PICTURES: Dornoch runner is overall winner of first ever Ben Bhraggie 24-hour hill race
A Dornoch runner took the honours as the overall winner of the inaugural Ben Bhraggie 24-hour hill race.
Alexander ‘Dander’ Richardson completed 20 five mile loops of the Ben in the allotted time span. He covered a total of just over 101 miles and climbed a total elevation of 25,659ft.
Runner-up was David Wilson with 16 loops (80 miles).
Golspie’s Julie Miller was the top female runner with 14 loops (70 miles), while Steve Battle of Sheffield (61) was the top male veteran with 11 loops (55 miles) and Jeanne Rowantree (64) was the top female veteran with 13 loops (65 miles).
Twenty-six runners took part in the inaugural event organised by Golspie residents Ian and Nikki Harrison, founders of the Golspie Back Yard Ultra.
The youngest participant was 27 and the oldest 64.
A 24-hour race is a type of ultramarathon in which competitors run as far as they can in 24 hours. It is usually run in loops. Participants can rest as much as they like during the race.
James Douglas piped the runners to the start of the race at the Ben Bhraggie car park last Saturday in overcast and drizzly weather. The event started at 10am.
Mr Douglas, accompanied by his father and Ian Harrison, walked to the top of the Ben at 11.30pm where he piped again. The following day he piped in the winner.
Nikki said: “It’s been an amazing 24 hours. Some of the participants were coming back from illness or injury and still managed to put in such a magnificent effort, completing three or four loops of the course - no easy feat when you are not feeling at your strongest.
“At least three runners completed their first marathon and ultra-marathon distance, an amazing achievement.”
She continued: “In the morning we still had 16 exhausted but happy people looping the Ben. The weather was better with blue skies. Words cannot describe how special it was to see these athletes perform.”
Competitor John Budge, Wick, posted afterwards on his social media page that it had been a “brilliant, well organised event” and he was delighted to have taken part on the first year.
Really enjoyed it and managed 6 loops /30 mile and a bit of elevation , after a bit of thought I decided to call it a day with a niggle in my knee on the downhill section.
Thank you to organisers and helpers and well done to all who took part
Following the Ben Bhraggie 24, some 22 young people from Golspie Youth Action Project (GYAP) took part in their own mini race, running a 0.34 loop of one of the mountain bike trails at Rhives.
The event on Sunday, July 7, ran from 10.40am-12.40pm and was a fundraiser for a trip GYAP is planning.
Those who took part in the event received a medal designed by Golspie Primary School pupil Leo Lannon and made by the Kraft Shed in Brora.
Nikki said: “The children showed great determination and sportsmanship throughout the two hours. The format was the same as the 24 with loops and the young people could rest as much as they wanted after each loop.
“The course was filled with laughter and shouts of encouragement over the two hours. All the children put in a magnificent effort.”
Winner was Casey White who completed 15 loops, or 5.1 miles, and Imogen Port, who completed 12 loops, or just over four miles.
The 22 children ran a total of 71.4 miles.
