Two Bridges Challenge

The following has been sent to the club:

Dear Club Secretary,

I would be grateful if you could bring the Two Bridges Challenge
ultra-distance race to the attention of your athletes?

Two Bridges Challenge - Saturday 27th August - Rosyth

The Two Bridges Challenge is an exciting and demanding multi terrain
ultra race over approximately 35-miles crossing the Forth Road Bridge
twice and covering beautiful and stunning scenery along the West
Lothian coast through the grounds of Hopetoun House, and along the
Fife Coastal Path.

The race starts and finishes at the Civil Service Club in Rosyth. The
terrain is mixed with approximately 12 miles of trail, 9 miles of
track and 14 miles of road. There are access points over the whole
route to support runners, but apart from the road sections the rest of
the course is not suitable for runners support cyclists or motor
vehicles.

The route is: Civil Service Sports Centre Rosyth - Ferry Toll Road -
Forth Bridge West Side - Port Edgar - Hopetoun House Grounds - Coastal
path through the Hopetoun Estate - Blackness Castle - Coastal path
back through the Hopetoun Estate - Hopetoun House Grounds - Port Edgar
- Forth Bridge East Side - Inverkeithing - Coastal path to Dalgety Bay
- Aberdour - Coastal path back to Dalgety Bay - Inverkeithing -
Coastal path to North Queensferry - Ferry Toll Road - Civil Service
Sports Centre Rosyth.

After race meal, great prizes, disco dance in the evening, buffet
supper and superb hospitality. Free camping available on site.

For more details follow this link www.twobridgesrace.org

Stephen Newsom

NEW RACE SERIES ?

An informal meeting will be held in Hallhill on Thursday 5th May (sure
there's something else on that day). The meeting will take place after
the usual training.

Members of Musselburgh Athletic and HELP will be there. The purpose of
the meeting is to plan a series of mid week summer evening runs
between the three clubs (and perhaps others).

The basic plan is to have each club host two short races. The six
races would be held over a three month period. A bit like a summer
version of the borders cross country.

MARATHON

Two runners did the London Marathon at the weekend.

Ian Rowland was 412th overall, 385th man and 100th M40+ vet in a time
of 2.48.02

Anne Hay was 4983rd overall, 550th woman and 159th F40+ vet in a time
of 3.34.11 (pb).

Well done to both.

CHAMPION

Unseasonable Arctic winds greeted runners last night who turned out for the monthly “coaches challenge” 5K handicap race.

Despite being burdened by an undeservedly high handicap Stuart Hay showed from the outset that the trophy was his.

Howling winds did not deter Stuart Hay who set a blistering pace that no one could match.

Passing the other runners on Kellie road, Stuart Hay looked comfortable throughout and, despite a last minute challenge from Ian Sills, Stuart Hay still had sufficient reserves for a sprint finish.

Stuart Hay, in current form, looks set to maintain this title for many months.

*****************************************************

The above report may contain traces of bias (Ed.)

Ian's Boundary Race Report.

Dunbar Running Club welcomed a large field of runners to the 2005 Dunbar Boundary race on Saturday 2 April. A warm, still spring morning gave Hallhill Healthy Living Centre the feel of a major international athletics event with many of the participants making good use of the running track to warm up and stretch. There was a keen air of anticipation at the start line with many runners hoping that their hard winter training would pay off with a fast personal best time at this classic distance of 10 KM. The race was dominated by three athletes from the Corstorphine club led by Moray Anderson. They took all three podium places as well as the team prize. The winning time was an impressive 32:21. Whilst a number of local club runners, as well as friends, were on marshalling duties ensuring that the event went without a hitch, a number managed to participate in the race. Ian Rowland again led the home team to the finish. He was placed fourth in a personal best time of 34:56 and took the first over 40 year old prize as well as the first local runner trophy. Ian Sills just managed to make a top ten finish by taking 10th place in a time of 36:00, a little off his personal best, but a satisfactory run for the start of the year. Grant Noble put in a quick last couple of kilometres to take 11th place in a time of 36:17. Subhar Anwar was placed 45th in a time of 39:10. Anne Hay was again the first Dunbar lady runner to finish in 101st place and a time of 43:57. Karen Page knocked more than a minute off her Grangemouth 10 km time just a couple of weeks earlier, by finishing in 117th place and in a time of 45:10.Clarissa Berry finished in a time of 49:12 and 177th place. Amanda Thorntonsmith was 203rd in a time of 50:46, with Dougie Jeffrey using this race as part of his marathon preparation finishing in a time of 52:36 and 222nd. Other Dunbar Club runners to complete the course were Sheila Morrison 53:24 and 228th, Theresa Leslie, 55:09 and 249th, Lindsay Brown 55:31 and 256th, Kevin Smith 56:46 and 260th. Tom Patton from Dunbar also ran and finished in a time of 64:21 to take 292nd place.

