Weekend Roundup  7 and 8 March 2009

The Inter Counties Cross Country Championships, which doubled as the World Cross Country Trials, were held in Wollaton Park, Nottingham in cool, dry conditions on Saturday 7 March with nine Central Athletic Club members representing the East of Scotland. With Great Britain’s finest endurance runners on show these races are of a quality seldom found in Scotland and proved a stern test for the local runners.  Indeed, on the dry course the pace in all the races was punishing and unrelenting from the gun with the testing early hill a lung-bursting test in itself.

The first event of the day, the Under 20 Mens race, produced the best individual effort from Central’s runners with Scott McDonald and Alex Hendry wearing the unfamiliar black vests of the East of Scotland.  Scott gave his best effort to try to achieve a qualifying place for the World Championships in Jordan but here had to settle for tenth, covering the 8,000metre course in a speedy 26min 35secs. Alex Hendry is a first year Under 20 so it is great testament to his determination that he finished in an exceptional twelfth place in 25min 40secs in a field of some 180 finishers.

The broadest smile of the day was from Alison Docherty whose gutsy run for 63^rd place in the 8,000metre Womens race was rewarded with a Team Gold medal as fifth counter for the victorious East of Scotland Team, the first time the East of Scotland had lifted the prestigious trophy. Emma Waterhouse’s effort in the same race showed just how tough and unforgiving this event is and while her early running had her placed close to Alison the development of a large blood blister on her foot left her limping in to the finish in an uncharacteristic 186^th place

The Senior Mens race, over 12 kilometres, was contested by Scottish Cross Country Champion, Alastair Hay and by nineteen-year-old Michael Gillespie.  The step up to UK status was evident as Alastair had to give way to his more experienced rivals in the early exchanges, however, when eventually settling in to the ferocious pace Alastair came through well for his best ever finish in this event in 24^th place in a time of 39mins 20secs. Michael also showed true resilience in the final run in to hold on to 76^th place in 40mins 48secs.

Andrew Butchart contested the Under 17 Race, held over 6 kilometres, and with a 300 strong field.  Andrew looked to be enjoying the step up in class, as he swept round to finish in 25^th overall in the tasty time of 21min 33secs.  The youngest local athlete on show was Kathryn Gillespie who has already proven she can hold her own with the best Under 13’s on the UK stage. Here Kathryn had worked herself through to seventh place by the middle of the race but just couldn’t sustain her effort as she faded slightly to finish 19^th in a time of 13min 31secs for her 3 kilometre effort.

Tom Watson was another local runner of who will have learned much from his first exposure at this level and looked to be going well in the early stages of the Under 15 Boys Race settling into the top twenty runners early in the race. However knee pain put paid to a top placing as Tom slipped down the field to finish just within the top one hundred in 97^th place, covering the 4.5 kilometre course in 16min 35secs, still only 90 seconds behind the winner.

The Inverness Half Marathon, run in wet and windy conditions on Sunday 8^th March, was used by two of Central’s runners as a test of their speed and stamina as part of their London Marathon preparation.  Jamie McDonald was Central’s top finisher in a useful 31^st place, covering the course in 82mins 35secs, closely followed by his brother, Ian, whose venture into by far his longest ever race was rewarded by 40^th place in 83.28.  Jenny Fleming also made the long trip to her former home base and here finished as 84^th female in 1hour 49mins 27secs.

The Gartmorn 6 Race at Sauchie on 8 March was another event marred by wet and windy conditions and here it was Lewis Millar who led home Central’s contingent in fifth (34min 30secs).  Sarah Wiseman continued her recent good form in winning the Women’s race in 39min 55secs with Fiona Kelsall (fourth in 43.02) and Isla Campbell (fifth in 43.21) also well to the fore. Ewan Jack sped into eighth overall (35.39) and fifteen year old Ross Milne just pipped his dad Alex in 13^th and 14^th respectively with both given the time of 37.46. Other Central finishers were Steve Laing (38.14 in 17^th), Fraser Purves (21^st; 38.56), Chris McHardy (25^th, 39.56) and Alan Hume (33^rd, 41.51), Bob Gil (46.48), Maggie Magor (47.11), John Millar (47.17), Simon Nish (47.44), Bill Gault (49.12), Elinor Coombs (49.43) and Claire Brisbane (53.35).

