Borders athletics club hoping new mile race will make its merk rather than hit a bum note

The Galashiels club are launching a new 1,600m race ahead of their 125th anniversary celebrations next year and Tweedbank Sports Complex will host its inaugural edition on Friday, September 11.

That new race is being called the Pail Merk Mile as a nod to residents of the town being nicknamed pail merks, literally bucket marks, in years gone by because of their reputed use of said vessels rather than plumbed-in toilets, leading to rim imprints or defecation-derived staining – or both – allegedly being left on their hindquarters.

Explaining that cheeky choice of name, a club spokesperson said: “For generations, people from neighbouring towns, particularly Hawick, have jokingly referred to residents of Galashiels as pail merks as part of the long-standing and good-natured rivalry that exists between Borders communities.

“The nickname is believed to date back to a time when Galashiels was reputedly one of the last towns in the Borders to be fully connected to modern water and sewerage systems.

“Rivals claimed that Gala residents therefore had to rely on household pails for sanitation, with the word merk referring to consequent marks or stains on their derrieres.

“While the origins of the nickname are rooted in local folklore, Gala Harriers felt it perfectly reflects the fun and light-hearted nature of the event.

“We wanted a name that was unmistakably Galashiels and didn’t take itself too seriously.

“The Pail Merk Mile celebrates our local identity, our sense of humour and our ability to laugh at ourselves.

“We hope the name makes people smile before they even arrive at the track.

“The result should be an evening showcasing the full spectrum of athletic achievement, from first-time racers to elite performers.

“Adding to the festival atmosphere will be a DJ, barbecue and social gathering, making the event as much about bringing people together as it is about competition.”

The club intend the event’s appeal to be broader than that of traditional athletics events and they’re also hoping Borderers will be inspired to join in by Edinburgh’s Josh Kerr, formerly a competitor on the region’s summer outdoor athletics circuit, setting a new world mile record of 3:42.66 in London in July.

“With Scotland’s own Josh Kerr currently holding the world mile record, interest in one of athletics’ most iconic distances has never been greater,” added the club spokesperson.

“Kerr’s achievement has inspired runners of all ages and abilities and highlighted the enduring appeal of the mile.

“Far from being a conventional athletics meeting, organisers have designed the Pail Merk Mile as a fun, inclusive evening that aims to bring together people from across the Borders, regardless of their sporting background.

“Whether participants are seasoned club-runners, rugby players, footballers, cyclists, mountain bikers, triathletes or simply looking for a new challenge, everyone is being encouraged to get involved.

“We want this to be a celebration of running and community.

“The mile is a distance that almost everyone can relate to. You don’t need to be a member of a running club and you don’t even need to consider yourself a runner. If you can run, jog or challenge yourself over a mile, we’d love to see you on the start line.”

The event is open to competitors from under-12 age groups, as in born in 2015 and 2016, through to those aged 80-plus.

To try to keep proceedings competitive, entrants will be asked to provide estimated mile times and allocated to heats based on ability, with races progressing from ones taking about 12 minutes to faster ones edging closer to the four-minute mark – or merk – first undercut by Londoner Roger Bannister back in 1954.

Online entries for up to 150 competitors are open now at https://www.entrycentral.com/Pail_Merk_Mile

Registration will take place from 6pm, with the first heat setting off half an hour later and a finish around 9.30pm anticipated.