THE RIVER AYR WAY CHALLENGE
‘The Friendly Race’
Gill Sherry
The River Ayr Way is a 40+ mile route which traces the length of the River Ayr from source to sea. Stretching from Glenbuck Loch to Ayr Harbour where it enters the Firth of Clyde, it was officially opened in 2006 and attracts walkers from far and wide. The route also hosts an annual ultra marathon, one of Scotland’s most iconic endurance events.
Race Director, Paddy MacDonald, tells me more.
“I have lived and worked the race for 19 of its 20 years. Originally, the local authority was looking at making a path linking up all the small communities along the River Ayr. At the very beginning, there used to be a run and a walk over two days, but the event became busier and busier, and it wasn’t feasible to have the two events on at the same time. So the ultra took over.”
Participants travel great distances to take part in The River Ayr Way Challenge, but what makes the so-called ‘Friendly Race’ so special?
“I’m just biased,” admits Paddy, “but the fact that it’s on one of Scotland’s Great Trails, and it was the first source to sea route in Scotland, those two things make it quite special.”
The event is also beneficial to Ayrshire’s economy.
“There are quite a lot of cafés and garages that will get footfall through, especially on the day of the race. It’s quite a big ultra marathon now so some people running the race will have crew who come and follow them.”
Hotels, restaurants and pubs will also benefit from the event and with 300 runners expected to take part on 12th September, it’s a win-win for everyone concerned.
Of course, events like this are heavily reliant upon teamwork and Paddy is quick to recognise those who give their time to make the event a success.
“We have a bank of about 20 volunteers who help every year. It’s mostly marshalled by Ayrshire 360 staff, a local charity. One of the reasons it’s called The Friendly Race is because we’ve got so many marshals.”
In addition to the 40-mile ultra, there is also the option to enter the relay.
“Teams for the relay are made up of two or three people. There are four key checkpoints where team members switch over. We also do ‘drop-bags’ where we take bags from one section to the next, so if someone wants to wear a different pair of shoes for the next section, that allows them to do that.”
As Race Director, Paddy is also responsible for the safety of participants. His full-time role is that of Countryside Development Officer for Ayrshire 360, working with his own team which includes Strategic Lead, Christine Keenan. Estates Development Officer, David Pratt, and the Estates team are responsible for the year-round maintenance and care of the route, together with Rachel Shipley, Outdoor Access Officer for South Ayrshire Council.
“It’s very much a team effort,” Paddy reiterates, before adding: “In the beginning, it used to be stopwatches, and time sheets. Now the race is chip-timed by Pro Tay Timing so it’s a million times more professional and much safer. We can tell where people are on the route at any time. That’s quite important for the race.”
If you’re interested in entering the River Ayr Way Ultra Marathon, the cost is £45, or £75 for the relay. Whilst many participants are what you might call serious athletes, plenty also enter with a view to raising money for charity and this is yet another benefit of this long-standing event.
Full details can be found online at
www.entrycentral.com/riverayrway, including a map of this scenic route through the heart of Ayrshire.
“Another cool thing,” says Paddy, “is they get a T-shirt as well as a medal. The T-shirts are a different colour every year. It was black the first year, and we’re back in black this year for its 20th year.”
So, what are you doing on 12th September?…
