PB Magazine - Issue 3, 2019

www.scottishathletics.org.uk

£3.75

2019

Issue 3

PB INSIDE

2020 VISION

‘Projects and plans are so exciting for our sport.’

Mark Munro

CHAIR LIFT

How wheelchair training helped Alasdair to PB at 800m

The official magazine for members of scottishathletics

Issue 3

PB2019

scottishathletics

05 Chief Executive

Mark Munro

06 News

07 New President

08 FPSG Athlete of the Year

09 FPSG Athlete of the Year

10 Paula Radcliffe

11 Paula Radcliffe

12 FPSG Awards

13 FPSG Awards

14 LindsaysXC – Cumbernauld

16 LindsaysXC – Kirkcaldy

18 Eilish McColgan/Andy Douglas

19 #SALdohadozen

20 Doha – Laura Muir/Eilish McColgan

22 Doha – Our ‘Tartan Trio’

24 Doha – Callum Hawkins

26 Dubai – World Para Champs

28 Coaching – Linda Nicholson

30 Katie Purves

31 Alasdair McMonagle

32 Cumbernauld AAC

34 Musselburgh and District AC

36 Stornoway RAC

38 50 Years of the Allan Scally Relays

40 Running with the Kenyans

42 Running with the Kenyans

The official magazine for members of scottishathletics www.scottishathletics.org.uk

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Chief Executive Mark Munro

A

s we reflect on another brilliant year for athletics in Scotland, thoughts regularly focus on how we continue to evolve and improve.

Mark Munro Chief Executive Scottish Athletics

It is certainly worth updating you on some of the thinking and projects as we move into the next decade.

However, first of all, let’s recognise the success of our world class Scottish athletes and their coaches, much of which is documented in the pages within.

Seven athletes and six medals – that was the tally from World Para Championships in Dubai in November.

In mountain running, four Scots were selected for GB teams for World Championship events in Argentina and the three athletes who travelled each delivered top eight finishes.

At the IAAF World Champs in Doha, 12 Scottish athletes certainly left their mark – with six top six performances and a couple of Scottish Records.

@SALMarkMunro

Projects galore!

Why I’m excited by our 2020 vision and employment opportunities. The hubs will be places where athletes and coaches can come together to train as well as the sharing of expertise and event education.

Continuing on coaching, we’ve decided to work in partnership with World Athletics (formerly the IAAF) in respect of coach and athlete developments models and delivery.

These developments are a priority for 2020.

Staying on a performance and coaching theme, we’re delighted the much soughtafter Stephen Maguire (Director of Performance & Coaching) has committed his long-term future to Scotland - despite some Next year we also expect to significantly progress the momentum growing around efforts to pull him away. another project – the Athletics Trust Scotland.

This demonstrates his dedication, as well as the vision and motivation we all share in This is being established to try to raise more recognising that Scotland can continue to funding for the sport in Scotland that can be punch above our weight in global terms. directed into projects that support athletes, Scottish development and success has been coaches, clubs and officials, as well as aiding potential facility developments. recognised by British Athletics who have also committed to find opportunities for The Trust will primarily be a fundraising more Scottish (and home country) athletes body focusing on major donations to compete within a European context, potentially starting with the European Cross and legacy. More information will be Country Championships. We will watch this communicated in due course. space closely.

Moving forward, we continue to tackle Looking forward, one of the most important challenges around facility developments and facility access. priorities for athletics in Scotland is better development of technical events.

Members may be aware we have tasked the Scottish Government with helping finance We have some very good technical a new national indoor training centre given eventers and pockets of excellent coaching. some access challenges pre Christmas at However, we need to take to look at a the Emirates Arena. more systematic approach to ensure the development of coaching expertise, quality We’ve been working with the Scottish facility access, competition opportunities Government and sportscotland and have and athlete support, to ensure we have a consistent conveyor belt of talent as well as almost completed exploratory work with a consultant. a greater depth across events. Not an easy task but there’s no reason why we cannot The next stage is to ensure the operational do it. costs and business model for any proposed facility can be met by the athletics Part of our development work will include community, (including ourselves). There are the introduction of event group hubs at no guarantees at this stage but we are all identified facilities in Scotland. working towards solutions which is a step in This will be a phased development and the right direction. will consider facilities, coaching expertise, general environments, tertiary education In a club context, the development team

Mark with Moira Maguire (Track and Field Commission Convenor until August 2019) have been liaising with Scandinavian colleagues and exploring their models of club development/exchanging ideas. As part of the new club visit programme, we plan to enable a number of clubs operating within certain programmes to visit like-minded clubs.

The New Year will bring a busy programme of events, including a British Cross Challenge event at Stirling.

Meanwhile, our normal domestic business continues which includes a busy winter period for coach, officials and club development programmes which commenced with the launch of revitalised National Training Days (athletes and coaches) and the National Club Conference.

There are a range of officials and coach development courses and qualification opportunities over the period.

The period between now and March is one of the busiest with numerous championships events, especially in cross country and indoors.

The work and support of our Commissions and Officials is particularly important over this time. We are extremely grateful for their continued efforts.

Remember, let’s keep our athletes competing during this period at the appropriate level: ‘Competition – It’s What You Train For.’ Thanks to everyone involved in delivering this great Scottish sport and good luck over coming months.

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Keep up to date with all the stories @www.scottishathletics.org.uk

NEWS

4J Studios to sponsor track and field & awards scottishathletics are thrilled to announce a significant new partnership with 4J Studios, a global leading video game development studio, based in East Linton and Dundee.

The partnership will cover the scottishathletics and jogscotland Annual Awards Dinner, the Indoor Season at the Emirates Arena and the Outdoor Season in track and field.

4J Studios, who already back the 4J Studios National Athletics Academy, have agreed a two-year deal starting in January and taking in our Annual Awards in 2020 and 2021 as well as the track and field action over those years.

The move follows the conclusion of a successful partnership with recruitment services firm FPSG for the same portfolio of events over the past couple of years It’s another exciting development on the commercial and communications side of scottishathletics and we firmly believe the support from 4J Studios will help us enhance further our awards and our National Championship track and field events.

Athlete vest numbers for all Scottish Championship events both indoors and outdoors for the next two years will carry the 4J Studios logo and there will be additional venue branding as well as significant social media involvement.

‘4J Studios is delighted to continue our association and commitment to Scottish Athletics with this new partnership,’ said CEO Paddy Burns.

the Annual Dinner. We feel this can be of benefit to both parties.

‘Paddy Burns and Chris van der Kuyl at 4J have shown great enthusiasm and backing for athletics in Scotland in recent years and we are delighted to be working with them.

They are global leaders at what they do and that expertise and experience can only be of benefit to the sport.’

‘It’s a natural progression from our work with the National Academy and it’s great to play a part in encouraging sports involvement and development in Scotland from grassroots upwards.’

*************************************

Mark Munro, chief executive of scottishathletics, said: ‘I’m excited about the new partnership with 4J Studios and it is really great news for scottishathletics.

Twell clocked 2:26.40 to finish in eighth place in the Frankfurt Marathon – with that time 12 seconds quicker than Liz McColgan’s time from 1997.

‘Over the past couple of years, our Annual Awards Dinner has benefited from the sponsorship support from FPSG and we were able to link that with the Indoor Season and the Outdoor track and field events in the summer. I want to thank FPSG for their support.

Now, subject to ratification, Steph will hold a new Record after a performance which also saw her eclipse the 2:29.30 qualifying time for the Olympics being asked by British Athletics.

‘With 4J now on board for these three areas, we will look to further grow and enhance our track and field events and

Steph Twell delivered a new Scottish Record for the Women’s marathon with a superb run in Germany.

With a pre-race PB of 2:30.11, the Kilbarchan AAC athlete was delighted with a mark which takes her to fifth place on the all-time British list.

We win governing body of the year ! scottishathletics have been recognised as ‘Governing Body of the Year’ in the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards – for the third time in four years!

We first won this award back in 2016 and repeated that success some 12 months later, so the 2019 accolade now makes it a quite superb hat-trick.

It was a night of celebration for athletics in Scotland at the glittering ceremony in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre with representation on no fewer than EIGHT of the 10 available short-lists.

Laura Muir, Andy Young, Jacob Adkin, Abbie McNally, Edinburgh AC, Fiona Davidson (Aberdeen AAC) and Laura’s last lap in the Glasgow 2019 3000m were all on short-lists in various categories. scottishathletics would like to put on record our sincere thanks to everyone within

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the sport – clubs, Officials, volunteer helpers, coaches and athletes – all of whom have combined so well once again over the past 12 months.

‘We are absolutely delighted to win the Team Scotland Scottish Governing Body of the Year award for 2019,’ said chief executive Mark Munro.

‘It was a great honour and privilege to even be short-listed again, particularly given fact that we won the award in both 2016 and 2017, and this time we faced really tough competition from Scottish Disability Sport and Cricket Scotland. It certainly recognises another fantastic year for the sport across all levels.

‘But this success and winning the trophy itself for me simply recognises the efforts of our army of volunteers on the ground that make the sport happen every day, all year

round – the ‘Governing Body of the Year’ title is for them.

‘Athletes, coaches, clubs, officials and volunteers should share in the feel-good factor about this, as well as our staff (both full-time and part-time). There many good things happening in the sport in Scotland just now but we also recognise there are challenges, too, and we know that it takes hard work at all levels to generate the kind of development and success everyone is hoping for.

‘I offer my own thank you to all our membership for making a contribution.’

United approach works best for our sport - Ron Morrison ‘In recent years we have seen a huge rise in participation in our National Championships especially in Women’s endurance events and in cross country.’

N

ew President Ron Morrison believes the combination of dedicated volunteers and the professional staff at the governing body can maintain the positive vibe in athletics in Scotland.

The Fife AC stalwart, who has vast experience in the sport as an athlete, coach, Official and administrator, has returned to the President’s role some 20 years after a short previous stint after Leslie Roy stood down after serving two four-year terms with great commitment, enthusiasm and passion.

Our annual general meeting at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow approved the changes following recommendations from clubs.

Chair Ian Beattie has long since championed unity of purpose via what we summarise on social media in the hashtag #SALtogether approach – with various elements and disciplines within the sport all pulling in the same direction.

‘In my first term of office, which was for two years back between 1997 and 1999, it is fair to say that the sport was not only in decline but in turmoil about what to do about it,’ said Ron. ‘The solution was to restructure the management of the sport with the motto of ‘Volunteer led and Professionally managed’.

‘A Vision Document was written and approved by the clubs and that was duly followed by a Business Plan that was funded to the tune of £1.5m by the Sports Council.

‘It probably took 10 to 15 years to see the benefits of the Vision Document, but for me they are clearly with us now.

‘In our sport there are only two important measures in judging success – participation levels and elite performance.

Leslie for her part will continue to contribute her passion and enthusiasm in a new role as Convenor of the Track and Field Commission.

Terry O’Hare, father of triple European medallist Chris, will also now join the Board as a nonexecutive director.

The AGM also approved a rise of membership fees of £1 in some categories (from April 2020) and adopted changes to our Articles of Association affecting board members and office-bearers as well as disciplinary measures.

Ian Beattie chaired the meeting for the penultimate time – with Ian standing down after the 2020 Olympics – and there was a real feelgood factor in the room with the Annual Report covering the year from April 2018 to March 2019.

It was a vintage period which took in the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, the European Champs and European Para Champs and Glasgow 2019 when Laura Muir won double gold and three further Scots – Chris O’Hare, Zoey Clark and Eilidh Dpyle – won medals.

number of years to the point where they were not fit for purpose, which had become clear through the experience of recent cases As such, the disciplinary procedures have been updated, and whilst Section 9 will continue to refer to the disciplinary action, the disciplinary procedures will sit separately on the website to ensure greater transparency, visibility and clarity for members.

It should also be noted that any future changes to the Disciplinary Policy for Partakers must be considered at the AGM as a change to the Articles.

Membership fees were agreed for 2020-21 as follows: Senior Club Member £22; U21 Club Member £12; U13 Club Member £9; Family Membership £53; Friend and Supporter Member £22; Senior Member unattached £47; Over 65 Member £14 Other fees were agreed to continue unchanged: Coach Member £25 (for three years); Official Member Free Club affiliation fees and method of collection continues un-changed at £7 for first-claim athletes and £3 for second claim. Noncompeting member – no charge.

As Leslie was elected Convenor of the Track and Field Commission, with Moira Maguire standing down, there were re-elections for Hugh Buchanan (Hills), Margaret Brown (Officials) and John Rodger (Road Running and Cross Country) in our other volunteerled Commissions.

In a change to the Articles of Association, the meeting agreed to a Board proposal that any retiring Board member shall be eligible for re-appointment after the end of their first tenure (four years) but shall not be eligible for re-election thereafter, unless in exceptional circumstances.

