The Merrick, at 873 masl, is the highest mountain in the Southern Uplands and after our last attempt at this race in 2013 where poor weather (understatement!) shortened the race (see link below), it was high time to get this classic race under our belts.
http://penicuikharriers.org.uk/2013/09/16/the-merrick-hill-race-well-almost/
The Merrick is also infamous for having the longest line of site in the UK where theoretically, on a clear day, one can see the summit of Snowden 144 miles away. Mike was rather sceptical about this!!
http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas.html#longlinesbrit
Weather-wise, luckily, this year Jan (The Rain Goddess) was not with us and the forecast was excellent (but see next week’s post on the Breweries!!) and two car loads of Harriers embraced the 2 hr 45 min journey down to Loch Trool. In attendance, Moi, Gregor G, Mark D, Chris D, Sadie K, Michael G, and it was great to see Mike B back after 5 months of injury.
The Merrick – 2016 Race Route
This year, the Merrick hill race was part of the British Championships so instead of the normal 30/40 runners, there was now just shy of 200 participants. Because of this, the organisers changed the route which normally goes out and back along the main tourist track. For this year (and hopefully for the future) they created a round trip, the first half being mostly the usual track and the return trip being rather rugged, gnarly and technical. According to my Garmin the new route is 13.6 kms with about 960m of elevational gain. Officially – 12.4kms (750km) – but I think that is the old route.
don’t you just love running in the hills on your own?
At 1pm, the race started and after about a 200m sprint along the single track road the first ascent started up a steep gnarly path up through deep browning bracken. It was very difficult to pass anyone – walking only – and it was classic bums in faces all the way up. My current “nemesis” – I always need someone to battle against – is “wee man” Walter Henderson (Shettleston Harriers) who squirmed past me on the way up. I was way too polite on this ascent – damn that English blood. I’d get him later…..I hoped!
Luckily, this first steep ascent was relatively short and the path soon levelled off and with relief, we started running towards Bennan. Unfortunately, here was the first of the route changes. The old route continued upwards to Bennan while the new route took a right with 1 km of forest road to sprint along. The worst part of the race in my mind. However, it was quick at least and once we crossed Whiteland Burn, we took a left and the ascent began in earnest. Once above the tree-line the gradient reduced to that annoying runnable incline where one feels guilty if you walk. I was battling a couple of women at this point and was determined to keep up with them. Compared to 2013, the ascent up to Benyellary (the 2013 poor weather turnaround) was a real joy and having passed the ladies, I descended off the summit with the Merrick beckoning in the distance. The visibility was excellent and I could see Walter about half a kilometre ahead – surely I could make that distance up.
The weather seemed to get sunnier as the race progressed and it was much warmer than I had expected. I ensured I had a good slug of water on the final ascent up to the Merrick summit as I knew there would be little chance for a drink stop on the return route. Despite excellent views from the top I forgot to look for Snowden as I was running with a group of 4 guys and competitively we plunged off the summit at a rather reckless pace. This was my favourite section of the race and we flew down the initial gentle non-technical descent. After about 1.5 kms, however, the route became much steeper and craggier which surprised the pants out of all of us, and 5 guys suddenly realised they were going way too fast for the terrain that we were plunging down. There were clear grunts and shouts as we all tried to rein in the speed a little to ensure control as the terrain got more and more technical. Luckily no one sprained an ankle and we kept a good pace down into the valley. At this point I noticed that Walter was only about 100m in front – game on!!!
The nature of the race changed substantially at this point. A short sharp ascent took us up to a gnarly open ridge heading SW up to Buchan Hill. There was not much path and there were deep holes, tussocks and lots of rocks to trip the unwary. I think all of us were suffering a little from the fast descent off the Merrick and it definitely took me a while to gain a semblance of rhythm and strength back into my legs. However, I lost no places and slowly gained on Walter and passed him (:-)) just before Buchan Hill. Now I just had to keep ahead of him for the final descent.
Running off Buchan Hill was far from easy. It was very technical, made more difficult as I was battling a whole bunch of runners. I guess for most of us it was sheer luck that we did not twist an ankle but I happily passed a few runners (one running with one shoe as his sole fell off the other) and bar nearly going a cropper on the hidden tripwire of a broken fence managed to get down to the valley bottom at a reasonable pace and no injuries. The final leg of the race is a ~300m run up a steep track which was awful. I had to walk some of it as my legs were juiced out. Frustratingly the guy with 1 shoe passed me just before the finish. I later asked him how he did it and he said his foot was so sore it was better to run quicker as he wanted to get it over and done with. Respect!
