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McAndrew’s Relays – 3rd October
Central Mens Team showed some classy running at the McAndrew’s Relays in Glasgow on Saturday 3rd October with The ‘A’ Team of Sean Reilly (16min 29secs), Andrew Butchart (17.22), Lewis Millar (16.39) and Robert Russell (16.09) coming home second behind a strong Shettleston Harriers Team in an overall time of 66min 39secs. With each of the legs some 3.25miles the times were indeed impressive and Robert Russell had the fourth fastest leg while Sean Reilly was fastest Junior and Andrew Butchart third fastest Junior. Central’s ‘B’ team finished a highly competitive fourth overall in 71min 25secs.
David Lindsey is another Central athlete who continues to impress, finishing fourth in the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon on Sunday in an excellent 2 hours 35mins 45secs with Gordon Adam 2hours 59mins 19secs and Isla Campbell 3hours 14mins 36secs also posting impressive times over this testing course.
Central were also well represented at the Junior Home Hill Running International at Sedbergh on Saturday, where, in near perfect conditions, the races were contested on some very steep ascents and equally challenging descents. The Under 18 race (6.4km, 400m ascent) saw Scotland's top performances with Central’s Catriona Buchanan storming home, minutes ahead, in first place for the girls, and a Scotland-dominated boys field with Alex Hendry (Central AC), Robbie Simpson (Deeside) and Jamie Stevenson (Ochil Hill Runners) working together out in front the entire race. Robbie passed Alex on the brutal top section of the ascent, and then retained his lead and widened the gap on his run for home eventually finishing in first to take the Gold medal, Alex placing 2nd for Silver, Jamie in 3rd and final team mate James Waldie (Cornwall AC) showing great form and finishing in 5th to secure team Gold for Scotland.
Ross Houston (67min 31secs) and Alison Docherty (89min 4secs) were competing for Scotland in the New Balance England Half Marathon in Warrington where they both finished sixth in their respective races with very useful times. At this time the result of the England v Scotland Team race is not known.
East District Cross Country Relays – Prestonpans – 9 October
Central AC yet again dominated the opening cross country fixtures of the winter at the East District Cross Country Relays in Prestonpans, with the ladies retaining the title for the seventh year in succession and the men for the fourth successive occasion. Pressure now builds for the upcoming National relays, where both teams defend their titles, and much of the days racing were in preparation for the bigger challenge in two weeks time.
For the senior men, the battle was intended to be between a Central A team made up of juniors (under 20 men) and another Central team of full seniors, aiming to repeat double headed wins of the previous two years, and provide a trial match for the national relays. However a revitalised Edinburgh team managed to intervene in the battle over the four legs of the 4 kilometre course, to move the focus from a youth versus experience battle between the Central team-mates. The first leg saw Andrew Butchart take first advantage for the junior team coming home in first place with 12:36. Lewis Millar for the senior team, had seemed off this hot pace, but staged a remarkable final quarter lap comeback to handover in second place just 1 second back from Andrew. The next duel was thus set up between junior, Scott McDonald and Robert Russell, with Robert edging it to put the seniors into first place with a fine 12:07 time. This was the best time of the whole day, with the 12:19s from Scott in second place another great run. Michael Wright set off with a slender lead knowing he had a tough task for the senior squad with Alex Hendry for the junior on his heels. So it proved, with Alex passing on the lead with his 12:35s clocking, with the senior team some 37s back. Edinburgh by now had also intervened and Sean Reilly for the juniors set off in first place with Edinburgh just behind in second and Central seniors well adrift with Ross Houston on the final leg. Sean was not seriously challenged, with a 12:33 timing to bring the Juniors home for the gold medals and a total time of 50:03. Behind him, Ross had caught the Edinburgh team and made up significant ground on Sean finishing with a 12:10 timing for the silver medals, the second fastest of the day and a full team time of 50:17.
Central’s C team was David Armour (14:00), Phil Williams (14:14), Chris McDonald (15:00) and Graham Harvey (15:35) and given 20th place in 58:49. The next Central team was Philip Hendry (15:17), Alex Milne (15:12), Steve Laing (14:35) and Robert Hutchison (15:30) for 60:34. Sandy MacLarty (18:49), Jim Drummond (21:36), Alan Gall (17:21) and Cameron Campbell (17:41) constituted the next full team in 75:27. An incomplete team of Liam McCabe (15:26), Hugh Buchanan (16:20) and Allister Hargreaves (15:25) more than held their own in their own challenges to get into Central’s Masters tea mfor the national relays.