Those exceptional circumstances were outlined as to assist in ‘succession-planning’ whereby a Chair, President or Board Member may stay on for one further year only (beyond the maximum eight years).

It was also agreed that there will be a change to Section 9 of the Articles of Association with specific reference to the disciplinary procedures. The disciplinary procedures have not been updated for a

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FPSG Awards

Athlete of the Year

Feet on the ground And how our humble heroes stared adversity in the face – and made it look away

M

aria Lyle’s Twitter handle bears the following short description to let followers know who she is (besides being a top Para athlete).

respectively, as it happens, who were crowned together as our FPSG Athletes of the Year at a glittering ceremony in Glasgow.

‘Your average Scottish lassie with dodgy legs’

Marathon man Callum saw off the challenge of holder Laura Muir and four other strong The biography for Callum Hawkins is more contenders to win the FPSG Athlete of the straight-forward but is similarly unassuming. Year award.

At time of going to press, it fails to mention breaking the Scottish Men’s Marathon Mountain runners Jacob Adkin and Andy Record or finishing fourth in the World Douglas won the European Champs and Champs – on two occasions. the WMRA World Cup, Eilish McColgan and Jake Wightman set Scottish Records while So there is no dispute that, in Hawkins and Muir of course won a European Indoors Lyle, athletics in Scotland enjoys global golden double at Glasgow 2019 prior to stars who remain firmly grounded. Local fifth place in Doha. heroes in the West and East of Scotland Dunbar teenager Maria, who won a sprint double at the Para World Championships in Dubai, was our choice as FPSG Para Athlete of the Year.

Joining Maria on that list were Gavin Drysdale, Kayleigh Haggo, Jo Butterfield, Sammi Kinghorn and Derek Rae – all of them global medallists in 2019.

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Guest of Honour Paula Radcliffe helped make the presentations and was effusive on the achievements of both, with another significant parallel being the way both recovered from difficult times in

2018 to bounce back so emphatically.

Lyle has battled adversity in the past couple of years with anxiety and depression issues leading to her seeking professional help. Hawkins for his part has made a remarkable recovery from the Gold Coast 2018 marathon when he collapsed less than two miles from the finishing line in Australia.

Radcliffe highlighted Callum’s mental strength and commended Maria, still a teenager at 19 and who has been competing

FPSG Awards

Athlete of the Year FPSG Athlete of the Year Callum Hawkins (Kilbarchan AAC)

FPSG Para Athlete of the Year Maria Lyle (Team East Lothian) U20 Athlete of the Year Praise Olatoke (Kilbarchan AAC) U17 Athlete of the Year Isla Calvert (Livingston AC)

at international level since her early teens, for having the strength to cope.

‘I’m thrilled to win the FPSG Athlete of the Year award given the competition this year,’ said Callum.

‘There have been Scottish Records broken on the track and the two hill guys, Jacob Adkin and Andy Douglas, have performed superbly, too.

‘To be honest I think any one of the six athletes short-listed could have won it and nobody could have argued. I think you could make a strong case for any one of the six.’

With Steph Twell breaking the Women’s Marathon Record after Callum’s Doha run, and a PB for his brother Derek in Frankfurt, these are exciting times for Scots in the marathon. Adding a bit of depth is a target for the scottishathletics Marathon Project, which supports 15 athletes (beneath our elite like Callum and Steph).

‘It is quite exciting to see some progress in the marathon rankings for 2019 by Scottish athletes and hopefully we can add to that over the next couple of years,’ said Callum.

have seen competing in cross country or on the road in Scotland, and they start to raise their own standards.

‘We would love to see two full teams (three athletes each) on the Men’s and Women’s side for Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 and I am pretty certain we will get that. And it should be six very strong marathon runners at Commonwealth level.’

Maria has been a prominent competitor in Para events since her very early teens and indeed first won this title back in 2015.

‘I’m delighted to win the Para Athlete of the Year title again,’ she said.

‘There was so much success in Dubai and it was really special to be part of that and win my first global titles.

‘I had thought earlier in the year that just being in Dubai would be the main target but once you get there then you want to be really competitive.

‘I’ve had a few struggles mentally and needed medication and professional help.

But the biggest thing was the support of my family and my coach, Jamie Bowie. I am really enjoying athletics again and that is so important.’

‘Steph Twell broke the Women’s Record which had stood for a long time and I managed that, too. If you have people at the very top end performing then I think there In short, this was a year when two grounded are others who get inspiration – especially heroes stared adversity in the face – and if it is someone they know, someone they made it look away.

Masters Athlete of the Year Alastair Walker (Teviotdale Harriers) FPSG Performance Coach of the Year Robert Hawkins Development Coach of the Year Linda Nicholson Club Coach of the Year David Arnott Technical Official of the Year Val Murdoch Raymond Hutcheson Trophy for Services to Officiating Dave Finlayson Impact Club of the Year Harmeny AC Track and Field Club of the Year Giffnock North AC Off-Track Club of the Year Central AC Volunteer of the Year Mark Stringer Eddie Campbell Memorial Medal Anna Hedley (Fife AC) Tom Stillie Sword Sandra Hardacre Dallas Trust Trophy Jake Wightman

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FPSG Awards

Paula Radcliffe

‘Nobody who went out for a run ever came back feeling worse mentally’ Says PAULA RADCLIFFE

By Peter Jardine

R

apt and attentive, like everyone else in the room at the sold-out FPSG Awards Dinner, Bryan Burnett sat on the edge of his seat on the stage and listened intently – as Paula Radcliffe held court.

It was a dark and wet late November night

in Glasgow, the weather miserable even for cross country.

But, inside the grand banqueting suite of the Hilton Hotel, the glittering celebrations lit up the evening and Paula’s passion burned bright.

‘Nobody who went out a for a run ever came back feeling worse mentally,’ she insisted.

‘We talk so much about the physical benefits of running and keeping fit but the mental positives are massive, too.

‘I think if everyone in the world went out for a run it would be a better place!’

Quick as a flash, with the news agenda dominated by pre-General Election party political hustings, Bryan quipped: ‘I think that’s the best manifesto we’ve heard all week.’

Quite. Laughter rippled around the room but the general hush throughout the Q and A reflected huge respect for Radcliffe and her recollections of a great career.

The mental benefits of running was a serious message.

In her long since published autobiography ‘Paula: My Story So Far’ she had recalled how after the pain of being a DNF in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens had at one stage left her reluctant to leave the house after returning to Loughborough.

Eventually, however, it was running which put Paula back together again.

‘One day I just got up and told Gary (her husband) ‘Now I finally feel like going for a run’.

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‘He suggest I only did half an hour. So I put my kit on and didn’t even take a watch. I went out and headed for the woods on the edge of Loughborough,

FPSG Awards

Paula Radcliffe

where I had trained so often in the past.

‘Out in the woods, I felt my mind relax.

Thoughts came and went and I found perspective. Thirty minutes became an hour and when I went back to the house, I was far happier than when I had left it.’

Those recollections were clearly in Radcliffe’s mind and with our jogscotland friends and their partners SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) in the room, it was a sermon which carried weight.

Just as sincere, it seemed, was her admiration for the current status of athletics in Scotland.

‘The short-lists were very strong and the standards across the board, across disciplines, looks to be very high at the moment,’ said Paula.

‘And that’s even in a year when someone like Eilidh Doyle has been sitting out for a few months when pregnant and coming back next year.

‘The depth and the strength is obvious and choosing the winners must have been very difficult.

‘There were people who didn’t even make the short-list like Chris O’Hare, who won a European medal indoors, Beth Dobbin, who set a Scottish Record, Josh Kerr who was sixth in a world final and then the likes of Neil Gourley and Andy Butchart as well and Zoey Clark in two relays events in Doha.

Jemma Reekie had great succees at the European U23s and Steph Twell rounded off the year by breaking the Women’s Marathon Record.

‘To have all three GB representatives in the men’s 1500m in Doha as Scots – and then to make the final – that was a memorable first.’

So what about the two main winners on the night?

‘We have always known Callum is someone quite special and an athlete capable of great things,’ said the erstwhile World Record holder in the Women’s marathon.

‘He is so tough and so committed and dedicated to his sport.

‘The key thing is he was on a strong upward trajectory in terms of his career and then he hit that big ‘bump in the road’ if you like at Gold Coast 2018.

‘It was so scary to watch that in Australia and must have been even more scary for him.

‘But to mentally recover from that, never mind physically recover, and put those scars behind him speaks volumes about Callum.

‘To compete like that in Doha, in hot conditions, was so impressive and to do it so well and so wisely was excellent. I think people under-estimate how big a run that was from Callum.’

Maria, too, has overcome adversity.

‘I am so impressed at how Maria has come back this year with double gold in Dubai,’ said Paula.

‘She was winning titles and setting Records at 13 or 14 and it feels as if she has been around the Para scene in Britain for so long.

To deal with that pressure and to conquer her own demons with some mental health issues, well, you can’t help but admire her for that. You forget she is only 19!’

While the spotlight fell on our star athletes, the FPSG Awards are about so many other folk who have contributed over the past 12 months or so.

‘The volunteers and the coaches, and all of that infrastructure around the clubs, is what makes athletics happen,’ added Paula.

‘These people make the sport. Without them there would not be a sport.

‘I would say they are the cement that holds it all together. Too often they are unsung and not applauded so I feel to take the time at an occasion like the FPSG Awards and just really celebrate their impact was very important.

‘I think we were all saying ‘Thank You’ and emphasising that these volunteers are appreciated.’

Awards Photos by Bobby Gavin

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FPSG Awards

Officials

Thanks, Officials !

Awards recognise hard work by Val, Dave and Mark

C

elebrating and acknowledging the huge contribution of our dedicated Officials is a fundamental principle at scottishathletics.

Murdoch has been at the heart of the admin team at every single scottishathletics Track and Field Championship in 2019 (both indoors and outdoors), ensuring start lists and field cards are available in advance of each event on the day and distributed to officials who need them to carry out their duties.

‘Val has also introduced new officials to ‘the art of seeding’ (her words!) through providing training to those working We try to do so after many championship events across social media and should never alongside her. tire of saying ‘Thank You’.

‘She has shown significant dedication to her role through her attendance at 16 days of So it’s great that the FPSG Awards Dinner Championships, and these meetings would features not one but two accolades for our not have run nearly as smoothly without her Officials as both the Raymond Hutcheson efficiency, organisation and seeding knowTrophy for Services to Officiating and the Official of the Year award were presented in how.’

Glasgow.

Lasswade AC’s Dave Finlayson won the Raymond Hutcheson Trophy for Services to The Official of the Year was won by Val Officiating, with Stuart Tait collecting the Murdoch of Law and District while Dave Finlayson of Lasswade AC was awarded the trophy on Dave’s behalf at the Dinner.

Raymond Hutcheson Trophy.

Dave has a key role in our Photo-Finish team in track and field events and was Here are the three nominations and Val’s citation: Official of the Year Presented to a scottishathletics Official who has shown excellent commitment and dedication in contributing to the success of their own discipline as well as the wider sport during the past year, demonstrating personal growth and support for their officiating colleagues.

John McOmish – Lasswade AC *Val Murdoch – Law & District AC Nick Stone – Nairn Area AAC Here’s what was said in the nomination for Val Murdoch: ‘In addition to being a graded Starter’s Assistant at local and league meetings, Val

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described as the ‘go-to’ man on all technology issues.

Many congratulations to both Val and Dave on their awards - and a huge thank you from us to all our Officials for your efforts in 2019. *There was also success for scottishathletics Officials at the sportscotland Coaching Officiating and Volunteering Awards (COV) when Mark Stringer was named Technical Official of the Year.

Here’s the post from sportscotland: ‘Mark is among the highest-ranking athletics officials in Scotland and has carried out officiating duties at national, regional and club level.

‘He officiates across Scotland nearly every week and has shown great commitment to his role in his willingness to help prepare events – often attending nights or even weeks before to help set up venues.’

Mark, who was named scottishathletics Volunteer of the Year at our Awards, said: ‘I think it is important to do the grassroots events as well as international events.

Although they are totally different, there’s the enjoyment factor of seeing younger kids compete and see them go up the levels.

“Over the years I’ve seen young athletes at U13, U15 level going on to be recognised for Scotland and GB. ‘For me it is also about a mentoring role as well, making sure I can pass on any knowledge I’ve gained over the years.

‘Everyone can take things in different strides and everyone has a part to play. If young people can pick things up early there’s no saying where they might be able to take it.’

Well done Mark!

