Supporting the First Ochil Hill Relays
Saturday 7th March saw the first ever Ochil Hill Relays, a fantastic new event celebrating the hills and running community right on our doorstep. As a coffee roastery based near the Ochils, we were delighted to support the inaugural race and be part of what proved to be a brilliant day for runners and spectators alike.
The relay brought together 40 teams who took on the challenging Ochil Hill course. Starting in Alva Glen, the runners took on 3 challenging courses as a team in the hills. With runners setting off 15 minutes apart, it was a busy and exciting final descent back into Alva Glen. With steep climbs, fast descents and plenty of Scottish hill running character, it was a demanding route that tested both endurance and teamwork. Over £1000 was raised on the day for local charities.
At Ochils Coffee, community is one of our core values, so supporting local events like this felt like a natural fit. To add a bit of fun to the day, we donated a selection of our freshly roasted coffees as a prize for the “Lantern Rouge” team — the team finishing last on the day.
While most races focus only on the winners, we think there’s something worth celebrating about the teams who stick it out right to the end. Hill running is tough, and completing the course is an achievement in itself.
The honour of the Lantern Rouge prize went to the brilliantly named team “There Are No Hills in Musselburgh”, who completed the course in a time of 4:44:52. We hope they’re now enjoying some well-earned cups of coffee after a long day on the hills.
At the sharp end of the race, the event was won by Felkour Squad, who delivered an impressive performance and finished in 2:26:57.
For a first running of the event, the Ochil Hill Relays were a huge success. The atmosphere was fantastic, the organisation was spot on, and it was great to see so many runners out enjoying the hills that surround us.
As a roastery based at Solsgirth Home Farm, the Ochil Hills are part of our everyday landscape, and it was wonderful to see them become the backdrop for a new community sporting event. We’re proud to have played a small part in the day and hope this becomes a regular fixture in the local running calendar.
Congratulations to all the teams who took part — and especially to those who finished the course and earned that well-deserved post-race coffee. And of course, a huge thank you to the race organisers for such a fantastic event!
