More than 200 runners ready for Goatfell challenge

More than 200 runners will take part in the gruelling Goatfell Race which will take place in Brodick today (Saturday) with new organisers at the helm.

The 15.5km annual race has a long history, going back to the 1950s when the local tourist board organised it. For the past 25 years the Arran Runners had taken over the mantle and organised the race but this year, in a new phase, the race is being run by Shettleston Harriers – the famous Glasgow running club.

Famous Harriers include Dunky Wright who, between the wars, competed for Britain in three Olympic marathons and, more recently, Lachie Stewart and Nat Muir in the 1970s and 1980s. It appears that attaching the race to a prestigious Scottish running club has paid dividends, as the event has quickly attracted more than 200 entries – a big increase on last year.

The winner of the race for the past three years, Finlay Wild of Lochaber, is probably the most notable entrant and he is always warmly received by the Arran runners and other entrants. Finlay became the British fell running champion last August. When not working as a GP in his native Lochaber, Finlay also makes time for climbing, mountain skiing and painting, and he recently held an exhibition in Pitlochry.

The Isle of Arran Pipe Band will also be at the event and playing in what is traditionally their first outing of the year. The Isle of Arran Mountain Rescue Team will be marshalling the race on the hill and the Brodick Improvement Association and other locals will be marshalling on the road section. In the interval between the start at noon at the Ormidale Park and the finish at the same place from around 1.15pm on, there will be children’s races, welly-boot throwing and haggis hurling which will keep the spectators entertained. The record for completing the race is held by Andy Peace who returned home with a time of 1:13:40 in 1994 and the female record belongs to Angela Mudge who completed a time of 1:26:21 in 2001.