Central Athletic Club’s Christmas Handicap was held on the evening of Thursday 22 December, blessed with an interval in the heavy rain although there was no hiding from the incessant wind. Amy Hendry was first home winning by some 5 seconds from veteran runner Mark Logie. Charles Graham-Marr had a strong run in third ahead of fellow veteran Allan Gall. Sandy Holl underlined his progress this year, finishing first Under-17 while the irrepressible Jane Waterhouse finished as first veteran woman. Testament to the quality of the handicapping saw all the runners finish close together with the whole field of 35 runners completing the 4 kilometre course within 3 minutes of each other.
Morag MacLarty finished with 13min 42secs to trim 3 seconds from her own course record while the fastest male proved to be back marker Cameron Milne with 12min 5secs, the second fastest ever, behind Andrew Butchart’s 11.50 course record from 2015. Other notable performances included Scott Green (13.11) and Chris Smithard (13.14), Under-20 Iain Davies (13.53), Fraser Logan (14.03), Under-15 Ben MacMillan (14.04) and Under-17s Sandy Holl (14.20) and Keir Howlieson (14.23). Jennifer Wetton finished with 14.26 ahead of Kim Timmins (16.45) and Catriona Buchanan (16.55), Under-17s Fiona Davies (17.28) and Heather Scott (18.03) and yet another good run from Under-20 Eleanor Hanson (17.29).
The focus in early 2017 turns to the Inter District races in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh on 7 January. Central Athletic Club selections for the East of Scotland Team include Under-13s Jessica Turnbull, Cameron Kerr and Finlay Muir; Under-15s Rosie Eckersley, Kyra Gibb and Ben MacMillan; Under-17s Kate Gallagher, Lauren McCulloch and Sandy Holl; Senior Women Morag MacLarty and Jennifer Wetton; Senior Men Dale Colley, Conan McCaughey, Cameron Milne and Michael Wright, while Jamie Crowe will compete for the Scottish Students Team.
| Handicap | Finish | Running time | ||
| AMY HENDRY | FEMALE | 3.00 | 21.06 | 18.06 |
| MARK LOGIE | VET | 2.30 | 21.11 | 18.41 |
| CHARLES GRAHAM-MARR | VET | 6.15 | 21.23 | 15.08 |
| ALLAN GALL | VET | 3.00 | 21.44 | 18.44 |
| SANDY HOLL | U17 | 7.30 | 21.50 | 14.20 |
| JANE WATERHOUSE | F VET | 3.00 | 21.51 | 18.51 |
| JENS SUBKE | VET | 5.30 | 21.59 | 16.29 |
| ALISON CURRIE | F VET | 1.00 | 22.02 | 21.02 |
| MORAG MacLARTY | FEMALE | 8.30 | 22.12 | 13.42 |
| LIAM McCABE | VET | 5.00 | 22.21 | 17.21 |
| ELINOR COOMBS | F VET | 4.00 | 22.23 | 18.23 |
| RICHARD COOMBS | VET | 7.00 | 22.25 | 15.25 |
| JENNIFER WETTON | FEMALE | 8.00 | 22.26 | 14.26 |
| FIONA DAVIES | U17F | 5.00 | 22.28 | 17.28 |
| ELINOR HANSEN | U20F | 5.00 | 22.29 | 17.29 |
| JOHN MILLAR | VET | 1.00 | 22.33 | 21.33 |
| BEN MacMILLAN | U15 | 8.30 | 22.34 | 14.04 |
| DAVID LINDSAY | MALE | 7.45 | 22.37 | 14.52 |
| GORDON APPELBE | MALE | 5.30 | 22.39 | 17.09 |
| FRASER LOGAN | MALE | 8.45 | 22.48 | 14.03 |
| BECKY HAY | FEMALE | 5.00 | 22.55 | 17.55 |
| SCOTT GREEN | MALE | 9.45 | 22.56 | 13.11 |
| KATE WELDON | F VET | 4.45 | 22.58 | 18.13 |
| CHRIS SMITHARD | MALE | 9.45 | 22.59 | 13.14 |
| HEATHER SCOTT | U17F | 5.00 | 23.03 | 18.03 |
| PHIL SWEENEY | MALE | 7.00 | 23.04 | 16.04 |
| PHIL WILLIAMS | VET | 8.00 | 23.05 | 15.05 |
| CAMERON MILNE | MALE | 11.00 | 23.05 | 12.05 |
| HAZEL DEAN | F VET | 5.30 | 23.08 | 17.38 |
| KEIR HOWLIESON | U17 | 8.45 | 23.08 | 14.23 |
| JODIE CURRIE | U20F | 5.15 | 23.28 | 18.13 |
| KENNETH HISLOP | MALE | 5.00 | 23.36 | 18.36 |
| IAIN DAVIES | U20 | 9.45 | 23.38 | 13.53 |
| KIM TIMMINS | FEMALE | 7.00 | 23.45 | 16.45 |
| CATRIONA BUCHANAN | FEMALE | 7.00 | 23.55 | 16.55 |