Stuart Hay, the Clubs President, directed the race with his usual combination of authority and humour. He thanked all runners for their participation, marshals for their assistance in ensuring the smooth running of the event and Hallhill for the use of their facilities. He also thanked Belhaven Brewery for their continued sponsorship.

DUNDEE MARATHON IN 2006?

Just to let everyone know there are plans for a Marathon in Dundee in 2006. Details can be found from the following link.

www.eventfull.biz/marathon.html

Belhaven Best

Yesterdays race was a great success. A fantastic team effort.

Well done to everyone involved in the planning, preparation, setting up, marshalling, catering, clearing up etc.

And a special mention to Ian Rowland - 1st male vet. Silverware at last!

Ians latest report...

Senior runners have been very active over the opening weeks of the road running season. Hot of a tough but successful winter cross-country season a number of male and female Dunbar runners have competed in a verity of races at different distances. Lasswade 10-mile race on 6 March was the first of three races which Dunbar runners competed in. A trio of lady runners led by Karen Page competed this tough distance. Karen finished 252nd out of 382 athletes in a time of 1:20:19, Sheila Morrison was 333^rd in a time of 1:31:27 with Theresa Leslie competing for the first time at this distance finishing in a time of 1:38:05 in 359^th place. The same three ladies then moved to the shorter but faster distance of 10 km at Grangemouth on Sunday 13 March. They finished in the same order with Karen recording a time of 46:02 to take 311^th place, Sheila was 551^st in a time of 53:59 and Theresa again completing this distance for the first time recording a time of 56:08 taking 605^th place out of the 790 finishers. Five runners traveled to Inverness to compete in the half marathon on the same day. Ian Rowland was again in blistering form finished in a very impressive 15^th place in a Personal Best time of 1:16:55, Ian Sills was 27^th and again ran a PB in a time of 1:19:37. Stuart Hay couldn’t quite match is best ever half marathon time but still managed to complete the undulating course in a time of 1:29:16 and take 134^th place. Anne Hay was 279^th and just like the two Ian’s ran a Personal Best time of 1:36:56. Bob Wilson completed the course a full minute quicker than last year by finishing the race in a time of 1:53:24 and was placed in 662^nd position out a large field of almost 1100 runners.

Senior Dunbar Runners meet every Tuesday evening at 6.45pm at Hallhill Healthy Living Centre to train on the roads at a verity of distances (and speeds) and on a Thursday evening at 6.30pm again at Hallhill for a track session. New members will be made most welcome.

INVERNESS

Five runners did the Inverness half marathon on Sunday 13th.

Despite it being bitterly cold with the odd snow flurry all runners
had a fast and enjoyable race. Ian Rowland led the Dunbar team home in
1:16 followed by Ian Sills in 1:19. Both getting PB's.

Stuart narrowly missed a PB, but was happy to get under 1:30 with 1:29.

Anne made it a hat trick of PB's with 1:36, while Bob knocked a minute
off last years time in 1:53.

LASSWADE

Three senior runners joined a large field on Sunday last, to compete in the Lasswade 10 mile race.

Good weather and excellent conditions meant that all three enjoyed the circuit that takes in some of the country roads and lanes around the village.

Karen was the first Dunbar runner home in a time of 1:20:19 followed by Sheila M in a time of 1:31:27 and Theresa in 1:38:05 (competing at this distance for the first time).

They next plan to represent the club at the forthcoming “Round the Houses 10k” at Grangemouth.