Harris sees another record entry for the 21st HEB3

  
Dave Wright and Megan Wright

Click here to see Susan Johnston's race photos

Saturday’s Harris half marathon was the last of this year’s HEB3 (where runners have to compete in at least three of the five Hebridean half marathons in Stornoway, Benbecula, Skye, Barra and Harris).

The Harris race itself was won easily by Keith Hood, of Corstorphine AAC (CAAC) in Edinburgh in a time of 1.12.31, ahead of Dave Wright from HBT (Hunter’s Bog Trotter’s in Edinburgh). Keith is one of a growing number of runners from CAAC who travel regularly to races in the Western Isles. It was a hot day for running, and Gordon Lennox took an early lead from Keith and Dave Wright but by the time the leaders reached Luskentyre, Keith and Dave were ahead. Keith was faster on the hill and extended his lead to the finish. Many of the runners reported that the heat had made it a hard race, even although several regulars ran good times.  Dave’s wife Megan ran a strong race to win the overall female race ahead of Michelle Hetherington of Helensburgh. Stornoway’s Jonny Pritchard ran 1.33.55, a fast race considering that he ran 7 miles to get to the start, as part of his preparations for the Moray marathon in September.

With the Harris results in, some quick calculations produced the statistics for the overall HEB3 series. HBT, after a few years absence, again dominated this year’s series, with Dave and Megan Wright winning the first male and female spots, and HBT winning the team prize. First male vet was again Peter Buchanan from Portobello Running Club, and first male supervet (less than 3 minutes behind over the total distance) was Colin Feechan from Ron Hill Cambuslang. First female vet was Shona Morrison from North Uist, and first female supervet was Michelle Hetherington (in a fast aggregate time which placed her second female overall). All the prizewinners were delighted with their prizes which this year were slates engraved with the Hebridean island logo, made by Stornoway Plastics. The Heb3 organisers traditionally provide prizes from island craft producers, and this year’s choice was particularly well received. The organisers were delighted with the quality of the performances during the 2010 race series, which mark the 21st running of the event, organised by Stornoway Running Club to attract runners to the Hebridean races. In terms of quantity also, 73 runners participated in at least three of the five half marathons, earning the specially commissioned commemorative running shirt. Twelve runners ran all five races, and will have their shirts printed with “rinn mise na coig” on the back – members of an elite club indeed!

A presentation was made to HEB3 organiser Jim Bruce of Stornoway Running Club, who had completed a run of 50 consecutive Heb3 races at the Benbecula race a few weeks before. Having run all five races every year since 2000, the record breaking sequence ended when he couldn’t run Harris after pulling a calf muscle during the Barra half marathon the previous week.

Thank you to all runners who participated in the 21st HEB3. Congratulations to Dave and Megan Wright who won the series, and their team HBT, who won the team prize. If you have any queries or comments about the results, please let us know. We look forward to welcoming all Heb3 runners to the 2011 series.

Jim Bruce stornoway@gmail.com

Heb3 2010 Results