FPSG Awards

Hall of Fame

Para quartet enter our Hall of Fame the Netherlands in 1980 where she won her deafness, epilepsy and absence of speech. scottishathletics last year set in motion fifth Paralympic medal – a silver in the 60m work on a project geared to recognise and During the 1980s, Colin Keay was the celebrate the success of Scotland’s very best wheelchair. Later she became an Official. outstanding T36 sprinter in the world and athletes. an excellent cross country runner. He won Caroline Baird (nee Innes) 3 gold medals (60m, 400m 1K XC) at the The ‘Hall of Fame’ is a perpetual list of Paralympic Games in New York (1984) senior Scottish athletes of outstanding MBE and followed that up 4 years later with 2 achievement and it is intended to review T36 Sprinter golds and a silver (200m, 400m and 100m and discuss potential additions each year. respectively) at Seoul in 1988. Colin also Caroline Innes was born in 1974 in Stirling Initially, some years ago, a seven-strong medalled at World and European level. although lived most of her early life in list was created which features Jim Alder, Cupar, Fife. She began her sporting career Wyndham Halswelle, Eric Liddell, Liz Stephen Payton as a swimmer but was encouraged to try McColgan, Tom McKean, Yvonne Murray athletics and very quickly it was evident this T38 Sprinter and Allan Wells as the first inductees. was where she would excel.

At the FPSG Awards Dinner last year, a From 1994 until he retired, Stephen Payton further 15 names were inducted (with some For over a decade Caroline was recognised was consistently Scotland’s most successful as the world’s leading sprinter in the T36 of those posthumous awards) and we were Para athlete. delighted to welcome some of those athletes Class.

Stephen burst on to the scene as a or family/ Caroline won five Paralympic medals – gold T38 sprinter at the IPC Athletics World Now a further four names have been added in Barcelona (1992) 100m as a C5–6 Championships in Berlin in 1994 where together with a relay bronze, gold in Atlanta he won three gold medals (100m, 200m, this year with a focus on the very best (1996) 100m as a T34-7 and gold in Scottish Para athletes down the decades 400m) and set a world record.

Sydney (200) 100m and 200m with a leading to inductions for Barbara Howie, At the Paralympic Games in Atlanta in silver in the 100m as a T36.

Caroline Baird, Colin Keay and Stephen 1996 he repeated the gold medal results Payton. of Berlin as a T37 and added a bronze in Congratulations to these four athletes and the T34–37 4 x 100metres relay. This was She also won golds in the 100m and 200m the period in which Stephen excelled and their families and coaches down the years at the IPC World Championships in Berlin in at the World Championships in Birmingham on being inducted to the scottishathletics 1994 and golds at the 200m and 400m in in 1998 he had his finest hour with world Hall of Fame.

Birmingham in 1998. records in the 100m, 200m, and 400m and another in 4 x 400 metres relay.

Barbara Howie – wheelchair

Paralympian Barbara Howie made a major impact in her first Paralympic Games in Heidelberg, West Germany in 1972 where she set a world record and won three gold medals – 60m wheelchair, 4x40 Open and slalom 3.

She is Scotland’s most successful wheelchair track athletics Paralympian.

In the Games of 1976 in Toronto she followed up her impressive debut with another gold in the 60m wheelchair with a world record to add to her collection.

Barbara’s final Paralympic Games were in

Colin Keay T36 Sprinter

Colin Keay was born in 1967 in Kirkcaldy and now lives in Perth.

Colin was educated at Queen Anne HS in Dunfermline and introduced to Disability Sport Fife by school support staff.

Colin first made his mark as a swimmer, like so many other young disabled sports people, but it was clear early on that his international future lay in track athletics.

Colin’s impairment is cerebral palsy but he has secondary sensory challenges of

Undefeated in the sprints in the T38 class and the world record holder in all three is how Stephen headed towards Sydney in 2000 where he won silver in the 400m, bronze in the 100m and 200m with a further silver in the 4x100m relay.

At the IPC world championships in 2002 in Lille Stephen won two silver medals. In Athens in 2004 he was once again in the medals with a bronze in the 400m. Stephen also returned to Assen in 2006 for his final IPC world championships where he won bronze in the 400m.

scottishathletics

13

Lindsays National XC Relays

Cumbernauld ‘These boys are working really hard. They are pushing each other on – I think that’s the secret.’

Fife AC are blessed with some fine young talent at the moment – boys and girls – and that was obvious in the Young Females race.

Flight path N

ot so much the ‘Yellow Train’ as the ‘Yellow Plane’.

Central AC flew in Cameron Milne from Holland and Conan McCaughey from Ireland to bolster their team for the Lindsays National XC Relays – and it proved significant in a winning defence at Cumbernauld.

Seven times now in eight years the Senior Men’s podium has been dominated by Central’s yellow with Kilbarchan AAC taking silvers for the second year in a row even with Callum Hawkins in their ranks in his first run since Doha.

Inverclyde AC took the bronzes with GB international Jonny Glen, in his first appearance at Cumbernauld for four years, coming up with a stunning fastest lap of the day.

McCaughey and Milne had Central in second at halfway and Alastair Hay and Jamie Crowe had more than enough to see off the challenges at their back – which included Hawkins trying to reel in Hay. ‘We’re delighted to win it once again and it was worth the trip,’ said Milne, who works in the Netherlands as an actuary.

‘There’s a big challenge at Central to make the first team and that’s one of our main strengths.

‘I’m still running a fair bit in Holland but I have to say it is completely flat!

There really is nothing that resembles the hills of Cumbernauld and the closest I have to a ‘hill’ is a bridge near where I live!’

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The Hawkins v Hay third leg was a real highlight with hundreds around the course cheering on both athletes.

‘I was on the third leg and of course you are very aware when an athlete as good as Callum is chasing you,’ said Alastair.

‘He gave such a good performance in Doha in the marathon but I just had to try and concentrate on my own run and keep pushing on as hard as I could to give Jamie a lead for the anchor leg.’

Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds are threatening to deliver similar dominance in the Senior Women’s race as the students made it four-in-a-row from Edinburgh AC and bronze medallists Giffnock North AC. The students were seventh after Rebecca Johnson’s opening leg – with Fife AC’s Jenny Selman and Eloise Walker of Glasgow Uni clear – but Constance Nankivell brought them into a lead they never ‘I helped Edinburgh Uni win here last year in my first year in Scotland and it’s great to repeat that success,’ said Holly.

‘It’s different names again but we’ve put in a strong team effort. I am planning to race the Lindsays National XC at Falkirk this February.’

Edinburgh AC took third and Erin Wallace on the last leg helped Giffnock North to a coveted podium place.

Long before those medals were awarded, Giffnock had enjoyed a good day. The Glasgow outfit won the Young Males race with the efforts of Greg Shennan, Reuben McDonald and Harris Paterson proving decisive. Fife AC took silvers and Central AC the bronzes.

‘We’d four teams in the top seven so it has been a fantastic day for the full squad,’ said Giffnock coach Croy Thomson, after threein-a-row in the Young Males race.

Last year, the golds were won for the first time and this year the trio of Katie Sandilands, Isla Thoms and Anna Hedley delivered a successful defence to top the podium once again. There were silvers for Giffnock North AC and bronze medals for Edinburgh AC. In the Men’s Masters race, there were gold medals for the Corstorphine AAC team of Malcolm Lang, Moray Anderson, Tom Ferrington and Ross Milne. Cambuslang took the silvers and the bronzes went to Edinburgh AC. Perth Road Runners are M50 champions after the efforts of David Knight, Stuart Robertson and Duncan Ryan. Cambuslang took the silvers and Cumbernauld AAC were third.

In the Women’s Masters race, there were golds for the Bellahouston Road Runners team of Anne Robin, Louise Ross and Jane McNeilly. Kilbarchan AAC took silvers, with Fife AC bronze.

Edinburgh AC are W50 champions thanks to the efforts of Sue Ridley, Sharyn Ramage and Jill Morrow. Central AC took the silvers and Fife AC were third.

Senior Results Women 1 Edinburgh Un Hare and Hounds 58:40 (Rebecca Johnson, Constance Nankivell, Eilidh Jaffray, Holly Page) 2 Edinburgh AC 59:59 (Lauren Wilson, Lauren Stoddart, Hannah Cameron, Rebecca Frake) 3 Giffnock North AC 1:00.07 (Rhona Mowat, Yvonne McNairn, Katy Brown, Erin Wallace) Fastest Legs: Megan Keith 13:42; Jenny Selman 13:59; Eloise Walker 14:11; Zoe Pflug 14:13 Men 1 Central AC 49:09 (Cameron Milne, Conan McCaughey, Alastair Hay, Jamie Crowe) 2 Kilbarchan AAC 50:00 (Cameron Wright, Andrew Macangus, Callum Hawkins, Connor Maclean) 3 Inverclyde AC 50:16 (Adam Hay, Jonny Glen, Ross Gray, Andy Douglas) Fastest Legs: Jonny Glen 11:49; Jamie Crowe 11:59; Sol Sweeney 12:08; Cameron Milne 12:12

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Lindsays Short Course XC

Kirkcaldy

a big PB. I think my coach (Steve Doig) was quite stunned when I told him 33:30 because he’s felt for some time I should have breaking 34:30!’

Selman has had a good 2019 with a strong run in the 1500m at the British Champs in Birmingham and then second fastest lap at Cumbernauld.

‘It’s a bit of a shock for me to get a championship medal in XC to say the least,’ she grinned.

‘When I was a kid, I wasn’t even close to that at any time. I’m enjoying my running.

Birmingham was unexpected and so was Cumbernauld.

B

ack to his grassroots. Or, rather, soft mud and bitter cold in Fife.

Andy Butchart made good on a promise delivered at the end of the track season when he confirmed he planned to once again don the Central AC vest and dip his spikes in the Scottish cross country season.

Victory in an East League meeting in Stirling in October eased Butchart back after the agony of missing out on the 5000m final at the IAAF World Champs by a single place in Doha.

Come Kirkcaldy and the Lindsays Short Course XC Champs presented a tougher challenge with the likes of GB international Kris Jones in the line-up.

But Butchart emerged at the front of the queue for gold to win by a single second from Sol Sweeney with Carl Avery landing the bronze.

Butchart’s success, in 11.54 for the 4k course, helped Central AC to team success once again in this race and Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds took the golds in the Women’s team race.

The consolation there for host club Fife AC, who took team silvers, was a fine 1-2 via the performances of Annabel Simpson and Jenny Selman as U20 champion Megan Keith took third.

It was an excellent day of cross country action in very muddy conditions which saw competitive races at U17 and U15 level as well as Senior battles.

‘I thoroughly enjoyed it and it’s always good to claim a Scottish championship title,’ said Butchart.

‘If that’s five individual golds in cross country then I’m very pleased with that given I’m much more of a track runner now.

But my roots were in cross country and I

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still love it.

‘The mud today made it a bit harder for me than it might have been – I think when the surface is as soft as that it maybe suits others better than me.

‘It was a good race. At one stage I heard the crowd cheering people and realised those behind me were not too far away. I felt the first lap would be quicker and that’s what happened and I put in a bit of a surge to try and get a bit of a gap.’

With Jamie Crowe in fourth and Hamish Hickey (16) and Ben Macmillan (31), Central thus took the Senior men’s gold for the fourth time in five years. Dundee Hawkhill were second and Edinburgh AC were third.

Simpson always looked likely to claim gold in the Women’s race and Keith, giving chase towards the final finish, slipped to allow Selman to come through for silver.

‘It is good to win a national cross country title,’ said Annabel, who won by seven seconds in 13.57.

‘I really wanted to do well for the club today because a couple of weeks ago I missed Cumbernauld and went to Leeds for the Abbey Dash 10k. I knew Jenny was running well so we’re delighted with a 1-2 and silver medals for the team.

‘Leeds went well on the road and I managed

‘Today it was even muddier, which I don’t think helps me, and in fairness to Megan she was a wee bit ahead before slipping and falling with maybe 300m to go.’

Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds won the team golds for the third successive year in this event with Fife AC in second and Edinburgh AC in third.

Keith took the U20 gold from Cera Gemmell of Team East Lothian and Holly Page of Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds.

Freddie Carcas of Edinburgh AC took the Men’s U20 gold from Hamish Hickey of Central AC and Kristoff Horynik of Dundee Hawkhill.

There were Masters golds in the men’s race as follows: M40 Grant Baillie (East Kilbride AC) ; M50 David Gardiner (Motherwell AC); M60 Alastair Walker (Teviotdale Harriers); M70 Frank McMahon (Greenock Glenpark Harriers).

There were Masters golds in the women’s race as follows: W40 Avril Mason (Shettleston Harriers); W50 Ana Richardson (West End RR); W60 Ann White (Garscube Harriers); W70 Margaret Robertson (Dundee RR).