As of writing this, the results are not up yet, but I am very happy how the race went. I generally gained places throughout the race which is always a good sign. I’ll let the others make their own comments/observations on the race but overall I think we all thought it was a rather epic day. The weather was fabulous (a tad too warm maybe) and the new route tremendous – surely a new classic route on the hill racing circuit. I hope the organisers keep the new route. It is a long way to go for a race, but as one can enter on the day and it only costs £4, it is well worth the drive down if the weather is good.
Rob
RESULTS
196 runners – winning time 01:16:03
73rd: Rob W: 01:47:36
121st: Mike B: 02:02:11
152nd: Michael G: 02:12:29
159th: Gregor G: 02:17:06
163rd: Sadie K: 02:20:50
164th: Chris D: 02:21:35
183rd: Mark D: 02:42:13
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- registration – the initial ascent in the distance
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- all smiles at the start – well – Mike looks a little panicked
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- not all smiles!
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- here we go!
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- the first ascent
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- 1983 – Rob ascending Benyellary – the hands on knees technique was always 2nd nature
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- the final ascent to the summit
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- 1983 – Rob on the Merrick Summit – nice jumper!
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- The summit in 2016
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- Mulling at the finish waiting for Mark – Rob tryng to stop the dog licking him
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- He may look at little traumatised, but he loved it really!!
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- not so obvious but daft Mike had brought odd shoes – one not so good in the hills. Ach – the excuses!!
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- the problem with bright pink socks is that it looks like you had an accident 🙂
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- are we cleaning our legs or worshipping Sadie?
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- Just what the muscles ordered!!!
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- more cooling off
Great report, great photos and great effort! Well done!
Great report and photos, well done all!
Brilliant race report Rob! Also thanks for the lift which turned out to be such a beautiful drive through some cracking countryside. I’ve wanted to do this race for some time as Jan and I trekked up the Merrick well over 10 years ago and the race was on that day. We both thought the runners were not quite right in the head, so funny to think we’ve both done it now! The weather was fantastic and I had to stop and look at the view for a few seconds here and there as in parts it was so technical it made it impossible to run in for me. It was great looking back at the Merrick from Buchan Hill and all the lochs down on the other side which I’d trekked past last month on the way round the back and up. The first 4 miles were very steep but fine, it was the last 4 miles which zapped all energy from my legs as I had done my longest training run for the Glencoe Marathon the Sunday before which was 23 miles. I was worried about twisting my ankle just two weeks before the marathon in all the holes between the tussocky grass and really deep bog, so took it easy on the way down. Even though the second half was very technical it was far more interesting than going back down the tourist route, so all good. I just got a really slow time but that’s fine. It was a great day out for sure!
Well done all, sounds like a pretty challenging race and glad to note that you all survived. Goes without saying but great to see Mike back in action too.
I would also like to mention the incredible journey to get to the start. I have never experienced such a roller coaster of a ride on a scottish road. Most of us felt carsick (even the drivers) so the pre race nutrition had to be forced. Thank goodness Chris took a different route back and although it may have taken a few moments longer it was worth it not to feel like one had been spun on a waltzer. As far as the race went it took all my will power to concentrate on the running and not be snap happy as the scenery was simply sublime and echoed the highlands in many respects. We made do with a dip in the river, but if I had my time again I would plunge myself in Loch Trool and have my ‘worshippers’ do the same . 🙂
Great day out and good to be back running
Great report Rob, I felt the pain you described so graphically. I ran the Merrick about 20 years ago, probably on a slightly easier course; but even then to quote Gregor, it was a “proper” hill race. Well done to you all and it’s good to see Mike back running again.
Fab day, company, and the first half of the track! 2nd half was annoying to run due to boggy terrain and ~2km longer track than advertised – I wondered a couple of times that I got lost, but then I was not the only one and the track seemed to be in line with the map. Luckily the weather was great, if not too hot. So, there was no choice but to push, push and finally reach the end of my first “proper” hill race. Will go again!