Knock Hill Race's oldest competitor "super proud" after completing run's first and 50th editions
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THE most senior runner at Cornhill Highland Games' Knock Hill Race has said he is "super proud" after competing in the run's first and 50th editions.
Charlie Simpson, known to many for his work as a registrar and as Keith Football Club's historian, was one of 14 who take part in the run.
Post-race, he gave us his account.
I make no secret of the fact that, although I stay in Keith, my “spiritual” home will always be Ordiquhill, and I am so very proud of my roots, Charlie writes.
I lined up for the very first Knock Hill Race on July 18, 1970, a month short of my 15th birthday, never thinking that 52 years later, two months shy of my 67th birthday, I would be able to tackle the 50th edition of the race.
On Saturday, as part of the Cornhill Highland Games, I lined up with just over a dozen runners in the mid morning heat and set off on the 8.5 mile course, a mixture of road running and incorporating running up and back down the 1406 foot high Hill. Rather exerting conditions to say the least!
Anyway, Kyle Greig from Alford, one of the north east’s top long distance runners won for the fourth time, adding to victories in 2008, 2015 and 2018, with a more than decent time of 59 minutes 41 seconds, given the conditions, leaving second placed Gregor Naughton some seven minutes in his wake.
First Lady was Claire Woodcock – 1 hour 34 mins 35 seconds – second Lady and youngest runner at 16, Faith Clark, was also first home in the Parish in a time of 1 hour 37 mins 5 seconds.
Brian Cheyne from Fordyce won the very first race back in 1970, which was set off by Colonel Lachlan Gordon Duff’s double barrelled shot gun, I can still hear it ringing in my ears yet!
There have only been 17 different winners during the half century and you can’t speak about this great event without mentioning the legendary Duncan Gillies who has won it 12 times, including 11 times on the trot, and holds the record time of 52 minutes 24 seconds back in 1987, a truly exceptional time.
It would be remiss of me to omit winner of the Race back in 2002, Iain Cruickshank, also of Keith, and like myself, Iain wanted to tackle I believe his 25th Knock Hill. This was my 28th Knock Hill Race.
Although I am not much of a runner, I only have the one speed – dead slow! – I am ultra proud of the fact that apart from being the oldest runner to complete Saturday, I was able to tackle the first and then the 50th, 52 years apart.
I am certainly not like a good wine that improves from age, I am probably as fit as the proverbial broken fiddle!
Will I be back for the 51st Race next year? - Mmmh – we’ll have to see about that!
