Cathkin Braes - Bog & Burn Race 1

An urban hill race !

The first in the fantastic mid-week hill races which form the Bog & Burn series started from just below the car park on the high road over towards Rutherglen from Carmunock. Out of the field of 65 runners - 26 were Westies. Someone commented that represented the majority of active racers in the club. It certain made a great spectacle seeing the field dominated by the yellow vests.

The start is a slight downhill and felt fast ...too fast. A look to the left only to see Angela Mudge (similar to trying to keep up with Paula Radcliff in the London marathon) confirmed the pace was not sustainable and I pulled up a little to something more sensible.The early part of the course takes a line over fields down towards the edge of the braes before turning left and climbing towards the woods. The first hill was sore with a short transition from the long strides to short steps. At the top the pain was compounded by changing back to the long strides. The woods section was made "interesting" by some of the local kids heckling ...on quad bikes - not a place you wanted to stop. Cries of encouragement included "hurry up ...the guy in front is beating you", "whit ye runnin fae ya fanny" to a more abrupt "yir sh!te". The steep descent through the bracken took us just to the edge of Castlemilk before traversing a couple of hundred yards and the VERY steep climb up to the transmitter mast. The course continued through the woods back to the start where it was off for a 2nd loop of the circuit.

With the pack generally well split I found myself in the middle of a mini Westies race between Hamilton Semple, Murdo McLeod, Blair Millen and John Donnelly (with Helen Palmer and Martin Reid not far behind). It seemed like I was stronger on the climbs ...could just hold on with the level but lost heaps on the descent where the other guys were so much quicker. Nearly spewin ...I managed to get to the front but it was at a cost - wobbly legs and a sore gut. Just before the finish, Nigel Scott was walking back down the course (having already completed) and he confirmed that JD was close behind me. Thankfully one last blast kept the placing as we all crossed the line within about 90 seconds of each other.

32 Graham Kelly Westerlands M 0:45:30
33 John Donnelly Westerlands M40 0:45:35
34 Murdo McLeod Westerlands M50 0:45:42
35 Hamilton Semple Westerlands M50 0:45:47
36 Helen Palmer Westerlands F 0:46:48
37 Martin Reid Westerlands M40 0:46:56
38 Blair Millen Westerlands M 0:47:05