PB Magazine - Issue 3, 2018

www.scottishathletics.org.uk

£2.50

INSIDE

Eilish McColgan

2018

Issue 3

PB

Stephen Maguire

Kelly Holmes

The official magazine for members of scottishathletics

Issue 3

PB2018 05 Chief Executive Mark Munro

06 News 07 News 08 Lindsays National XC Relays 10 FPSG Seniors 11 FPSG Age Groups 12 Seb Coe 14 Steve Cram 16 Eilish McColgan 18 European Championships: Berlin 2018 19 FPSG Athlete of the Year Awards 20 FPSG Awards: Kelly Holmes 22 FPSG Awards: Laura Muir 24 FPSG Awards: Hall of Fame 25 FPSG Awards: #peoplemakeathletics 26 FPSG Awards: Club Photos 28 Stephen Maguire 30 New Strategy 32 Grassroots Athletics: Falkirk Victoria Harriers 34 Grassroots Athletics: Lasswade AAC 36 Grassroots Athletics: Young at Heart 38 Commonwealth Half Marathon: Kenny Wilson 40 Para Athletics: Hannah Dines 41 Officials 42 Hill Running: Charlotte Morgan 43 Hill Running: Jacob Adkin

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

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04 Contacts

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Chief Executive Mark Munro

Welcome to the latest edition of PB Magazine. The period since July has been hectic in terms of events and project developments, an AGM, plus national events and the FPSG Annual Awards Dinner.

Since the last edition we have witnessed a successful series of national championship events in track and field, trail running, road and cross country relays (record numbers) as well as the Manchester International and Celtic Games track and field international matches plus home international hill championships.

However, we’ve also been involved in a series of major championships in Para events, track and field plus mountain racing and it is only right that we acknowledge those performances.

Starting with our Para athletes, in August our 10-strong Scottish team competing at the CPISRA Games in St Cugat in Spain returned with a stunning haul of 24 medals.

Two Scottish athletes also won medals with the GB team at the INAS European Summer Games in France. Fife AC’s Sam Fernando won a bronze medal in the 10,000m then won steeplechase gold. Nathan Fleetwood (Whitemoss / Red Star) took bronze in the 100m.

There were also seven athletes who competed at the WPA European Championships in Berlin in August and brought home a remarkable seven medals: Maria Lyle (Team East Lothian) -T35 100m gold; Gavin Drysdale (Red Star AC) – RR3 100m gold; Hannah Dines (Red Star AC) – RR3 100m gold; Kayleigh Haggo (Ayr Seaforth/Red Star AC) – RR3 100m silver; Jo Butterfield (Forth Valley Flyers) - F32 club throw bronze; Ross Paterson (Red Star AC) – T38 100m bronze; Stef Reid (Charnwood) – T64 long jump bronze.

Of the four Scots selected for Team GB at the World Mountain Championships, Jacob Adkin confirmed his arrival as a top class

Mark Munro Chief Executive Scottish Athletics

@SALMarkMunro

Medal success in all disciplines reflects hard work across our sport international hill runner with a stand out performance in sixth place on his debut in the Senior Men’s event in Andorra and was the top British athlete in that race.

Not to be outdone, the European Championships took place in August where Scotland had our greatest ever GB team representation with 17 athletes selected and successfully achieved our greatest medal haul with five medals; Laura Muir (Dundee HH) 1500m gold; Eilish McColgan (Dundee HH) 5000m silver; Eilidh Doyle (Pitreavie AAC) - 4x400m silver; Zoey Clark (Aberdeen AAC) - 4x400m silver; Jake Wightman (Edinburgh AC) - 1500m bronze.

Congratulations to all athletes, their coaches and clubs – a stunning set of performances across the disciplines.

Within a championship context, we hope to see Scots competing at the European Cross Country Championships in December. And, of course, in March we will witness a major athletics championship in Scotland when the European Indoor Championships come to Glasgow and I am confident we will see a host of Scottish stars fighting it out for medal glory.

Sticking with an athlete and coaching theme, we were delighted that Stephen Maguire commenced his second stint with the organisation, this time with a slightly different role as Director of Performance & Coaching.

Whilst there is clearly a significant focus

on supporting the talent and performance pathway for athletes and coaches across all disciplines, the extended role will see Stephen leading and influencing coach development right the way throughout the pathway.

We have also welcomed former international hurdler, Francis Smith, to the Development Team in his role as National Club Development Manager. ************************************* Meanwhile, our normal domestic business continues and includes a busy winter period for club development programmes which commenced with the launch of the new National Club Leaders Academy intake in September and the Club Leaders Conference in November.

There are a range of officials and coach development courses and qualification opportunities over the period. I am also pleased to see the continued progress around our ‘Duty of Care’ work and support programmes which kicked off earlier in 2018. The resources will be online and available before Christmas.

The period between now and March is one of the busiest with numerous championships events, particularly in cross country and indoor track and field. The work and support of our commissions and officials is particularly important over this time and we are eternally grateful for their ongoing efforts.

As always within this introduction, it remains important that we continue to encourage as many of our club athletes to compete at the appropriate level: ‘Competition – It’s What You Train For.’ Thanks again to everyone involved with delivering this great sport and good luck over winter period.

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

Eilidh joins our Board Eilidh’s vast experience,’ said Ian. ‘The discussion went very well, and Eilidh confirmed she would be keen to get much more involved once she relocated back to Scotland in the late summer.

