The Hills are Alive

The Hills Are Alive (HAA) series now appears below!

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As the PRR rules remind us, the HAA was “established to recognise and promote hill racing within the club. Local races will be included whenever possible, ideally with a mix of weekends and weeknights“.

The 2023 HAA Vrackie Racers

The Hills Are Alive series moved to a new form in 2023 to combine its traditional hill races with a new strand of trail races. The thinking was to broaden the appeal of the series to the club’s burgeoning number of trail runners. This move was strongly supported at the 2022 AGM. It proved successful and is now being repeated in 2025.

As a general note, the Hills Are Alive series is far more accessible than many PRRs realise. All of us find hills tough; all of us have to walk the steep bits! The trail element now mixes things up and adds to that accessibility.

Rules/general

+ In 2024, to receive a Hills Are Alive (HAA) medal and score maximum series points, you need to complete any 6 (SIX) out of the 8 nominated HAA races (as per the list below).

+ Full rules, scoring etc appear at 5 here.

+ The HAA series seeks to avoid clashes with the summer holiday season, Championship and SS, and, with its 6-from-8 approach, provides decent flexibility. Trail races can be primarily chosen by the trail runners, while hill runners can target the hill races; even so, a couple of the ‘other’ races will still be required to complete the series and maximise points.

+ Although tricky, it is perfectly possible to place in the top 3 (medal) places of the HAA without completing the series (ie 6 races) if points scored in those races are high enough.

HAA 2025

The races themselves (8): H =hill race, T= trail race

RaceDateClub colours*Link
Norman's Law Hill Race - Luthrie, FifeSaturday 29th MarchyesInfo here
Internal trail race - probably Ballathie or BirnamWednesday 23rd Aprilyesdetails follow
Kinnoull Hill RaceThursday 15th MayyesInfo here
Hill of Tarvit - CeresWednesday 4th JuneyesInfo here
PRR Ben Vrackie (uphill only)Tuesday 22nd Julynodetails follow
Mob Match - Bandit CountryTuesday 19th Augustvery definitely yesInfo here
Gateside GallopWednesday 10th SeptemberyesInfo here
Craig o' Barns - DunkeldSunday 5th OctoberyesInfo here

* Club colours = PRR vest or PRR racing T-shirt. It may be that conditions on the day/evening dictate that waterproofs or warmer layers need be worn additionally. At our internal race, the race organiser may – if conditions dictate – notify runners before they start that kit beyond colours can/should be worn. For Scottish Hill Race series, runners may reasonably expect they should carry waterproof, whistle and map. In general, HAA runners should note the need for club colours to score HAA points at 7 of the 8 races.

+ a Club-only/organised hill race up (only, and not down) Ben Vrackie above Pitlochry; this popular evening has become a staple feature of the HAA;

+ a Club-only trail race at a yet-to-be-determined location; and

+ the KRR-PRR Mob Match, this year being organised by KRR.

If a race is lost…

If any of the internal club races cannot be run, we will seek to reschedule with at least 2 weeks of notice.

After the final race of 2024;

We have winners! Congratulations to Lynn Gatherer and Elliot Collins!

Well done everyone who took part!

Previous Results (since 2013)

2024

2023

2022

2021 Strava time trials

2020 not held owing to COVID-19

2019 Men Ladies

2018 Men Ladies

2017 Men Ladies

2016 Men Ladies

2015 Men Ladies

2014 Men Ladies

2013 Men Ladies