Volcano Run 2015 – Race Report | Dunoon Hill Runners

Dunoon Hill Runners held its 2nd Annual Volcano Run hosted and sponsored by J Mundell and Sons, Toward Farm. Thanks also to Run 4 it and The Osborne Hotel for their sponsorship and provision of prizes. It is through this support that the club was able to put on another highly successful race.

Approximately 5 miles long, beginning from Toward Farm, the race took the runners up on to an extinct volcano, Buaicheileann, whereupon after reaching the peak at 400 metres, the runners faced a quick descent back to the farm. It was to be an exciting and hotly contested race given that last year’s winner was not there to defend his title (off running a 16 mile fell race over the mountains to Glencoe).

32 runners set off in near perfect conditions, a host of club colours and visiting runners disappearing into the hills. The race did not disappoint as for most of the course Iain Cairns and Grant Mackellar pushed ahead, each at some point taking the lead, with Ricky Reid (just coming off the back of a 43 mile ultra) hot on their heels. It literally came to a sprint finish to split these 2 runners with Iain pipping Grant for first place and smashing last year’s record by 3 minutes. In fact both Grant and Ricky got well within the previous years winning time.

The whole race was a huge success and a lot of personal best times were gained, some by as much as 20 minutes! This is a testimony to all the hard work and training the club runners have been putting in over the past year.