6th May 2016
It was another busy week in the Road Runners calendar. Thursday 29th April was the third race in the championship, with 47 green vests in a field of 165 competing on a snowy evening in the Kinross 10km race. Michael McConnell was first place overall in a time of 35:50. Stuart Robertson, 37:30, was fourth home and second PRR, followed closely by Stuart Fraser (39:49). First female club member to cross the line was Sonjia Crow on 43:21 and 39th overall, followed shortly after by Claire Douglas (43:41). Holly Byron-Staples was 3rd in a time of 47:31.
Barry Campbell and Gair McRostie headed west on Saturday 30th to take part in the Hoka Highland Fling, a challenging 53 mile ultra race along the West Highland Way. In the solo event, 625 hardy runners set off from Milngavie. Barry (12:19:56) and Gair (12:19:57) completed the race together and finished 362nd and 363rd respectively.
Sunday 1st May saw five Road Runners complete the tough but scenic 6.7km Inveraray Jail Break. The hilly route involved a 224m climb to the tower at Dun na Cuaiche, before returning swiftly downhill back to the finish at Inveraray castle. Stuart Fraser was 5th overall in 32:07, Neil Muir (34:16) was 9th and first in his age group. David Stokoe finished in 37:58, followed by Fiona Muir 54:33 and Stephane Reid 67:35.
On Saturday 30th April, 13 green vests ran Perth Parkrun with Richard Hughes (20:46) and Gillian Smith (25:22) both getting new PB’s. Several others were carrying out some parkrun tourism. Stewart Reid (21:27) completed Strathclyde; Tessa Ward (26:28) was at Camperdown; and Kevin Riddell (17:58) Livingston. Further afield, Maria Dale (27:17) at Crissy Field, USA; and Grant Strachan (43:05) at Bibra Lake, Australia.
On 7th May 2016, Perth parkrun will be taken over for the day by the PRR who will be covering all the volunteer positions including pacing various times from 20 minutes upwards. Please join us at the North Inch at 9:30am and bring your family and friends. There will be snacks and cakes after the run.
13th May 2016
The main outing for the Road Runners was a “takeover” of the weekly parkrun at the North Inch Park on Saturday 7th May. This involved all the volunteering roles and pacing duties being fulfilled by club members. Prior to the run, club vice-chairman, Stuart Fraser, presented Perth parkrun founder Bill Melville with a cheque for £250 towards future running costs of the event. Bill commented: “I am delighted to accept this donation on behalf of parkrun and I wish to thank Perth Road Runners for their continued support”. The club currently has a healthy membership, part of which is due to the increasing popularity of parkrun . Along with supporting the local event, the aim was to attract new members and highlight that club running caters for all paces and ages, not just elite runners.
It was the second highest attendance at parkrun since the inaugural run in November 2013, with 250 runners participating. Over 30 green vests ran; including pacers ranging from 20 to 36 minutes, helping others achieve new personal best times in the process. Club member Michael McConnell took full advantage of the excellent running conditions, crossing the line first in an excellent personal best time of 16:55. New PBs were also achieved by Brian Galletly (20:14), Marlena Nowaczyk (23:46) and Julie Reid (27:23).
The following day, club members also volunteered at the new junior parkrun at the South Inch Park. 138 children completed the 2 kilometre course, the largest turnout yet!
Elsewhere, Sally Newton completed the Geneva Half Marathon in Switzerland, finishing the scenic course in an impressive 2:10:35.
Race action returns this Saturday in the fourth event of the club championship, the Loch Leven half-marathon. Tuesday night is the regular club run, leaving Bells at 6:30pm sharp. Thursday’s session is at Deuchny woods, meeting in the Jubilee car park.
20th May 2016
Saturday 14th May was the Loch Leven half-marathon, the fourth race in the Perth Road Runners club championship. In a field of 480 runners, 33 club members competed for championship points in the warm conditions. The race began in Kinross and followed a scenic route round the loch, passing through Scotlandwell and Balgedie, finishing at Loch Leven community campus. Kevin Riddell was 10th overall and first club member in a personal best time of 1:24:24, soon followed by Kevin Rogers 1:28:22 and Jimmy Fotheringham in 1:31:00. Roy Mitchell 1:39:38 and Kenneth Stewart 1:43:43 came first and third in their age category respectively. The ladies were led home by Claire Douglas in 1:36:58, fourth overall in her age category. Sonjia Crow 1:37:51 and Caroline Jones 1:42:42 were second and third club members to cross the line. The runners enjoyed excellent support from locals and other runners throughout in this well run annual event.