For the senior women, team selection had always been difficult with unavailable top runners and on the first leg, the toss up between youth and experience, saw Ainsley Normand run a first leg for the A team. With vast experience but a long injury lay-off from racing it was always a gamble but with a more than creditable 7th place of 15:45, Central’s defence of the title was still on. The lead leg fastest lap though was by Central’s seventeen year old Catriona Buchanan for the B team with her 14:47 clocking, leaving team managers sweating on the final outcome. So it was Claire Houston who led off the B team with a lead of 58 seconds on the Central A team and her sister Emma Raven back in 7th place. Central A’s real competition lay in between the two with both Edinburgh and Fife having runners capable of competing with the remainder of the Central team. Emma reeled in runners one by one, with just a five second deficit on Edinburgh at the last changeover, with Emma’s 14:14 eventually credited with second fastest of the day. Fiona Thompson set off and quickly caught up with Jenny McLean of Edinburgh and then followed a ding-dong battle for the next dozen minutes, as Fiona pulled away, Jenny caught and then herself created a 10 metre in what many thought would be the decisive moment. Fiona dug in, caught and overtook again to win with a leg time of 14:29 and a team time of 44:28. Back in a creditable sixth place, the Central B team finished with 47:47 after Claire Houston brought her team to the final changeover in 5th place with a 16:21 clocking, for Fiona Kelsall to bring team home with her 16:39. The next Central team made it home in 15th place with a total time of 56:53 ,made up Dawn Kerr (18:29), Mary Kerr (19:04) and Claire Brisbane (19:20). Team manager Jane Waterhouse made it a single first leg run with her time of 16:56, just in time to see her two daughters battle out the second leg at front of the field.
The junior girls were led off by Roisin Bonucchi, who brought the team home in second place, in the same time as eventual winners Edinburgh AC both with a time of 10:49. Close at hand was Eilidh MacCorquodale, who brought her next Central team into 4th place with 10:53. Kathryn Gillespie, an under 13 running on the under 15 leg, took the A team forward into the lead, but was tagged all the way by the Edinburgh team just 1 second back. Kathryn was given a time of 10:08, a time fourth best on the day across all age groups. Rosie Hastings, had the unenviable task of holding off fast running track specialist over the 2500m course and after her best efforts brought the team home in 4th place, with a total time of 32:41.
Some excellent running saw a total of 6 Central teams competing, with many of the other teams in un-seeded order. For the first leg Lisa Hardman ran11.55, Amy Gullen 12:59, Laura Clarke 12:23, Sophie Parsons 13:14. Under 13’s can move up an age group in this event and running on the under 15 second leg were under 13’s Roanna Fraser (11.35), Isla Burns (11:57), Tara Wells (11.59). Farran Parkins (13:00), Emily Greenan (12:07), Stacey Hardman (12:05), Shona Buchanan (13:04) took on under 15 legs or moved up to the third leg. Amy Hendry, Christine Fairley and Charlotte Tilley gave good showings, but an injury part way through leg one, led to them running without official times.
The junior boy’s team race set off at great pace with two Edinburgh teams storming away in the lead. Jack Kerr stuck to his task well for the Central A team and kept in contention with the next group of boys, bring his team through in 9th place with a time of 10:27 after the under 13 leg. Alex Semple set off at pace and steadily pulled back the nearest of contenders as he lifted his team to fourth place, with a 9:49 lap, third fastest on that leg. Scott Green had two problems with which to contend as he took up the challenge of the third under 17 leg. He had 48 seconds to make up to the bronze medal place, but he also had Ross Mathieson of Lasswade breathing down his neck. Ross ran the fastest leg of the day to take the bronze medal place, with Scott making it an outstanding second fastest (8:22) as he bridged the gap to bronze medal but saw it slip away as he himself was overtaken, to finish fourth in a total time of 28:38.
The other Central teams were run in un-seeded order. On the under 13 leg, Michael McCabe (11.10), Kieran Potter (11.11) had a personal battle whilst Ciaran Young had turned out to fill an essential under 13 slot and his first taste of cross country. For the under 15 leg, Sam Fraser ran with great purpose for his 10:21 with Gordon Milne 10:35 and Kyle Petrie 11:02. For the under 17 leg the times were headed by David Hutchison in 9:13, with Ross Milne 9:25, Chris Clarke 9:44, David McKinlay 9:58 and Roddy Irvine 10:56.
Scottish National Relay Championships Relay Championships – 24 October
Central AC had an impressive double to defend at Scottish National Relay Championships Relay Championships. The ladies team pulled off their third win in succession, with the men’s squad falling just short with Silver in an exciting finish. The Club mustered a record thirteen complete teams in the junior races. The races were held on Saturday 24th October over what has become the traditional course in Cumbernauld with some severe climbs the main challenge. There were near perfect conditions to meet the athletes with four races, Young Females and Males races with three legs of 2.5kilometres; Senior Female race over 3 legs of 4kilometres and the Senior Male race over 4 legs of 4kilometres with Masters competitions within the Senior Races.
