Author Archives: Rob

Turnhouse hill race 2023

Turnhouse 2023 – A warm dry evening for a short sharp race. Perfect conditions but maybe a tad too hot for some. This year we managed to cajole the 79 runners to stay on route with Jamie Crowe (Central AC) … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 1 Comment

Turnhouse Hill Race 2022 – Race Report

“The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley……” The Turnhouse Hill race used to be coordinated by Andy Kitchin but has not “run” since 2013. I always liked the race and having run ca. 200 Scottish Hill … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 1 Comment

The Lairig Ghru Race – musings from someone who was beaten by this race – twice!

As so many Harriers have signed up for the Lairig Ghru this year, I felt that my difficult experiences of the two times I tried this race could provide some insight on how you should consider preparing/training for this race. … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 4 Comments

Simonside Cairns Hill Race 2019

I have run this race a few times now and as it is the last mid-distance hill race (17.7kms, 460m) of the year it is a good race to keep one’s fitness on point for Feel the Burns in January. … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 2 Comments

Ben Resipole Hill Race – 2019

Resipole is a good 4 hours drive (+ ferry) away from Penicuik and therefore is not a race that one would often consider. However, as I had fieldwork on Rannoch moor the day before I saw an opportunity to run … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 4 Comments

Eildons Hill Race 2019: In Sarah’s dust…….

While other members of the Harriers were performing remarkable feats of endurance, Sarah and I had a more “leisurely” time around the Melrose Eildons. 7.2kms and 480m of climb – short, but not so sweet – a tough fast little … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 3 Comments

Scottish Mountain Marathon (SMM) – 2019: Rob and Tim’s Story

After the sordid flu-induced disaster of 2018’s Mountain Marathon on Harris, I was determined to give Gregor a “good time” in 2019. However, after registering in January for the SMM, he came back to me a month later saying he … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 2 Comments

Ben Rinnes 2018: A tale of fine margins

Back in 2015, I ran the Ben Rinnes hill race for the first time. I loved it. The weather was warm and sunny, I was physically in fine fettle and the 22.4 kms (1435m) there and back route left me … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 2 Comments

Goatfell Hill Race

At 15.5kms and 870m, this is one of the classic hill races in the calendar. It is therefore very surprising that hardly any Harriers in recent history (only Stu I think) has run it. Although Arran might seem far away, … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 7 Comments

Devil’s Burden 2018

With injuries coming thick and fast, we still managed to get four teams together for DB although all teams needed someone to run two legs: Hats off – Michael Greens (L1 + L4), Alasdair Hind (L3 + L4), Sadie Kemp … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 5 Comments

The Mamores Half Marathon – a belated report

Missing the Breweries due to a stomach bug and also not getting into the Skyline threw me into a state of running desperation – all that training for nothing 🙁 – so decided to suck up the cost, and make … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 8 Comments

Ben Nevis 2017

Richard Askwith’s book, “Feet in the Clouds: a study of fell-running and obsession” has a chapter on the Ben Nevis hill race and finishes off with a statement that one is not a hill runner until you have run the … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 9 Comments

La Marseillaise á Dollar

A belated report by Andrea This year’s Dollar hill race starts with a pre-race dialogue at the Wilson home: Andrea: “Rob, have you seen my compass?”  Rob: “Ah yes, I forgot, I lent it to XXX; she never gave it … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 6 Comments

Lairig Ghru 2017 – Warts and All

I am not good at long races. I am simply never fit enough and it is only by October every year (i.e. The Pentland Skyline) when I normally have increased my fitness to a level worthy of the long races. … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 7 Comments

Drama at Durisdeer Hill Race

This post describes Gregor’s and Rob’s experience of running Durisdeer hill race on the 10th of June 2017.   Gregor’s bit I was contemplating running the Durisdeer hill race for the last few weeks. While the distance (14.7 km) seemed fine, … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | 4 Comments