After four races, Jimmy Fotheringham leads the championship table from Richard Ward and Stewart Reid. Sonjia Crow tops the female table, followed by Gillian Smith and Catriona Liddell. The next championship event is the Strathallan 5 mile race on June 11th.
Elsewhere, Simon Grieshaber 42:59 competed in the Penicuik 10 kilometre race on a tough, undulating course. He finished 70th in a field of 255 runners.
Also on Saturday 14th May, Daile Sipple 1:27:27, Paul Grace 1:13:10 and Brian Galletly 1:10 travelled west to participate in the Michael’s Movers Millport 10 Miler race on the isle of Cumbrae.
Seventeen green vests took part in the weekly Perth parkrun, with Stuart Robertson, Duncan Ryan, David MacFadyen, Stuart Fraser, David Stokoe, Bob Brown and Ana de Miguel all registering new personal best times. Since the inception of Perth’s parkrun, 111 different club members have now participated.
Tuesday night is the regular club run, leaving Bells at 6:30pm sharp. Thursday’s session is at Deuchny woods, meeting in the Jubilee car park.
27th May 2016
A week of non-stop racing for Perth Road Runners began with The Cape Wrath Challenge.
Seven PRRs travelled to Durness to compete in the week’s festival of wilderness running. In the spectacular Loch Eriboll 10k David Stokoe was 8th overall in a time of 45:01 followed by Mike Dales in 49:31, Fiona Manson 50:16 and Linda O’Neill 59:06. In the half marathon John Rudd was 20th overall in a time of 1:50:22 followed by Peter Ritchie in 2:02:35. In the Challenge Marathon, with a climb of over 2,000 feet, Fiona Manson and Mike Dales finished together in 4:33:26, John Rudd 4:42:58 and Robin Wombill completing his 7th Cape Wrath marathon in a remarkable 5:30.
On a rain soaked Thursday 19 May, the Perth Road Runners turned out to support the Perth Strathtay Harriers annual Kinnoull Hill race, the second hill race in the Club’s Hills are Alive series. Provisional results are James Fotheringham 31:23, Stewart Reid 32:56, Kevin Kelly 33:19, Claire Douglas 33:51, Kevin Rogers 34:27, Gair McRostie 34:38, Brian Galletly 35:12, Richard Ward 36:30, Barry Campbell 37:39, Stuart Fraser 39:57, David Stokoe 39:57, Sue Jones 42:06, Derek Swan 44:28, Holly Bryon-Staples 45:47 and Nina Roberts 45:47.
In the first race of the Summer Series, eighteen PRRs travelled to Kirkcaldy for the undulating Beveridge Park 5k on Friday. In excellent form, Stuart Robertson was 7th overall and first PRR over the line in 17:32. Stuart Fraser’s 18:04 earned him a top ten placing in the field of 134. Third green vest over the line was Kevin Rogers in 19:07. James Fotheringham and Ronnie Glen were neck and neck at 19:16 and 19:19 respectively, closely followed by Neil Muir in 19:37. Simon Grieshaber (20:03), Richard Ward (20:21) and David Stokoe (21:33) completed the PRR men’s placings. The ladies were led home by Julie Ramsay in 20:56, Marianne McLevy 23:54 and Gillian Smith 25:26 were 2nd and 3rd Club members. The final wave of green vests in pursuit of Series points were Julie Reid 27:30, Sally Newton 28:27, Fiona Muir 30:42, Jean McCullough 31:34, Kirsty Johnston 32:33 and Fiona Morrison 33:59.
Earlier in the week Debbie Jackson completed the aptly named Skull Mountain 5.3 mile trail race in Falkland in 52:37.
Twenty-three PRRs completed the 128th Perth parkrun on Saturday with two new PBs for Caroline Jones 20:52 and veteran Bob Brown 23:25.
On Sunday, two PRRs travelled to Lanarkshire for the hilly Carluke 10k. Kevin Riddell picked up the prize for 2nd overall in a time of 39:26 with Simon Grieshaber achieving a competitive 14th with a time of 43:26.
Closer to home, six PRRs contested the undulating Dunblane 7 mile road race in warm and windy May sunshine. Duncan Ryan was first in his age category in an excellent 45:49. Kevin Rogers in his third race of the week put in a remarkable 50:38. Julie Ramsay and Sonjia Crow were closely matched finishing in 54:00 and 54:33 respectively. Debbie Jackson (71:47) led home new Club member Cheryl Gahan in a credible debut of 77:31.
