The RAW Challenge, now in its 3rd year,originated as a 2 day fund-raising walk, which seems a very appealing approach, as Catrine the 1/2 way point has a brewery-pub which I have now gone past 3 years “running” (well sort of).
This 41 mile event is organised by E. Ayrshire council, or more accurately by Louise Kyle who is based at Dean Castle country park in Kilmarnock, well worth a visit by the way.
This year, it was the final event in the inaugural SUMS (Scottish Ultra Marathon Series) from 9 events at mostly 3 week intervals, with the best 4 counting for a points championship, the event followed by a SUMS awards ball in Ayr town hall that night.
For that reason, the runners this year outnumbered the walkers.
For anyone considering a first ultra, this would be a great intro event; a varied & scenic course, some climbs but overall downhill, mostly off-road, no support needed as drinks & snacks provided every 5 miles or so, bus laid on from Ayr to the start (Glenbuck Loch- don’t ask- middle of nowhere; a fishing loch with a dam at each end, cos it’s near the Clyde/Ayr watershed.
Again a surreal start situation; bus offloads you at a jct, hang around in a midgey fishermens’ car park, two busloads seek an individual tree to water (or to manure) ladies to the left! Then a walk down to a lochside jetty & shed for a photocall & short speech.
Finally the off, lovely open moorland at first, past sad dead mining villages, the river still a stream. Light breeze after a windy week, chilly to hang around but it kept dry, so good for running. After Catrine, a few short climbs; as the river builds & gets flatter, the trail turns some serious ravines & gorges, through forests & round fields, avoiding the many fishermen trying to wheech your eyeballs out, then a few miles on tarmac on the approach to Ayr, under the ring road, past the riverbank neds & the pub door smokers to the finish! at the Citadel sports centre at the harbour.
So for many folk an ultra is a journey, with the time not being everything. I struggled on the day, had to dig deep after around 30 miles, but happy to finish again, as I knew my fitness had slipped back a lot since the Devil (highpoint of my running year!) Still, happy to finish in 8h 55m, only a little slower than last year. I finished 72nd from 76 finishers, & several dnf’s.
After a wash at my b&b, on to the ball! Couldn’t eat yet, but managed to force down some Guinness.
Grant Jeans, a newcomer to the ultra scene, won the RAW race, in the time of 5hrs 4mins, which blew all existing times out of the water- that’s averaging 7 1/2min miles, off-road with plenty of coo-shech (& mud)
Runner-up Gavin Harvie finished in 5h 27m, so a fair winning margin in quality company.
Lucy Colquhoun was 1st lady in 5h 41min. & 6th place overall, no surprise there, with Sharon Law next lady in 6h 15m.
Grant & Lucy were both overall winners of the SUMS ch’ship, as well as winners on the day.
The highlight of the evening however was without doubt the SUMS award for lifetime achievement, presented by the late Dario’s wife Gillian. (Dario died suddenly last summer on a hill climb- he was the organiser of thr WHW race for many years, & a brilliant guy I feel privileged to have shared a pint with in Ft Wm)
The guest of honour for the award was Donald Ritchie, younger members may not have heard of him, he set more world best times at ultra distances back in the 70’s & 80’s than Coe or Ovett, his landmark world best at 100k of 6hrs 10mins remains unbeaten today after around 30 years. That’s averaging inside 6min miles for 62 1/2miles, or doing 10x 10k races at 37mins!
