August 15, 2007
Next Races in the Hill Running Grand Prix
Event No. 7 in the Club Hill Running Grand Prix takes place this Sunday.
Lomonds of Fife Hill Race
Date Sun 19 August 2007
Time 1:00pm
Venue Strathmiglo Village Hall
Category AM
Entry Fee £5
Distance 11 miles
Climb 3400 ft
The new course for this race first run last year proved a popular choice with most who took part and all agreed that it retained the same challenges of the old route. The race starts and finishes close to the Bonnet Stane in a field SW of Strathmiglo and climbs the north side of West Lomond. Once the summit cairn is reached you retrace your steps back down (effectively following the last part of the Devil’s Burden’s Leg 3 route), entering the woods behind Strathmiglo by the wooden gate. From there you follow the forest road (part of Devil’s Burden’s leg 4 route) until McCaig’s Monument appears on the hillside above. From there you climb up a narrow path and pass the monument to pick up a forest track beyond it. You again leave this track heading up a small path, over a deer fence and through a plantation that emerges on the track that joins East and West Lomond at Craigmead. Turning East on to the track you cross the road between Falkland and Leslie and join the track beyond to the summit of East Lomond. You then retrace your steps back to Craigmead to commence your homeward journey with a small diversion over Maiden Castle hill and your own choice of route to West Lomond (yes again!). We have yet to find the optimum route between these two landmarks and most people favour joining the main track as soon as they can and just follow it to the foot of West Lomond (your feedback for future recce’s would be appreciated). This is the point where the tiredness kicks in and the ascent up West Lomond is never forgiving! All that remains now is one of the steepest and most exciting descents locally - down “Caissons Crack” to the finish. Some feel that progress is best made by sliding down the steep gradient on their backside but from personal experience and being witness to some rather red and bloodstained competitors’ rear quarters at the finish of last year’s race - staying on your feet is definitely the best option! (it took me three days before I could sit down after my first attempt at the race). A great challenge and the tea and cakes before the prize giving have proved well deserved in the past.
Carnegie Harriers Hill Race
If your hill running exploits as yet remain untried or you fancy a short test for sociable competition between clubmates then why not come and try the Carnegie Harriers Hill Race?
Event No. 8 in the Club Hill Running Grand Prix takes place a week on Sunday.
Carnegie Harriers Hill Race
Date Sun 26 August 2007
Time 2:00pm
Venue Scotlandwell Church Carpark
Category AS
Entry Fee FREE to club members
Distance 4 miles
Climb 1500 ft
Filed under Grand Prix, Races by Neil