E

ilidh Doyle has joined the scottishathletics Board after being elected at the Annual General Meeting.

The gathering of members and clubs at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow agreed to a recommendation to appoint Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete as a nonexecutive Director.

Chairman Ian Beattie described it as a great opportunity for those guiding the sport to benefit from Doyle’s wide-ranging athlete experience at international level over the past decade.

The AGM also made other key decisions in terms of Commission appointments and approved membership fees which take effect from April next year.

Beattie revealed how he and chief executive Mark Munro had spoken to Eilidh and her husband, Brian, some months ago to discuss the couple’s return to Scotland and the possibilities which might surround that move.

‘Mark and I met with Eilidh much earlier in the year for a general catch-up, but also with a view to seeing whether we could do anything to benefit at Board level from

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cottish athletes have performed well in recent years at the Abbey Dash 10K event in Leeds – and the 2018 version was no different!

In fact, the Scotland women won their team race and the men were second to the North of England.

There was a top performance, and PB, for Scotland’s Adam Craig to take the win with a terrific run of 29.08 from the Borders athlete, who has just moved club from PB 2018 3 AC. Adam had Edinburgh AC to| ISSUE Inverclyde

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‘We put the wheels in motion and Mark and I believe this is a great opportunity for us as a Board and as a sport.

Eilidh has massive respect across the Scottish, UK and World athletics community and we are sure athletics in Scotland would benefit hugely by bringing her on to the Board.

‘It’s another great demonstration that we are athlete-centred, with everyone involved working together to make the sport stronger.’

Eilidh said: ‘I’m delighted to have been approved as a non-executive director of the scottishathletics Board. I am really keen to act as a voice for athletes and I am hoping I can really contribute and help guide the sport in Scotland.

‘I want to add my knowledge and experience of top global competition to what is already a wide range of people deeply connected to the sport in various roles. From my point of view, I feel it’s important to have involvement in what is going on with the sport as a whole.’

NEWS Scotland after a superb 2017 to then win it again for the second year running.

‘Throughout the sport, athletes in all disciplines and age groups were winning medals at British Championships which shows a real demonstration of depth by athletes, coaches and clubs.

‘As a collective, they were also breaking Scottish Records some of which have dated back to the 1970s and 1980s and that’s been great to see.

‘We not only had achievement at elite level, but we had 120,000 athletes competing at our scottishathletics permitted events.

‘Overall, this has been a fantastic year and it could not have been done without the help and support of so many people. My thanks to all members of staff, members of the Board, our Commissions and committees within scottishathletics who worked hard to develop and improve the delivery and performance of our sport over the year.

‘Well done to all athletes, clubs, Officials, coaches and administrators who made 2017-18 a very successful year indeed.’

Membership fees were agreed by the meeting and these apply from next April (2019) (Current fee in brackets) Senior Club Member £21 (£20) U21 Club Member £10 (£8) U13 Club Member £8 (£7) Coach Member £25 for 3 years (no change) Official Member Free (no change) Family Member £50 (£47)

In her President’s Report, and addressing the meeting, Leslie Roy said: ‘Having been crowned Governing Body of the Year at the Scottish Sports Awards in 2016, it was another huge compliment for the sport in

Senior Member unattached £46 (£45)

won the Great Scottish Run 10K in Glasgow a month or so earlier.

Scotland duo Euan Gillham (Kilbarchan AAC) and Kenny Wilson (Moray Road Runners) came home just behind Cameron in times of 30.52 and 30.54 respectively while the Scotland women’s team was completed by Annabel Simpson (Fife AC) in 35.13 and Jenny Bannerman (Inverness Harriers) in 35.46. Great to see a PB, too, from Kilbarchan’s Elspeth Curran at 34.17.

And the women’s race was dominated by Scottish athletes with Shettleston’s Irish international, Fionnuala Ross, winning in 33.30 as she was followed home by Scotland duo Mhairi Maclennan in 33.36 and Steph Pennycook in 33.49. That was PB performances for all three athletes!

Cameron Strachan of Metro Aberdeen continued his recent progress with a PB of 30.50.

Over 65 Member £13 (£12) Friend and Supporter Member £21 (20)

It was also good to see Derek Hawkins in action, too, at 31.09

International XC is Stirling-bound as well as Scottish athletes Laura Muir and Callum Hawkins, with the popular InterDistrict races giving the stars of the future the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the world’s top athletes.

‘I’m setting myself some big targets for the cross country season and to compete in this new event at Stirling is definitely one of the them,’ said Luke Traynor, the GB and NI athlete from Giffnock North AC at the Stirling Castle photo call.

‘I’m racing this weekend coming up in the Manchester Half Marathon and then will look do a strong block of training to prepare for the Euro Cross trials at the end of November in Liverpool.

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tirling will be the place to be for topclass cross country early in 2019 and for the next three years – with the Great Stirling XCountry event set to take centre stage on Saturday 12 January.

It’s a switch of venue from Edinburgh after many years and the central Scotland location looks perfect for an event which features running at various levels, from the top class international action to our own Inter-District XC Champs and also a new mass participation off-road event called the Simplyhealth Great Stirling Castle Run (over 7.4K).

Now Stirling is the venue for the next three years and scottishathletics are delighted to partner with Stirling Council, Great Run, sportscotland and Event Scotland for what

scottishathletics are pleased to confirm we will should soon be able to launch a Duty of Care section on this website.

