Perth Road Runners

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26.12.08 - PA Report
The Roadrunners are now starting to wind down for the Christmas period with no organised training until the next club night on Tuesday 6th January. There are some festive events taking place for those wishing to work off those few too many mince pies.
The Boxing Day Plum Pudding Plod is a 2.75 mile fun run which is open to all and starts from the back of the Forfar Leisure Centre, taking a loop of Forfar Loch. Underfoot conditions are a mixture of grass, road and stony tracks. The race has grown in numbers steadily over the last few years and now has a regular field of around the 200 mark ranging from elite runners to fun runners and walkers.
The Blairgowrie Ne'er Day Fun Run is a 3.7-mile road race that starts at 1.00 on New Year’s Day. This is the perfect start to the New Year and an answer to your New Year’s Resolution to get fit!
January 10 will see thousands of runners of all abilities aged 14 and over take to the paths of Holyrood Park for the BUPA Great Winter Run, a 5km run in Edinburgh. The BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country race will be the highlight of the afternoon’s events with many of the Roadrunners marshalling at this event.
A popular race with the locals is The Wee Winter Run. This starts from behind the Cherrybank Inn on the 25th January and follows an undulating course around the Bucky Braes.
See you all next year!
 

19.12.08 - PA Report
The last week has been busy for the Road Runners both on and off the “field” with the Yahoo race, a Christmas night out and a fun run.
The Yahoo race took place on a dry, crisp night and had a great turn out with 39 runners competing for the much-coveted trophy. In this race, competitors predict their times then start at staged intervals so everyone finishes the race en masse. The race is set over 9.5 miles around the old perimeter of Perth (25 years ago) and includes some long, tough climbs finishing with a lap around the North Inch. Fiona Morrison came home in first place with a time of 102:01, closely followed by Jean Wainwright just a second behind with Sarah Walker in third place. Dave Knight, with 55:27, was the fastest on the night with Linton Scarborough also clocking an impressive 55:52.
The Christmas night out took place in the Sandeman when runners got to swap their running shoes for their dancing shoes. It was an enjoyable evening with some “endurance athletes” partying into the early hours.
The starting point for this year’s Christmas run was the memorial bench erected by the Club earlier this year in memory of club member Martin Ryan who died last year and who had long been associated with the Cateran Trail Race. The bench is situated on the Trail just north of Kirkmichael. Before getting underway, Councillor Bob Ellis, the Cateran Trail Race Organiser, spoke a few words in Martin’s memory and in gratitude to Mr & Mrs Reid (the landowners) for their kind permission to site the bench at this spot.
The Club would like to thank Bob for his invaluable help in choosing a location and securing permission to site the bench. True to form, Bob used the opportunity to promote another of the races he’s involved in; namely the Blairgowrie Ne'er Day Fun Run - a brisk 3.7 mile road race which starts at 1.00 on New Year’s Day. This is the ideal way to start the New Year, blow away the cobwebs, meet up with friends and wish them Happy New Year.
 
12.12.08 - PA Report
Most of the running text books will tell you that as a rough guide it takes a day per mile for the body to fully recover from a race. So when you run a marathon it should take about 26 days. Perth Road Runner Peter Ritchie threw away the rule books when just 7 days after his excellent Lanzarote Marathon result he took part in the British Heart Foundation 5k Santa Jog at Perth’s North Inch and crossed the finishing line in first place. This was a richly deserved victory for Peter who has worked so hard the second half of this year as he himself has recovered from heart surgery. Never a slow runner Peter is almost back to his best and expects to be faster than ever next year.
Meanwhile several other Road Runners were busy dodging the Christmas shopping with a four man team travelling to Cupar for the East District Cross Country Championships. They obviously weren’t the only ones with the same idea as the senior men’s race had 223 finishers. On a glorious mid-winter afternoon, conditions underfoot were mixed over the 10k course, going from frozen tractor ruts to sticky mud via some icy puddles. The race was two laps over stubble fields with a couple of steady climbs making for a good test of strength and concentration (the low sun making it quite difficult to see the terrain at several points) - this was probably reflected in the times with Dave Knight first home for Perth in 39:54 - 53rd place overall. Next in was Stephen Ferguson in 44:18 (119th place) followed by Simon Grieshaber in 50:56 (189th place) and Colin Campbell in 54:57 (209th place).
The club was also represented at the Water of Leith Half Marathon. This mainly off-road race starts at Balerno village on the outskirts of Edinburgh and follows the Water of Leith all the way to Leith Docks giving a slightly long 13.5 mile half marathon. The three Road Runners all finished intact despite the freezing weather and an often very icy surface. They didn’t win any prizes but all enjoyed the scenic course in this unique event with Bernt Cederstrom finishing in 1:40:04, Susan Cederstrom in 1:53:06 and Robin Wombill in 1:53:42.
Last Monday the clubs AGM was held at Bell’s. The club’s business was transacted and the committee formally resigned. After many years dedicated service Jean Wainwright retired from the committee and Margaret Irvine stood down as she leaves for pastures new (literally) in New Zealand. Kenneth Stewart and Robin Wombill also stood down. All committee members were thanked for the contribution to the running of the club and a new committee was elected with all posts being filled.
 
