Devil's Burdens Relay

Results | Strava track | Garmin track

I haven't blogged in ages, mainly because I haven't done any running in ages.

Thankfully I managed my first successful run of the year at the Devil's Burdens Relay yesterday. This was my first run since 27th December when I bust my right hamstring at the Lancaster Festive 4km, and limped off the route.

I was feeling slightly apprehensive on the startline at Falkland, wondering if my hamstring would be OK, and duly started off super-slowly not wishing to shock-load my leg at all. Anyhow, I plodded along waiting for some twinges or ill effects, but nothing much happened, so I gradually pressed on passing Tess Hill, another runner, then I ran alongside Craig Mitchell for a while, before Ewan Jack caught us both. I tried hold position with Ewan, but he was that bit stronger, and I didn't want to force anything, so just ran as relaxed as I could.

Just before entering the finishing field, it was good to see James Callender and Steve Halsall heading out in the lead, meaning that Gwyn Bellamy must have run the fastest time on Leg 1 for the Westerlands A+ Team.

I finished in 13th position in a time of 28:31 for the 7.2km hilly trail run.

Devil's Burdens Leg 1 - Route & Profile

Devil's Burdens Leg 1 - Route

Devil's Burdens Relay

Activity on Garmin Connect | Results

My 13th year in a row at the Devil's Burdens Relay.

For 2013, the race was being run in an anticlockwise direction, and with a new changeover location at Kinnesswood.

My route on Leg 3 had a steep opening kilometre to reach the summit of White Craigs, followed by 4km of steady downhill on tracks largely covered with snow. I was quite pleased to maintain around 3:40 per km pace for the last 3km, having done virtually no running so far this year.  I finished the Leg in an official time of 27:21, but it took a few moments to hand over the paper baton to Luke and Cameron, since I was so focused on keeping up the pace to the line, I'd completely forgotten I was in a relay and needed to hand anything over.

Devil's Burdens - Leg 3

Devil's Burdens Relay

Route on Garmin Connect | Overall results | Fastest legs

My 12th consecutive Devil's Burdens, and my first attempt at running since becoming a father 12 days ago.

The day started inauspiciously enough, leaving Glasgow at 8am in darkness and pouring rain, in a sleep-deprived haze. It wasn't until passing Cumbernauld that I suddenly realised I'd forgotten my hill running shoes. My mind raced through the options, but there was only 1 choice, and that was to bite the bullet and head back to Glasgow. Once back at the flat I realised that I had also forgotten my leggings, gloves, hat, whistle, compass and map. So it wasn't a wasted journey.

Setting out for the 2nd time at 8.45am, I was slightly more wide awake, and daylight had broken, so in fact the drive to Falkland was reasonable, and I made it in just under an hour, albeit just missing the start for the slower runners who went off at 9:30am.

Having an hour's separation between the 2 starts was a good idea, and seemed to reduce the pandemonium for the main start at 10:30am. I hadn't run for weeks, or done any sort of hill running for about 3 months, so I knew I'd be struggling to keep my team-mate Manny Gorman in my sights.

We set off at a fast but steady pace, in around 3rd / 4th position to the forest, but quickly started losing places on the climb up East Lomond.  It wasn't until we reached the open hillside that Manny finally took the lead and started leap-frogging the teams ahead. Bit by bit we clawed back 5 or 6 places, and topped out more or less with Cosmics and Moorfoots.

Slogging up the steep bit on East Lomond

On the descent down the other side I lost my balance and took a tumble, and around the gates Cosmics and Moorfoots took the lead, but they both overshot the correct path through the lime kilns which handed back the advantage.

Once on the short uphill road section, I could really feel the sleep-deprived fatigue and lack of training, which allowed Cosmics to jump past.  I tried to press on and keep up with Manny along past the reservoir, and was grateful that Manny waited and held open all the gates. Once into the final muddy firebreak, Moorfoots made one final effort to get past, but when we hit the uphill tarmac we put in a strong finish to drop them, and arrived in 8th place to hand over to Sam Alexander.

It took a few minutes to get my breath back before cadging a lift with Grim Orr back to Falkland, and a hasty departure for Glasgow.

Devil's Burdens

23rd January 2010

Yesterday I took part in the Devil's Burdens Relay for the 10th year in a row, but for me it wasn't the best of days. Since 20th December, I've had an adductor strain that was only made worse by attempting to race Leg 1. I guess I'll be out of action for a while now, and expect to hand back my Carnethy 5 entry, and will probably defer London Marathon until 2011.

Anyhow, we did manage to get 6 almost complete Westies teams around the course, ably assisted by John Bell of Springburn and 2 speedy East Kilbride juniors, courtesy of Don Reid.

Race Results

Devil's Burdens Relay

24th January
Results | Photos | More Photos

Cold frosty weather for my 8th Devil's Burdens Relay on the trot. Various last minute call offs meant we were struggling to get any complete Westerlands teams, but in the end we did get 5 teams around the 4-stage course.

The race starts in Falkland with an abrupt ascent of East Lomond. The Carnegie pair John Hargreaves and Tommy Lawrence set the pace and came in first to the Leg 2 changeover, hotly pursued by Adam Ward and Angela Mudge of Carnethy, with Jamie Stevenson and Dave Eiser of Ochils finishing 3rd, all on 37 minutes. Steffen and JD ran our first leg, but we didn't have a Leg 2 runner so David Riach and I ran the 2nd Leg together down to Scotlandwell where we turned around and went straight into the 3rd Leg. We did reasonably well until West Lomond, but after that several teams started going past on the long diagonal descent. Brian Bonnyman took over for our 4th stage and did pretty well at closing down most of the teams who had slipped past.

After completing Leg 3, David and I jogged back along the lower Leg 4 trail back to Falkland with Tom Owens. 10 miles for Leg 2 and 3, and 4 miles jog out.

Devil's Burdens Relay

26th January 2008

Provisional Results | Photos | More Photos

Devil's Burdens Relay in Falkland, Fife
I ran the first leg with Manny Gorman, and clocked 38:11, the exact same time as last year, albeit in much slippier conditions this year.

Shettleston and Carnethy were already clear when we left the top of the forest, but on the steep climb up East Lomond we tussled with Bellahouston, Ochils and Carnegie teams. By the time we left the short road section in the middle of the leg we were just clear of these 3 teams and managed to hang onto 3rd spot, chasing after Carnethy, until the changeover to Andy Edwards.

Andy dropped a couple of places on Leg 2, so were in 5th spot when Nigel and David Riach took over on Leg 3. Nige and David were, not surprisingly, overhauled by Jethro Lennox and Tom Owens of Shettleston. So finished the stage in 6th place.

Stevie McLoone ran our 4th Leg and made a place and dropped a place (to John Hargreaves of Carnegie), so we finished the race in 6th position overall.

First team was Shettleston - very closely followed by Ochils. Carnethy were 3rd, closely followed by Bellahouston. Next were Carnegie, who finished just in front of Westerlands.

Photos from Fife AC

Devil's Burdens Relay

27th January 2007
Results
Bright fine weather in Fife today. Carnethy were clear winners in the men's race, with Carnegie 2nd, and Ochils 3rd. Westerlands finished 4th, just ahead of Fife Vets after a close battle the whole race. In their first ever Burdens race, Bellahouston Road Runners finished with 1st ladies' team and 6th men's team.