Early in 2018, scottishathletics hosted a seminar in Edinburgh on ‘Supporting Athletes with an Eating Disorders’, with sessions delivered by Jayne Nisbet and Louise Capicotto.

‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’ was one of the key themes in a government-led Duty of Care report, written by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson. scottishathletics recognised the importance of the key themes from the report, and as a result, we have been developing a our own Duty of Care section for the website.

The aim of the section will be to provide support to scottishathletics members - be they athletes, coaches, parents or club folk - through the website, via electronic resources, e-learning, video/podcasts,

will be a busy and exciting programme on Saturday 12 January.

The Simplyhealth Great Stirling XCountry moves to Stirling after 13 years in Edinburgh, with the new location providing a fresh backdrop for the live, televised event on the grass and hills around Stirling Golf Club and in Kings Park, as international and domestic athletes battle it out for honours.

First staged in the North East of England in 1988, before moving to Scotland, the event has a rich history of elite competition and has seen athletes such as Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele, Paula Radcliffe, Liz McColgan and Haile Gebrselassie compete.

In recent years the crowds have been treated to performances from Sir Mo Farah

and signposting to external specialist organisations to assist the athlete (and their support team) in developing the necessary skills to cope with the special demands in our sport.

The areas we have been focusing on developing to date are as follows: *Mental Health and Wellbeing *Nutrition and Hydration *Safety, Injury and Medical Issues *Funding and Scholarships During this period, scottishathletics have been consulting with our coach members for feedback and input in to this project.

The aim is to release this section under our Welfare section of our website later next month.

‘I missed out last season and would love to get to the Euro Cross, the Great Stirling XCountry and then race the Lindsays National XC in February.

‘Stirling looks a really good location for the event after a few years in Edinburgh.

It should work for the Inter-Districts and I think young athletes always enjoy that day when they can come along and race as well as watching top class international cross country.’

The Great Stirling XCountry and the off-road 7K run are latest events to be announced for Stirling which will again host the Simplyhealth Great Stirling Run marathon and half marathon events on Sunday 28 April 2019.

*Scotland hill runners have been hitting the heights in more ways that one in 2018 – and there were excellent performances at the Trofeo Vanoni relays in Italy.

Scotland men took third place with Andy Douglas third fastest overall and Ross Gollan in ninth place and James Espie 20th.

And the Scotland women were in fine form, too, with Lauren Dickson sixth, Charlotte Morgan seventh and Miranda Grant eighth. *Eilish McColgan pulled off one of the best wins of her road racing career at the Great South Run when she stepped up to the 10Mile distance – with Steph Twell making it a Scottish 1-2 in the Women’s race.

It proved to be successful as she strode to victory in 54.43 ahead of Twell and reigning champion Gemma Steel.

scottishathletics

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Lindsays National XC Relays

Cumbernauld

Yellow Train refuels not doing quite the mileage he once did but I keep trying to tell him that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not as fit. He ran a 5000m PB on the track.

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here are half a dozen very good reasons why Central AC’s continued dominance of the Senior Men’s races at events like the Lindsays National XC Relays should be under threat – namely Andy Butchart, Ross Houston, Alex Hendry, Scott McDonald, Jamie Crowe and Aidan Thompson.

‘Scott Green is a great athlete and another bonus for us. I thought I’d lost him when he was out of the sport for a year or more not so long ago but he has come back with a completely different attitude.

‘He was Scottish steeplechase champion a few years ago and I really believes he has British-class talent.

to relinquish as Holly Page and Rebecca Johnstone gave anchor runner, Scotland international and final year medical student Steph Pennycook, the perfect platform for success.

‘I was delighted to bring it home for the Hare and Hounds and that’s a really special three in a row,’ said Steph, as the green vests came home in 55.33 to win by 91 seconds.

‘We’ve so many good athletes around the Uni scene now (EU Hare and Hounds B team were seventh) that we felt we would have a very strong team. It is good for Uni sport at Edinburgh to see the cross country team winning golds at a National Championship.

‘From my own point of view, this is my last year with the Uni in my final year studying medicine. So I wanted to go out on a high at Cumbernauld. I am sure I will be back here in a Fife AC vest in future years.’

VP-Glasgow took the silver medals in that race with GB international Josephine Moultrie among the fastest women on the day - although that individual honour went to Morag Millar of Central AC. Kilbarchan AAC made it back to National status, too, in terms of a podium, with a fine effort for third place with Elspeth Curran on the last leg.

None of the above featured among coach Derek Easton’s selection options yet once again they were on top of the Cumbernauld podium after seeing off the challenge of silver medallists Kilbarchan AAC and thirdplaced Glasgow Uni Hare and Hounds.

‘So, with a group like ours, the dynamics are always changing. You have athletes with different circumstances or different points in their lives – working, married, moving away from home, becoming parents. The one thing you are sure is it will keep on changing!

The evergreen Alastair Hay led Central AC home after the efforts of Matthew Stirling, Cameron Mile and Scott Green had given him a comfortable lead for the last leg.

‘But although we’ve lost a few – and a couple of guys (Jamie Crowe and Aidan Thompson) are in America right now – it’s great to see Central AC remain strong.’

With teams in seventh and 17th place, Easton could once again afford to reflect on how the ‘Yellow Train’ has refuelled – despite various changes and absences as noted above.

Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds completed a superb Cumbernauld hat-trick as they won the Senior Women’s golds at the Lindsays Senior Results National XC Relays for the third successive Men 1 Central AC 47:25 (Matthew Sutherland, Cameron year

‘It was pretty much a B team who won the East Districts for us plus Alastair Hay,’ said Derek, as Milne returned from Holland where he is currently working to race while Green, a former Scottish steeplechase champion, proved revitalised.

Fife AC won the Junior Females race for the first time in their history, with sisters Isla and Anna Hedley in the team, while Giffnock North AC took the Junior Males race with a successful defence of the title they won 12 months ago.

‘I like to have someone with a sprint finish on the last leg on these occasions, just in case that is needed, but he had a bit of an advantage on Euan Gillham of Kilbarchan and Sol Sweeney of Glasgow Uni and was never going to relinquish that.

In the Junior Females race there were silvers for Giffnock and bronze medals for Inverness Harriers. In the boys race, Central AC followed Giffnock home and Garscube Harriers took the bronzes for the second year in a row.

‘Ali is running really well at the moment and GB international Anna Macfadyen, shorthas had a good spell of training. He’s maybe listed for the Scottish U20 Athlete of the Year, opened up for Edinburgh Uni PB 2018 | ISSUE 3 and established a lead they were never

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It was a great day for Cambuslang Harriers on the men’s side of things in the Masters and V50 races. The Glasgow south side club took the golds in both categories, while Shettleston Harriers also made the podium in both events.

In the Women’s division, there were Masters golds for Hunters Bog Trotters. The Edinburgh-based club won that race from Garscube Harriers and Bellahouston Road Runners. In the Women’s V50 race, the golds went to Springburn Harriers.

Milne, Scott Green, Alastair Hay), 2 Kilbarchan AAC 48:12 (Cameron Wright, Callum Matthews, Connor Maclean, Euan Gillham), 3 Glasgow University H&H 48:26 (Tristan Rees, Anthony Addison, Daniel Bradford, Sol Sweeney).

Fastest Legs: Sol Sweeney 11:35, Alastair Hay 11:39.

Lachlan Oates 11:42, Scott Green 11:45, Connor Maclean 11:46.

Women 1 Edinburgh University Hare & Hounds 55:34 (Anna MacFadyen, Holly Page, Rebecca Johnson, Stephanie Pennycook), 2 Victoria Park City of Glasgow AC 57:05 (Mhairi Hendry, Philippa Millage, Josephine Moultrie, Gillian Black), 3 Kilbarchan AAC 57:33 (Chloe Simpson, Kerry MacAngus, Christina Rankin, Elspeth Curran), Fastest Legs: Morag Millar 13:02, Elspeth Curran 13:29, Stephanie Pennycook 13:36, Josephine Moultrie 13:36.

15

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FPSG Seniors 3000m steeplechase and Kelsey Stewart in the 400m – both retaining titles they had won last year.

Edinburgh AC and Glasgow 2014 Scotland athlete, Sarah Warnock, won another long jump gold. The men’s long jump was a good competition under all the circumstances and six men went beyond 7m headed by title winner, Shettleston’s David Martin at 7.43m.

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empting more of Scotland’s best athletes to compete at the National domestic championships each August has been a recurring issue inside scottishathletics over the past decade or so.

With sponsors FPSG stepping in last winter to back our Awards, Indoor Season and the Outdoor Track and Field Season, there was an opportunity in 2018 to try something different.

The Track and Field Commission duly agreed to the idea of a £2000 ‘prize pot’ being offered for event winners – who are eligible to compete for Scotland at a Commonwealth Games – in an effort to lure some of our higher level performers to Grangemouth.

As it happened, almost two days of competition came and went with it looking very much like that pot would be rolled over until 2019 with £4000 to be up for grabs.

Half a dozen or so ‘additional’ athletes had made a stab at the standards without success.

Step forward thrower Nick Percy in the final event of the weekend to claim the bounty all for himself as well as discus gold.

The Team Scotland Glasgow 2014 athlete pitched out to 59.87m shortly after 5pm to go beyond the 59m asked in the standards.

Wet and windy conditions on the Sunday had worked against the likes of GB internationals Kirsten McAslan, Jack Lawrie and Neil Gourley after Berlin 2018 throwers, Chris Bennett and Kirsty Law, had fallen short the previous day.

‘I’m delighted to win the money and actually it will help me for next year because I am going back to college in Nebraska but have no eligibility left so will be funding competitions independently - and this is the first time I’ve ever won money,’ said Nick,

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PB 2018 | ISSUE 3

Alastair Hay won the Men’s 5000m in an exciting last lap battle with Sean Fontana the Central AC athlete taking it in 14.37.91 and Aberdeen AAC’s James Hoad landing the bronze medal. who took the title with that third round effort his best.

‘It was the last event of the day but at least it wasn’t the final throw! I did think on Saturday, when conditions were good, that the likes of Chris and Kirsty would make it and maybe one or two others on the track.

On Sunday, the conditions probably counted against people in certain events.

‘I’d have thrown it further if the wind had been in the other direction. But I’m happy with it as it is my best performance for a few weeks.’

A few minutes earlier Gourley had held off the strong challenge of Sol Sweeney to win the 1500m title in 3.48.86 – his first Seniors gold in Scotland, having been in America for the past couple of years.

Gourley opted to race after just missing out on GB selection for Berlin after taking third in the trials and third in the Athletics World Cup in London on his debut GB Senior appearance.

