Glentress is quite well known for its mountain biking but High Terrain Events have come up with a couple of routes taking in some of the paths and tracks through this wonderfully scenic forest. 10km and 21km (42km being two laps).
Whilst the 21km route (42km two laps) branches off and ventures Northwards taking in a couple of big hills on the way.
Having arrived down at Peebles fairly early on Friday afternoon, I registered and then had a walk round the 10km route to check it out (being as we would be running it twice) and grab some photos. I’d forgotten that my general wear trainers had been retired from running duties after only a few runs because they kept giving me blisters. So that ended with a pair of nice blisters to sort before the morning. Not a good start.
The weather gods had obviously blessed us (and Falkland XC) with a brilliant but chilly morning for a run. On the drive from Edinburgh to Glentress, the cars temperature gauge dropped down to -7 at one point. However the sun was out and there was barely any wind so it didn’t feel too bad. There was a fair queue at registration, so the start was delayed a bit and it had almost warmed to freezing temp by the time of the briefing.
After the race briefing at the start line, we had to walk round the bike shop and loop back to the start. Crossing the bridge in single file so everyones number was checked as being a marathon runner and a full headcount taken. The route goes onto remote high ground and they wanted everyone back. Count complete and everyone reassembled and the countdown started. The front runners were away up the road at a clip, whilst the main pack gradually increased from a shuffle to a decent jog. Branching off the road onto a woodland path and through a swing gate which thinned us to a single line, a brief level section past a pond soon gave way to more uphill and a steady climb. A few undulations later on sections of access road and singletrack, you arrive at the carpark area.
A long downhill stretch of access road which was a bit soft underfoot due to recent forestry work, sweeps down to the fort before another steady climb round the far side. Some more woodland path and access road sees you at the point where the 10k branches off, whilst the marathon routes take in some more singletrack on the Soor Plooms section which is slightly more challenging under foot. Somewhere along here the leader of the half marathon shot past at a brilliant pace, hopping onto the bankings as he passed several of us .A long drag up another bit of access road gets you to start of the fun stuff. The Goat track is a narrow singletrack section, mainly level or downhill, but needing a good amount of care due to the rocky nature and occasional small boulders to cross over. For me, it was the definite highlight of the lap and I decided there and that I had to do the second lap if only for this bit.
A couple of switchbacks is the warning of a sustained climb, up The Kipps. The views from the top are great, but its soon time to drop down the far side, where another set of icy switchbacks and flowing sections makes short work of shedding a lot of the height. A short uphill rocky track and then its onto a bit of open moorland, and what may have been a path once upon a time.
Little used pathways weave through the woods, climbing steadily and then you round a bend and find a monstrously steep bit covered in pine needles. At 32 degrees gradient, its a good job its only 150m long. Battle up this and theres time for a breather before another few undulations and then the water station marks the start of the downhill. The water station is just a few containers and was going to be earlier but the access was too icy so was positioned here instead.
The narrow path beside the wall widens into an open rooty section (which was frozen on the first lap but had become muddy for the second time through) which leads onto another access road down the carpark where you cross your earlier track and start the final leg of woodland paths down to the finish. Or the start of lap two!
I was finishing the first lap feeling rather good and a with a decent enough time of 2:10. Water bladder refilled and then it was time to get going back up the road, however my legs had no intention of running, so it was mainly a walk up to the ponds then a mix of run/walk depending on the gradient for most of the lap. Whilst going up the zigzags on The Kipps, a lovely lady offered works of encouragement before adding a moral sapping “the lead men finished 20 minutes ago” yeah, thanks for that!. A couple of photo stops on the second lap and a brief refill from the almost frozen water containers added a few minutes but took nothing away from the enjoyment and still had me home in 52nd place with 4:45. Slightly knackered but really pleased with getting round unscathed and still able to walk.
132 people completed the two laps for the marathon distance and a further 20 people completed just the one lap and received a time for the half.
Report by: Neil Purdie