|
|
| 29.02.08
- PA Report |
| Four Perth Road Runners made the
trip to Falkirk last Saturday for the Scottish Power
sponsored Scottish National Cross Country Championships
at Callendar Park. The race started and finished
outside Callendar House and was of three 4k laps.
It was a tough course where the going was very soft
and muddy with a strong blustery wind. Mike Carroll
ran at just over the 5 minute mile pace to finish
7th overall in 39:13 against a large field of almost
400 runners containing the best cross country athletes
in Scotland. Unfortunately there weren’t enough
Perth runners to field a full points scoring team
of 6 but the other three runners acquitted themselves
well with David Knight finishing in 42:52, Derek
Phillips in 47:34 and Neil Muir in 49:50. |
| |
| 22.02.08
- PA Report |
David Norrie competed in the Carnethy
Hill Race last Saturday. It was only 6 miles long
but climbed 2,500 feet over 5 summits. For a man
training for a flat marathon that hasn’t ‘done’
hills for the last five months it was a brave move.
In an event like this normal road racing speeds
and times don’t apply, Dave’s 86:19
time might not appear good on paper but there were
over 100 runners behind him at the finish.
The club performed very well at Grangemouth on Sunday
with Mike Carroll winning the ‘Round the Houses’
10k race in 30:57 – over 30 seconds ahead
of his nearest rival. His eighty plus miles per
week London marathon training is obviously paying
dividends. Meanwhile in the 5k race Robert MacDonald
was second in the male over 50 class in 22:08 and
Angela Park was second in the senior female class
in 22:44 with Jonathan Weir coming home in 22:45. |
| |
| 15.02.08
- PA Report |
| Five members of Perth Road Runners
competed in the Forfar ‘multi-terrain’
half marathon. The recent prolonged spell of very
wet weather in the area made the route very challenging.
The weather on the day was dry but with a biting
southerly wind that made it very chilly on exposed
parts of the course which included huge muddy puddles,
a long section of ice cold knee deep water that
left your feet numb, several gates to open and close
and slippery muddy fields. You could usually tell
what was coming up by the screams from ahead! Peter
Ritchie and Bob Brown ran together until Bob’s
shoe lace came undone in the last muddy field of
the race but his time was still fast enough to win
the male over 60 category. Fiona Manson and Robin
Wombill ran together and Robin managed to hang on
when Fiona performed her usual meteoric last mile
dash which saw them leave their pursuers far behind
and took them past three other competitors. Whilst
the Perth contingent were all slower than last year
the race winner Craig Stewart of Forfar Road Runners
was actually five seconds faster in 1:19:12. Times
were, Peter Ritchie 1:50:47, Bob Brown 1:51:26,
Fiona Manson and Robin Wombill 1:59:07 and Phil
Turner 2:10:36. |
| |
| 08.02.08
- PA Report |
| Sixty Perth Road Runners and their
partners gathered at the Lovat Hotel last Saturday
for the clubs annual awards dinner. As always the
hotel put on a fine performance in terms of food
and service. After an excellent meal the attendees
were treated to not one but two after dinner speeches.
The first from Stephen Ferguson was on the joys
of cross country racing and the second speech from
one of the clubs earliest members, Neil Muir, was
a potted history of the club. After the speeches
the awards were presented by the clubs founder member
Jim McAndrew. The awards rewarded results achieved
during 2007 and covered a range of distances as
well as the hard fought season long club championship
and summer series. Runners who completed the club
championship but were outside the top three male
and female spots were awarded special medals. There
were also awards for the club duathalon, the club
handicap race, the Kinnoull Hill race, the best
super veterans, the most improved runners and the
person voted by the members to be the club personality
of the year, which in 2007 was deservedly won by
Margaret Irvine. The last word though must be on
Mike Carroll’s performance at the London Marathon.
It was a rare hot day it certainly wasn’t
the weather he trained in all winter. There were
over 33,000 runners who lined at the start. In only
his second marathon Mike finished in 20th place
in a time of 2:25:19. |
| |
| 01.02.08
- PA Report |
Eight Perth Road Runners travelled
to Livingston for the final round of the Eastern
District Cross Country series. The course was 8.7k
over two laps with some demanding hills and although
the weather was fair it was very muddy in places.
An in-form Mike Carroll came home in seventh place
in 29:38 but this had no effect on the overall result
as Central Athletic club runners filled the first
three places and indeed their club won the whole
series. Other finishers were David Knight 31:02,
Stephen Ferguson 35:15, Derek Philips 35:58, Neil
Muir 36:36, Bill Lawson 40:08, David Norrie 41:00
and Colin Campbell 44:54
The second of the club’s winter Lark in the
Dark series has been held where competitors run
with the aid of torches and without watches. The
runner nearest to their estimated time is the winner.
The thirteen runners had a 3.75 mile course to cover
in good weather with ice in places, all returned
safely with Bob Thornton posting the nearest estimated
time being only 37 seconds out from his prediction.