‘I wanted to try and win a Scottish title and that was a reason for coming here, even before thinking about any £2000 prize pot,’ said Neil, with middle distance legend Graham Williamson presenting the 1500m medals.

‘The conditions ensured 3.41 probably wasn’t going to happen and I had to ease off a bit knowing there would be a big threat coming from Sol with a couple of hundred to go. I managed to use my race experience and force him a bit wider and then held him off – it was a good race and I enjoyed it.’

Graham’s son Jamie Williamson and Mhairi Hendry were favourites for the two 800m titles and they delivered in style. Jenny Selman won the women’s 1500m gold.

There were Scottish title wins early in the Sunday programme for Scotland internationals Lauren Stoddart in the

‘I’ve only won one Scottish Senior title before and that was a 1500m race at Pitreavie back in 2010,’ said 32-year-old Hay. Kirsten McAslan flew in from Germany and reaching the 400m Hurdles semi-finals at the European Championships – to try and chase the 57.50 standard.

That look a mission improbable given the conditions but McAslan gave it a decent effort and won her first Scottish Senior gold with a run of 58.89.

‘I guess it wasn’t the day for it although I tried to get the advantage of the wind down the back straight, but my hurdling wasn’t great,’ she said.

‘I’m glad to get the gold and I wanted to come and try for the £2000 prize pot. Why not? I haven’t raced at Grangemouth for quite a number of years.’

Jack Lawrie followed on from that women’s 400m Hurdles race with a really strong run to take the men’s title in 50.75. Heather Paton took the women’s sprint hurdles and Daniel Rees the men’s title in that event, with Lewis McGuire the gold medallist in the men’s high jump. Alisha Rees and Allan Hamilton each took the 200m golds.

Hannah Lawler retained her pole vault title with 3.66m.

FPSG Age Groups

T

here are few frustrations greater in athletics than being selected for a team and then being denied the opportunity to compete.

That’s exactly what happen to Dundee Hawkhill’s Declan Gall early in the 2018 track and field season when he was picked

by British Athletics for the 4 x 400m relay squad for the Loughborough International.

Declan was ranked such that he expected to race and even more so after one of the team called off injured. But he was left on the side-lines in Loughborough and the whole experience clearly tested his resolve.

Fast forward three months from Loughborough in mid-May and those emotions were washed away at the FPSG U20 Age Group Champs as Gall exorcised his frustrations on unsuspecting opposition in no fewer than three events.

In fact, it was quite a weekend in Aberdeen for Declan as scored a gold medal hat-trick by taking the 400m title on the Saturday and then the 400m hurdles and the 800m on the Sunday - despite carrying a slight hip injury which later led to surgery.

‘It’s good to win these medals because I’ve had six weeks out through injury and only just got back into training,’ said Declan, who is at university in Edinburgh and is part of the John Lees training group, with hurdles coaching from Francis Smith.

‘Early in the season I was called up for GB Juniors for the 4 x 400m at Loughborough but it turned out that I didn’t get a run which was very frustrating. I thought I would given my ranking and the whole experience wasn’t a great one, to be honest.

FPSG Seniors at Grangemouth the previous weekend and then posted victories in the 100m and the 200m at Aberdeen.

In between, he wore a Scotland vest for the first time at Senior level in the Manchester international where he ran a windy PB in the 100m as a guest and then contributed to a strong third place in the 4 x 100m at the Regional Arena.

‘It’s been a good week for me and I’ve enjoyed it,’ said Greg, who is coached by Gordon Bury, after running 11.00 in the 100m final on Saturday and 21.86 on Sunday.

and then will have another go at the New Year Sprint. I won £4000 there a couple of years ago and I believe it is £8000 for 2019 because it is the 150th anniversary!’

In Aberdeen, other highlights at U20 include Andrew Costello of Kilbarchan AAC winning the U20 Men’s hammer with 58.44m and Murray Fotheringham clearing 2.03m for a new PB in the high jump.

Sarah Calvert of Livingston took an 800m/1500m double and Matthew Smith of Lasswade won the U20 Men’s gold at 1500m. Emily Craig won the U20 Women’s 400m Hurdles for the third year in succession.

‘I’ve won Age Groups medals over the years coming up through the ranks and it was Keira Waddell, after winning the U17 title nice to get the double this time in Aberdeen. the week before, added the U20 Women’s javelin gold with a CBP of 44.17m.

‘The bronze in the Seniors felt good because I had a windy PB in the semi-final, too. I Overall the age groups once again was ranked seventh on the start-lists so the demonstrated the breadth of young talent ‘I will just need to make sure I keep working first goal was to make the final. Getting on across Scotland. hard throughout the winter in Scotland and the podium was good and, with Michael then run faster next year to be ranked higher Moira Maguire, Convenor of the Track and Olsen getting injured, it crossed my mind and be sure of selection. That’s the way I Field Commission, said: ‘I think what has that the Scotland team would have to have to look at it.’ been very noticeable is the spread of the change a bit for Manchester. club vests on the podium. It has been right It’s a highly commendable attitude and ‘I was delighted to be selected and it was across Scotland and it certainly looks to me one young athletes in Scotland must look an enjoyable experience. The guest run as if it is not just the same few clubs all the to replicate as they seek to progress on the went well and then, in the relay, Scotland time. performance pathway. managed to beat some good teams – GB ‘Of course the bigger clubs have more Juniors were a DNF and we also beat the Greg Kelly was another athlete to enjoy his athletes involved but I think looking at the British League Select and Ireland. Wales weekend at Aberdeen Sports Village. Kelly medallists and their clubs we are hopefully had a top team and England only just completed a hectic and fulfilling week with a fine gold medal double in the U20 sprints. nicked second from us despite their final leg seeing signs of good development work taking place all around the country.’ runner being a 10.2 guy.

