Moffat Run

22nd December 2006
Moffatdale
12 miles
Went for a pleasant if slightly mirky jog round the Moffatdale hills with Damon and Crispin taking in the main summits of White Coomb and Hart Fell.

Falkland Trail Race

16th December 2006
Falkland, Fife
6 miles
Results
Found this race incredibly tough for some reason. Felt like I had the handbrake on for most of the race. Finished way down in 28th place in 38:46. First 3 were Al Hart (HBT), Lars Ottemoller and Mark Johnston (both City of Edinburgh) who all finished in less than 35 minutes. First lady was Julia Henderson of Helenburgh in 41:04.

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.

West Districts Cross Country

9th December 2006, East Kilbride
Results:  Men  |  Women
Not quite as muddy and horrific as Dunbartonshire (Kirkintilloch) Cross Country couple of weeks ago, although still pretty muddy and boggy in places. But that's what cross country is all about. A couple of tough climbs on each lap, but generally pretty runnable terrain. Just failed to catch David Riach at the finish, finishing 1 place and 6 seconds behind him. Don Reid was next Westie finisher, getting the better of Dave Calder on this occasion. I'll need to wait to see the results to remember all the other Westies, but I remember seeing Hamilton, John Donnelly, Alan Anderson and Graeme Orr all running.

In the Westies ladies race I think Cat finished ahead of Jane, despite Jane having a huge lead on the first lap. Muffy and Pauline completed the team.

Ruchill Mile Handicap

8th December 2006
Ruchill Park, Glasgow
Results
Completed my second Ruchill lunchtime handicap race. Managed 2 seconds faster than last time on the slightly revised course which had a much steeper hill near the end.

Hugh Wilson 10k

3rd December 2006
10km road race
Results
The wettest, windiest race I've done so far. Started off relatively unpleasant and vile, and then just got worse. Ended up with freezing cold torrential rain and gale force gusts. Not ideal conditions for a PB.
The race was won by Stephen Wylie (Cambuslang) in 32:23. First lady was Alison Winship (Garscube) in 41:37.
Westerlands results:
31. Chris Upson, 0:38:53
32. David Calder, 0:39:29
33. Don Reid, 0:40:06
41. Steffen Gorgas, 0:41:29
49. Rob McQuater, 0:42:23
59. Bill Fisher, 0:43:48
85. Muffy Calder, 0:47:52
95. Ian Struthers, 0:50:13
109. Drew Turnbull, 0:53:08
117. Patricia McLaughlin, 0:54:02