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| 28.03.08
- PA Report |
The London Marathon is possibly
the most famous marathon race in the world. This
year it attracted a record entry of over 35,000
runners, from all over the globe, to celebrate 100
years of the modern marathon race. Amongst the 35,000
were 15 from Perth Road Runners. They’d survived
all the winter training, avoiding illness and injuries
whilst clocking up the high mileages necessary to
build the endurance and speed to run a good 26.2
mile race. It was a record breaking event with,
for the first time ever, the first 3 men finishing
in under 2h6m. However they weren’t alone
in their glory as the Perth runners also achieved
amazing results for themselves, their city and yes,
even their country. With the cold and at times very
wet weather mirroring the Perth groups winter training
they were in their element. Mike Carroll of Scone’s
pre-race form didn’t let him down and he finished
an exceptional 27th in a new Personal Best of 2h23m30s
to be the first Scot home and 6th in his age group.
But the personal records didn’t stop with
Mike, Tony Jackson ran a new brilliant PB of 2h37m26s
to gain 137th place and 37th in his age group. Meanwhile
Fiona Angus and Susan Cederstrom continued their
2007 rivalry to finish with another pair of fantastic
PB’s just 100 seconds apart – after
26.2 miles, in chasing Fiona, Susan left her husband
Bernt trailing in her wake! The last PB was set
by a very happy Simon Grieshaber. With 5 new PB’s
what of the other runners? Kenneth Stewart was slowed
by a very heavy saturated kilt – his usual
marathon attire. David Norrie succumbed to a cold
a few days before the race, but was still well under
4 hours. Dave Sherman MBE, in his first marathon
in 17 years and hoping to finish in under 5 hours
was well inside his estimate. New members Dave MacRae
and Jake Carter both turned in solid performances
and Isobel Duncan enjoyed her first marathon for
6 years and raised over £2,500 for the Breast
Cancer Care charity.
Results were: Mike Carroll 2h23m30s, Tony Jackson
2h37m26s, Linton Scarborough 3h7m39s, Fiona Angus
3h30m41s, Susan Cederstrom 3h32m01s, Bernt Cederstrom
3h38m10s, Kenneth Stewart 3h42m39s, David Norrie
3h44m37s, Hugh Daly 3h51m09s, Simon Grieshaber 3h52m02s,
Stuart Wyllie 3h55m42s, Dave Sherman 4h17m38s, Dave
MacRae 4h31m17s, Jake Carter 4h38m41s, Isobel Duncan
5h25m26s. |
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| 28.03.08
- The Heaven and Hell lives up to its name |
You would expect the “toughest
half marathon road race in Scotland” to
test even the hardiest of runners. But the two
big hills, with a combined ascent of 1100 ft,
didn’t seem enough of a challenge, so we
added in snow, freezing temperatures and a strong
northerly breeze. Undaunted, 115 brave runners
took on the challenge - and won.
This is the third running
of the Heaven and Hell Half Marathon, organised
by Perth Road Runners, and it continues to go
from strength to strength. Participants travelled
from all over Scotland, and from south of the
border, to experience the hellish hills and the
heavenly views. Starting close to Scone Airport,
the course climbs past Murrayshall before heading
towards Pitroddie and through Kilspindie. Then
a long, energy-sapping, uphill crawl past Pole
Hill, before a (mostly) downhill last 2 miles
to the finish.
Despite the raw conditions,
there were superb performances from all the runners.
The course records for both men and women were
smashed, with Paul Arcari taking the men’s
prize in a time of 1:13:27, and Rebecca Johnson
winning the ladies race in 1:31:22.
Paul led the race from
the start, gradually pulling away from Alistair
Morrison in second place. In third place was Michael
Savage from Sheffield who was taking part at the
start of a 2 week holiday in Scotland. A great
start to his holiday! First man home for Perth
Road Runners was Derek Phillips in 5th place overall
(1:27:58), while Bob Brown finished in 1:44:32.
Following Rebecca Johnson
in the ladies race were Marion Wood and Polly
Harrison. Claire Frulloni was first lady home
for Perth Road Runners, finishing in 1:52:23.
Well done to all the runners
who must be congratulated for their dedication
and bravery in taking on such a tough challenge.
We hope to see you all again next year. A huge
thanks too goes to all the helpers on the day,
but particularly to Karen Walters for her great
contribution in organising another excellent event.
On Saturday, two Perth
runners took part in the Belhaven Best Boundary
Race in Dunbar. Over this 10k course, Scott Sharp
finished in 43 mins 32s, while Robert MacDonald
was close behind with 44 mins 47s.
On the previous weekend,
the Welcome the World 5k road race took place
in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh just before the World
Cross Country Championships. It was a well organised
event, running round Arthur’s Seat. The
rain managed to hold off until a few minutes before
the 11am start and the wind picked up at the top
of the hill but it didn’t deter Perth Road
Runners with Bernt and Susan Cederstrom finishing
in 20m 35s and 22m 14s respectively and Debbie
Jackson coming home in 26m 39s.
