Linlithgow fared well at the first meeting of the East District League Cross Country on Saturday at the University of Stirling. Conditions were very muddy after heavy rainfall, and made for a challenging course. With Olympian Andrew Butchart in attendance for Central AC, runners were in good company.
The Linlithgow women were the 13th (of 32) team overall and 6th (of 23)Masters team (over 40s). Individually, Frances Wood finished in 29:33, Jennifer Newton in 29:45, Jill Horsburgh in 31:06, Mandy Cazes in 32:06 and new member to the Club and cross country, Rhiann Ferguson in 35:49. The men were 28th (of 36) team overall and 27th (of 30) Masters in a race dominated by the host club. Individually, Martin Maginnis finished in 38:53, Angus Gallie in 42:11 and Mark Collier, also new to the Club and this event, finished in 53:07.
Also on Saturday, Richard Wood ran the Langdale Half Marathon, one of the UK’s toughest half marathon road races due to its hefty elevation (1700ft of climbing). Richard finished 40th male finisher in 01:44:20.
Frances and Alex Wood ran the Scottish Veteran Harriers Club 7.4k Trail Race in Pollok Country Park on Sunday afternoon. Two circuits of the woods with steep up and down hills and about a third of the course run on thick and often ankle deep mud! The Stirling course paled in comparison. Many tumbles and lost shoes, but enjoyable nonetheless. Frances was 2nd woman in 40:41 and Alex. finished in 53:20.
On Sunday, Marta Sroka ran the Ultra Tour of Edinburgh. The route was a contrasting combination of cobbled city streets, suburbia and the wilderness of the Pentland Hills. It was especially tough coming only two weeks after her efforts at Dunoon. Marta finished in 06:30:33.
At parkrun, the Club had 11 runners across 6 different runs.
Neil Anderson was the Club’s fastest finisher this week, completing University Stirling parkrun in 21:13. At Falkirk, Ian Boxall finished in 21:14, Malcolm Hughes in 22:22, Jennifer Newton in 23:25, Gary Welsh in 25:17 and Alex Wood 28:50. At Strathclyde, Ian and Isobel Lockhart finished in 28:42. Graeme Wilkinson ran Drumpellier in 25:01.
Our parkrun tourists. Lorna Simpson ran Aviemore in 24:24 and David Main-Reade ran Kashiwanoha, Tokyo in 22:13.