Considering the recent weather this year’s
Wee Winter Run took place in calm and mild conditions.
It was a testing 5.2 mile course set out with the
aid of Robin and Cath Livingstone in the hills above
Craigie. Once the eleven entrants got off the firm
paths they were treated to very wet and slippery
conditions with tough hills a plenty. A wrong turn
in the woods after about four miles saw Stephen
Ferguson lose the lead but with two runners snapping
at his heels it also cost him first place. Results
were Neil Muir 40:10, Keri Weatherhogg 41:15, Stephen
Ferguson 41:23, Colin Wilson, 43:55, Robin Livingstone
44:23, Joan Wilson, 49:08, Bob Thornton 51:48, Fiona
Hare 60:33 and Susan Smith 60:37. Bill Lawson and
David Norrie ran a slightly shorter course of about
four miles – but they did do fourteen miles
marathon training before the race!
The Buchlyvie 10k is a trail race along a disused
railway line with the first and last kilometres
run on road - apart from the very muddy finish of
a lap round a football field. Angela Park finished
in an excellent 47:40 and Debbie Jackson in 55:41. |
| |
| 25.01.08
- PA Report |
The three week competitive layoff
is now well and truly over for the Perth Road Runners.
Eight of them travelled to Livingston last week
for the final round of the Eastern District Cross
Country series. The course was 8.7k over two laps
with some demanding hills and although the weather
was fair it was very muddy in places. An in-form
Mike Carroll came home in seventh place in 29:38
but this had no effect on the overall result as
Central Athletic club runners filled the first three
places and indeed their club won the whole series.
Other finishers were David Knight 31:02, Stephen
Ferguson 35:15, Derek Philips 35:58, Neil Muir 36:36,
Bill Lawson 40:08, David Norrie 41:00 and Colin
Campbell 44:54
This week also saw the second of the club’s
winter Lark in the Dark series where competitors
run with the aid of torches and without watches.
The runner nearest to their estimated time is the
winner. There were thirteen runners and while weather
conditions were good it was still icy in places.
The runners had a 3.75 mile course to cover and
also had to navigate round fallen trees but all
returned safely with Bob Thornton posting the nearest
estimated time being only 37
seconds out from his prediction.
On Sunday 27th the Wee Winter Run will take place.
It’s all offroad and approximately 5.2 miles.
Meet behind Cherrybank Inn at 10:00 for a 10:30
start. All are welcome.
On Friday February 1st Campus Sports will be hosting
the Asics Tech Tour from 10:30 until 17:00. Book
places for a gait assessment via the web at www.techtours.co.uk
or direct with Campus Sports on 639456. 10% off
shoes purchased on the day and other freebies. |
| |
| 11.01.08
- PA Report |
For once Perth Road Runners had
a quiet week with no members recording any racing
activity since New Years Day. Not that they’ve
been resting on their laurels with the London Marathon
less than 14 weeks away. This year the club has
a record entry of 11 runners and they can regularly
be seen pounding the local highways and byways.
Tomorrow 18 members are off to the International
Cross Country races at Holyrood Park, this time
no running is involved as they’re there to
act as marshals at the event. It’s a way of
giving something back to the sport they love and
an ideal way to get right up close to the action
as the worlds finest athletes battle for the winner’s
spoils.
Later in the month will be the clubs annual Wee
Winter Run. As last year it’s a two part off–road
offering of about 5 miles. Sunday 20th is a slow
reconnaissance run to assess the state of the tracks
and to assist runners in learning the route. Sunday
27th is the actual run. Both days start at 10:00
am meeting behind the Cherrybank Inn. |
| |
| 04.01.08
- PA Report |
| January 1st witnessed a record
entry of 177 runners, 90 walkers and 9 dogs gathering
in Blairgowrie for the 25th running of the annual
Ne’er Day Fun Run. In all this time it’s
never been cancelled and is ably organised and administered
by Bob and Linda Ellis and a very capable team of
helpers. The walkers and dogs started at 12:30 from
the Town Hall and proceeded out of the town towards
Perth. After a little over a mile they turned left
along Golf Course Road and at the end of the road
they turned left again to head back to the town
to finish in the Wellmeadow. The runners started
thirty minutes later and followed the same route.
It was a dreich day but the route, a little under
4 miles was generally very flat with just the occasional
slope to give an extra workout. The green and white
vests of Perth Road Runners were very much in evidence,
despite some rather late nights. Road Runner Mike
Carroll was first man in 19:21 with Fabienne Thompson
of Carnegie Harriers first lady home in 25:12. The
Ellis team have always put on an enjoyable presentation
ceremony at the Town Hall. There were snacks and
hot drinks available, a host of spot prizes and
a lively finale sweet distribution which tested
competitors catching skills. This year though the
loudest noise was made by the entrants applause
to record their thanks for the excellent continuing
efforts of Bob, Linda and the team. |
| |
|
|
|