Culbin gets ready for forest runners

The 2012 Moray Forest Runs Series gets under way on Wednesday (May 16) when the Dyke Village Hall committee stage the traditional opening fixture at Culbin Forest.

This is the 14 time that the ever-popular family trail running event has been held since it was first run in 1999 to help raise money to build the new hall in Dyke.

In that time the Culbin Run has seen participation increase from 89 back in 1999 to an incredible 330 last year, and has raised over £5000 to help keep the hall going.

Runners heading to Culbin next week can look forward to a family-focused evening of athletics, with three events in one catering for all ages. The ever-popular primary schools (Under 12s)1-mile event starts off proceedings, where children as young as 3 have taken part in the past, before teenage athletes take centre stage when they line up for a slightly longer Under 16s race at a mile and a half. But the highlight of the evening is the main 5-mile route where runners tackle a course that takes in the Hill 99 viewing tower during a circuit of many of the nicest trails that Culbin has to offer. Junior runners are welcome to enter the main race at parental discretion while Under 12s are welcome to enter the longer junior race if they’re already used to running that distance. This year there’s an added extra thanks to Moravian Orienteers who are offering a ’mini sprint’ orienteering race prior to the Moray & Highland Junior Championships the following Sunday. Although this taster race is aimed at juniors after they’ve taken part in the run, adults are very welcome to tackle the 700-metre course which uses a nicely-contoured patch of forest next to the car park and features the club’s EMIT electronic timing system. A top orienteer could probably manage it in about 3 minutes, and there’ll be a prize for the fastest male and female both senior and junior.

The success of the Forest Runs series owes much to the enthusiastic backing of the Forestry Commission who help promote the events and allow the forests to be used free of charge. Members of Forres Harriers and Moravian Orienteering Club look after all the technical arrangements such as course setting and timing, while members of local village hall committees, for whom the events raise funds, sort out course marshalling, registration and refreshments as part of a big team effort. The Culbin event has never been short of support from local businesses, and all the regular sponsors have once again agreed to support the races. The long list includes the Forres Co-Op, Tesco, Lidl, McKenzie and Cruickshanks, Kinloss Spar, Brodie Castle, Run4It , Brodie Countryfayre and the Knockomie Hotel. A new sponsor this year will be Buffera, makers of the Buff - a trendy and unmistakeable item of headgear designed for runners.

“We’re all looking forward to it” said Dyke Hall treasurer and well-known local orienteer Mike Rodgers who is in charge of the event for the 14 time. “The amazing popularity of these runs makes it quite hard work, but we’re used to it and hopefully everything will go as smoothly as usual. We don’t always get the greatest of weather for Culbin but the rain never seems to put people off coming!”

Registration for the event starts at 6pm at the Wellhill Car Park, with the Under 12s race starting at 6.45, the Under 16s race at 7.10 and the main race at 7.15. The prize giving will be at 8.20. On-line pre-entry is open until Monday night via the Moravian Orienteers or Forres Harriers web sites, and entry to the main race costs £4, with the junior races just £1 (payable on the day only). The orienteering challenge is open throughout the evening and is free of charge. Runners are asked to share transport if possible as the car park is likely to get very congested. Drivers are asked to respect the £1 forestry parking charge which is payable at the meter near to the toilet block.