In the Senior Womens Race Morag MacLarty was expected to set the Central team to a first class start and, true to form, she saw off her training partner Lily Partridge from Dundee Hawkhill Harriers, to bring Central to the first changeover in first place, with a 26second lead over Dundee and with the favoured Kilbarchan team back in fourth place. Morag’s time was later confirmed as the fastest of the day at 14min 47secs. Fiona Thompson, the only member from the winning squads from the two previous years, extended Central’s lead to some 57seconds with Kilbarchan now second, and with Fiona’s time being the fastest second leg lap with 15min 55secs. Under 20 athlete, Catriona Buchanan, took her promotion to Central’s ‘A’ team in her stride, as she provided a mature performance to hold and then extend her lead over full time GB triathlete Kerry Laing, Kilbarchan who, for the third year in succession, finished second to Central. Catriona’s time of 15min 26secs proved to be the fifth fastest of all athletes on the day, and fastest on the last leg.
Central next team to finish gained Silver medal placing in the Master’s Relay Championships, just behind Aberdeen for the second year in succession. Hazel Dean led off with a fine 16:41 timing and was ninth on the overall race but first place in the Masters race. Fiona Kelsall stuck to her task with her 18:11 lap but had to give way to Aberdeen as they moved into first place. Ainsley Normand, despite a fast 16:52, was unable to make up this ground to make it Silver medals and 15th place overall.
The remaining teams were:
Jane Waterhouse (18:30, 38th), Claire Houston (17:46, 25th) and Jennifer Emsley (17:12, 21st);
Dawn Kerr (21:42, 70th), Polly Harrison (11:34, 48th) and Jenny Fleming (21:39, 51st);
Janice McNally (24:36, 74th), Morag Adam (20:56, 67th) and Linda Sneddon (21:57, 58th)
As was the case in 2008 the contest of the day was set up to be Central’s second defence of their Mens title against Shettleston Harrier’s Eritrean athletes, Kilbarchan’s young guns as well as a strong team from Corstorphine AAC and indeed Central’s own ‘B’ team all ready for the challenge over 4 legs of 4,000metres. With Shettleston and Central taking the honours in their respective District events there was great anticipation of a good contest over this traditionally tough course. It was Under 20 athlete Sean Reilly who started Central’s effort running shoulder to shoulder with the experienced Tsegezab Woldemichael from Shettleston, through the opening half of the leg. As Tsegezab applied the pressure Sean was left fighting to keep Central’s Team in touch but with Kilbarchan, Corstorphine, Shettleston’s ‘B’ team and Aberdeen all filing past Shettleston’s gap at the end of the first leg was 20 seconds with Sean a further 14 seconds adrift in a time of 13min 26secs as Tsegezab Woldemichael finished in the fourth fastest time of the day (12.52). It was interesting to see Central’s ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams locked in ninth and tenth through Junior athlete Andrew Butchart (13.42) and the experienced Hill Running International Alasdair Anthony, also 13.42. Ross Houston (13.31) picked up the second leg challenge for Central’s ‘A’ team to pull the Team up to third behind Shettleston’s Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab, who ran the second fastest leg of the day (12.46), with Kilbarchan holding on to second overall and an excellent 13min 23secs effort from Junior athlete Alexander Hendry pulling Central’s ‘B’ team through to fourth overall, only 8secs behind the ‘A’ team. With the gap to Shettleston now 79secs the hope for Gold medals for Central was fading fast, indeed with Kilbarchan some 22secs ahead the challenge was to secure Silver.
The third leg saw Robert Russell (13.24) pushing hard with his normal charging style while ahead Shettleston’s Amanuel Hagos (13.30) held their effort together and Derek Hawkins (13.00) ensured Kilbarchan kept their challenge alive some 46secs ahead of Central. Lewis Miller’s third leg effort (13.51) assured Central’s ‘B’ team were solidifying their fourth place effort ahead of Corstorphine. Shettleston had left their best to last and it was the youngster Tsegai Tewelde, with the fastest leg of the day (12.43), that wrapped up the Gold medals for Shettleston while behind the battle for Silver was being joined as Central’s Alastair Hay started to hunt down Kilbarchan’s significant lead with Paul Leck given final leg responsibility. Although Alastair was scything into the deficit throughout the final leg the task looked even too much for the current Scottish Cross Country Champion, however as the course unwound the gap continued to close and by the final bend, with some 150metres to go, Alastair was on Paul’s shoulder. A final desperate effort by Paul was not quite enough as Alastair swept past to lift Silver medals for Central by a narrow 3seconds margin with Alastair’s final lap the third fastest of the day (12.49) for an overall team time of 53min 10secs. Scott MacDonald’s run of 13.24 for the ‘B’ team went almost unnoticed while the battle for Silver unfolded but Scott had ensured an unprecedented fourth place for Central’s ‘B’ team in an overall 54min 20secs timing some 39secs ahead of Corstorphine.