In the Junior Race it was Gordon Mine (14.03) and Roisin Bonucchi (14.11) who won the respective Boys and Girls races while Michael McCabe finished as first Under 13 Boy (15.10). There were further good runs at the head of the field from Tara Walls (15.25), Kieran Potter (16.21), Isla Burns (16.41) and Amy Gullen (18.04).

National Young Athletes Road Race Championships – Sunday 22 March 2009

Central Athletic Club’s young athlete were undaunted by the cold and windy conditions as they tackled the Scottish Young Athletes Road Race Championships in East Kilbride on Sunday 22^nd March.  There was individual success at both ends of the day and a set of Gold medals for the Under 20 Men.

The Under 13 Girls contested the first race and here it was the diminutive figure of Roisin Bonucchi, looking every inch a confident and seasoned performer, who swept to victory, covering the 3,000metre course in 11min 28secs.  Roanna Fraser also showed improvement with a positive run, racing home in 20^th clocking 12min 21secs.

At the other end of the age spectrum Central almost made it a clean sweep of the medals in the Under 20 Mens race as they scooped up the Team Gold medals. Scott McDonald led home the charge to take the individual Gold with a time of 22min 31secs for the windswept 7,500 metres.  Alex Hendry led Sean Reilly into the Stadium as the two team-mates battled for Bronze but it was Sean’s track speed that prevailed in the final run in to the line with Sean clocking 22.55 and Alex 22.56.

Andrew Butchart proved the class act in the Under 17 Mens Race over 6 kilometres, winning with apparent ease in 18min 41secs with Scott Green also having an excellent and assured run to lift Bronze in a time of 19min 19secs.  David Lindsay (35^th with 24.07) and David McInley (36^th with 24.27) both battled well throughout to take the team to fourth place.

The Under 13 Boys Race saw Domenic Angiolini and Michael McCabe gave a good account of themselves in a highly competitive Under 13 Boys Race held over 3 kilometres, coming home 70^th and 73^rd respectively in 12min 48secs and 12.59. Rachel Adamson challenged strongly in the Under 15 Girls Race held over 4,500metres but had to give way in the latter part of the race, coming home sixth in 17min 1secs. Julie Cook ran strongly to finish 34^th in 19.17 with Amy Hendry (41^st in 20mins exactly) and Shona Buchanan (52^nd with 21.01) finishing off Central’s challenge in this age group with the team finishing seventh.

Ross Milne was Central’s top counter in twelfth (15.42) in the Under 15 Boys Race, also held over 4.5 kilometres.  Sam Fraser stuck well to the task to finish 51^st in 18.20 with Roddy Irvine (56^th with 18.34) and Gordon Milne (57^th with 18.45) in close pursuit, the Team finishing ninth. Rosie Hastings was Central’s sole competitor in the Under 17 Womens Race over 4.5 kilometres and mixed it well with her challengers to come through ninth in a time of 18min 39secs.

There was a good turn out of Central runners at the Alloa Half Marathon. Top finisher was Ross Houston who conquered the battering wind to finish fourth in 71min 21secs, closely followed by his training partner Alasdair Anthony (sixth in 72.38) following two races the day before including tenth place in the Chapelgill Hill Race.  David Lindsay came through in 25^th (79.11) with Ewan Jack 31^st in 80.14 and the evergreen Alex Milne 54^th with 82.21. Richard Coombs continues to make progress with his London Marathon Training finishing 81^st in 85.24 while Phil Sweeney finished 91^st in 86.12 and Alan Hume 124^th with 88.30.  Alison Docherty continued her good form with a personal best in finishing 37^th overall and second woman in 80min 56secs. Hazel Dean was also well to the fore as ninth woman with 88.59 and Fiona Kelsall ran strongly for 15^th with 92.24.