Devil's Burdens 2013

It was a gloomy Saturday morning, disturbingly early, when the Strathearn Allsorts gathered for their trip to Falkland for the early start in the Devil’s Burdens race. 

The Allsorts ready for the off!

Gordon and Julia starting Leg 2

The Allsorts, with a combined age of something in the region of 300, featured three runners new to the Devils Burden’s experience. Alistair’s pre-race estimate of about 50 minutes for his opening leg proved to be wildly inaccurate as he came in with a storming time of 40.15, and looked duly shattered at the end of it. Alistair handed over to Gordon and Julia, who was making her DB debut. I doubt Julia could have had a better co-runner than Gordon for her initiation into gnarly hill races, and they put in a very creditable effort in difficult conditions – it was cold and claggy, and visibility on the tops was limited.  

Meanwhile, as Julia and Gordon were tackling West Lomond, I was driving round to Kinnesswood with Alistair, slowly recovering from his efforts and the men’s and women’s teams were starting in the late start, having had an extra hour in bed. The parking situation did seem to be a bit easier here than the previous scrums at Scotlandwell, so this order and direction of running the race may become permanent. Angela turned up a wee bit later, followed not long after by Phil and James, with reports of a terrific run from Wendy, who had run the third fastest women’s Leg 1, finishing not far behind James who put in a fine effort for his DB debut for the men.

 

James finishing Leg 1

Wendy finishing Leg 1

Will and Colin at the start of Leg 2. Maybe Will's gurning is the secret of his success?

Emily and Rhian looking focussed at the start of Leg 2

Gordon and Julia came bouncing down the hill to Kinnesswood to hand over to me, and I retraced their steps up to White Craigs rather less quickly. As I was heading up, I was nearly mown down by Will and Colin on their way down, moving at great speed – they put in the second fastest time for their leg, just 35 seconds behind the Carnethy A team who eventually won the overall race. Meanwhile Emily and Rhian were putting in a solid performance for their leg, with the fifth best women’s time.

I managed to pass a few walkers on the way up White Craigs, and then passed a few more when the running started properly. I only fell over once in the snow banks in the firebreak, and for a change managed to avoid breaking any bones.

Jim and Andy on Leg 4

Ali and Fi on Leg 4

Wendy and Cathy on Leg 4, looking like they're enjoying themselves!

I handed over to Ali and Fi in her DB debut and a day after her birthday – possibly not the birthday celebrations she might have thought likely not so long ago. Phil T came in a few minutes after me, leaving Andy and Jim (yet another DB debut!) to chase Ali and Fi. They eventually caught them at the top of East Lomond and followed Ali’s heading down the hill. The boys did manage to overtake Ali and Fi and brought the men’s team home to finish in a fantastic 9th place in the men's race, in a time of 2.50.25. Ali and Fi weren’t far behind and finished their leg in a very creditable 58.47, to give a final time for the Allsorts of 3.56.54, and a finishing position of 9th mixed team and 89th overall – sadly the provisional positions of  6th mixed team and 68th overall proved a little generous as it turned out a lots of teams had been incorrectly recorded as having done the early start.

For the women’s team, Angela had her usual strong run and recorded the fourth fastest women’s time for Leg 3, before handing over to Cathy and Wendy T (the last of the DB debuts!) for a cracking last leg to come home in 3.20.07, as 5th women, and 39th overall. The women were only 100 seconds off third place, so a top 3 finish next year is a very realistic target.

Overall, it was a cracking day out. I was hugely impressed with everyone, but particularly the half-dozen for whom this was their first Devils’ Burdens race. As Phil said in his Facebook post, they took themselves out of their comfort zones and performed really well. They may even be back next year!

Overall winners were Carnethy A, in a time of 2.30.41, and the women’s winners were Carnethy Ladies, in a time of 2.45.39.