05.12.08 - PA Report
Peter Ritchie and Bob Brown went to Lanzarote for the marathon and all Peter’s hard work paid off. The race was run over four 6.55 mile laps with a bit of a breeze and plenty of water stations. The temperatures were in the low 20s, which was over 20 degrees warmer than Perth last weekend! Bob had to pull out at about 14 miles but Peter carried on and finished in a brilliant 3:31:52 to finish 59th male and 12th in his age group.
Next week’s a very busy one for the club. On Saturday morning members are marshalling at the British Heart Foundation Santa Job around the North Inch. On Monday 8th there’s the annual AGM at 7:15pm in Bells Sports Centre Restaurant. On Thursday 11th there’s the annual Yahoo 10mile race, with the first handicap starting at 6:30pm at Bells Sports Centre. On Friday 12th all members are invited for drinks 7pm for 7:30pm at Sandemans. To round off the week on Sunday 14th there’s the Kirkmichael Run, meet at Bells Car Park at 8:45 am. Drive up to Kirkmichael followed by an out and back training run lasting 2hrs. Totally off road over tracks in woodland setting - part of the Cateran Trail - bring a winter picnic.
 
28.11.08 - PA Report
Last weekend saw the second round of the three race Scottish East District Cross Country League series. This series, which dates back to 1924, can attract anything up to 50 clubs from all over the east of Scotland and there are separate races for all age groups and both sexes.
Perth Road Runners were represented by male and female teams in races where the men competed over 3 laps of a 3k course and the women 2 laps. Both races included the short but steep “Lungbuster Hill”. Although it was bitterly cold with a biting wind, conditions underfoot were relatively benign and it was probably the cleanest cross country course many racers had ever run. Robert Russell of Central Athletic led the 204 runner’s home in the men’s race in a time of 28:38. The Perth results were Stephen Ferguson (85th place in 35:54), Simon Grieshaber (142nd in 39:27) - his first Cross Country League event, Colin Wilson (157th in 40:32), Dave Norrie (172nd in 41:59) and Colin Campbell (186th in 44:10). In the ladies race Megan Wright of Hunters Bog Trotters led the 79 runner’s home in 22:19. The Perth results were Keri Weatherhogg (23rd place in 25:07), Angela Park (49th place in 27:56), Joan Wilson (55th place in 28:25) and Fiona Manson (64th place in 29:18)
The next and final meeting of this series will be at Dunfermline on Sunday 18th January 2009. This one is would be a great introduction for any member (male and female) who wants to sample the cross country experience and is a great motivation to get back into training following the Christmas festivities. These races are suitable for anyone who regularly attends the Club training sessions, that is; comfortable running up to 10k at whatever pace, and no special equipment is required (though a good pair of off-road shoes or studs is a distinct advantage but not compulsory). A typical course would be approximately 6K for women and 9K for men, often over two or three laps on mixed terrain; grass, rough tracks, stubble fields – all usually involving mud (so don’t bring your best new shoes). The races attract runners of mixed ability, indeed the only difference in this respect, between cross country and normal open road races, is that the field generally comprises club runners (i.e. no “fun runners”). Anyone who’s interested should contact either Neil Muir or Fiona Angus.
 
