Three weekends on the trot with events.

Beautiful sunny day for Thropton Show and Simonside Fell Race Sept. 18th, most capably organised by  Phil Green of NFR. How considerate, it being a hot day, for him to send us through the River Coquet a couple of times! This race covered 6 and a half rather tough miles, in my opinion, with a testing climb rate and all manner of other terrain as well as river-bed. Tarmac, grass track, stony forest trail, open heath. I wouldn't have been surprised if a large sand-dune had emerged to ascend, or if the top of Simonside had been bedecked with cobblestones. I got into my stride amongst the bevy of NFR chaps up front early on but made a brief wrong turn which cost me a couple of places that I never recovered. Another error was not realising there were optional approaches to the top of Simonside. I took the shorter 'scramble' option which didn't lose me any more places but certainly wasn't the quicker way up. Descent through the forest on a winding trail was very enjoyable and I was in fairly clear space- not able to reel any of the front runners in, but not getting chased down either- so could relax a little over the last couple of miles. Phil Sanderson was eventual winner although it might've gone to James Buis were it not for navigational difficulties he encountered. (A recurring theme in this blog entry!) Beth Gregory-Smith led home the ladies. A small contigent was out from Wooler: Claire, Kenny, Bruce and Jack. Let me just say that you haven't seen yellow until you see the top that Jack ran in! I was particularly keen to get this race in to count toward four needed in the NECAA champs series. Three down but only Clay Bank left to race. I had to tear myself away from the coast though because the surf over the whole weekend was CRANKING!! Apologies Phil for not awaiting presentations but I was hotfoot to Embleton to meet others and get amongst the aqueous action again....Spent a total of 9 hours in the sea between the friday and sunday pm. Some outrageous waves for this neck-o-the woods.

Last of the Borders Tri series on the following weekend at Eyemouth. A coolish and overcast start to the day gave way to sunshine yet again, although it stayed breezy. Mr.S. shuttled us back and forth in his Tri-taxi, and we collected recent recruit Mr.B. en-route- proudly sporting his brand-new bike and eager to give the twelve miles of tarmac in the race a speedy steamrollering on it. Big N. was on the sidelines again for this one, unfortuately,due to other obligations and a dodgy knee. Nothing out of the ordinary for me during the proceedings. Swim felt a bit more relaxed than usual, especially in the early lengths and I had a lead out of the pool in my heat. That's happened before but, more often than not, strong cyclists start to hunt me down on the bike leg. Best surprise in this race therefore, and a little highlight of the whole series for me, was getting to the turn point of the bike route after a (mostly) climbing first half that I'd found tough and seeing nobody behind me! I'd extended my heat lead and enjoyed the wind-assisted pelt back to Eyemouth. Thought I'd blown it going into the run though because I felt a little shaky after ploughing up the first hill and onto the nice out-and-back clifftop path that's the backbone of the run route. The wheels didn't fall off for me though and it turned out to be one of my better runs in the series  (3rd fastest of the day). In the end I placed 8th, 3rd Vet40 which was also my position in the series overall- best 4 races counting for points. Misters S.and B. seemed pleased with their performances and, once again,Mr.S. pulled out a cracking run turning in the 4th quickest split of the day in that department. I look forward to their company next season and hope Borders Sport & Leisure Trust can keep this fantastic race series going. Recommended for Tri-ers of all capabilities.

Last weekend was the Borders Search & Rescue Unit sponsored event heading out from Hownam near Morebattle and up onto the Pennine Way/Border Ridge on either a 16 or 23km route. Your choice-as was the option to walk or run. I found myself in the company of the majority of the Merry Men (minus Kenny- snuffled out with a cold) for the start of this one but it was a damp and cool start and I'd forgotten my more sensible wet weather attire so I had to desist from the crack and crack on to keep the circulation going.(Besides, I didn't want to get lumbered with helping to haul Karl's sedan chair for the first couple of miles or whatever it was before he started working properly ;) This initial gale-in-the tail that I had somehow continued. The course was partially marked and marshalled at various points and, now and again,I was catching up with earlier starters both running and walking. Climbing steadily after Bughtrig brought the participants into increasingly mistier and damper conditions though and by the time I was onto the ridge and Lamb/Beefstand Hills it had turned into a traditional Cheviots plodge-fest, shoe-sucking peaty puddles a-plenty and folk transformed into eerie shuffling spectres dissolving in the fog as I passed. Despite the gloom route-finding was still straightforward and I was soon descending again, onto 'The Street' and starting the return leg of the route. The mist was left behind and the day brightened with vistas starting to open up and some warmth getting into the air. Fabulous! Of course, once the likelihood of taking a wrong turn started to lessen was exactly when I did just that! I strayed off The Street a little and before I realised I was off-course found myself at that pulse quickening place where nothing on the ground looks like anything on the map! Lost...!As it happened I had to take a little excursion into Belford-On-Bowmont before I got re-oriented. (Had Belford not just been off the edge of the map it could all have been so different!) "Ah well," I thought to myself as I harumphed back up to The Street again, "At least it's not a race..." About a mile from the finish was where I rejoined the official route again and,coincidentally, several of the Merry Men too who were all jolly sporting and far too polite to make any mention of my navigational ineptitude as I accompanied them in and discussed the course afterwards. Oh no, not a word of it! Thanks to the Borders Search & Rescue for organising this challenge.