Age group race summaries U15 Girls 1 Anna Cairns (Inverness Harriers); 2 Katie Johnson (Edinburgh AC); 3 Jessie Gilchrist (Law and District AAC) Teams 1 Fife AC; 2 Edinburgh AC; 3 Aberdeen AAC U15 Boys 1 Tendai Nyabadza (Harmeny); Reuben MacDonald (Giffnock North) 3 Connor Bell (Central AC) Teams 1 Giffnock North; 2 VP-Glasgow; 3 Harmeny AC U17 Women 1 Anna Hedley (Fife AC); 2 Julia Cash (Giffnock North); 3 Hannah Anderson (East Kilbride AC) Teams 1 Giffnock North; 2 Corstorphine AAC; 3 Fife AC U17 Men 1 Jack Patton (Kilbarchan AAC); 2 Harry McGill (Greenock Glenpark); Harris Paterson (Giffnock North) Teams 1 Inverness Harriers; 2 Inverclyde AC; 3 Garscube Harriers

RUN STIRLING CAN YOU CONQUER THE CASTLE? 7.4KM | 190M ELEVATION 11 JANUARY 2020 GREATRUN.ORG

Road Running

Hill Running

Eilish smashes mum’s 10-mile Scottish record! champion Liz, in 1997.

That time also moves McColgan to second on the British all-time list, behind only Paula Radcliffe who ran 51:11 in Portsmouth in 2008, and secured her victory by three and a half minutes.

Photo by Mark Shearman

E

ilish McColgan smashed her mum’s 10Mile Scottish record with a superb win at the Simplyhealth Great South Run in Portsmouth in October.

Eilish clocked 51:38 for a Scottish best on the road for this distance as she crowned an excellent 2019 before taking a well-earned holiday.

In bright and breezy conditions, she led the women’s race from start to finish and crossed the finish line on Clarence Esplanade in a time of 51:38, improving on the Scottish record of 52:00 set by her mum and coach, 1991 world 10,000m

Capping a successful year, the 28-year-old’s performance comes just two weeks after she improved her own Scottish 5000m record with a time of 14:46.17 to place 10th at the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

‘I feel like I can’t stop smiling!,’ said Eilish, who emulated the achievement of her mum in Portsmouth by claiming a second win, with Liz having won in 1995 and 1997.

‘My mum said I was in shape to run 51:30, so I wasn’t too far off of her expectation for the day. I’m over the moon with that. I run better off of a strong pace, I probably went a little bit too hard!

‘But it was just the excitement of knowing it’s my last race of the season and I suppose I was a little bit disappointed from my race

in Doha, I wanted to come out here today and do myself justice and run a fast time from the start.

‘I couldn’t ask for a better day to be honest.’

Behind her, the battle for second place was won by Verity Ockenden, who clocked 55:15 ahead of Jenny Nesbitt, who placed third in 55:18.

*********************************************************************************************************************

Andy on top of the world

A

ndy Douglas savoured World Cup success in the mountains of Slovenia after a wonderful season.

A fourth place finish at the Smarna Gora race which concluded the World Mountain Running Association seven-event series for 2019 was enough to confirm his position at the top of the overall league table.

Irish athlete Sarah McCormack - once of Moorfoot Runners in the Scottish Borders - took the women’s World Cup with both rewarded with superb crystal trophies by the WMRA. Scotland and GB international Douglas, who also competed in the World Champs in Argentina in November, raced all seven events and came up with wins in France, America and Wales en route to his overall victory.

Here’s what the WMRA said about the World Cup winners: ‘It’s a great achievement for Douglas and McCormick, who have shown great

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consistency and mental strength throughout all the season.

‘The seeds of which were planted many months ago, when the long and exciting adventure of the 2019 World Cup began in the French Alps of Annecy.

‘Following this they raced in the USA, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Italy and here in Slovenia. It has led the World Cup athletes to compete on a huge variety of terrain and distances and reveals to us now just who are the best all round Mountain Runners.’

Many congratulations to Andy, his family and coach Sophie Dunnett on a fine achievement over the season. *Andy finished seventh at the World Champs in Argentina with Jacob Adkin eighth – as GB men finished fifth. Charlotte Morgan was seventh in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Champs.

Doha 2019 IAAF World Champs

#SALdohadozen

Top Scots are world class

Photo montage by Bobby Gavin

By Arnold Black - scottishathletics historian

W

hat an IAAF World Championships it was!

Doha delivered a championship that proved what an achievement it is to win a medal; a championship that showed that in track races it doesn’t need a pacemaker to run world class times.

There were no medals for Scottish athletes, but two Scottish records, fourth in the marathon, two fourths as part of the relay teams, two fifths in the 1500, and one sixth place were all superb achievements.

Who could fail to have been transfixed in front of the TV screen 2atching that magnificent run in the marathon by Callum Hawkins, slowly but surely winding in the leaders only to miss out on a medal in the very final stages – running 2:10:57 for fourh in the Qatari conditions saw him place over a minute ahead of the next European.

Laura Muir’s season has not gone to plan but she came through three rounds of the 1500 in magnificent style. To clock 3:55.76 in a championship final is outstanding.

For that time only to achieve fifth place is astonishing.

in the lead at 1500 metres (4:27.07) but is not yet at the speed required to fight for the medals - the top four were sub 14:30 - but she fought hard and was rewarded with a new Scottish record of 14:46.17 in 10th place.

The men’s 1500 was history-making for Scotland, with three Scots in the final.

Zoey Clark finished in the most exasperating position of all - fourth place - twice.

The race won in under 3:30, the fight for the medals was intense. Jake Wightman’s gutsy effort saw him finish fifth in a new Scottish record of 3:31.87, the first Scot to better 3:32, with Josh Kerr moving to third all-time in 3:32.52.

First, in the new mixed 4x400 metres relay, then leading off in the women’s 4x400, where for a few moments it looked as if the bronze medal was in the offing, until a Jamaican disqualification was overturned.

Two Scots, both with PBs, both in the top six in the World! For Neil Gourley, overshadowed by the fight at the front, 11th place is quite an achievement - his success being the comfortable manner in which he qualified for the final.

In the women’s 5000, Eilish McColgan was

For others, it was not to be. The qualification process was too tough for Lynsey Sharp, Andy Butchart, Beth Dobbin and Jemma Reekie. Steph Twell achieved 15th slot in a field of 22 in the women’s 10,000m.

scottishathletics

19

Doha 2019 IAAF World Champs

Laura Muir / Eilish McColgan

‘3:55 doesn’t get a medal - you are kidding me?’

Steve Cram aghast but Laura content with huge Doha effort and Scottish Record at 5000m consoles Eilish

T

hree weeks prior to the final weekend of the IAAF World Champs, Laura Muir gave one of her most revealing interviews to respected Scottish sportswriter, Hugh McDonald.

The back story of Laura the young athlete who wasn’t really a contender for Scottish medals in her mid to late teens before emerging as a European and world force under the tutelage of coach Andy Young, while simultaneously studying for a Vet degree at Glasgow University, is now wellknown. Even beyond these shores.

But what is it that fires this polite and unassuming 26-year-old off the track to push the boundaries of her speed and her endurance?

Laura told Hugh about a competitive instinct which runs deep.

‘It’s not about beating other people. It is about myself. That is where the competition lies for me.

‘When I do Sudoku, I challenge myself to see if I can finish it quicker than the time before.’

We don’t know Laura’s Sudoku PB but we do know she can – and assuredly will draw on deep reserves of resolve in her bid for a global outdoor medal.

It’s almost all that eludes her in terms of athletics achievement and Doha witnessed another quite remarkable effort.

Fifth place in one of the most incredible track finals of the modern era was a huge achievement in many respects given the calf injury problem which caused Laura not to race for three months prior to the opening 1500m heats in Doha. Not to forget a couple of other issues which included a nasty stomach upset a week or so before the championships started.

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‘It’s a race which totally obliterates all other Women’s 1500m at the World Championships of the past,’ gasped Steve Cram in the immediate aftermath.

‘The top seven athletes all have Championship Record, National Record or Area Record against their name with the exception of Laura –

Doha 2019 IAAF World Champs

Laura Muir / Eilish McColgan

and she has run her second fastest time ever despite that calf injury.

‘3:55 doesn’t get a medal – you are kidding me!’

Sadly not, Steve.

Hassan, of course, had found herself in the eye of a storm due to her links with disgraced coach Alberto Salazar. But forcing the pace and blowing the field apart seemed the only issue on her mind after the gun went off.

The Dutch athlete scorched away from the chasing pack to clock a time of 3:51.95 which shredded almost seven seconds off the championships record of 3:58.52 set by Russia’s Tatyana Tomashova in 2003.

As it happens, no fewer than eight women in total ran faster than that mark. Defending champion Faith Kipyegon set a Kenyan record with 3:54.22 for second place, with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay clocking a personal best 3:54.38 in third.

Shelby Houlihan’s North American record of 3:54.99 was only good enough for fourth, while Laura clocked 3:55.76 – just outside her British record of 3:55.2.

The Scot’s training partner Gabriela DebuesStafford, also coached by Andy Young, set a Canadian record in sixth with 3:56.12.

‘Fifth with 3:55’, said Laura. ‘I couldn’t do any more than that!

‘A couple of months ago I didn’t know if I was going to be here. I didn’t know if I was going to get to the final. So to run 3:55 with three races in my legs, well I’m speechless that that’s not on the podium.

‘But I couldn’t have done anything more, I ran my heart out.’

down. They’ve given me so much support - getting me into the best shape of my life, but I fell short of our goals. Sport is tough.

‘On paper, it’s another 10th place and that’s hard to take. Running 14:55 and another 14:46 clocking within four days is another step forward for me and getting closer to the fastest women in the world.

Eilish McColgan was less satisfied when she looked back at the 5000m final which took ‘So it feels a little crazy to be disappointed place on the same night in Doha. when I’ve ran PBs across the board this season.

Qualifying for the final with a 14:55 run in the midweek, Eilish had hoped to challenge ‘But I guess that’s what makes us continue for a top six place but had to settle for to keep pushing - hoping that one day we 10th – with the considerable consolation of will get closer and closer to the top!’ a new Scottish Record with her PB run of McColgan and Muir share the same Dundee 14:46.17 .

Hawkhill background. Off track, their ‘I’m actually really, really happy. I know it’s Kenyan Hellen Obiri took gold with Eilish’s personalities seem very different. not a medal which is what I would have wanted but to run 3:55 . . . and to be fifth – GB team-mate, Laura Weightman in seventh But the competitive fire that burns within is well that’s unheard of! I am proud of myself with a good run of 14:44.57. exactly the same . . . to run that sort of time off the training that I ‘I’ve had some time to reflect on my race,’ have done. said Eilish later that week.

‘I never thought I was in that sort of shape.

So yes to do that off that training gives me confidence to know that, when 100%, well how fast can I go?

‘I got a little upset when I saw my mum (and coach, Liz) and Michael (Rimmer, her partner) afterwards, I felt I had let them

Photos by Mark Shearman

scottishathletics

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Doha 2019 IAAF World Champs

Men’s 1500m

I

t seemed quite fitting that three Scottish men should take to the track in Doha in three separate heats of the Men’s 1500m only a matter of minutes before the Governing Body of the Year accolade was presented at the Team Scottish Scottish Sports Awards on the night of Thursday 4 October.

The IAAF World Champs of course didn’t affect the judging panel’s decision to acknowledge scottishathletics as winners of the Governing Body trophy for the third time in four years.

But there is no dispute that good performances on the global stage help emphatically to ‘connect up’ our sport.

One by one that Thursday evening, Jake Wightman, Josh Kerr and Neil Gourley each made a safe passage to the semi-finals and excitement levels rose – from deep inside the air conditioned Khalifa Stadium in Doha to the glitzy awards night at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

It was probably Neil’s dad, Ronnie, who coined the expression ‘The Tartan Trio’ that evening and some 24 hours later the three Scots really were starting to make headline news as all progressed to the men’s final via two thrilling semi-finals.

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Jake savours Scottish Record with Josh and Neil in final, too Neil delivered one of his best-ever performances to patiently hold the inside line in the opening race and progressed in one of the automatic slots in third place.

Timothy Cheruiyot ensured the medals would be very hard-earned. National Records and PBs fell in his wake . . . with one of them belonging to Chris O’Hare.

Josh did likewise moments later with fourth place but Jake was left to sweat for a few seconds in seventh place before the realisation that his 3:36.85 time was good enough to fill the last slot in the final.

Jake had entered the race with a PB of 3:33.96. He finished it in fifth place with 3:31.87 against his name – and O’Hare’s Record now in his ownership. Jake’s dad, Geoff, was on stadium announcing duties and would have been failing in those duties had he not mentioned the new Scottish Record. He didn’t.

It ensured 25 percent of the Men’s final – from an initial field of 45– were Scottish.

It was a first for British Athletics not even achieved in the golden era of Seb Coe, Steve Josh, similarly, cut his PB from 3:33.60 to 3:32.52 as he came home in sixth place.

Cram and Steve Ovett.

Josh’s best at the start of 2019 stood at 3:35.01.