Following Alasdair Anthony’s first leg effort for the ‘C’ team it was Michael Wright’s 14.43 effort that saw the team in 13th place. Will Hensman (15.38) saw the team in 16th after the third leg with Phil Hendry (16.58) finishing the effort for 61min 1secs in 29th overall.
Central’s Veteran Team (‘D’ team) of David Eckersley (15.32/52nd), Alex Milne (16.06/49th), David Armour (15.44/44th), and Phil Williams (15.40/42nd) finished as eighth Veteran Team with 63.02 overall. The ‘E’ Team of Stuart Watson (17.16/90th), Hugh Buchanan (17.16/80th), Hugh Kerr (16.45/75th) and Robert Hutchison (16.43/71st) were 14th Veteran Team in 68mins exactly. Central’s ‘F’ team of Cameron Campbell (19.09/114th), Sandy MacLarty (19.27/110th), Alan Gall (19.06/101st) and Jim Drummond (22.20/98th) came home in an overall 80min 1sec. An incomplete team of Colin Sinclair (19.00/113rd) and Alec Murchie (19.49/111th) finished off Central’s Senior Mens effort.
In the Junior Girls race, some five full teams and 2 incomplete teams turned out for Central. For the ‘A’ team, Roisin Bonucchi came round to the first changeover in 13th place (11:32) and passed on to Eilidh MacCorquodale, also Under 13, promoted into the ‘A’ team after excellent performances over the previous two weekends. Eilidh did not disappoint on the Under 15 leg, her 11:12 timing moving the team up to tenth. Rachel Adamson took on the Under 17 leg and her 11:03 timing brought the team home in eleventh place.
Amongst times to stand out in the other teams was Roanna Fraser running on the second leg whose 11.19 took her team from 67th, after a 12:56 leg by Isla Burns, to 28th place, and then passing on to Rosie Hastings whose 11:52 took them to 26th place.
In the next Central team, Tara Wells (11:55, 25th), passed on to newcomer Chloe Wilson (13:22, 39th) and then Emily Greenan (12:10, 40th). The ‘D’ team was led off by Amy Gullen (13:01, 51st), passing onto Laura Clarke (13:09, 52nd) with Imogen Burnell (12:26, 56th) completing the effort. Shannon Macfarlane was another newcomer to impress, after her fast start, with 12:36, 39th, passing on to Christine Fairley (13:34, 53rd) and Shona Buchanan (13:05, 53rd). Charlotte Tilley (13:07), Laura Nicolson (14:38) and Jennifer Downie (13:56) ran well in incomplete teams.
The Young Male athlete’s race was held over the same hilly and testing course of 3 legs of 2,500 metres that was tackled by the Young Females. It was first year Under 13 Scott Balloch who started Central’s ‘A’ team challenge with a mature and well judged run to bring the team round in 13th place in 10min 14secs. Conor Kerr looked strong as he pushed throughout the second leg to come home in 9min 48secs, bringing the team through in twelfth place. Scott Green showed all his experience and confidence as he pulled the team through to sixth overall with the third fastest leg of the day 8min 40secs for an overall 28min 42secs.
The ‘B’ team of Jack Kerr (10.51/30th), Josh Murchie (10.20/28th) and David Hutchison (9.17/25th) came home in 30min 28secs. The ‘C’ team of Michael McCabe (11.00/35th), Alexander Semple (10.06) and Martyn Paterson (9.33) looked a competent unit as they finished 27th in 30.39. The ‘F’ team of Iain Davies (10.59/34th), Sam Fraser (10.48/42nd) and Tom Watson (9.27/32nd) finished well in an overall time of 31.14. Kieran Potter (11.05/44th), Gordon Milne (10.20/31st) and Christopher Clarke (10.01/36th) did the ‘D’ team proud finishing in an overall time of 31.26. The ‘E’ team of Cameron Harris (11.56/67th), Alex Coubrough (10.08/49th), and Ross Milne (9.42/39th) all ran strongly to finish in 31min 46secs, while the ‘G’ team of Graham Bruce (11.25/56th), Craig Coull (11.14/56th) and David Lindsay (11.12/59th) with an overall 33min 51secs, along with the ‘H’ team of Malcolm English (13.16/81st), Andrew Shaw, in his introduction to Cross Country (13.02/77th), and Roddy Irvine (11.43/71st) in an overall 38.01 all did the Club proud with some gritty performances. Gary MacFarlane (11.22/55th), Lewis Sinclair (14.10/76th and Kyle Henderson (13.49/73rd) were somewhat hampered by a calf injury to Kyle but still finished in 39min 21ses. Under 13’s Cameron Taylor (11min 52secs) and David Hughes (12.33) both ran first legs in incomplete teams to conclude Central’s effort.
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