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| 28.03.08
- PA Report |
The Alloa Half Marathon on Easter
day was the first race of the Perth Road Runners
2008 club championship. The championship is decided
from the results of the best of seven races from
a list of nine plus any bona fide marathon. The
championship is always eagerly contested and this
year twenty three Perth runners were on the start
line in vests and shorts on a bitter day. The race
started at Lornshill Academy at Tullibody and went
through Alloa reaching Tillicoultry after an undulating
7 miles where the route turned left along a flat
four mile straight to Alva and shortly after turned
left again for a 2 mile, mainly uphill, section
where it finished back at Tullibody. Three club
members, Fiona Angus, Simon Grieshaber and Bill
Lawson who are training for the London marathon
all set new personal bests for the distance. Results
were Neil Muir 1.25.36, Derek McIntosh 1.30.00,
Bill Lawson 1.31.04, Fiona Angus 1.35.17, Bernt
Cederstrom 1.35.35, David Angus, 1.36.19, Susan
Cederstrom 1.37.01, David Norrie 1.37.19, Kenneth
Stewart 1.38.49, Simon Grieshaber 1.39.11, Peter
Ritchie 1.39.36, Bob Brown 1.39.58, David MacRae
1.45.39, Fiona Manson 1.46.20, Ken Laidlaw 1.48.20,
Jake Carter 1.54.12, Elaine MacLennan 1.54.39, Julie
King 1.55.22, Fiona Hair 1.57.29, Susan Smith 1.57.47,
Karen Walters 2.16.09, Anne Wombill 2.17.34, Jean
Wainwright 2.18.16, Fiona Morrison 2.22.43.
Meanwhile Scott Sharpe stayed local and contested
the Errol 6k Fun Run where he finished seventh in
26.49. The race is only in it second year but attracted
a good entry of 124 runners with 110 finishers. |
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| 21.03.08
- PA Report |
Perth Road Runner Mike Carroll
has been in excellent form so far this year and
last Sunday he continued in the same vein when he
led home a field of almost 2,400 runners in the
Edinburgh Half Marathon. The weather wasn’t
kind with a very cold easterly wind and a shower
before the start ensuring everybody got cold and
wet. Mike won in 1.08.46 and fellow Perth runner
Lynton Scarborough finished 29th in 1.20.29, another
excellent time and good enough for Lynton to qualify
for the New York marathon.
Last week Derek Phillips and Peter Ritchie travelled
west to contest the Balloch to Clydebank Half Marathon
where Derek finished in 1.26.34 and Peter in1.44.25. |
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| 14.03.08
- PA Report |
| With the London Marathon less
than a month away some of the Perth Road Runners
are using races as either training runs or to gauge
their fitness levels. The Inverness Half Marathon
took place last weekend and four road runners took
part. The conditions were good, it stayed dry and
the wind, though cold, wasn’t as bad as forecast.
It was an interesting day with traffic chaos, due
to road works, before the race causing runners some
nervous moments wondering whether they’d make
the start in time. Then during the race itself a
burst water main at about the halfway stage caused
a scenic detour through some woods. All these events
made no difference to Mike Carroll, he won the 13.1
mile race in a brilliant 67:18, the second fastest
time ever for the race and a new half marathon record
for Perth Road Runners. Mike also won the race last
year but this year he was almost a minute faster.
Also running were Hugh Daly who recorded 1:43:04
and Jackie Daly and Pauline Mann who ran and finished
together to finish in 2:22:09. |
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| 07.03.08
- PA Report |
Perth Road Runners had a busy
time last weekend with three events taking place
over the two days. On Saturday the Cupar 5 mile
road race took place, and although not one of Perth’s
championship races this year, still interested seven
members enough for them to make the journey. The
race is an undulating ‘there and back’
event and this year the outward leg was into a nasty
headwind. There was no silverware for Perth but
new member Scott Sharp was the second Perth runner
home in his first race in the famous green and white
vest, which bodes well for the future. Perth results
were Derek Philips 31.25, Scott Sharp 35.36, Simon
Grieshaber 35.57, Robert MacDonald 36.32, Kenneth
Stewart 36.50, Peter Ritchie 37.26 and Bob Brown
37.54.
Sunday saw the battle of the sexes – but at
different ten mile events. While seven of the ladies
travelled north-east to Arbroath for the Smokies
10, five of the men travelled south for the Lasswade
10. The ladies had the best of the weather with
Fiona Angus leading the Perth contingent home in
17th place overall out of 281 with Susan Cederstrom
not far behind in 25th. Both Elaine McLennan and
Sheena McIntyre set new personal bests for the 10
mile distance. Results were Fiona Angus 72.06, Susan
Cederstrom 74.33, Claire Frulloni 81:34, Elaine
MacLennan 85.45, Debbie Jackson 92.19, Karen Walters
99.38 and Sheena MacIntyre 99.38.
Meanwhile in Lasswade the men were suffering. A
revised race route meant the start was up a hill
and so was the finish, added to this the first half
of the race was into the wind. Of course two of
the runners were used to this as Derek Philips and
Peter Ritchie had both raced in similar weather
at Cupar 24 hours before. Despite the tough course
and the conditions Bill Lawson still managed a personal
best. The results were Neil Muir 1.03.38, Derek
Philips 1.05.21, Bill Lawson 1.09.54, David Norrie
1.15.26 and Peter Ritchie 1.20.38. |
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