For 48 hours or so the sport in Scotland could rightly reflect on that significant It was to emerge later that these were the presence in the 1500m final and the best performances by British men in the pathway through event since Cram won the opening World our clubs – with Champs in 1983 and Ovett finished fourth the Tartan Trio in the same race. having grown up with Giffnock Neil, for his part, took 11th place – an North (Neil) and Edinburgh AC (Josh overall outcome which only left him resolving to work harder yet in truth he had and Jake) and passed through the defied his pre-tournament World Ranking at likes of the Scottish No 44.

Schools, Age Group ‘It’s something like I feel I should be Champs and cross celebrating and not disappointed but I country. think it was a lot closer than I thought it was going to be for the medals,’ said Jake In the final itself, afterwards.

Kenyan favourite

LONG-RANGE FORECAST: None other than Steve Cram tipped Scottish 1500 men to raise standards in PB edition in December 2018

Doha 2019 IAAF World Champs

Men’s 1500m

‘If you run a PB and Scottish Record then you can’t complain’ Jake Wightman ‘It would have taken literally a tiny little bit more than I had, but that was the best I could give today and I’m proud of finishing fifth in that kind of field.

doing and in the end I’ve been beaten by some very good athletes,’ said Josh.

‘I need to get better, there’s no other way around it. I need to get stronger otherwise

I am not going to be able to live with that ‘I am not disappointed, it is a little bit bittersweet. I feel like a medal was definitely kind of final in the future.

‘If you run a PB and get the Scottish Record up for grabs today and I kind of let that ‘Mentally I was ready but physically I wasn’t opportunity go. then you can’t complain because I’ve quite there. I am still developing on the delivered my best performance at the most aerobic side and I will continue to do that.

‘I feel like I gave it my all out there and important time, so I’ll happily take that and ran 3:36, 3:36, 3:32. If you asked me work into the winter into next season.

‘I am proud of what I achieved here, without if I wanted to do that at the start of the a doubt but getting to finals isn’t my aim in ‘I’m well proud of the other guys though – to championships and do you think that will this sport, I am here to get medals and if medal, I would say . . . yes. I prepared very you are going to do that you need to get a get three Scots into a world final – it’s an well for this competition and sixth was just achievement for all of us.’ lot stronger. It is pretty much as simple as what it was on the day.’ that.’

Josh was of a similar mind.

Neil, based in America like Josh and now ‘I feel like I ran a very even and sensible coached by Mark Rowland, was adamant scottishathletics race, something that I was planning on the experience has only fired his ambitions.

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Doha 2019 IAAF World Champs

Callum Hawkins

Doha drama for the best supported runner Scots back home relish Callum midnight medal bid

M

arathon man Callum Hawkins was too busy searching for sustenance in the early hours of a Sunday morning in Doha to be fully aware of the support he had generated back home and globally via social media.

road and cross country success has been staple in the past few years, the verdict was unerring: Callum’s performance was the best by a British athlete at the IAAF World Champs.

Katarina Johnson Thompson and Dina Asher-Smith might well dispute that assessment but the sentiment was wellintentioned and, of course, opinions will vary.

On our Facebook page, a news item posted long after midnight hit one thousand likes and countless comments and shares within the first eight hours of that Sunday morning.

And the support stretched all the way from Scotland to the streets of Doha itself, with Laura Muir and others in our #SALdohadozen and indeed the whole British team out in force to offer backing.

But his quite stunning performance was such that it captivated the Scottish athletics community almost like none other (in the modern era of social media).

‘I’m hugely grateful for the support of everyone back in Scotland and around Britain who stayed up so late to watch me on television,’ reflected Callum on his return to these shores.

Club WhatsApp groups and group emails were alive with excitement and pride as he built on a solid opening to track the leaders and finally join the top five with a mile or so remaining of his midnight run.

‘A lot of my team members also headed out to the course to offer me support and that was hugely appreciated as well - Laura Muir came straight from her race in the 1500m final.

One club captain, who has raced Callum for many years, openly confessed to waking ‘the wife and weans’ by screaming at the telly.

‘I knew there were groups dotted around the course and it really helped push me on during that last lap when I was trying to catch those in front. I think it says a lot for Laura - she must have been hugely disappointed to have run as fast as she did and still not medal, yet there she was out on the streets to cheer me on and I was grateful for that.’

On another group chat, for a club where

What those on the side-lines, and those sleepless in the suburbs in Scotland, really wanted to see was Callum cradling a World Championship medal.

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PB 2019 | ISSUE 3

He did manage to burn off one rival to reduce a group of five to four but had nothing left with which to respond before

Doha 2019 IAAF World Champs

the Ethiopian duo and the Kenyan made sure of the podium places. At this stage, it is well worth noting all three had pre-race PBs of under 2:06.

‘I can take a little bit of pride from how I ran,’ said the 26-year-old from Elderslie, with characteristic modesty.

‘But I really want that medal, if I’m being honest. That’s the way I’m thinking about it right now: that I’ve missed out on a medal.

‘I did run tactically well, so it does give me confidence when it comes to Tokyo and beyond. I would like to run a couple of half marathons and work on my speed.

centre pages Callum’s Scottish Marathon Record at 2:08.14.

How fast can he go is a question hanging in the air after the negative splits in Doha and mixing it with those three medallists?

‘I definitely think I can run quite a bit faster,’ said Callum, although championship events are in many ways interrupting any attempt at a new PB (and Scottish Record).

‘In London, if the weather had been better, I

Callum Hawkins

could have run at least a minute quicker.

‘But I have to do it, not just talk about it.

‘To be fair, I’m focused more on the championships than on times. I don’t know when the opportunity will come up to run faster.’

Few would bet against him doing so and taking that Scottish Record into unforeseen territory . . .

Doha photos by Mark Shearman

‘I would definitely feel unfulfilled if I don’t win a major medal at some point.

‘But, ultimately, if I run the hardest I can and don’t get it, there’s nothing much I can do – I’ll have been beaten by better men on the day.

‘As long as I give it 100 per cent and know I’ve done everything to give myself a chance of the medal, I can’t do much more.

‘Mo Farah might compete in Tokyo, there’s Eliud Kipchogie, Japanese runners who are flying at the moment. There are other Kenyans and Ethiopians who will come into it.

‘The Ethiopians put in their strongest runner in Doha. The Kenyans will be the strongest team but in Doha the standard was already better than the previous World Championships.’

In our last edition, we highlighted on our

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World Para Athletics Champs

Dubai

Significant seven star in Dubai Scottish Para athletes impress again on global stage

T

he Commonwealth Games in Glasgow – and a Hampden gold medal for Libby Clegg – were still very much fresh in the mind when five Scottish athletes headed to what was then known as the IPC Europeans in Swansea early in August 2014.

Looking back now from a distance of more than five years, that trip to Wales can be pin-pointed as the touchstone for very significant Scottish success in Para athletics – at European, Commonwealth and global level over the intervening period.

Four of the five athletes in Swansea – Libby, Maria Lyle, Sammi Kinghorn and Jo Butterfield – were among eight Scots selected for the 2019 Para World Athletics Champs in November. Stef Reid, unfortunately, missed out on Dubai through injury as the cohort became seven.

Gavin Drysdale and Kayleigh Haggo were in Dubai, of course, and duly each came up with gold medals and World Records in the maiden RaceRunning events at a World Champs.

It really is quite a thought that RaceRunning wasn’t even in the pipeline for Swansea 2014 before folk in Scotland set the wheels in motion for an new Para discipline.

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PB 2019 | ISSUE 3

Endurance athlete, Owen Miller, was the other Scot in Dubai with the popular and hard-working Fife AC athlete stepping up for the first time to GB and NI representation at this kind of level after previous experience in INAS competition.

programme – with Kayleigh and Gavin determined to honour the memory of the late Janice Eaglesham, their coach, who passed away suddenly in July.

In the historic races, Kayleigh set the pace in her 100m RR3 final with a new World Record of 18.32, as she finished just 0.55s ahead of second-placed GB team mate Ellie Simpson.

With Libby back on the international stage only seven months after giving birth to her son Edward, Sammi competing after a summer operation, and a superb sprint double from Maria, there was no shortage of That was followed moments later by a Scottish headline-acts in Dubai. commanding win from Gavin in his race But let’s start with the RaceRunning events - also an 100m RR3 final - with a 16.72 World Record. which actually closed out the nine-day

World Para Athletics Champs

Scottish medals in Dubai Gold: Gavin Drysdale – RR3 100m Kayleigh Haggo – RR3 100m Maria Lyle – T35 100m & 200m Silver: Jo Butterfield – F51 Club Throw Derek Rae – T46 Marathon* Bronze: Sammi Kinghorn – T53 100m *The WPA Championship marathons took place at the London Marathon earlier this year ‘I knew I would probably have to break the World Record to win it,’ said Gavin.

‘I want to dedicate this gold medal to my late coach, Janice Eaglesham. She would have been so proud.

‘It is absolutely amazing to have race running in the world championships for the first time. It gives the opportunity for people like me to compete at the highest level. I remember watching London two years ago wishing I could compete, so to be here two years later is a bit surreal.’

Kayleigh, who graduated from university in sports coaching the day before flying to Dubai, said: ‘I’m so happy, to come away with gold at the world championships, I can’t believe it. I’ve got a personal best and a world record so I can’t ask for anything more than that.

‘My start wasn’t very good so after that I just had to run fast and put my head down.

To represent Great Britain is amazing and to represent them and do well for my friends and family is such an honour.

‘I’ve done a few fast times this year and knew I could do a World Record; it was all about doing it on the day.’

Header Dubai

It was a special moment for the athlete coached by Jamie Bowie after a struggle with depression and anxiety over the past couple of years.

‘I think it shows how far I have come from last year when I was depressed and suffering with lots of anxiety,’ said Maria, who won the 200m in 30.33.

‘I now enjoy life and enjoy training and racing. So, from that perspective, it’s a really good achievement for me.’

As Maria celebrated, Fife AC’s Owen Miller made a fine debut at this level with a solid sixth place finish in the T20 Men’s 1500m final while Libby Clegg had time to reflect on her remarkable return to the international stage after reaching the T11 100m semifinals before a DQ decision Libby and her guide Tom Somers had clocked a Season Best performance of 26.69 in the heats. However, they were unfortunately disqualified under the rule prohibiting the guide runners from ‘pushing, pulling or otherwise propelling’ their athlete after the bend.

Defending champion Kinghorn took bronze ‘Getting back on the track is a huge in 16.64 following a year she admits has achievement after having my little boy seven been ‘tough’ due to undergoing an operation months ago today,’ said Libby. mid-season.

‘I’ve been through a lot over the last three years and to be honest, after Rio I didn’t ‘This year has been really tough, so I was know whether I’d even be able to make. honestly thinking I’d be top five but to win a So I’m really happy and it gives me more bronze is great,’ said Sammi. determination to come back next year and beat them.’

‘I’ll be ready to fight for a higher medal in For Jo Butterfield, taking her first medal Tokyo.’ on the world stage for four years was a big achievement as she claimed silver in the *The sportscotland COV awards saw a F51 Club Throw.

‘Lifetime Achievement in Coaching Award’ In the scorching heat, the Paralympic for the late Janice Eaglesham, who passed champion’s first round effort of 21.67m, away last summer. proved enough to secure second position, behind Ukraine’s Zoia Ovsii, who threw a The award citation read: ‘Believing world record 25.23m for gold. passionately that people with disabilities ‘The silver medal feels fantastic,’ said Jo, have the right to the same opportunities in who is coached by Phil Peat and Shona sport and in life, Janice worked tirelessly to Malcolm. see that happen.

‘I came away with fourth, somewhere no one wants to be, in London, so to be back ‘Janice was involved with the UK Sports on that podium is really good.

Association for Learning Disability for

Joining Haggo and Drysdale as World champion, of course, was Dunbar sprinter Lyle.

‘The competition was a bit of an unknown.

I came in ranked third, not really sure what the Ukrainian and Russian would throw, but I knew they could throw pretty far. My first throw was good enough to get second.’

Maria made it a superb double gold as she followed up her T35 100m win early in the week with success in the 200m event.

Sammi had opened up the Scottish medal tally on day two with bronze in the women’s T53 100m.

over 15 years. She coached a number of athletes at performance level but equally encouraged many just to get active and enjoy sport.’

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Coaching

Linda Nicholson

Linda’s big leap forward And why there should be no limits for our women coaches

By Katy Barden ‘IT isn’t about flooding the market (with female coaches),’ says coach Linda Nicholson, quoting an article published by Leeds Beckett University. ‘It’s about building a pipeline.’

The article she refers to states that women coaches routinely struggle to find club or national roles as heads of their profession - for example, male coaches dominate at the Olympics across all sports - are routinely discriminated against, and have their competency, knowledge or expertise questioned despite their achievements.

