The first hill race of the year for most of the club’s hill runners is usually Carnethy 5 in the Pentlands or the Burdens relay in Fife. Unfortunately due to land owner issues both events were cancelled so the year has got off to a different start for the hill runners with a fun relay across the Kilpatricks and an excellant training weekend in Crianlarich. Report and photos below…..
Elite team report by Harry Pulman
To ease the pain of missing out again on the legendary Devils Burdens Relay, Westerlands Cross Country Club invited Shettleston and a handful of other elite clubs to a test event in the Kilpatrick Hills above Dumbarton. This unofficial race comprised teams of 8 runners (officially 4 men and 4 women) split into pairs over 4 legs. The route followed a large loop of roughly 45k starting and finishing in Old Kilpatrick.
It was Iain Pender who had the honour of pairing with Jethro Lennox for the A team first leg, up and over from the gasworks towards Dumbarton. One might think that the familiar training ground of The Slacks (surely one of the only hills deemed important enough to require a definite article) was safe ground, but after leading up the first climb, the Shettleston pair were generous enough to give their rivals, the Westies, a way back into the race with some brave and creative, but ultimately slower, lines. Nevertheless, some strong descending down the Green Mile yielded a significant lead by the end of their leg, and they also smashed the race director’s prediction for the fastest time for the first leg.
With Chris Pantry somewhat caught short, he and I had a final fast warmup to try and make it to our start line in time. With soggy, crumpled playing card (serving as the baton) frantically exchanged, we set off up into the hanging cloud. Both very familiar with the area, we were able to hit all the correct parts of the hill and focus on running hard. Chris was even able to rescue John Duffy’s escapee playing card en route. With the Duncolm crags successfully skirted, and the bottomless bog at the Whangie fence successfully snorkelled, it was over to Bryony McLeod and Mary Wilson to tackle the tricky next leg in the less frequented Eastern Kilpatricks, including the complex forestry sections. The pair were able to take some very direct lines, ending up running over a mile less than some other teams. The now familiar duo of Anna Wallace and Zoë Barber were able to keep the lead over the final hills and ensure that Shettleston won the inaugural Kilpatricks relay.
All-Men team report by Rodrigo Reis
As other teams have surely mentioned, Westies put on a great event, the Unofficial Kilps relay. Aside from the fact they might need new stopwatches (or time keepers!) it was a great day out as it was brilliant to get a wee pre-season test.
Oor boys John J Duffy and new member Neil Hastie were paired together for Leg 1, Gasworks – Overtoun House, kicking off the festivities for the so-called Shetts All-Men team. 1h15m later was change over time and speedy boys Paul Manson and Grant Boyne were off in a hurry… arriving in Queens View car park in a time of 1h16m, no bad at all! Ready for that initial climb and making way to Auchnacraig Car park was TJ Pringle and yet another recent SH*T acquisition – Xun Zhang; leg 3 would be completed in 1h24 and a soggy map for punching at the checkpoints was all that was to be handed to leg 4 team – Gavin Finbow (the true Shettleston Shett, taking after his father) and Rod Reis. Leg 4 was to finish back at the Gasworks where it all started, according to Westies timekeeping, 4h50 later. Shetts All-Men were allegedly 4th team home, well done to all. We are SH*T!
B team report
Setting out early doors for the B team on leg 1 was Victoria leiper and Myrtle Breckenridge. The previous week’s recce had paid off and the ladies made clever time-saving route choices through the forest via Doughnut Hill towards Overtoun House for the changeover.
Running leg 2 was John Connaghan and for the last time in a Shettleston vest, Matt Sullivan. With Matt leading the charge and some sold navigation through the Kilpatrick mud and clag, the pair managed to overhaul a fare few teams by the time they reached the Whangie for the handover to leg 3 in third position!
Ross Cruickshanks and Luis Eisen set off up a still misty Whangie while a flurry of other teams descended to Queen’s View car park. The race was still close and the heavy rain overnight meant that the climb to the first checkpoint was boggy and slippery, like much of the course throughout the day. Making some risky route choices, the speedy duo maintained their position and made an efficient changeover to Ceana Heron and Susan Breckenridge for the final leg. Embarking on her first ‘race/training’ event in a Shetts vest, Ceana used her excellent orienteering experience to guide her partner safely through the mist skirting Jaw reservoir up to the Slacks via Cochno. The well matched pair powered down to the gasworks, putting the B team in 4th Place overall.
This relay was the brainchild of Niall McAlinden of Westies and we would like to thank him and all his teammates for initiating and running this inaugural ‘ Burdens Replacement’ training event. The Kilpatrick Hills proved to be an ideal location, providing sufficient bog, mist and mud to ensure that every runner felt completely in their element! A logistically challenging adventure to say the least, our thanks must go to everyone who was involved in getting 3 Shettleston teams to all the start lines on time (unlike Westies!!).
We are sorry to say a farewell to Matt Sullivan who hangs up his Shetts vest after almost 16 years. We wish him all the best with the family which is now based in Peebles. We are delighted that our most recent new members Mary, Neil, Gavin and Ceana braved the elements and put in such impressive first performances.
Well done and thanks to everyone who took part. Go the Shetts.
Susan Breckenridge, 2023 Hill running captain
….and here are some photo highlights of our high altitude training weekend in Crianlarich. Thanks to TJ and Bill for organising.
