Central Athletic Club’s Christmas Handicap was held on the evening of Thursday 21 December in misty but otherwise benign conditions. With 40 participants it was Fiona Davies who posted an emphatic win by some 23 seconds from veteran runner Allan Gall. It was good to see Ainsley Normand in competitive form as she came home in third, just ahead of newcomer Tal Aidi with Eleanor Hanson in close attendance.
Cameron Milne again proved to be the fastest on the night with a tasty 11min 58secs for the 4 kilometre course, taking some 7 seconds from his 2016 time and so closing in on Andrew Butchart’s 11.50 course record. Other notable male performances saw Jamie Crowe finish with 12.27, Rhuaridh Miller (12.51), Lewis Millar (12.53) and Chris Smithard (12.58). Scott Brember proved to be the fastest veteran with 13.11 while Under-15 Lewis Dow again underlined his promise with 14.15 as did Under-17 prospect Telfer Gray (14.18).
Morag MacLarty was again the top female competitor, finishing with 14min 11secs while Under-20 runner Lauren McCulloch made further progress to record 14.57 and Hazel Dean (17.41) finished as the top female veteran on the night.
Table of results below – also available as a downloadable spreadsheet.
| Name | Race time | Handicap | Lap time | Category |
| Cameron Milne | 22:13 | 10:15 | 11:58 | |
| Jamie Crowe | 23:27 | 11:00 | 12:27 | |
| Ruaridh Miller | 21:51 | 09:00 | 12:51 | |
| Lewis Millar | 21:53 | 09:00 | 12:53 | |
| Chris Smithard | 22:43 | 09:45 | 12:58 | |
| Murray MacLarty | 21:52 | 08:45 | 13:07 | |
| Aidan Thompson | 23:10 | 10:00 | 13:10 | |
| Scott Brember | 21:56 | 08:45 | 13:11 | Vet |
| Michael Wright | 22:35 | 09:15 | 13:20 | |
| Fraser Logan | 22:12 | 08:45 | 13:27 | |
| Dale Colley | 22:28 | 09:00 | 13:28 | |
| Morag MacLarty | 22:26 | 08:15 | 14:11 | Female |
| Lewis Dow | 21:00 | 06:45 | 14:15 | U15M |
| Telfer Gray | 21:33 | 07:15 | 14:18 | U17M |
| David Lindsay | 21:37 | 07:15 | 14:22 | |
| Lauren McCulloch | 21:42 | 06:45 | 14:57 | U20F |
| Charles Graham-Marr | 21:54 | 06:00 | 15:54 | Vet |
| Donald Shaw | 22:38 | 06:15 | 16:23 | Vet |
| Gordon Appelbe | 21:56 | 05:30 | 16:26 | |
| Ben Noad | 22:23 | 05:45 | 16:38 | |
| Kim Timmins | 21:44 | 05:00 | 16:44 | Female |
| Jens Subke | 22:16 | 05:30 | 16:46 | Vet |
| Fiona Davies | 20:13 | 03:15 | 16:58 | U17F |
| Tal Aidi | 20:37 | 03:30 | 17:07 | |
| Iain Dunsmore | 22:57 | 05:45 | 17:12 | Vet |
| Ami Hendry | 20:52 | 03:30 | 17:22 | Female |
| Becky Hay | 21:02 | 03:30 | 17:32 | Female |
| Kirsten McStay | 21:09 | 03:30 | 17:39 | Female |
| Hazel Dean | 22:41 | 05:00 | 17:41 | F Vet |
| Ainsley Normand | 20:37 | 02:45 | 17:52 | F Vet |
| Eleanor Hanson | 20:47 | 02:30 | 18:17 | U20F |
| Claire Stansfield | 22:09 | 03:45 | 18:24 | U17F |
| Jennifer Wetton | 24:12 | 05:45 | 18:27 | Female |
| Heather Scott | 22:04 | 03:15 | 18:49 | U17F |
| Ali Aarg | 24:21 | 05:30 | 18:51 | |
| Jane Waterhouse | 21:03 | 02:00 | 19:03 | F Vet |
| Allan Gall | 20:36 | 01:30 | 19:06 | Vet |
| Colin Sinclair | 22:16 | 03:00 | 19:16 | Vet |
| Alison Currie | 21:14 | 00:00 | 21:14 | F Vet |
| Eilidh McLeish | 21:39 | 00:00 | 21:39 | Female |