The emphasis of the piece is less about getting more women ‘through the door’, but more about ensuring female coaches have access to the required development and experience in the context of high performance sport.

They need a pipeline that identifies and nurtures their talent, enabling them to become more confident in their capability and to progress from the start of the coaching ladder to wherever they aspire to be.

Nicholson is coach to a group of talented athletes, predominantly jumpers, including national champions Ellie O’Hara (long jump and triple jump) and Stephen Mackenzie (long jump).

Until recently, she also coached one of Scotland’s top triple jumpers, Henry Clarkson, now a student at Loughborough University.

‘It’s always a wrench to hand over an athlete,’ admits Nicholson, named Development Coach of the Year for 2019.

‘But Henry and Lukasz (Zawila), his coach at Loughborough, have been really good at keeping in touch. I see Henry at competitions and when he is training back home. You could call it a model handover.’

When she became a coach herself, she continued to study the sport, taking every opportunity to develop her knowledge and skills – but she didn’t take the most direct route into track and field. Nicholson’s first love was netball, a sport she’d excelled in as a player.

She fell into coaching almost by accident.

‘I just agreed to help at my daughters’ primary school with netball one day and, within months, I was coaching the team.’

A former athlete herself – a 6m long jumper She had planned to get a netball coaching in her days at Edinburgh University and qualification, but decided to take her more recently a British Masters’ Champion – athletics level one first because it looked like she is a true student of the sport. a broader and more useful qualification.

‘Should we just start an athletics club?’

The piece resonates with Nicholson, who speaks positively of the efforts of scottishathletics within the field but acknowledges that it remains challenging for ‘I’ve had the best coaches out,’ she says. female athletics coaches to succeed with so ‘I was so fortunate to start with John few role models and mentors.

Weatherley, who I’m still in touch with. He was one of the top coaches in England at ‘If I was to write a candid book, I’d call it the time and set up a coaching group in ‘Are you his mum?’’ laughs Nicholson, who Newcastle when I was based there. is too often assumed to be an athlete’s parent, rather than their coach.

‘Then I came up to Edinburgh and got into Donny (Gordon) Cain’s group (national It’s ironic, given her success. jumps coach at the time) along with John PB 2019 | ISSUE 3 Scott and others, so again, I had absolutely

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incredible coaches and athletes to learn from.’

Around that time, Nicholson, alongside her husband Gregor, a former Scottish University 400m champion, had become aware of some good junior runners in their area including Scout and Jacob Atkin – now successful international hill runners.

‘Should we just start an athletics club?’ they pondered.

The dynamic pair started Moorfoot junior section in 2006 with a focus on middle distance running and sprinting. Gregor remains the driving force and coach.

Nicholson’s path could have been very different, however. Her dedication to netball was reaping rewards, and as her primary school team players moved onto high school, she took it upon herself to set up a highly successful junior netball club in Peebles.

Coaching The local netball community wanted more, and after securing lottery funding, Nicholson branched into adult netball, in addition to supporting the set-up of clubs across the Scottish Borders and coaching Borders-wide District squads.

After many years of work as a committed volunteer, during which she completed her athletics level two coaching qualification, achieved her level one and two netball qualifications and Level C umpiring badge and began a successful campaign to have a satellite centre (five-lane 110m track, long jump pit and shot putt circle) built in her home town of Peebles, she was deservedly rewarded with a British Empire Medal in 2016 for her services to sport in the Scottish Borders.

However, the sporting dynamic within Nicholson’s hectic schedule had changed.

‘I didn’t ever intend to, but I ended up coaching my younger daughter (Faye Nicholson), and that’s when I started to specialise in jumping.

‘As my group of jumpers grew, I knew I had to make a very difficult decision between athletics or netball coaching.’

Netball’s eventual loss was track and field’s gain.

Like everything else, she threw herself into it with passion, commitment, enthusiasm and an innate willingness to learn.

‘I’m always soaking up information,’ she says.

‘Anything organised by scottishathletics, for example coaching sessions, seminars, I’ll go to everything I can.

Linda Nicholson ‘I’m always observing.

I watch how coaches interact with their athletes at events, but what I’m watching is predominantly male coaches. I do sometimes wonder what a female perspective would be in all of this, but I don’t think it’s a particular issue. I’m learning all the time; I watch videos, YouTube, read blogs, meet other coaches.’

For Nicholson, it seems that the lack of female role models and mentors within athletics is simply a fact, and where she’s faced challenges, she’s found solutions to keep moving forward.

‘I have looked for a female perspective in other sports and Lesley MacDonald (former international netballer, Sirens and Scottish U21 coach), has been a kind of role model for me,’ she says.

‘She coached once a month in Peebles and I was able to observe the sessions she did with my best players. That was my biggest learning curve in netball. I made notes and asked questions.

‘I liked the way she coached and that gave me a lot of reassurance about my own way of coaching.’

Regardless of gender, coaching isn’t easy.

But it can be incredibly rewarding.

Nicholson admits that balancing her responsibilities at home and work while coaching athletes at events across the UK was emotionally draining, but sharing the excitement of an athlete’s improvements, however marginal they may be, is what makes it so special.

‘Coaching is hard, it can be very lonely, and you have to have great resilience,’ she says.

‘I also think that without doubt that there’s an issue of mental health in coaching. Coaches look after their athletes, but who looks after you?

‘We’re fortunate because scottishathletics is great

at looking after its coaches. I know I can just knock on doors and there are people I can speak to. I haven’t been able to do that in previous roles, so I know the difference.

Athletes come and go but you have to focus on your coaches, and scottishathletics are trying to do that.’

One of the biggest challenges the sport faces in this country, she says, is the lure of American Universities.

‘We should be trying to build here, to do absolutely everything possible to keep our athletes,’ adds Nicholson.

‘We’re about to have amazing facilities in Edinburgh, so alongside a fantastic university, we’ll have fantastic facilities indoors and outdoors - like a Loughborough in Scotland. That’s what I want to be selling right now; rather than saying goodbye to our athletes.’

She also believes they can better exploit opportunities offered through technology.

‘We’re now able to coach in far-flung places with athletes who don’t have a training group, and through the use of video and other technology we can make them feel like they’re in a group giving athletes in the remote areas of Scotland a coach and a chance.

‘Given the geography of Scotland, this surely has potential to be explored much more.’

Nicholson’s passion is infectious. There will always be ups and downs, success and failure, more or fewer female coaches, but she won’t be discouraged.

Building a pipeline – of both athletes and coaches - is crucial, and she continues to blaze her own trail.

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Mental Barriers

Katie Purves

‘I didn’t want to compete unless I felt I was guaranteed to win.

Thankfully now I’ve cleared that hurdle.’

By Peter Jardine

I

t is an issue which will be familiar to many athletes – both young and older. And to their coaches. And to their parents in the case of those in the younger age groups.

The 22-year-old Edinburgh AC athlete is back in Scotland after an unhappy spell at college in the United States. Now being coached by Francis Smith, Katie won the 100m Hurdles title with a PB of 13.74 at the FPSG Senior Champs at Grangemouth back in August.

But, arguably Katie’s biggest achievement that particular weekend was taking a silver medal in the 100m as she broke her PB with a windy run of 11.95 seconds – after a nine year wait for a best in the 100m!

The fear of being unable to make the final, contend for the podium or post a Personal Best can become a real disincentive to competition itself. Athletes come to hate the idea of failing to win or hitting a plateau and being unable to set a new PB. ‘Growing up, I think a lot of young athletes have a problem with a fear of failure,’ she And, with that unwillingness to put yourself told scottishathletics. out there to compete, comes the very real prospect of stalled progress and a lack of ‘I didn’t want to compete unless I felt I was development in athletics. guaranteed to win the race. It’s definitely an issue with others, I feel.

Sometimes external factors can play a part, too, with mental health problems adding ‘But you learn more from your failures to the overall burden. Training loses appeal than you do from your successes and, in and with that the prospect of improving athletics, you have to put yourself out there diminishes. to compete.

Scottish sprint hurdles champion for 2019 ‘It is nowhere near as scary as you think it Katie Purves has been there, done it and got is going to be! If you don’t put yourself out the T-shirt. there, then you will never get faster.’

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Once Scottish U18 Athlete of the Year, Katie

was thrilled with her Grangemouth exploits that weekend.

‘Perseverance in sport is vital. If you want it enough, you will get there even though there will be plateaus and pitfalls along the way.

‘At the FPSG Senior Champs, I ran a PB in the 100m on my way to a silver medal.

That was my first PB in that event for nine years! My time was 12.7 coming into this year and now I have run under 12 seconds.

‘My 200m times and my sprint hurdles time (she won the Senior Women’s title with a PB of 13.74 seconds) are coming down as well which feels great.

‘Mental attitude is the difference. When people used to say to me that sport is 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical, I just didn’t believe it.

‘But now, on the flip side of it after having been on the other side of things, I totally get it. I am happy, I want to be here at the track, and I am running well.

‘I think there’s a lack of support on the mental side in athletics and having someone to speak to can be so important.’

Mental Barriers

Alasdair McMonagle He opted for a low key indoor 200m in December 2018, but it was a significant turning point. Within minutes of finishing, he asked: ‘What’s next?’

Chair lift

By Katy Barden

S

uccess is so often determined by performance, but after a lengthy period of illness, getting back to the start line was a victory in itself for Cumbernauld AAC athlete Alasdair McMonagle.

The 17-year old finished second in the 2017 West District Championships 800m (2:08.93) - an OK performance by his own admission - but had no idea it would be his last competitive track race for more than 18 months.

Soon after, McMonagle’s dad called his son’s coach Stephen Wallace to say his son wouldn’t be training. He had a migraine and wasn’t feeling up to it.

It was a situation that quickly spiralled out of control. The initial symptoms developed into a viral infection of the neural nervous system which resulted in significant pain and chronic fatigue.

hospital until they could sort it out,’ remembers Wallace.

It worked, and once medical staff better understood his situation, he started to experience small, but reassuring improvements.

McMonagle’s determination was fuelled by his experience at Red Star AC. Physically unable to walk, and with a condition not fully diagnosed, his parents took him to the club to experience wheelchair racing. It gave him the bug.

‘Red Star AC was one of the best things to happen to me at that point in my life,’ he recalls.

‘At first, I was very reluctant to go as I’d lost all of my social confidence after spending so long on my own, but Janice Eaglesham played a key role in motivating me to keep coming back over the first two months – I’ll never forget the kindness she showed me.

‘The club is amazing. I would highly recommend it to any athlete with a disability.’

Alasdair was exhausted, sleeping for up to 17 hours at a time. He was starting to lose With his enthusiasm and potential evident, muscle mass through lack of mobility and Cumbernauld AAC organised a fundraiser to his ability to speak was compromised by the buy a new racing chair for McMonagle. debilitating symptoms of the condition.

It was a humbling experience for the young ‘I felt extremely hopeless about my life,’ athlete as many local clubs and athletes admits McMonagle. ‘I was starting to accept supported the cause and raised in excess of that things could be coming to an end. £5500. With the right equipment, it made Every day was convincingly worse than his transition to competing for Red Star the prior and my ability to cope was being much easier. stretched to breaking point.’

Perhaps most challenging and frustrating of all was that medical experts were unable to accurately diagnose what was happening and treat him accordingly.

The situation came to a head in November 2017 when McMonagle suffered a series of seizures.

‘His dad said they weren’t leaving the

An 800m specialist, McMonagle opened 2019 with 2:04.20 at the Scottish National Open Championships, before racing the Scottish National Under-17 Championships.

He clocked 2:04.08 in his heat and eventually finished seventh in the final (2:09.91), by which point his condition had taken his toll. He was totally spent.

‘Stephen (coach) and I knew that the 800m, especially indoors, was going to be a big ask as lot of the features of running indoors were extremely taxing given the symptoms of my condition.

‘I did a solo time trial on 12 November and I crossed the line in 2:13 which was surprising. We did as much strength and endurance training as I could, and it all culminated in me achieving my goal of making the Scottish Championships indoor final.’

McMonagle has since gone from strength to strength, and in August 2019 he clocked a new 800m PB of 2:01.19 to finish sixth in the final of the Scottish U17 Championships.

‘This season I wanted to achieve SIAB selection,’ he says candidly.

‘I felt I had been robbed of selection previously because of my illness. However, in spite of my best efforts I wasn’t good enough on the day.

‘But the season went so much better than Stephen and I could have predicted.’

McMonagle wasn’t sure he’d ever return to the start line, but the Cumbernauld athlete has reached and smashed that target.

He’s not the athlete he was before. He’s a better one.

The story doesn’t end there though.

In spite of ongoing, and at times severe pain, McMonagle wanted to test his resolve. He’d been working with a team of physiotherapists at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital who gave him the confidence to believe he could get back on his feet, but that alone wasn’t enough. He wanted to run.

