Perth Road Runners

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27.06.08 - PA Report
In an impressive display, over a third of Perth Road Runners members, in the form of 26 competitors, made the short journey down the M90 for the Milnathort Dash where, in a veritable sea of green and white racing vests, they comprised over 20% of the field. As we’ve come to expect this year they brought home plenty of trophies to celebrate the occasion. Winning results came very quickly with Linton Scarborough and Keri Weatherhogg beating everybody else to the top of the steep climb from the Town Hall up to the motorway bridge to be crowned the King and Queen of the Hill 2008. After that the rest of the tough course, which includes an off-road section, had to be negotiated in full before more awards could be made. The outcome saw Mark Cooper in 32:10 bring home second male over 40, Keri Weatherhogg in 35:52 third female, Bob Brown in 39:50 first male over 60 and Fiona Hair in 45:02 first female over 60.
Then it was off to Pitreavie Stadium for Robert MacDonald to prove that the Road Runners don’t only run tarmac and mud. Against stiff opposition in the male over 50 category of the Scottish Athletics Masters Championships he competed in the 100 and 200 metre races with respectable finishing times of 15.23 and 30.71 seconds.
Finally just six runners went off to the Dundee Half Marathon where, on a wet day, Mike Carroll for once had his work cut out. A missing marker on a corner early in the race, while he was in the lead, saw him go the wrong way, to rejoin the main race two minutes behind the leaders. Undaunted he set off in pursuit eventually catching and passing the leading duo along Riverside Drive. He then proceeded to stamp his authority on the proceedings to pull away and win by 73 seconds in 74:15. Meanwhile further down the field Bob Brown took his second over 60 male win in four days in a time of 97:01. Bob was followed by Peter Ritchie 103:18, Anne Wombill 122:38 and Fiona Morrison 142:53 but the icing on the cake was Jean Wainwright’s 143:57 which gave her first place in the female over 70 category.
 
20.06.08 - PA Report
The Lang Toun 10k takes place over a scenic but challenging route on quiet back roads around Auchterarder. It starts and finishes at the school in the town centre and proceeds in a large anti clockwise circle with the runners just taking the first turning to the left all the time. It’s generally undulating but the long gradient through Castleton to the Main Street, coming three quarters of the way through the race, isn’t too welcome but the run down the High Street and back to the school can conjure up a good turn of speed out of even the weariest of legs.
The 2008 race was the third in Perth Road Runners Summer Series of local races and it had the biggest turnout to date with 21 of them turning up and once again going home with plenty of prizes. Greg Simpson 36:15 came 1st with Linton Scarborough 37:08 in 2nd place. Derek McIntosh 38:26 was 2nd Vet with David Norrie 43:23 and Kenneth Stewart 44:18 1st and 3rd Super Vets. Fiona Angus 44:37 was 1st Lady and Angela Park 46:58 was 3rd Lady and 1st Local Lady setting a new record into the bargain and taking 47 seconds off the old record. Claire Douglas 46:59 was just a second behind Angela and took the 2nd Lady Vet prize.
Other results were, Bill Lawson 41:59, Scott Sharp 46:16, Peter Ritchie 49:01, Fiona Manson 49:18, Robert Thornton 49:25, Jake Carter 50:50, Linda O’Neill 53:40, Christine Chatilla 56:00, Anne Wombill 57:45, Karen Walters 59:24, Lorna Harold 64:23, Fiona Morrison 65:52, Sheena McIntyre 65:53
 
6.06.08 - PA Report
The joiners and DIY shops in Perth are getting lots of business for shelves this year as the Road Runners continue to travel the country collecting trophies.
Last weeks Edinburgh Marathon Team Relay rumour was true with a four man team consisting of two Road Runners, Greg Simpson and Tony Jackson along with two other Perth men David Wood and Steven Bonthrone being the first all male team home in 2h45m41s. They were fourth team overall out of 787 teams.
The weather at the Knock Hill race at Crieff was colder than it has been of late, there was mist on the hill itself and it was rather dark in the woods. This didn’t cause any problems though for the four Road Runners who competed with Mark Cooper in 5th place and second ‘vet’. Derek Phillips was in 6th place and first ‘local runner’ and Angela Park was 3rd ‘female’. Bob Brown also completed the race.
Then it was off to the ever popular 5 mile road race set in and around the grounds of Strathallan School at Forgandenny. Seventeen Road Runners made the short journey for the race, the second of the clubs annual Summer Series. On this occasion there was no silverware for the Road Runners but the event, over two laps of an undulating course, was held in beautiful weather and enjoyed by all. Linton Scarborough was first male Road Runner in 9th place and 30:16 with Bill Lawson in 33:53 and Dave Norrie in 35:42. Angela Park was first female Road Runner in 37:37 with Fiona Manson in 39:09 and Anne Wombill in 46:49.
 