The East Kilbride AC athlete had claimed scottishathletics ‘I will work hard again through the winter a bronze in the final of the 100m at the

11

Seb Coe

Athletics success is a MARATHON not a sprint

By Peter Jardine

S

eb Coe spent a total of 18 days in competition at the Olympics, spanning the Games in two major cities on opposite sides of the globe.

He raced for 13 of those 18 days and landed four medals – two of them gold over 1500m in first Moscow in 1980 and then Los Angeles four years later.

Those races made Coe’s name long before a rich and varied career later unfolded.

Unforgettable experiences, without question. And enough to confer on Coe iconic status in athletics, leading London 2012’s successful bid to stage the Olympics notwithstanding or even a current role at the head of the troubled IAAF. But, in a message which should resonate with scottishathletics members young and old, it’s the 11-year journey to Moscow he now best remembers.

The sweat and the reps. The tears and the cheers. The road miles and the track laps.

The hills and the mud of cross country.

All of the above were key staging posts on the route map from the foothills of Sheffield to the top of the podium.

Moscow 1980

But Seb’s sermon is simple: there are no

Coe, now aged 62, looks back at it all with a fondness and appreciation of the degree of difficulty encompassed to become an Olympian.

short-cuts in athletics.

Next year it will be half a century since he joined an athletics club, in fact, and his grave concern is that, in 2018, it’s so hard to preach patience to today’s athletes, coaches and parents.

to talk to you about 1974 through to 1984,

‘I was asked at a forum recently about the events of the Olympics over one week in 1984 – and I had to protest and say ‘I need first’,’ Coe confided in a special interview for PB. ‘In point of fact, I joined an athletics club for the first time in 1969 and didn’t go to

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PB 2018 | ISSUE 3

the Olympics until 1980. It wasn’t exactly quick!

‘Clearly, in the waterfall of nonsense which bombards our youngsters today, wrapped up somewhere is the notion that you can become a household name in a few hours. I guess it stems from a reality TV culture.

‘It just makes it hard for all of us in athletics but the fact is you do have to pay your dues.

‘When we ask someone to bring their active young child down to the track, in truth we really have to try and explain nothing much will happen in six days or six weeks or six months. It might even be six years before there is a ripple effect being seen on the water.

Seb Coe

‘Clearly, in the waterfall of nonsense which bombards our youngsters today, wrapped up somewhere is the notion that you can become a household name in a few hours.

I guess it stems from a reality TV culture.

‘It just makes it hard for all of us in athletics but the fact is you do have to pay your dues.’

‘It actually counters culture today but still we have to try and get that message over.

‘Nor is it a linear equation, either. By that I mean there can be a year where you put in all the hard work as asked for by your coach, your club or your parents – or all three – but you don’t see any discernible improvement. Or measurable improvement.

‘But the fact is you know you are putting in the work and that does make a difference.’

In American sprinter Michael Johnston’s book ‘Gold Rush: What Makes an Olympic Champion’, published a number of years ago, Coe spoke about there being a decade of work behind all Olympians.

‘Those hard years are miles in the bank for further down the line,’ he added. ‘No matter how hard that is to take or understand at the time.

‘When you go along to a major championships, or even an Age Group champs in your late teenage years, you won’t be jumping over the fence to get straight in. You will be paying your dues at the turnstiles. And those dues will have been paid in the years and years before that when you were putting in the work.

from the Diamond League and you need experience of it to thrive in that environment. There were no pace-makers in Berlin at the European Championships and there won’t be any in Tokyo in 2020.

‘We know the times and days the races are ‘The representative vests don’t come easy. scheduled but that is about all. Nowadays And nor should they. There are no short-cuts for the Diamond League, athletes are in athletics.’ turning up knowing the opposition, knowing Fabled of course for that middle distance the lap times that will be supplied by the success, Coe was in Australia in April this pace-makers and it’s one race that week. year for the Commonwealths and presented Jake Wightman with his Gold Coast 2018 ‘That’s not championship conditions by bronze medal. any manner of means and I think it is one That bridged a 40-year gap to John reason why we need to look very closely at Robson’s bronze in Canada and the current how we think the Diamond League will look group at 1500m have proved their quality from 2020 onwards. time and again.

‘There’s a great group of Scottish 1500m runners at the minute – the best you have had by far for four decades definitely and maybe the best-ever group,’ said Seb. ‘I come from an era when you had John Robson, Graham Williamson and Frank Clement and they were top athletes at the time. I know that you have two or three bubbling under, as well, and it will be great if you can keep the production line turning over.’

Los Angeles 1984

‘Championship racing is so very different

‘It’s a bit too ‘pre-arranged’ for my liking and I think we need to address that.

‘At championships, you need to get accustomed to time-zones, conditions, living in the Village, or a hotel, living with teammates, queuing for food, travel to and from the stadium or training.’

Fortunately, there are British athletes who can cope with that and there may be one

Diamond League runs don’t impress him quite as much as medals.

or two within that collection of Scottish

‘I am thinking more and more we need to re-establish racing over times,’ he added, warming to the theme.

