Andy Birnie sent in the following report from last weekend’s Highland Fling ultra marathon. Saturday 24th April marked my first and very last ultra marathon. This unique experience started off really well in cool damp conditions. Upto 23 miles it was a breeze, hitting all splits bang on schedule, sitting as 4th Vet, even enjoying the scenery. Then suddenly somebody switched the lights out. Joe had warned me beforehand to expect some dark moments, but I did not expect the first dark moment to last 30 miles and another 6 hours. My running was reduced to something more akin to shuffling. If my wife Emma had been at Inversnaid (34 miles) I would have happily chucked it, but without a means to get a message to her, I had to go on. At Bein Glas farm (41 miles) I was met by the Bella posse. I knew there was no way I could chuck it now, so after my 6th Muller Rice and with my support team in tow, I was off shuffling again, eventually getting to Tyndrum (53 miles) and a heartwarming Bella reception, in just under 10 hours. I was outside my target time, but to be honest, after Rowardenan it stopped being a race and then became a challenge just to complete the distance. I want to take this opportunity to say thanks: for support on the day – Emma, Dougal, Matt, Robert, Joe, Peter (& Daniel), Louise (& Anna), Neil, Danielle & the relay teams for my chaperones for the last 12 miles – Craig & Brendan for a life-saving massage after the event – Matt for company on my long training runs – Emma, Stuart, Dougal, Brendan, Davie, Greig, Peter & Jackie for advice from the ultra gurus – Robert, Joe & Stuart And of course, well done to the relay teams: the ladies (Emma (the other one), Jane, Lynsey & Jackie) successfully defending the trophy the boys (Brendan, Marcos, Dougal & Greig) for beating Bella’s course record but being robbed of the trophy by some mob of interlopers from south of the border on a cross-border pot hunting raid. P.S. Huge respect to the guys in the club who have completed and are obviously good at ultras
Monthly archives: April 2010
A massive shout out and very well done to our very own Tracey Murphy who completed the Marathon Des Sables at the weekend. Tracey finished the 6 day, 151 mile race in 204th position overall, and 12th female. Described as the toughest footrace on earth, competitors have to carry everything they will need for the duration (except tent) on their backs. Mid day temperatures reach 120°F and the running or walking is on uneven rocky, stony ground as well as 15-20% of the distance being in sand dunes! Tracey was raising funds for the Motor Neurone Disease charity.
Congratulations to Kenny Richmond who broke two club records at recent races. At the Balloch To Clydebank Half Marathon Kenny improved his PB and the club record at that distance finishing in a time of 1:10:27. Following on from that, Kenny also broke the club record and set another PB for 10 miles at the Tom Scott Memorial Road Race at Strathclyde Park finishing in a time of 53:06. Well done Kenny, any more to come we wonder?
Well done to the Bellahouston Road Runners Men’s team who finished in 7th place in the National Road Relay’s held in Livingston on Saturday 3rd April. This was an improvement of two places from the previous year. The Bella ‘A’ Team was made up of Alasdair McLeod, Mark Johnston, Matt Williamson, Russell Whittington, Scott Kennedy and Colin McGill. Well done boys.