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Grassroots Athletics

Cumbernauld AAC

Nomads no more Cumbernauld AAC now right at home in recent times is hard to believe.

By Katy Barden

W

e were like the ‘nomads’ of Cumbernauld,’ smiles Cumbernauld AAC’s Stephen Wallace, when asked about the club’s base prior to the opening of their new track in 2017.

‘I think there was only one high school out of the five in the town that we hadn’t been at.’

Without a track facility for over 35 years, they initially trained on the ash football pitches and local trails in and around the now-demolished Abronhill High School - a location best known for its starring role in the film Gregory’s Girl - before relocating to Cumbernauld High School (now Cumbernauld Academy) where members had access to trails as well as hockey and football pitches.

Still without a permanent base, the club then moved to Our Lady’s High School For a club now enjoying significant success where an ash track was marked out during across track and field, road running and cross country, the predicament they’ve faced summer.

Cumbernauld AAC took bronze medals in the M50 race at the Lindsays National XC Relays

It was challenging, but in the midst of the upheaval – and arguably unexpected given the circumstances - the club was starting to enjoy success on the national stage, winning gold medals at every age group from U12 SUPERteams through to Masters in the 2016 season.

‘We enjoyed a real purple patch, with great credit going to all the club’s coaches, officials and our fantastic parent support,’ says club coach and secretary Wallace.

‘It definitely gave us the belief the club was moving in the right direction.’

As fortunes changed on the track, so too did fortunes off it.

North Lanarkshire Council shared plans with the club for a modernisation project which would include a new track and indoor facilities, as well as basic requirements such as multiple gyms, changing areas and an equipment store.

The new track, at Greenfaulds High School, opened in September 2017.

‘We were like kids in a sweet shop,’ admits Wallace.

‘We thought we’d still have to look at additional funding to include a hammer cage, but one night it just appeared. It was more than we hoped for.’

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Cumbernauld AAC, formed in 1983, is at the heart of the local community and caters for athletes from aged nine upwards. Young

Grassroots Athletics

Cumbernauld AAC

Donald Pegrum

athletes can experience the great variety offered by track and field through primary and secondary school multi-events, then, as they develop, they can specialise in sprints, jumps, endurance events and throws.

Wallace – scottishathletics Volunteer of the Year in 2018 – has seen a resurgence in club membership in the past eight years; growing from around 40 to in excess of 200 with a waiting list.

In 2017, the club extended its membership to include a Senior & Masters’ Endurance section, which, under the guidance of Alastair McFarlane and Annemarie McCaffrey, has made a hugely positive contribution in road running and cross country.

Following that purple patch in 2016, athletes have once again delivered on the national stage in 2019 with impressive performances across the age groups delivering Scottish champions and representative honours, in addition to a series of inspirational performances from Alasdair McMonagle on his return from serious illness (see page 31).

on a voluntary basis, which for me has been the heart of our success. It’s a real collective of the willing.

‘We strive to provide our athletes, coaches and their families with an environment where they can enjoy athletics in a safe and rewarding way. We aim to give equal opportunities to every individual athlete within our club and we already have a growing number of athletes who are successful at regional and national level, including some Scottish champions.

‘We have recently put in place focus groups for coaches, athletes and parents to get their views as we continuously look to evolve and improve, and in our quarterly coach and board meetings we continually challenge what we do to ensure we have the right shape to move the club forward in order to benefit all of our athletes.’

Cumbernauld AAC’s nomadic days are over.

Now it’s time to build for the future.

C

umbernauld AAC’s Donald Pegrum has been at the heart of his club since his sons joined in the late 1980s.

He attended the club’s AGM with his wife and the pair walked out as Treasurer and Secretary. They later started their coaching qualifications. At the time the club had only four qualified coaches, now it has 23.

Over that period the club membership has also significantly increased. It’s been less a case of supply and demand, and more one of demand and supply.

‘I’ve gone from coaching twice a week in the 1980s, to six days a week,’ says Pegrum, who until his retirement in 2000, juggled his coaching commitments with his role as Detective Sergeant in Glasgow City Centre.

He was presented with a Provost Award for Community Service by the Queen in June 2019 - deserved recognition for the longserving club coach and chairman who in 2016 was scottishathletics Club Coach of the Year alongside Archie McBride.

Club officials have also been celebrated, most recently coach and chairman Donald Pegrum who was the recipient of the Provost Award for Community Service from the Queen.

‘The award from the Queen was a total surprise. I didn’t know until an hour before.

Her Majesty is always well briefed on whom she is meeting, and you soon realise she is ‘on the ball’. She said the children must have enjoyed my coaching.’

Success breeds success, and now, with charitable status, the club can access additional funds and set new objectives, including making the new track and field facility competition-ready with an aim to host track events.

Pegrum’s role – along with his fellow coaches, club officials and an army of parent helpers - is central to Cumbernauld’s success. But, just as the club praises him, he has equal praise for the achievements and ambitions of his club.

‘Things are continuing to move in the right direction, but we have learned to be patient and realistic to ensure we take full advantage of our new facilities,’ says Wallace.

‘Cumbernauld AAC is a modern, progressive, family friendly club with first class facilities both indoors and outdoors.

‘We have never advertised the club, the growth has been down to word of mouth – I simply can’t thank the fantastic group of coaches, club officials and great parent helpers enough. They collectively give a great amount of their time and effort, all

‘We have excellent coaches - four of whom were medal-winning athletes and whose children now train with the club - and a clear coaching structure for the athletes to progress from juniors, through to Seniors and Masters.’

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Grassroots Athletics

Musselburgh and District AC

Growth spurt

By Roddy Mackenzie

A

s we approach 2020, Musselburgh & District AC’s vision is more focused than ever.

The East Lothian club has seen membership grow to an unprecedented level (over 250 Seniors and juniors) and sessions are now offered six days a week throughout the town and beyond.

Priding itself as a community club catering for all levels and ages, Senior club nights are hosted - perhaps uniquely for an athletics club - at the local yacht club close to the harbour at Fisherrow.

The track at Meadowmill has also been a huge asset since it opened, but the club has spread itself widely, using the facilities at Pinkie, Musselburgh Sports Centre and Queen Margaret University.

The annual Musselburgh Festival 10k race - held every July - has been sold out weeks in advance in recent years and a junior 3K race was added to the agenda three years ago and sold out for the first time in 2019.

An ice-cream and a t-shirt at the finish for both races guarantee its popularity!

Like the club, it attracts all levels of athlete, and while GB international hill runners Andy Douglas and Jacob Adkin have both won the men’s race in recent times, the race also features many first-timers.

Founded in 1956 as Lewisvale Spartans before becoming Lothian AC in 1975 after merging with East Coast Track Club and East Lothian AC, the club became Musselburgh AC in 1990.

There has been a huge drive to increase the junior section in recent years and recruit parents to join the volunteers as coaches.

It has been so successful that there is often a waiting list for juniors to join and there are now 23 coaches across the junior and senior programme.

With the junior section thriving, the senior section is catching up fast. Having started a jogscotland programme four years ago and, within the last couple of years, Couch to 5k Groups, senior membership has more than doubled. Perhaps, Coach to 5k is a misnomer, as some have risen from their sofas to complete marathons and even ultras in recent months.

A proper coaching structure is now in place at the club, and club coach Mike MalcolmSmith, who joined nine years ago and works across the Seniors and Juniors, recalled: ‘At the time I joined, the Seniors’ training was a group of about 6-12 people meeting for a steady run on a Tuesday evening and sometimes competing.

‘I felt at the time - and still do - from my experience at Corstorphine AAC that the club had great potential but needed to develop.

‘As I also started helping with the juniors, I could the see for the seniors there was a structure that could be mirrored and adapted from the juniors, as well as using the experience from Corstorphine of how it could be done.

‘At the next AGM there was a request for someone to take on the organisation of the Seniors. I put my hand up, I have promised myself and my wife not to put my hand up again at the AGM! ‘Gradually, numbers have increased and people are regularly competing in races at weekends, running everything from ultras, hill races and road races.’

The most talented junior athletes from the club advance to Team East Lothian where many have produced outstanding results and junior coach Tony Segall, who has played a huge part in the club’s success, is happy with having laid solid foundations:

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‘To me, the important thing is that the club encourages and supports juniors to compete in all the different types of athletics event - track and field, relays, cross-country, Combined Events and so on - and I think we do well in retaining juniors with a commitment and talent for the sport.’

Grassroots Athletics

Stornoway RAC

Island gains After 34 years, Stornoway athletes are still going the distance

By Katy Barden

I

t all started with the marathon boom of the 1980s.

Some 34 years on and there’s little doubt that Stornoway’s adult road runners - who hatched the idea of a running club while returning from the 1985 Skye half marathon - could have foreseen the enduring impact their idea would have.

The now familiar red and gold running vest of Stornoway has been seen in competition from the Antarctic to the Sahara and Bermuda to Boston, and despite being relatively small compared to other Scottish clubs, it has traditionally punched above its weight from a performance perspective.

The club formed in 1985 was primarily an adult road running club, but with the addition of a junior section not long after, Stornoway Running Club was truly off the mark.

Since then, focus has expanded to embrace track and field and in doing so, became Stornoway Running and Athletics Club (SRAC) to reflect the extent of its interests.

Its membership now stands at 235 (105 Seniors, 130 juniors).

Over the years, hundreds of youngsters have been coached. Some who joined at the age of eight are now running as Seniors, taking an active role in helping with their own children.

SRAC’s first national medal was won by

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Malcolm Bain who finished runner-up in the men’s U20 event at the 1994 National XC. It was an impressive outing for north of Scotland clubs, with the winner and bronze medallists from Inverness and Lochaber respectively.

Alasdair Dunlop is also a Stornoway athlete of note. The veteran 800m runner, who still takes part in local road races around the island, won ten successive Scottish titles over the distance and set national and world age-group records.

The development of a track facility in the mid-1990s was a fantastic boost and presented opportunities for even greater success, building on Bain’s National XC achievement, but with a new focus of sprints, jumps and throws.

The early cross country successes of Malcolm Bain were matched and possibly exceeded by Eilidh (MacKenzie) Mitchell.

A late developer in athletics, she was never deterred by lack of success in junior competition and her ongoing commitment to The club’s first major track and field triumph the sport eventually resulted in her winning medals at all levels on the country, in came through the talented Eve Carrington addition to earning Scottish University and who won a silver medal in the Scottish Scotland vests.

Athletics Combined Events Championships in 2006.

She also succeeded on the track, winning ten medals at the World Island Games over Carrington also represented the Western Isles in the NatWest World Island Games in 800m and 1500m, including four golds, making her SRAC’s most successful Island Shetland 2005, becoming the club’s first Games athlete to date. medallist in that event with silver in the high jump.

Arguably, however, the club’s highest profile Having competed in every Island Games until Gibraltar 2019 - a journey which has seen her travel around the world Carrington now passes on her experience and knowledge to the junior track and field athletes as a coach.

The club’s most successful athlete, Donnie Macleod, also won multiple gold medals at World Island Games at 400 and 800.

His biggest win, however, was the Scottish Indoor Championships 800 title in 2015.

success came at the 2015 National Cross Country Championships in Callendar Park, Falkirk.

‘Anyone who has been to the National XC

Grassroots Athletics will know how well organised the event is, and they’ll recognise the voice of Radio Scotland’s Bryan Burnett commentating on the live action,’ says Ross Munro, SRAC’s longest serving members and club marathon record holder (2:48).

‘We couldn’t help but notice the shock and pause in his voice as the men’s U17 race came into sight from behind Callendar House as he announced ‘The first runner, in the red of Stornoway, is Connor Maclean, followed by (pause) another Stornoway runner in second…it’s Campbell, Euan Campbell, and what a day, it’s MacMillan’ ‘It was a very memorable day us with Maclean taking the Championship gold, Campbell the bronze and overall team silver with Michael MacMillan in 14th and Hugh McKenzie in 60th. It was double deserts all round in Frankie and Bennies that night!’

The club has been and continues to be as innovative as possible to drive event success and to offer the best possible local competition for the club’s members.

The Stornoway Tri-Club competition brought junior athletes from the mainland across the Minch to compete in a threeway track and field match in the Hebrides.

Over the years the event was attended by clubs including Giffnock North, VPGlasgow, Clydesdale Harriers, Aberdeen AAC, Corstorphine AAC and Edinburgh AC. Stornoway’s inclusion in the Heb 3, a challenge to complete at least three of the five Hebridean island Half Marathons - Stornoway, Benbecula, Skye, Barra or Harris - in any one year, is also a masterstroke.

Having started in 1990, the Heb 3 is the longest running half marathon series in Scotland.