30.05.08 - PA Report
At the annual Strathtay Harriers organised Kinnoull Hill Race eight Perth Road Runners participated with Mark Cooper finishing 11th in 28m 10s and newcomer Scott Sharp continuing to improve with a handy 35m 19s. Other results were Greg Simpson 29m 06s, Derek McIntosh 30m 05s, Grant Wooler 34m 59s, David Norrie 35m 24s, Fiona Angus 35m 31s and Robert Thornton 40m 55s.
Dunblane Hydro put on its 7.5 mile road race. This is an unusual distance for a race and so harder to judge for getting the right pace. Robert MacDonald went for 8mph and got around the course in 56m32s with Debbie Jackson coming home in 67m 02s.
Although not fully recovered from last months London marathon Mike Carroll was fit enough to win the Baker Hughes 10k road race at Aberdeen for the second year running in 32m46s.
The Edinburgh Marathon start was cold and grey with sunshine on Leith just visible and it was into the wind as the race went down the river before turning at Gosford House just past Longniddry. The sun did manage to make a full appearance as the race progressed. Three members ran the full 26.2 mile race with Simon Grieshaber only two minutes slower than his London marathon time finishing in 3h 54m 10s, Bob Brown wasn’t far behind in 3h 57m 348s and Kenneth Stewart in 4h 32m 31s.
There’s a rumour that a Perth team did really well in the Edinburgh Marathon relay race. This is unconfirmed as we go to press and the full story will be unveiled next week.
 
23.05.08 - PA Report
The third round of the Perth Road Runners 2008 club championship saw 19 runners race in the Loch Leven Half Marathon in good running weather i.e. not too windy or hot. While Neil Muir was first Road Runner home in 1:21:35 and 15th in a field of over 430 runners it was really the ladies who got the rewards. Keri Weatherhogg carried on her winning ways by coming home first female in 1:26:33. This was only 33 seconds outside the club female half marathon record set at the 2004 Aberfeldy Half Marathon by Erni Hamilton who, at Loch Leven was first female over 40 in 1:31:04. It was left to Jean Wainwright in 2:15:31 to complete the hat-trick as first female over 70.
Meanwhile two club members made the long journey north east to a unique annual event, the Cape Wrath Challenges, a week long series of races covering varying distances and terrain based at Durness in Sutherland. Fiona Manson and Linda O’Neill ran in different races every day for four days during which Fiona was placed second female in a 10k race. After a rest day on the Friday, when they were joined by Anne and Robin Wombill, the Grand Finale took place on the Saturday. With climbs totalling over 2,500 feet the Cape Wrath Marathon is billed as ‘probably the toughest marathon in the UK’. It can be contested by relay teams or individuals. The race takes place on Cape Wrath where the only access is by ferry. Each entrant has a time card where their start and stop running times are recorded. The individual race starts on the cape at the ferry jetty, runs 11 miles out to the Cape Wrath lighthouse and then back to the ferry jetty. With the time cards appropriately marked the runners are ferried back to the mainland for more time card marking and then the final 4.2, mostly uphill, miles to Durness village hall and the finish. Fiona 1:41:21, Linda 1:45:00 and Anne 1:53:42 all completed 11 miles legs as members of two different 3 person relay teams. Robin completed the full marathon in a new personal best of 4:15:14.
 
