Carradale Canter 2018

Post date: Jul 4, 2018 8:15:50 PM

By Elaine McGeachy

This is a fantastic wee local event - a tough route (totally) but very rewarding. Yes, it’s quite informal and it’s not slick like big races but that’s part of it’s charm! It’s Carradale after all :-) With a cheap entry of only £15 it was very good value for money getting a tshirt, medal and a help yourself goody bag - including shower gel and hand gel :-) This year they focused on being more eco-friendly which I thought was very admirable and more races should take note - recyclable/once used drinking cups and recyclable materials and pack your own goody bags (recyclable of course!)

With only a short journey to make the start line at Carradale Harbour I’d urge you all to go, it’s a cracking wee day out. OK, so you might not get a PB - a few hills and the beach section makes sure of that but it’s a good hard session and the scenery is pretty hard to beat. I’d even go as far to say as it was really enjoyable! They even gave out sticky buns at the finish line - yum. There is a BBQ to buy burgers too - this might even be free next year (watch this space).

It was blazing sunshine this year and Carradale looked glorious. The start kicks off by going uphill but there were plenty of spectators to cheer on the crowds and it stopped you from going out far too fast. This year once down on the beach I decided to go the wrong way into the heather and bracken…. Oops but I soon made my way back on course and although I lost 3rd place by then I was happy with 4th (and 3rd senior despite a wee mix up at prizegiving!) There are a lot of trails on the course which I love and the hill after the network centre didn’t seem as bad as I remembered but the water stop at the top was much appreciated!! Jocelyn by this point was on my tail so I tried to pick it up for the last half, most of which is downhill which is great fun. The 5k which started slightly after the 10k, was still in process with a few fun runners and walkers at the back but the faster ones who had finished (including Eilidh Girvan who won and her Mum Isobel who got 1st vet) were cheering me on to a faster finish then I planned. But it was done! I was greeted by my Mum who had completed the 5k, my husband Stuart, smiling and looking like he’d just been for an easy walk around the park, who had won the race again despite after cycling 70 miles the previous day doing the 5 ferries (he doesn’t cycle, like EVER) and my sister Mairi (nursing her injured knee but hopefully back in action soon) and boyfriend Stewart Ireland who also won the 5k! Time for celebratory sticky buns!!

Well done to other CRC members and all who took part on a challenging but fun course. Results link to all below. But particularly mentioning Jocelyn Richard who finished on the podium, picking up a prize for 2nd Vet - very well deserved! And Fiona Cook for SECOND senior :-) Another fast runner who we could try to persuade to join…………

http://www.kitst.co.uk/carradale-10k-2018.html

http://www.kitst.co.uk/carradale-5k-2018.html

The prizegiving could be a little better organised (and something went wrong with the chip timing) and they are working on that but at the end of the day it’s just a fun, local race and we had a lovely morning out.