Stornoway RAC ‘The 2019 Stornoway Half Marathon event was possibly the club’s greatest success to date with close to 600 entries between the Half, 10k and Fun Run, making it the biggest road running event ever in the Western Isles,’ says Norman Ferguson, Stornoway’s Senior men’s captain.

‘The race has gone from strength to strength over recent years and the most recent edition was the first time it had sold out in advance of race day. Runners travelled from all over the UK and the United States and Australia.’

2020 is the 31st edition of the Heb 3 and the Stornoway Half on 23 May is already filling up. As well as a providing a stunning route around the Lews Castle grounds and a warm Hebridean hospitality, the race is a vital fundraiser for the club, helping to fund trips to mainland competitions, buy new equipment and train new coaches.

participants, 24 islands and 14 sports in 2019.

The club also hosts the Wacky Races, a series of mostly 5k handicap races that take place in the Castle grounds or streets of Stornoway between October and March.

The races are open to all adults – not just SRAC members – and some are even suitable for children.

‘Growing up on an island you don’t always get the same access to facilities and coaching as others do. The Island Games allow people from similar situations to compete on a more level playing field (track). It is now something that all SRAC athletes young and not-so-young aspire to.’

With the ultimate aim of having fun, points are awarded to everyone depending on what place they finish in each race and at the end of the series the person with the most points will be awarded the hallowed Wacky Race shield.

The club has very close community bonds and is recognised and supported locally for its many successes against the odds.

At a higher level, the NatWest International Island Games provides an opportunity for athletes from different islands to compete internationally, bringing islands with similar history, heritage and geography together.

The NatWest International Island Games has gone from 700 participants, 15 islands and seven sports in 1985 to 2500

‘It’s an amazing opportunity,’ says Ferguson.

Although it encounters significant challenges, including the long haul travel on ferries and accommodation expenses, collectively such challenges only contribute to the resilience of the club’s athletes.

The club gives back, too, and over the years its charity event has raised tens of thousands of pounds for worthy local causes and charities such as the RNLI and Kidney Patient Association.

‘SRAC is a very close knit and friendly club,’ concludes Ferguson.

‘Although we help athletes to compete at the highest possible level, it’s important to us that we cater for all types of runners, from those beginning their running journey through Couch to 5k, to those who complete at regional and national level.

‘While we face additional challenges compared to our running friends on the mainland, we work really well together to overcome them, and we embrace our surroundings.

‘The islands really are an amazing place to run no matter what type of running you’re into, and we’re really lucky to live where we do!’

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Grassroots Athletics

Allan Scally Relays

Many happy relays

By Arnold Black

T

he Allan Scally Memorial Road Relay Race first appeared on the Scottish running calendar on 22 November 1969 and this February will see the 50th running of the event, having been held each winter season except 2017-18.

The race commemorates the work done for Shettleston Harriers by their former coach, Allan Scally, a professional 10 mile world champion, who had died in April 1966 at the age of 62.

Allan was the main force behind the club’s success in the 1950s and 60s and he was also the coach to many very good athletes including Joe McGhee, 1954 Empire Games Marathon winner.

The race started and finished in Camp Road, Baillieston, between two places closely associated with Allan, St Bridget’s School and Maxwell Park. The race was a 4 x approximately 5 mile relay and that inaugural event was fittingly won by the host club, Shettleston Harriers.

It was not favoured by good weather, though. Ron Marshall, the correspondent for the Glasgow Herald, reported that “Not one of the more experienced men I spoke to could recall a more lethal combination of bitter wind and freezing rain which conspired to drive horizontally at the purplish souls for most of their journey.”

The winning Shettleston team in that first race was Dick Wedlock, Lachie Stewart, Henry Summerhill and, appropriately, Bill

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Scally, son of Allan. Dick Wedlock led the way with the fastest leg of the day, 23:18, an outstanding performance in the conditions.

Shettleston were to win the race in each of the first five runnings, with Wedlock and Lachie Stewart team members in all five races.

The Allan Scally race grew in importance after that first year, the ideal preparation for the Edinburgh to Glasgow road relay.

It increased in numbers, helped by incorporating the Scottish Universities Road Relay Championships. It attracted the top Scottish road runners and in 1977 Jim Brown anchored Clyde Valley to victory with the first sub-22 minute leg in the race of 21:59. That record lasted all of 51 seconds as European Junior 5000 metres champion, Nat Muir, brought Shettleston home in second place, having run a 21:52 final leg.

Nat Muir ran the race 12 times for Shettleston between 1975 and 1992, in the winning quartet on three occasions, putting his quality stamp on the event by reducing the course record to 21:44 in 1979, 21:32 in 1980 and then 21:26 in Shettleston’s 1985 victory.

Shettleston folk gather after first Allan Scally Relays event in 1969

The race could have had more interest as Liz McColgan was set to run for Dundee Hawkhill’s men team until her coach, Grete Waitz, decided she should have no more races before the Tokyo marathon.

2003 saw the powerful Racing Club “win” but running as a guest team as they had already decided to disband; with Fife AC taking the official victory.

Shettleston took the title in 2008 with a team including three Eritrean refugees. Had they selected the fourth, who was in their B team, they could have won the race in a time 40 seconds quicker!

The year after Nat’s last race saw the introduction of a women’s race, running three legs instead of the men’s four legs.

Shettleston were the first winners, with Allan Scally’s grand-daughter, Elaine Mackay, running the final leg.

The race continued in its original form to 2016 and, fittingly, Shettleston won the 2016 and 48th running. After a temporary hiatus, the race returned on 2 March 2019 over a new 4 x 5k course with Central AC victorious, Shettleston winning the ladies race and Edinburgh and Glasgow winning the Scottish Student titles.

In 1996, Glen Stewart, with a 22:08 final leg, turned a 10 second deficit into a 50 second victory for Mizuno Racing Club.

It is a new era for one of the most historic Scottish road races.

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scottishathletics

39

PB Special Feature

Iten Uncovered

RUNNING WITH THE KENYANS

Three young Scottish endurance athletes headed for East Africa this summer with Max Milarvie of VP-Glasgow and Craig Jardine and Gavin Smith of Cambuslang Harriers keen to try training at altitude and learn more about Kenya.

The trio lived in spartan accommodation in Iten for almost eight weeks in June and July. Here’s the lowdown on the high life . . .

By Craig Jardine

I

ten, Home of the Champions, is perched at 2400m above sea level on the western wall of the Great Rift Valley, Kenya, and it may well be the centre of the running universe.

After all, where else would you decorate a petrol station with a Nike swoosh?

From the first to the last day of our trip, we were welcomed. For Kenyans, ensuring visitors are enjoying themselves is a national pastime, and many people went out of their way to say hello, shaking hands enthusiastically and asking where we came from.

Almost everyone could speak English, which is particularly impressive given it is only the third language in this part of the Rift Valley, behind Kalenjin, the local language spoken by the Kalenjin tribe, and Swahili, Kenya’s unifying tongue.

Children, especially, were excited to see ‘mzungus’ (foreigners or white people) and

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practice their English on us (‘how are you?’ is the default option).

Above all, they were eager to race us, and it quickly became obvious that the fitness of the average child in Iten must be ten times that of one from Scotland. We were regularly chased by kids as young as seven or eight years old, by which stage in Scotland most have already acquired acute screen addiction.

regular at the Inverness marathon over the last few years (and indeed champion again in October 2019).

Iten is small enough that we were within walking distance of everything we needed – the market, the bank, a few running shops, and a small restaurant where we became regulars.

For longer distances, we used ‘Matatus’,the main form of public transport, which were easy to catch from Iten to Eldoret or to the track at Tambach.

Arriving in Iten, we benefitted hugely from help from Aberdeen’s Myles Edwards.

Myles, alongside former athlete Gideon Essentially mini-vans with an official Gathimba, runs the Gathimba Edwards Foundation, a charity working for the benefit capacity of nine, they are only considered of children in Iten and the Loch Ness marathon winner Isiah Kosgei surrounding area.

We were also looked after by another athlete with numerous Scottish connections; marathon master Isiah Kosgei, a

PB Special Feature

Iten Uncovered

Athletics obsession; goats in taxis; super-fit kids and the Iten fartlek (the toughest session in the world)

full when at least 15 people are crammed in. Or fewer depending on how many goats are also along for the ride.

butcher-meat from animals that had no doubt been walking around town just hours before.

distance running. Other than a few main routes, the traffic was light, and the surface was far more forgiving than concrete.

For short journeys in Iten, we used ‘piki piki’ - motorbike taxis which you can catch from just about any street corner and charge 50 shillings (about 35p) to take you anywhere within the town.

Access to western food was limited to the Kerio View Hotel in Iten or the supermarket in Eldoret, and we intentionally avoided it for days at a time, all the better to use as a powerful motivational tool during hard training.

Happily, hills were almost unavoidable, and steep ones coupled with lack of oxygen made for hard work and high heart rates even on steady runs.

It was not unusual to see three passengers squeezed onto the seat, or a sofa in transit, behind the driver. Those drivers almost never wear helmets and have a habit of texting mid-journey!

The Kalenjin diet is undoubtedly part of the region’s athletics success, and catering for ourselves allowed us to try our hand at the local diet.

Rice, ugali and pasta were our staples, supplemented with vegetables fresh from the surrounding countryside and

Once acclimatised to altitude, we settled into a rhythm of training mostly consisting of two runs a day and doing very little during the time in between.

A patchwork of fields and forests crisscrossed by a network of red dirt roads, the surrounding countryside could not have been better for

There is only one flat road, known as Moi Benn, the start of which is a 20-minute drive from Iten.

There were several tracks in the immediate area, but with access restricted to the London Marathon tartan track underway at Kamariny,

scottishathletics

41

PB Special Feature

Iten Uncovered ‘That would be Canova’s athlete then, wouldn’t it?’

Max Milarvie trained at altitude in Kenya during the summer and won the Great Scottish Run 10k in September

Across the room Canova himself, the legendary Italian coach, merely shrugged, smiled, and nodded his assent to the turned heads of the kiwi kids. A brief power outage cut the action short to groans from the crowd, but thankfully by that stage only the pole vault was still in progress!

Other famous faces appeared in all sorts of places. In the dairy aisle at the supermarket in Eldoret, Brother Colm passed through on the way to pick up his daily paper, and paused to discuss with Myles a recent exposé on the Kenyan meat industry, making us think twice about a packet of mince we had just picked up.

we travelled several hundred feet lower in altitude to another ash track in the village of Tambach.

The track was always busy, especially with older kids from the area, who seemed to spend every weekend trackside, running informal races against each other and jumping into reps with ‘mzungus’ for entertainment.

The Iten fartlek is the most famous session in the area. Held every Tuesday and Thursday, the session rotates between one, two and three-minute reps with one minute recovery.

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The first thing mzungus are quick to notice however is that this recovery only applies to the front pack: for everyone else, it means continuing to run fast until you catch the front again.

Our time in Iten coincided with Kenya’s return, after a 15-year, Scotland-esque absence from a major football tournament – in their case to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Unfortunately drawn in a group with both the eventual finalists, Algeria and Senegal, Kenya were beaten twice but managed a thrilling 3-2 victory over their east African neighbours Tanzania. The locals of Iten, however, were less than enthralled by the action, and in conversation about the tournament would invariably voice the opinion that Kenyans should stick to running.

At the bar in the Kerio View hotel, Adharand Finn, author of the famous book ‘Running with the Kenyans’, was spotted nursing a pint.

Homegrown superstar athletes, however, were surprisingly hard to spot.

With the summer season well and truly underway most of Kenya’s track stars were in Europe on the circuit, whilst several other elite groups train out of other towns in the surrounding area, notably Kaptagat, home of Eliud Kipchoge and the 1:59 marathon project.

It is remarkable in fact just how unrecognisable some of the athletes leading Tuesday and Thursday Fartlek sessions were. Presumably if they were of any other nationality (bar Ethiopian) they could walk into Olympic teams, funding, and sponsorship deals.

There is probably no other place on earth where Diamond League meetings around Europe and beyond generate more excitement that major football matches.

Not long after arriving home in Glasgow, I hid my bag containing a pair of running shoes and a bottle of water in a stand of trees on the side of the Forth and Clyde canal in north-west Glasgow.

The evening of the Monaco Diamond League, we joined New Zealand distance star Jake Robertson and a school trip from his home country in the basement of the Kerio View hotel, where an antiquated projector beamed the action onto the wall.

After the session, I returned to pick it up and the fence in front of the trees was occupied by two wee guys with a huge speaker and a bottle of Buckfast between them.

As the men’s 3000m steeplechase started, Tim Hutchings referenced in his commentary the world record of 7:53.63 set by Saif Saaeed Shaheen in 2004.

‘Alrighty big man? Can I get ye to take a photo of me and my bud?’

Jake laughed and gestured across the room:

I was definitely not in Kenya any more...

‘Aye, nae borra.’

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