Muddy marvels rise to challenge at Ellon

Athletics: Tole tops off busy weekend with Ythan triumph

Jim Tole scored an impressive victory in yesterday’s CETCO Ythan Challenge adventure race at Ellon despite having competed in a long distance cycling event less than 24 hours earlier.

The Metro Aberdeen runner took part in Saturday’s Dinnaedo 100-mile cycle sportive which started and finished in Stonehaven and took in 8,100ft of climbing as it followed a route which went over the Cairn o’Mount twice.

Tole said: “My legs were a bit heavy although I was probably helped by the fact that I took a wrong turn during the cycle race and ended up doing only 77 miles. If I’d done the entire 100 miles that might have made been too much.”

The veteran athlete showed few signs of fatigue as he completed the 11km Ellon course, which took in a tour of the Esslemont estate and a run out and back along the Ythan valley, in 54min 23sec.

Along the way, he and the other 359 competitors had to negotiate a series of obstacles including wooden climbing frames, towering straw bales, mud pits, near vertical slippery slopes and a river crossing.

Tole took it all in his stride but admitted it was a tougher challenge than he expected.

He said: “I held back a little at the start while the guy who eventually finished second set off very quickly. I kept him in my sights but didn’t make any attempt to catch him until we entered the main trail section through the Esslemont estate.

“I was able to pick him off when we hit some of the hills and we ran together for a while before I pulled away.

“The slippery slope at the finish was tricky until I realised there was a rope running alongside it which I was able to use to haul myself up. It’s just as well it wasn’t a close race at that point otherwise it might have ended up differently.

“This is the first time I’ve done the race and it was much harder than I expected. I thought it was just going to be like a crosscountry run.

“Now that I know what’s involved, I reckon I’d train harder for it next year.

“I’m pleased to win as I’m just coming back from injury. Now I’m focussing on the Great Aberdeen Run half marathon in August.”

Early leader Jonathan Strachan, who finished third last year, had to settle for second in 55:29 with Paul Massie third in 56:24.

Bruce Ferguson won the super veteran age group award when finishing 19th overall in 1:02:38 and vintage veteran prize went to Mike Cameron in 1:11:27.

“The race was much harder than I expected”

Sink or swim: One of the competitors powers through the mud

River deep: For some of the field as they tackle the water

Best of the bunch: Jim Tole and Victoria Bailie