Author Archives: duncanb

I have had a pretty duff year so far with several colds and heatstroke at the Lairig Ghru, so when my wee brother mentioned he was thinking of running the marathon, I jumped at the chance of a different challenge.As … Continue reading →

Des Drove Stuart and I (and Haggis) down to Kilmarnock via the M8, M74 and M77 on Saturday morning for the annual Scottish Athletics Masters Cross Country Championships. To get there, rather than use phone Sat Navs we old gudgies … Continue reading →

I ‘enjoyed’ this race so much last year that I thought that I would try it again – and as this would be my 4th Long classic of the year, the pressure would be off to complete the Series requirement. … Continue reading →

After missing out on Slioch due to a dodgy ankle, I was looking for another long hill run having suitably recovered from Trotternish Ridge. However, this is one of the hardest in the Scottish Long Classics Series, 15.6 miles four … Continue reading →

This Scottish Long Classic hill run starts at Flodigarry in the north of Skye and follows the Trotternish Ridge all the way to The Storr and finishes at the Storr Lochs Dam. This year it was a mere 17 miles … Continue reading →

I had entered the Glenshee 9 Long Classic Series race months ago partly to bag some munros, but wasn’t sure if I would be on holiday or not. As it panned out, we got back from North Devon at 7pm on … Continue reading →

I hadn’t originally planned to do this race, and wasn’t even aware of it until recently, but it suddenly became a ‘must do’ long classic. Having done Stuc and then Slioch in the last month or so, I was in … Continue reading →

This was definitely the hardest hill run I have ever attempted and in terms of mph, the slowest. However, I can still almost walk today and am quite chuffed at having survived without any permanent damage (so far) and I … Continue reading →

It seemed a good idea at the time and definitely a big challenge. This is a competition concocted in about 2002 by some sadistical Carnethy person (allegedly) and combines the Manor Water (10 miles) and Pentland Skyline (16 miles) hill … Continue reading →

This race has a bit of a reputation and I had experienced it in full last year along with a large dose of cramp. I was determined to avoid cramp at all costs this year and was meticulous in my … Continue reading →

Although marred slightly by politics, this was a grand day out. Several cars turned up at Penicuik Centre just after midday on Saturday, but we managed to sqeeze most Harriers into two cars. It was only half an hour or … Continue reading →

I was looking for a hill run at the weekend to prolong some fitness, as I usually prefer racing to training. The best looking one was just past Aviemore, but I knew that I would probably get cheap B & … Continue reading →

I had heard that this race was quite tough but nothing had prepared me for what was to come on Saturday. I had hoped that either Rob or Mike might have been there to help with pacing and navigation but … Continue reading →

Having run the Edinburgh Marathon five weeks previously it was possibly not particulary sensible to then run a 27-mile hill run. However, this was a must-do run and I couldn’t wait another year! The race was at 10am which meant … Continue reading →

It was one of these ‘will I won’t I’ slightly scary races, but I took the plunge and found myself wandering down towards Calton Hill from George Square on a warm, dry and sunny Sunday morning. Up the steps and … Continue reading →