Blown off & sliding down the Cobbler

SHR hill champs 2024 race #1 report from John Connaghan

The first race in the Scottish hill running championships took place at the Cobbler hill race on Saturday in challenging conditions. This is a relatively new race on the hill running calendar, having first been run in 2022, and it turned out on the day to be an attritional classic. Strong winds and horizontal hail, slippy, technical rocky descents, plus a steep section through thigh high mud that had to be negotiated on the way up and down, proved a real test of mettle, but did not deter a large Shettleston squad from delivering strong performances in both the men’s and women’s races.

Highlight of the day was the women’s team of Anna Macfadyen (5^th), Zoe Barber (6^th) and CJ Mcphail (7th) storming to 2^nd spot overall with three outstanding performances, missing out on the top spot by the narrowest of margins. Notable too was the depth of the women’s team, with superb runs from Bryony Mcleod (12^th), Gemma Griffith (21^st), Myrtle Breckenridge (22^nd), Mary Wilson (33^rd), and a performance of real grit from Ruth Stanley (49^th), running on a hill for the first time in over 3 years.

The men’s team managed 3^rd place overall, largely on the back of another classy run from last year’s Scottish hill running champion, Dan Dry (3^rd), ably supported by Ryad Chebbout (19^th) and a couple of the old stagers- Chris Grant Pantry (20^th, 2^nd V40), and John Connaghan (43^rd, 2^nd V50). Great runs also from Andrew Shields (47^th), Ross Cruickshanks (48^th), Cameron Muir (62^nd), Angus Rodney (67^th), Bill Breckenridge (70^th, 7^th V50, 3^rd V55), and Alex Hill (71^st). Special mention to Angus, who crossed the line wearing one shoe and carrying the other, because of the above-mentioned mud.