| Hill
running in the Ochils
New committee member and keen hill runner
David Scott recalls the growth of hill running in the OchiIs.
The OchiIs are loved
not just for their scenic splendour but also for the magnificent "playground"
they offer for all manner of outdoor activities. Chief of these naturally
is hill walking, easy access being offered from the Hillfoots villages,
and a range of walks available to suit all abilities. Other activities
include orienteering, fishing, paragliding, horse riding, mountain biking,
and the subject of this article, hill running.
King
of the mountains
Hill running is perhaps one of the oldest sports to be practised in the
OchiIs. The famous Alva Games, now in their 153rd year, play host every
July to one of the
toughest short races in the hill running calendar. The race starts in
Johnstone Park, Alva, and follows a precipitous 2.5km route up and down
the face of Torry, with almost every part of the course visible to the
spectators in the games field below. The record for the race was set in
1981 by "King of the mountains" Kenny Stuart, in a time of 18
minutes 39 seconds. It has remained unthreatened ever since.
Psychological
workout
In 1971, a member of the University of Stirling's Psychology Department
placed a bet that no member of the University could get from the Gannochy
Pavilion Bar to the top of Dumyat and back, without mechanical assistance,
in under an hour. Though the bet was lost by three minutes, the following
year it became Dumyat's first official race. It now takes place annually
in early May and last year attracted 260 runners.
Tall
stories
July is a busy month, with Alva and two other local races, Dollar and
Maddy Moss, taking place within two weeks of each other. Here is a flavour
of last year's Dollar hill race, held on the first Saturday in July:
... It is 1pm and a queue is forming in the historic cricket pavilion
of Dollar Academy. The weather looks promising as anxious competitors
sign up for the race, this year selected for the Scottish Athletics hill
running championship. At 2pm a field of over 100 sets off to the blast
of an air horn and it's a quick sprint along the back road to get a good
position before going up Dollar Glen. Once out of the woods, it's across
the bum above the Castle and a steep climb up Saddle Hill and White Wisp,
before turning west for Tarmangie and Andrew Gannel.
At the front, the race is being fought out between Jethro Lennox, twice
Scottish hill running champion, and Alastair Anthony of Ochil Hill Runners.
The day has become wet and windy, but the tops are clear of cloud so navigation
is not a problem. It's a fast run down to the top of the Gannel Bum and
a leap across the bog, which has been known to stop unwary runners in
their tracks. A short climb up onto King's Seat and the games field is
clear below, with only the rapid descent back through the Glen remaining.
The buzzard, which in past races has been known to draw blood from runners'
heads, especially those with little hair, has fortunately decided to stay
at home. This year Jethro manages to hold his lead, finishing just ahead
of Alastair in 1 hour 14 minutes. There's a great feeling of camaraderie
and satisfaction as everyone recounts their adventures over tea and cakes
in the pavilion, while the prizes are handed out...
Two weeks later and
it's time for the Maddy Moss Mash, which starts on the steep gorse clad
slopes above Tillicoultry and follows a 10km route up the nose of The
Law, opening out onto the grassy tops of Ben Cleuch and Andrew Gannel,
before descending via the narrow trod above the Gannel Burn. The finish
is on the same impossibly steep grassy slopes as the start, and always
provides a spectacle as runners sprinting for the finish are unable to
stop and often end up in a heap on the ground! The Woolpack Inn provides
welcome sustenance afterwards.
New
on the block
Come late August and so to Ochil 2000s, a new race inaugurated to great
acclaim in 2007. Competitors are taken by coach to the start at Glensherup
and make their way back to the finish at the University of Stirling via
all nine of the 2000 footers, with Dumyat a final sting in the tail and
a distance of 28km with 1500m of ascent. The 2008 race was a counter in
the Scottish hill running championship and attracted over 170 runners.
The first finishers made it in under three hours, while the last one off
the hill arrived after nearly seven hours.
2008 saw another new race introduced to fill the traditionally quiet time
between Christmas and New Year, "The Law Breaker." Seventy runners
enjoyed a dry and mild day to run from Tillicoultry via Mill Glen to the
summit of The Law and back, the surprise winner being 17 year old Robbie
Simpson from Banchory who trounced serious opposition from those several
years his senior.
This then is the hill running scene in the OchiIs. From juniors to those
in their sixties (most are typically over 40), and from racers to joggers,
it attracts participants from every age group and standard. What makes
the OchiIs special for hill running is the grassy terrain and open ground,
the stunning views on a clear day, and the sheer variety of both steep
and gently sloping routes available. In the winter, there is rarely a
day when even the highest tops cannot be gained despite the weather. So
if you fancy a challenge and love the hills, why not give it a try? The
Ochil Hill Running Club, which organises three of the six races held in
the OchiIs, meets every Tuesday evening, in the winter for runs up Dumyat
by head torch, and in the summer for runs up different hills in the OchiIs
and Trossachs.
Ochil Hill Running Club:
www.ochiIhiIIrunners.org.uk
More details on the races can be found at Scottish Hill Runners:
www.shr.uk.com
The Alva Games:
www.alvagames.co.uk
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