16.05.08 - PA Report
The Perth Road Runners have been busy in the last week and they’ve brought home the silverware to prove it.
Two and a half times around Pittencrief Park in Dunfermline was the route for the ‘Auld Toun’ 10k race. Derek McIntosh 38:47 and David Angus 42:15 ran well but it was the ladies team of Fiona Angus 44:41, Angela Park 45:44 and Debbie Jackson 52:23 who came in as second women’s team.
Last Saturday saw 20 of the club off to Blairgowrie for the annual Cateran Trail team relay race. This is a firm favourite with club members and was excellently organised, as usual, by councillor Bob Ellis of Blairgowrie and his trusty team. The route of 23 miles is split into three legs. Blairgowrie to Bridge of Cally, Bridge of Calley to Kirkmichael and Kirkmichael to the Spittal of Glenshee. The race is contested by teams of six, two run each leg and the result for the leg is the time that the second finisher in a team crosses the line. Alternatively the whole, ultra tough, route can be run by one person as an individual effort. The Road Runners entered three teams and two members did the individual event. In the individual event in scorching weather, running in a kilt, Kenneth Stewart recorded 4:37:29. Bob Brown sadly had to retire at the 15 mile mark at Kirkmichael. When it came to the relay teams two out of the three came away with trophies. For the third year running the Perth 'mixed' team of David Norrie, Fiona Angus, Bill Lawson, Steven Ferguson, Mark Cooper and Keri Weatherhogg came first. Meanwhile running under the team name of ‘The Fair Maids’ Karen Walters, Christine Chatila, Fiona Manson, Claire Douglas, Anne Wombill and Fiona Morrison came second in the ‘veteran female’ (over 35) class.
 
09.05.08 - PA Report
Three members travelled to Balfron to contest the annual 10k race. Over 450 runners finished with Angela Park in 47:58 the first Perth Road Runner home with Dave Macrae not far behind in 48:33 and Jake Carter finished in 53:38.
At this years star studded BUPA Great Edinburgh Run seven Perth Road Runners volunteered to marshal the event and were placed around the 10k course. This is becoming quite a tradition for Perth with runners able to put something back into the sport they love. In a huge field of about 8000 runners the actual racing was left to members Mike Carroll who finished 14th in 34:33 and a rapidly improving Robert MacDonald who was 445th in 45:19.
The first race of the Perth Road Runners Summer Series was the Black Rock '5' Race that takes place in the sleepy coastal village of Kinghorn, Fife. The race has been held every year since 1987, except 1991, and it started from its usual place on the beach at the end of Pettycur Road, went out over the sand to rocks in the Firth of Forth and returned to finish at the Ship Tavern. Running on sand isn’t easy and even with the tide out the runners always run through water and get very wet. Some of the shorter runners getting wetter than others! Seven Road Runners made the trip and were evenly spread out across the field of over 560 finishers. Results were, Linton Scarborough 28:00, Grant Wooler 31:45, David Norrie 32:55, Angela Park 33:56, Fiona Manson 36:51. Linda O’Neill 38:18 and Fiona Morrison 47:13.
 
02.05.08 - PA Report
The road running season’s really in full swing now with Perth Road Runners members regularly competing in a variety of events around Scotland.
It started with the St. Andrews 5k race which took place entirely on the flat grass playing fields of the university. Whilst soft to run on grass never allows really fast times so Robert MacDonald in 21.35 and Angela Park in 22.57 were both happy with their results. Next came the local Kinross High School PTA 10k where there was a record entry of 30 Perth runners. The highlights were Mark Cooper who finished 6th in 36:51 and Keri Weatherhogg who in her first race in PRR colours came home second female in 40:13. Meanwhile Simon Grieshaber, Fiona Angus and David Norrie all competed only 13 days after their London Marathon exertions. New Personal Bests were set by Linda O’Neill in 52:36 and Christine Chatila in 55:06 and Alex Gilles and Karen Neil ran their first race together as new PRR members in 54:05.
Then Robert MacDonald went off to Balmoral 5k and in a field of over 500 runners and a slower time than St. Andrews came home in 35th place and 1st Male over 50 in 21:37.
Finally it was north west up to Fort William for the Lochaber Marathon. It’s a long drag from the leisure centre out on the road to Mallaig for 13 miles, then turn round and run back again. It was too long for Bob Brown who unusually didn’t finish whilst Bill Lawson suffered but finished in 3:44:43 in only his second marathon. Watch this space, Bill’s times for the ‘big one’ will drop in the future. David Norrie finished a fantastic 3:48:46 in his second marathon in 2 weeks, obviously the Kinross 10k was just a warm up! Another Kinross 10k runner attempting her first marathon was Joan Wilson who recorded an excellent sub 4 hour result in 3:58:20 and a delighted Debbie Jackson who finished to riotous applause in 4:28:54 to break the 4:30 barrier and take 15 minutes off her previous best time.
 

 

 

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July:
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August:
1st: Helensburgh Half
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12th: Balmullo Trail Race - CC
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31st: Graham Clark Memorial 3.9M - SS