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DEERSTALKER OFF-ROAD 5km RACE
INNERLEITHEN, BORDERS. SATURDAY 21st MARCH 2009
Willie Stobie took part in the Deerstalker 5km off-road race. Set in the countryside around Traquair House in the Tweed valley, this is an unusual and highly popular event - tweed and/or deerstalkers are mandatory!
Willie Said: "A drier course made for faster times than last year. I was 83rd (out of 403) in 1 hour 10 minutes and 43 seconds. Over the bales, through the pond, up the mountain bike tracks, veer off up a vertiginous slope, balance beams, the re-birthing tunnel, down more mountainbike tracks, a disco in the forest, steep forested slope into a cargo net, along the river bank, through a river, through “the sump”, another river and home via a tunnel and under some nets to the beer tent.
Next year - the 10K. The difference? It’s in the dark and also has a section up the Leithen Water for a few hundred yards, and a bit straight up a scree slope. The sight of the twinkling head torches strung out over the hills above Innerleithen, and the reflections of them bobbing along beside the Tweed was quite magical – but then I had had a few of the specially brewed Deerstalker Ale. Post-event party (The Beerstalker) was worth staying for."
Some additional photos:
