Due to work on the new Borders Railway, the various courses had to be altered this year but that didn’t stop the Burgh runners recording some impressive times. The ‘Killer’ hill that set the course apart from other events no longer featured, much to the expressed disappointment of the Burgh squad.

Racing was therefore largely confined to fairly flat parkland loops.

Nonetheless, the usual high standard fields coupled with clear blue skies made for an excellent day’s racing.

Keir Lang raced first and immediately set the standard for the rest of the squad. From the 45 competitors in the one mile race for under-11 boys Keir placed an excellent seventh with a time of six minutes 30 seconds.

A similar sized field, 42, assembled for the under-13 girls race over two miles and the Burgh’s two representatives again achieved top 10 finishes. Charlotte Caskie placed ninth with a time of 14 minutes exactly, with Jessica Noble one place and 15 seconds behind.

The organisers offer encouragement by giving awards to the first four in each race as against the more usual three. Michael Miller therefore got due recognition for his consistently fine performances when he took fourth place from a field of 27 under-13 boys. His time for the two mile course was 12:51.

The Burgh’s strongest representation was in the under-15 girls race, again over the two mile course and with 40 competitors. Unfortunately Mhairi Cromar had to drop out when in a top 10 position due to a calf strain.

Melissa Robinson took ninth place in a time of 13:25 and with Kara Bruce 12th in 13:51 and Maddie Joseph 22nd in 14:41 the squad claimed fourth place in the team awards.

Last to race was Gregor Chambers, the only one of the Burgh squad having to tackle the more typically cross-country elements of the course — slightly hillier sections and on rougher terrain. His under-15 boys race was over three miles which he completed in 20:13 to claim 13th place in a field of 26.