Photos: Mark Shearman & Bobby Gavin

1500m runners.

scottishathletics

13

Steve Cram

LOCAL H

1500m rivalry c

says Steve Cra now for these guys though is that at major championships, you can only take three athletes.

‘You have to cope with that. The problem can be that just getting in the team can become the main focus. That’s one of the issues I’ve got with funding, too – so much emphasis is placed on who makes the team and so the process of getting selected takes over from the actual target of running well at the championship.

‘As a coach, you have to take that into account and try to get your athlete into good shape going into the trials but still ensure they can peak at the championship.

You’ve got to work hard going into the British Championships and be about 90-95 percent fit to make sure you get selected. ‘

W

et conditions for the New York Fifth Avenue Mile in September led to one or two jokes across social media about conditions and ‘Scottish weather’ playing a part in the outcome.

Jake Wightman became only the fourth British athlete to win the race in almost four decades of competition and Neil Gourley, proudly wearing a Scotland vest, took third on the podium with double Olympic medallist and four-time winner of the Fifth Avenue race, New Zealander Nick Willis, the meat in the Scottish sandwich.

Chris O’Hare, second to Willis the previous year, wasn’t much further adrift in sixth place on a weekend when Josh Kerr won a different road mile race elsewhere in the United States.

All of which served to emphasise once again the strength of men’s middle distance running – with O’Hare, Wightman and Gourley having gone 1-2-3 at the British

14

PB 2018 | ISSUE 3

Champs in the 1500m at Birmingham a couple of months earlier.

Local rivalry, it seems, is pushing performance levels up and Steve Cram for one is not surprised.

‘I think it’s a good thing having such a fierce rivalry,’ said the BBC Commentator, as he assessed Scotland’s Class of 2018 at 1500m.

Gourley was selected for the Athletics World Cup but missed out on the Euros while Kerr didn’t feature at either Gold Coast 2018 or Berlin despite some fast times over the year (particularly indoors).

O’Hare battled back from injury to make the final at the Commonwealths and then hit some fine form before dipping a little at the Europeans.

Wightman, for his part, has peaked at the right time with those bronze medals in both Gold Coast and Germany.

‘It raises standards for sure. If you look at ‘It’s been a great year for the Scottish guys,’ the Kenyans – it’s like that there. With such said Cram. strength-in-depth, you know that if you want ‘Jake has been the stand-out in terms of to do well on the world circuit, you’ve got to be able to beat the people in your own country and if they’re the best in the world, that raises your own level.

‘That’s what happened to me as a youngster – for me to get on the British team, I had to improve. That’s a very positive thing because it makes you really strive to get better. So from an overall perspective, it’s a very good thing that we have that strengthin-depth at the moment. The problem for

Steve Cram

HEROES

ry can spur Scots

Cram championships performances. There’s been a few downs, too – I think Chris, given how quick he ran in Monaco, he might have liked to have got a bit more out of the season in terms of Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

‘But given that they’re all very much at a very similar stage of their career and they’re all a very similar standard, they’re not all going to be able to win medals. So it’s been a very successful summer.

‘Josh is the one who probably has the biggest question marks around. He’s obviously decided to base himself in the US and that’s worked for him in the college system but he’s yet to show that he can come over to the UK with that form or go to the major championships and do well.

‘But, on the other hand, he’s well settled and he believes he’s got a good set-up.

And there’s Neil Gourley coming through as well so it’s so competitive but that’s a good thing.’

Cram has watched Wightman for a number of years with Jake at school in Edinburgh with his son.

‘I think, in some ways, Jake is better suited to championship running than the other guys. I don’t mean that to talk down the other guys because I know Chris has won medals in the past.

Photo by Alex Barr

‘I think it’s a good thing having such fierce competition -it raises standards for sure.’

800m pace, which is everything you want in a good 1500m runner. It means you’ve got the strength to get through the rounds and also if the rounds are tactical and slow, you’ve got the weaponry to get out of those ‘Jake judged his season really well. You have rounds. He’s got good tactical nous.’ to make sure your season revolves around the championships rather than anything Come 2019 and the World Champs in Doha else, particularly when it was a year like this will dominate one where there were two championships ‘The thing with 1500m running is that quite far apart. you’ve always got a chance. If you get to the ‘You have to plan your season around final, we’ve seen plenty of people who Jake what’s important to you. Running fast times and Chris could emulate. at the Diamond Leagues or whatever isn’t ‘What they need to work on, and what Jake the most important thing if you’re trying to is very god at, is that you’ve got to be able win major medals. to run 3.32 or 3.33 but also be able to run a 1.44 for 800m. And you also have to ‘Jake is really strong and he’s got great

have the tactical know-how to do well at major championships.

‘So they’re not far off. Jake has probably shown more than anyone that he’s capable of that and that then gives you a chance, even at the World Championships and Olympic Games. You do have to get to the final but once you’re in the final, the race isn’t run like a Diamond League in Monaco – it’s tactical, there’s no pace makers and these guys have a chance.’

Getting selected for Doha could be quite a Scottish battle royal, for starters. A Princes Street Mile as a trial, anyone?

scottishathletics

15

Eilish McColgan

Message in a bottle E ilish McColgan has revealed the ‘lightbulb moment’ that kick-started her athletics career – after she partied five nights a week while a student in Dundee.

