The Mighty Deerstalker

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Doing it in Tweed (and at Night)

Gary Vallance (Rat Race Adventure) / 25.03.2011

From late on Friday 18th March, hundreds of anxious, excited runners and supporters trickled towards the former hunting lodge of the Kings of Scotland, Traquair House. As the sun climbed into a blue sky on Saturday morning, the ranks of those hardy campers were swelled by the arrival of thousands more participants, some fresh to the experience that awaited them, many returning for their second, third or fourth time: all with one mission in mind – the Deerstalker!

Now in its fifth year, the Deerstalker is the flagship event in the Notorious Night Run series, and has become a sell-out staple of the spring calendar. Described as a “roller-coaster of a run... in tweed�, the organisers have stuck to the original format throughout, and this year, almost three thousand eager competitors lined up to test themselves against the breathtaking scenery of the Tweed Valley.

Formed of two events, a daytime 5k (and a bit), and a night-time 10k (and the rest), the area’s challenging terrain is augmented by a series of natural and manmade obstacles. The route is serious, but the participants are anything but, foregoing technical fabrics for fancy dress, and an abundance of tweed and tartan.

<b>5k (and a bit)</b>

At three o’clock, from Traquair’s tree lined avenue, the gun sounded for the start of the 5k, and seven hundred fancy dressed masochists dashed off into the distance. No sooner were they underway, than a sharp detour sent them into a deceptively muddy field, culminating in a waist deep wade through water resembling chocolate milkshake, in colour, consistency and temperature!

Then a punishing climb some three hundred metres up Cadon Bank, in and out of dense forest, via balance beams at the “deershore� obstacle, before plummeting along the trails of the famous Innerleithen downhill mountain bike centre, through a surreal “forest disco� on route. A few water crossings later, and the runners were returning to the event village, for medals, mars bars, and the glow of victory.

The eventual 5k(ish) winners were Iain Stewart (48.12)& Edel Mooney (51.50), first Stag and Doe respectively. Edel was 4th overall – impressive.

<b>10k (and the rest)</b>

Within an hour of the 5k tail-enders, and with the light beginning to fail, over two thousand people assembled behind the start line, eager with anticipation for the headline event, the Mighty Deerstalker. The actual distance has never been confirmed, and rumours abound of whether the “roughly 10k� course might be nearer 10 miles, but for those in the know, the distance is only half the battle, with over twice the ascent of the 5k version, and much more water thrown into the mix.See All Event Posts