On Saturday 27th October, Maryhill Harriers again hosted the DAAA XC Championships. After the muddy madness of the 2009 race, a fresh snowfall late on Friday night ensured this year’s runners had a different challenge albeit on a slightly shortened course (having run the removed extra loop in the snow at training the Tuesday immediately after – running both ways through the narrow inclined gap at the bottom would have been carnage).
The junior races looped the inside of the park with some great performances by the Maryhill young athletes, and then no sooner had the u15/u17 race finished, the officials had moved over to the track and were ready to start the senior race. So soon, in fact, that some of the Maryhill contingent were still drinking tea, washing their hair, and applying their make-up.
The route would take us round the outside of the pitches, then turn right off the track into a bobsleigh chute down round the lower pitch. Rounding this pitch we then made our way back up to the park, via a short steep stretch of hill that was currently being used by the Acre Young Team for sledging. As one might imagine, they were none too enamoured with 100 odd lycra clad lunatics disrupting their leisure activities. Thus they expressed their feelings in the manner by which their parents have no doubt educated them to do so. In fairness to them, it was the prime spot for some sledging on the first decent snow day and a whole bunch of underdressed adults were ruining it for them. The route continued up the hill and along to the swing gate, which was kindly held open by Fletcher. On up to the top of the park before turning back down, crossing the path and running along the top of the park. The course zigzagged back in forth on the park before finally exiting through a hedge and taking us back over to the track. The gents did 3 loops (about 5 miles total) and the ladies 2 loops (about 3.4 miles). This was all explained by Maryhill’s very own course architect, challenger to the merit league throne and hill fairy, Duncan Riddell.
The whistle was blown and the race was off!
I was at the back of the pack describing the route to Sheina and Isobel when suddenly we realised that the mass of runners around us had left us standing.
Joe wasn’t even at the start and was still trying to force his feet into a cold pair of football boots.
Sam was pedalling madly on his bike somewhere between his flat and the park.
Margaret meanwhile was still in John Paul with the juniors thinking she had time to read one of my race reports.
That’ll teach folk not to read my e-mails?!
I managed to catch up with Duncan, Andy and John, only to decide that they were faster and fitter than I, and so proceeded to settle into my own pace and watch them disappear into the distance. They actually never got that far ahead, and so in the looping nature of the course I had a front row seat for one of the best Maryhill racing battles I had seen in a long time. Duncan set his stall out from the start with some great early pace taking a surprise lead. John wasn’t far behind, with Andy as yet unable to respond. During the second lap John managed to catch up with Duncan and pass with his trademark Knightswood Snow Shuffle, with Andy in his road shoes still further back (so far back in fact that even I thought I might catch him). But suddenly merit league defeat flashed before his eyes and Andy got a grip and started gaining on Duncan. Putting into practise everything Yoda (sorry Mick) has ever taught him, Andy closed on Duncan until slip-sprinting past him with about 400m to go. Duncan responded but just didn’t have enough left to fight Andy off. But by that stage the race had already been won by Ben Melby of Garscube Harriers in 28:11. The real race, that between the warrior runners of Maryhill, was won by John Weir who just proved too strong on the day. After Andy and Duncan, I came strolling in, followed by Sam who started the race late straight off his bike (taking the triathlon training a bit too seriously) and then Chris (whose thighs were made for days in the snow like that one), while Joe dropped out with his football boots giving him plenty of grief.
Margaret was first and only female home after eventually starting the race about 7 minutes late.
So after 4 merit league races: Mick has won one, Andy, has won one, Duncan has won one, and John has won one. Christmas Handicap show down anyone? Or maybe Gordon will sweep in and show them what he’s made of!
A huge thanks to all the volunteers for their help and support on and off the course: Maggie Darroch, Laura Muirhead, Caroline Hassan, Susan McAndrew, Jim Milner, Fletcher Murdoch, Kenny Stevenson, Ben Peebles, Andrew Stevenson, Heather Stevenson and especially Duncan who coordinated, set-up the course, ran an amazing race, and took down the course.
The official results and times are below:
John Weir Maryhill Harriers V 34 35:07
Andy Sutherland Maryhill Harriers S 42 35:46
Duncan Riddell Maryhill Harriers V 43 35:55
Stephen Jones Maryhill Harriers S 46 36:48
Sam Thomson Maryhill Harriers S 59 40:04
Chris Hever Maryhill Harriers V 62 43:43
Margaret Peebles Maryhill Harriers V 32 36:11
