Beinn Ratha Hill Race - 25/04/2009

The 30th Beinn Ratha Hill Race was run in ideal running conditions, misty, windless and reasonably warm. Underfoot was its usual mixture of thin and thick heather interspersed with bog and always the challenge of two hills to scramble over before the long run down the shoulder to Reay village.

This year the 'visitors from the south' showed up in good numbers, many staying over night in Caithness boosting the early tourist statistics. Wrekin Runners (Sale), Fife AC, Westerlands, Ochil Road Runners, Deeside Runners, Hunters Bog Trotters, Tain Runners and Highland Hill Runners joined the new collective North Highland Trail Runners (aka locals) most of the latter sporting their new colours.

Thirty two runners started the race plus two non-counting under 20 year olds who were running for fun. Fun was an understatement however with two very fine performances from Graeme Taylor and David Parrish which would have put them in third and fifth places had they been allowed to enter.

All the runners finished within 35 minutes of each other which is a feat in itself over such a difficult 7.5 mile course and within the race there were many individual tussles.

The overall winner was not in doubt though, Alan Smith of Deeside Runners, Aberdeen coming home two minutes clear in a time of 52 minutes 21 seconds. Second was local runner Jack Trevelyann, 54.21, running for North Highland Trail Runners and third Eric Duncan from Alness, 56.09, attached to Highland Hill Runners.

Eric is a very experienced runner but the man in fourth, Ruard Erridge, Spittal Mains, is a new comer to the trail races and he showed that he has enormous potential with a finishing time of 57.30.

Alex Brett, Highland Hill Runners, finished fifth in 58,41 and picked up the prize for the first male veteran. His was a close race with the second placed male vet, David Duncan who was only 26 seconds behind him.

In the ladies race, previous winner for a number of years and course record holder for the current route, Martine Hughes, won again with a time of 68.57. She was very comfortably ahead of the rest of the female runners, her nearest rival being Tilly Smith, Deeside Runners, in 73.09.

Tilly chose 1st female veteran's prize, allowing Mairi Vines from Halkirk to pick up 2nd female in 77.09. Mairi is getting stronger over the hills and her naturally positive and attacking style gains her minutes over rough ground.

Linda Edmondson from Wrekin Road Runners was 25th overall and second female veteran in 77.38 with Alison Smith, Murkle, over 4 minutes behind her picking up the prize for 3rd female. Alison's lead over Anne MacKay from Tain had been reduced to only 18 seconds by the end with Alison's hurtling technique on the downhill stretches just holding off the faster road runners.

Sixteen people were involved in registering the runners, marshalling on the hill, timing the race and serving the teas afterwards and without them the race would not be possible (Eilidh and Eleanor you will be asked again next year!).

Bob Earnshaw, Captain of Reay Golf Club, presented the prizes including a medal to son Colin who finished in 13th place.

Many of the runners will now transfer their attention to the very different challenges of road running and for those lucky enough to have entered the next event will be the exciting prospect of the inaugural Mey 10k on the 10th of May.

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