21.11.08 - PA Report
The first race of the popular Perth Road Runners winter Lark in the Dark series attracted 24 members to a dark and cold Deuchny Woods one evening last week. The usual rules applied where torches were allowed but watches weren’t. The runners were told the approximate race distance and they had to estimate their race time with the nearest competitor to their estimate being the winner. The race was all off-road on the tracks around the woods and was approximately 4.5 miles in length. In the event the moon was so bright that some runners switched off their torches and ran by the light of the moon. First three runners home were Steve Bonthrone only 5 seconds outside his estimated time, Karen Walters (10 seconds) and then Robert Thornton (20seconds).
The Hartley Relay held at Shell Bay, Elie at the weekend saw runners from several clubs fighting for glory in 5 person teams with each team competitor completing two legs of just over a mile each to give a total of just under eleven miles for each team. Perth fielded three teams, a men’s team and two mixed teams and has so often been the case this season brought home some prizes. The Perth men’s team came home second, 2:08 behind the Anster Haddies teams 58:14 and the Perth mixed ‘A’ team won their class in 68:11. At an individual level Chris Russell of Anster ran the fastest leg of the day in 5:18 with Linton Scarborough of Perth close behind in 5:31 but it was Angela Park of Perth who really shone to run the fastest female leg of the day in 6:43.
Three members also made their regular trip to Fraserburgh for the annual half marathon. With over 130 runners competing Neil Jaffrey of Aberdeen Metro was first home in 1:20:39. Bob Brown and Pete Ritchie, still in training for the Lanzarote Marathon, were again in good form with Bob winning his fourth over 60 class in a row to finish in 1:37:57 with Peter just behind in 1:39:06 and Hugh Daly in 1:42:52.
 
14.11.08 - PA Report
With the Perth Road Runners 2008 championship now over the runners are competing in events for the sheer pleasure of running or as training runs. Four members made the trip to the Glen Clova Hotel north of Kirriemuir for last Saturday’s annual half marathon. The journey to the event was worth it just to see the spectacular autumn colours in the trees. The first half of the race, down the west side of the river South Esk, was very undulating with lots of short sharp hills to test out the legs and a steady headwind. After the turnaround point at 6.5 miles it was back towards the finish with less undulations and a tailwind to give extra boost but the drizzle eventually turned to heavy rain to ensure the runners at the back of the field got a good soaking. It was a hat trick for member Bob Brown, he was first over 60 male in 1:36:45, the third race in a row where he’s won this title. Just behind him was Peter Ritchie in 1:38:00. Whilst they weren’t running slowly they were also using the race as a training run for the Lanzarote Marathon that they are both running in two weeks time. Meanwhile less than two weeks after completing the Lucerne Marathon in under 4 hours Claire Frulloni finished in 1:46:07 with Fiona Manson coming home in 1:53:10.
 
07.11.08 - PA Report
Linton Scarborough competed in the New York City marathon after his long Atlantic crossing. After battling a 10mph headwind for the first 13 miles and an uphill finish he completed the 26.2 mile race and cruelly missed out on his hoped for time by just 2m 53s to finish in 3:02:53.
Last Sunday’s cold bright weather was ideal for running and consequently over 300 people contested the annual Templeton Woods 10 mile road race on the outskirts of Dundee. The tough race was the last in the Perth Road Runners 2008 championship and 25 of them competed in the event. On the day Derek Phillips led the Perth men home in 1:04:19 followed by Stephen Ferguson in 1:05:37 and Derek McIntosh in 1:05:54. Bob Brown 1:14:11 picked up the award for the first over 60 male to add to the one he won at the Aviemore half marathon two weeks ago. Amy Greig 1:17:51 was the first Perth lady home followed by Angela Park 1:18:35 and Fiona Manson 1:24:15 which gave them the first female team prize.
There’s still an outside chance that somebody could do a late marathon but this is unlikely to change the provisional results of the club championship which show Neil Muir as the winner with Bernt Cederstrom in second place and Bill Lawson in third. The ladies have new member Keri Weatherhogg as their new champion following a stunning season where she scored maximum points in every race she entered. Fiona Angus, last years winner took the runner-up spot and after a year of sheer hard work and dedication a delighted Julie King took the third spot.
It’s less than a year since members Bernt and Susan Cederstrom got married and moved to live in Dunfermline. They’ve both stayed members and have been regular racers at events, sometimes in Perth colours and sometimes in their new local club Carnegie Harriers colours. Whilst Bernt has taken second place in the Perth championship a very happy Susan has just become the Carnegie 2008 female road race champion.
The new 2008 club male champion Neil Muir along with fellow member and wife Veronica took their grandchildren out to test their fitness to be future members. They all attended the Cairnie Fruit Farm 1k novice race where the children loved running in the dark with torches. The result was Ciaran Muir aged 8 months 9:57 (with a bit of help from Uncle Brian), big brother Christian aged 3 years 10:30 and cousin Rachel Provan also 3 years 10:35. Get the membership forms ready!
 

 

 

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July:
29th: Target Zero

August:
1st: Helensburgh Half
5th: Club Duathlon
12th: Balmullo Trail Race - CC
17th: Ceres 8M - SS
21st: Club Run Weekend
29th: Perth 10K - CC
31st: Graham Clark Memorial 3.9M - SS