LINLITHGOW ATHLETIC CLUB WEEKLY ROUNDUP
It has been a hectic fortnight of hard running for Linlithgow Athletic Club members.
Hannah Danson, Laura Finlay and Ian Logan were at the Keswick Mountain Festival on the 9th and 10th of June. The festival takes place over 2 days with various sports including trail races, triathlons, a bike race and swimming races during the day and a music festival in the evening. Ian competed in the sprint triathlon (400m swim, 18km bike and 5km run) on the Saturday and won the race overall in 58:14. On the Sunday, Hannah, Laura and Ian all ran the 10k trail race. The course is beautiful and interesting from the word go but very hard and hilly with some technical trails which meant that it was closer to 11k than the advertised 10k! The start is located halfway down Derwent Water with all competitors being transferred to the start by boat and running back to Keswick. The course is a mixture of trails through amazing woodland, a little single track, hills and some road and fields to the finish. The course starts on the shores of Derwent Water before climbing and following the flank of the famous Cat Bells Ridge. Ian finished in 45:36 to come 2nd overall, Laura finished in 1:14:00 and Hannah in 1:24:06.
There was also a good Linlithgow representation at Parkruns on the 9th. At Falkirk Kenny Gray finished in 19:46 (2nd VM40), Ian Boxall in 21:26 (1st VM50), and Lorna Simpson in 22:39 (2nd VW40 and a Falkirk PB). Graeme Wilkinson ran Plean in 22:09. Scott Cumming ran Edinburgh in 23:11. Roddy Simpson completed Kirkwall in 23:21 (3rd VM70). Jill Horsburgh ran Lochore Meadows in 24:58 (2nd VW55). Neil Anderson finished Whinlatter Forrest in 30:40.
Four on the Foreshore was a 4 mile mixed surface run along the scenic foreshore of Bo'ness on 13th June. Lorna Simpson finished in 28:47 (1st woman and 10th overall) and Graeme Wilkinson finished in 16th place in 30:06.
There was a good Linlithgow contingent at a series of Parkruns on the 16th of June. William Millar ran Strathclyde Park in 19:32 (2nd VM35). Lorna Simpson completed Livingstone in 22:10 (1st VW40 and all-Parkrun PB). At Falkirk, Paul Dudchenko finished in 21:04 (3rd VM50) and Alex Wood in 26:55. At Edinburgh Scott Cumming ran 23:37 and Bev Dodgson ran 32:17. David Main-Reade ran Tollcross in Glasgow in 24:23. Roddy Simpson ran Kirkwall in Orkney in 25:43 (2nd VM70). Graeme Wilkinson tail-walked Plean in 43:56.
It was the 7 Hills of Edinburgh race on 17th June, almost 15.5 miles, 2200 feet ascent/ descent across Edinburgh in what might well be the best organised and most friendly race around! Laura Finlay finished in 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Jill Horsburgh took part in the Tour of Tameside which comprises of 4 races over 4 days. The concept was first dreamed up by running legend Ron Hill in the early 80s. After an absence of several years in the late 90s and early 2000s, it was revived in 2015 and has run annually since. This was Jill’s fourth year of participation. The races are a Thursday night trail race (10k), Hell on the Fell (6m) on the Friday evening, the Hero Half Marathon which follows the Trans Pennine Trail off road on the Saturday morning and a 7 mile road race, the Hyde 7 on the Sunday morning. Overall it is just over 32 miles running. 390 runners completed all 4 races with many more taking part in individual events. Of the Full Tour finishers Jill was 200th overall, 31st of 125 female and 3rd in the FV55 category. Her cumulative time was 4:49:36 The Tour generates lots of support from local people and fantastic camaraderie amongst the full tour runners. Ron Hill was present at all the races saying a few words, although sadly he is no longer running.
Roddy Simpson ran the Hoy Half Marathon on Sunday 17 June in 1:54:15. It was a very hilly course but a fine day with great views over Scapa Flow.
Also on Sunday, Malcolm Hughes ran the Glasgow Mens' 10k today and finished in 45:21 (even though he was at least 30 seconds ahead of the 45 minute pacer !!) and was 12th MV55.
