Lauderdale Limpers’ Joseph Dawes wins 2026’s Earlston Black Hill Race

Dawes’ time of 37:37 for the 8.2km course, featuring 220m of ascent, last Tuesday was over half a minute faster than the 38:13 clocked by runner-up Greg Harradine.

It was also almost three minutes better than the time of 40:14 he managed last time round, earning him tenth place, two behind Gala Harriers’ Harradine, on 38:54, on that occasion, and an improvement of nearly five minutes on his seventh-placed finish in 42:05 in 2024’s edition.

Dawes was one of four members of the Lauder club to make the top 20 of a field of 57, followed by Derrick Sloan, third in 38:33; Iain Dick, 15th in 44:24; and Naomi Dijkman, 19th and first female finisher over 40 in 45:50. Harradine was among seven runners representing the Galashiels club to manage top-20 finishes, with Sam Robertson placing fifth in 40:31, James Dennison seventh and first over-50 in 40:51, Daniel Lavin eighth in 41:02, Joseph O’Keefe ninth in 41:29, Sam McKinnon tenth in 41:39 and Paul Williams 13th in 43:14 and also first man aged 40 to 44.

Other age-category wins at the event, organised by Limpers and JogEarlston, went to Gala’s Bob Johnson, first over-60 and 25th all told in 47:49, and Lisa Dalgliesh, first female finisher over 50 and 33rd all together in 52:27.

Moorfoot Runners’ Jack Philip was fourth in 38:58.

Catriona MacDonald, of Glasgow’s Bellahouston Road-Runners, was first woman home, and sixth overall, in 40:49.

Gala’s Holly Craig won the accompanying Earlston White Hill Race for juniors in 9:44, with Limpers’ Maisie Aughey and Hannah Graham second in 10:31 and third in 10:32.