogs for support once again. The race was won by Robert Gilroy in a time of 1:10:46. Highly recommend this one. More here, on the forum.
With the new Club Championship season already under way, we thought best to update you with the details! The Championships are there for EVERYONE to take part in. So make it your challenge to complete the criteria, you will be motivated to get out there and race, and see how you progress from last year! How does it work? There are 23 championship races each for men and women, spread throughout the year, starting with the Brampton to Carlisle 10 Miler in November 08 and finishing with the Great Scottish Run 10K/HM in September 09. Points are awarded for each race you complete, based on your official finish time and recognised scoring tables. The faster you run the more points you earn. Each race is classified as Short, Medium or Long. To fulfil the Championship qualifying criteria, you must complete at least 8 races in total…comprising 2 short, 2 long and 2 medium PLUS any other 2 from the list. At least one of the long races MUST be a half marathon. This might mean that you have to run a new distance or stretch yourself to complete the criteria – why not use the Championship as an incentive to achieve a new goal this year? Please submit your race times on the message board following each Championship race. The points total from your 8 qualifying best-scoring (fastest) race times will be ranked against your club-mates, with updates as the year progresses. Awards EVERYONE who completes the Championship criteria will be awarded a special Club Championship memento! Prizes will be awarded to the overall Club Champions i.e. the highest scoring male and female from either senior or vet category (35+ for women and 40+ for men as of 1st January 2009). The winner of each category takes home the annual Club trophy. The first 3 senior men and women overall PLUS the first male and female vets in each age category will win prizes as shown below. The details The full details are available here. A printed copy of this information will be available for all club members. In the meantime, best of luck, and get racing! Thanks, Nick and Carla 🙂
Craig Ross submitted this race report: On a warm and uncharacteristically sunny day, four Bella teams participated in the West District relay champs, this year held at the Royal Academy, instead of the beachy Magnum Centre. Despite torrential rain in the days leading up to the event, the course was relatively dry underfoot, which suited many of us unaccustomed to the dark and mysterious arts of off-road running. Some say that it’s not a real cross-country unless it is chucking it with rain, and you end up covered in mud, but I’ll take a dry track any day thanks. The men’s A team was lead out by novice stand-in captain Craig Ross, who muscled and cornered econmoically around the course to have the team well placed after the first leg. Marcos SanzGomez then took over and finished stronlgy before tucking into a meal of home-made pasta in a trademark plastic container. Jim O’Hara in his debut XC ignored all advice and took off like a rocket, and worked hard in the final stages before handing onto Gordon Durnan, up until this time a Bella race virgin. The A team finished in a respectable 20th place in strong field. For the B team, Euan Black started well before handing onto a hungover Dougie MacGregor, and then onto Norman Boyle who despite fancy new bold spikes had his efforts impaired by a bad cold. The team was anchored by Chris Doak who had a strong run, to bring the B team home in 44th. For the ladies’ team, Louise Ross finshed looking remarkably fresh before handing onto Emma Simpson, who had been out of XC for 16 years. Iona Robertson finished typically strongly, and clawed back several places to bring the team back in a commendable 10th. For the ladies’ vets team, Karen Clarkson (who had been roped in after a few drinks the night before at the Awards night) started things off, before passing onto the consistent Julia Harris, and finally Maddie Smillie brought the team home in 17th, after some time spent running the wrong way. All told, a great day out, and notable for the number of athletes who made their XC debuts.
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!
Huge congratulations from the club to member Gavin, who completed the UK Ironman. Gavin wrote a superb summary of his experience: First of all, thanks for all the support over the last few months. I managed to complete my first triathlon in 13:53:29. I took 1:32:59 to cover the 2.4 mile swim; 7:22:30 for the 112 mile bike and 4:32:19 for the marathon, with the other few minutes in transition changing and sorting myself out! The swim start was delayed unitl 6:30 due to the overcast and dark conditions, visability above water was very low and underwater you could see about 6 inches. So the mass start of 1500 swimmers all thrashing about and jockeying for position means that you get punched, kicked, pushed and prodded a fair bit for the first mile or so. I had planned to take it easy on the swim and expected to come out the water at the back of the crowd. Safely through the swim it was onto the bike for 3 laps of a undulating and windy course. The feed stations every 12 miles never came quick enough, there were 3 big hills on each loop, and a fun fast downhill section reaching speed of upto 48mph!!. After 112 miles of physical and mental highs and lows it was a quick descent back to the transition area. After another changes of clothes and liberal application of vaseline I was on the run course. This was a very hilly figure of 8 loop that you ran three times. The first mile was a surprisingly easy 9 min/mile which set the pace for the first loop. On the second loop, things where getting tough, so I took full advantage of the aid stations, positioned every 1.5-2 miles. Which had Gatorade, power gels, pretzels, water, bananas and flat coke, I stuffed myself with everything except the coke and walked through them. By the 3rd and last lap my speed was getting seriously slow and I figured that unless I puled my finger out I would be over the 14 hour mark. So now I took onboard the flat coke and my last 4 miles was done in under 32 minutes (fast for me!). So running along the final 100m in my ancient Bella vest in the dark towards the finishing chute was a proud moment.
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)?