Simonside Cairns Fell Race

14th December 2008
11 miles

Results | Photos from Will Horsley

Probably my last hill race of 2008. Felt suitably rough at the start after last night's Westies Christmas Dinner, plus horribly early start, but worth the long journey for a fine end of season blast round snow-covered boggy hills in Northumberland, courtesy of a lift from John Telfer from Haddington.

This was my 8th year in a row at Simonside Cairns. I decided to set off up the first hill nice and steadily for a change. So tucked in behind Ian Mulvey, whilst the 3 front runners shot off into the distance. Ian and I were never more than about 5 metres apart until the summit of Simonside, at which point he opened a slight gap. The whole way back from Simonside James Dickinson was right on my heels. It was mind games stuff on the final farm tracks before I managed to slightly the deeper and pull away in the last 400 metres or so to finish in 5th place in 1:35:35. Nick Swinburn won the race by almost 5 minutes in an incredible time of 1:22:34, given the snowy conditions.

Simonside Cairns

9th December 2007
Rothbury, Northumberland
11 miles, 1900ft
Results

Pretty vile cold, windy, rainy weather at Rothbury, Northumberland. Wet snow and slushy ice underfoot on the hills.

The race was won by Charlie Stead in 1:20:06. I finished 8th in 1:24:55, after lying 5th until after the summit of Simonside. Stewart Barrie was 48th in 1:41:07. John Telfer was 58th in 1:43:51.

I was a bit annoyed about dropping those 3 places on the run-in from Simonside, but at least my run was more than 3½ minutes faster than in 2006 and 2005.

Simonside Cairns

10th December 2006
Rothbury, Northumberland
11 miles, 1900ft
Results  |  John's Report
Travelled south across the border to Northumberland with Haddington-based fellow Englishman John Telfer. Luckily the weather was far better than the torrential rain and gales I left behind in Glasgow. Pottered round the Simonside Cairns race for the 6th year in a row. Felt OK for the first 200 metres, but then the first steep tarmac hill drained my legs of any life. Picked up later when we hit the forest tracks, and passed several folk, but they all passed me straight back as soon as we hit the steep heathery climb to Simonside.

Managed OK after that until the final long farm track, where I could only coast along in neutral waiting for the finish, and so had no answer when Dave Armstrong sauntered past with half a mile to go.

I finished 12th in 1:28:29, which was 9 seconds quicker than last year. Nick Swinburn of NFR won the race in a new record time of 1:14:34. This was 28 seconds faster than the previous record set by Morgan Donnelly in 2001. First lady was Rachel Vincent of Tynedale in 1:31:21.

Simonside Cairns

11th December 2005
Rothbury, Northumberland
11 miles / 1900ft
Results
My 92nd race of the year, taking me past the 1000-mile mark for racing in 2005.
Races have ranged from Weston-super-Mare prom run in deepest darkest Somerset to Glamaig boulder and bog thrash in the wilds of Skye (where I got beaten by Steffen). Overseas ventures have included the Spelga Skyline horror show in Northern Ireland, Manx Mountain Marathon on Isle of Man, Defi de l'Oisans in France, Slovenian Alpine Marathon, and last but not least the mind-blowing (in more ways than one) Everest Lafuma Sky Race in Nepal.
Sunday in Northumberland proved bright and sunny, but with a tiring blustery headwind for first half.
The race was won by Nick Swinburn (NFR), closely followed by Tim Wylie (Tynedale). I finished in 1:28:38, a full 5 minutes off my PB for the course. Angela Mudge set a new ladies' course record of 1:24:19.