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BRITISH ENERGY 10 MILE RACE (THE "DOON HILL" RACE)

DUNBAR, EAST LOTHIAN - SATURDAY 4th OCTOBER 2008

(What it looks like in good weather! (2007) - Picture from DRC)

Dunbar Running Club hosted the 2008 British Energy 10 Mile Race (the "Doon Hill Race") on Saturday 4th October 2008. The organisers state that "The race is a multi terrain race that takes in lots of scenic countryside around Dunbar and offers spectacular views from the top of Doon Hill (should you wish to stop and admire them)"! Eilidh Grigg represented ERN on what turned out to be a demanding course compounded by wet and windy weather - great fun! Well done.

Eilidh wrote: "When I woke to hear the wind whistling down our chimney on Saturday morning I suggested to Brendan that I didn't have to run the Dunbar 10 Mile in a couple of hours time, unfortunately, he wouldn't let me out of it!  

Arriving at the Healthy Living Centre, the weather seemed even worse, rainy, windy and cold, with everyone hiding in their cars until 15 minutes before the start when the brave ones dived out to do a last minute warm up.  We were soon heading up the Doon Hill, which was either over fields or muddy farm track and I was feeling envious of the runners in their cross country shoes while I slowly plodded and slipped my way up!  Suddenly running in the Australian heat in 5 months time doesn't seem such a bad thing at all!  It felt like it took me hours to get to the top of Doon Hill and when you ran round the wee cairn you were met with an almighty gust of wind which blew me a good few feet off the track!  According to my Met office website addicted hubby winds were at 30mph with gusts of up to 45mph and it felt like it!  I wondered how the wee professional looking lassies managed to stay on their feet as some of them were tiny, but they were so far ahead I wouldn't know, maybe they got blown down the hill?!   

Getting onto the road for the last couple of miles seemed like heaven and I could have skipped with delight!  Managed a final sprint to the finish line to be met with some delicious soup and sandwiches, just what the Doctor ordered!  There was a small group of women there who said it was the first 10 mile race they had ever run and after that it would be their last, but if you can run that you could run anything!  All up if the ground hadn't been so wet under foot and the wind not so wild it would have been a lovely race.  It was a very well organised race, with lots of friendly supportive marshals and the soup at the end (as my brother would say) would put hairs on your chest like stocks of rhubarb!"

Some photos:

Start

Middle

End