Even with her obvious family ties, the Scot who won silver at the European Championships in the summer with a superb 5000m run can accurately be described as a late developer.

Eilish by her own admission was only ‘playing at it’ in her late teens until, around 2011 at the age of 20, she decided to completely change her lifestyle and turn a pastime into a professional career.

‘My first international and my first GB event was at the European U23 Championships in Ostrava in the summer of 2011,’ recalled Eilish, in the ‘Backstraight Boys (and Girls)’ podcast..

‘It was good to go over there and just see how other athletes were training and preparing and what they were eating – everything they did, really.

STUDENT ATHLETE Eilish in 2010 (aged 19) 10th in Scottish Champs 1500m in 4.41 (11 in the race) 3rd in Scottish Uni Champs 1500m in 4.48 (7 in the race) ‘That opened my eyes a bit about being an elite athlete. Then I went to a European Cup for the steeplechase, too, and that was me stuck in that event.

‘I was nowhere near the medals in Ostrava but getting the opportunity and being part of the team was great. I had never even had the chance to touch GB kit before that. It gave me an idea of the level I might be able to reach if I kept improving.

‘Running at the point was really just a hobby – something I did while I was a student at Uni in Dundee.

‘That year, 2011, was the first indication to me that I could maybe take it more seriously and it could be a profession and make a living from it.’

Mum and coach Liz adopted a gentle approach to persuasion but another family

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PB 2018 | ISSUE 3

member was more direct, it seems.

‘Around that time, I did start to make changes with my diet and so on,’ said Eilish, who turns 28 this month.

‘I stopped going out and I stopped drinking.

It was almost instant. My mum said to me ‘you are just playing at it (athletics)’ and that resonated with me. I thought ‘it’s true, I am just going along to training but I am not really giving it my best shot.’

‘I wasn’t eating, sleeping, drinking or training properly. I could not go on like that any more if I wanted to give it a go.

‘I had a family member who told me I had to quit. He said: ‘It’s never going to be a job for you, is it? You need to leave running and start thinking more about studies and your career. Just do it for a bit of fitness, you aren’t going to make it as an athlete.’

‘That hurt me, because I did want to give athletics a go. It was a switch in my head and I changed immediately. I had friends who wondered who the new Eilish was!!’

Now settled with partner Michael Rimmer and still coached by her mum, Eilish looks back without regrets or rancour.

‘I think one of the reasons I am doing well now is I got things out of my system back then,’ she added.

‘I was still running and training but I definitely lived the classic student life. I was out partying maybe five times a week and drinking really quite excessively to be honest. Now I don’t drink; I don’t touch alcohol at all.

‘It doesn’t appeal to me and I don’t like the taste, but at Uni I wouldn’t really drink it because I liked the taste, I drank it because everyone else was doing it and you wanted to be part of things. You wanted to get drunk and party.

‘It was a difficult period because my parents were going through a tough divorce at the time. Maybe Uni was a bit of an escape for me at that time and the hard times we were going through as a family.

‘Mum let me go out and party because she knew that was my way at the time. I think she always knew I would come back to athletics and there was no point in forcing it. She has been good at letting me make my own decisions and go through phases and my dad has been the same.’

Eilish even getting close to some of her mum’s PBs looked highly unlikely at that time but it has started to happen at some distances.

‘I’ve huge respect now for what my mum achieved. Now I am in the sport, you understand better what it takes to run some of those times.

‘There been a lot of trial and error between us when coaching me – with mistakes by both us. But we’ve a strong relationship now. If she puts down training I just crack on with it. If I have a problem with it, I will speak up. So there is a strong coach-athlete bond and a strong mother-daughter bond.

‘Michael is the one there on the ground at training standing in the rain with a watch or doing a rep either running it or on a bike and I’ve a lot to thank him for, too.’

LATE DEVELOPER ‘I often tell young athletes – the times you are running as kids are totally irrelevant. If you fare badly at 13 or 15, or even at 17, 18, then it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t succeed as a Senior – if you commit yourself and work hard.’

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European Championships

Our best ever T

he European Championships in Berlin in August produced one of the best championships in the history of an event which dates back to 1934.

Great Britain first sent a team to the European Championships in 1938 which included two Scots and Scottish athletes have now been represented at 23 consecutive championships.

However, never has the representation been as great as this year, with 17 Scots competing. We have to go back to the 1970s to find double figures with the previous bests being 11 at Rome in 1974 and 10 at Prague in 1978.

Back in August, five athletes came home from Germany with medals and eight of the team qualified for individual finals. These were new achievement levels for Scottish athletes. The Europeans of 1986 and 2014 had produced four medals each, 1950 and 2016 saw six athletes in individual finals.

through the third quarter in 61.89, to win thoroughly convincingly in 4:02.32 (her final 400 was 64.84).

again in an excellent men’s 1500m race, won by the 17-year-old sensation Jakob Ingebritsen in 3:38.10.

That was Scotland’s 17th gold medal at these championships and the eighth win in an individual event.

Jake was 11th at half-way in 2:02.18, moving up to 6th at the bell and producing a final 400 of 53.52 seconds - the last 200 run in 26.41, faster than Ingebritsen, to finish in 3rd in 3:38.25, behind the even faster-finishing Pole, Lewandowski, who clocked 26.05 for the last 200.

Eilish McColgan ran the 5000m final race so many of us had hoped for. No hesitancy, taking the lead early on and up to nearly halfway, putting in the hard work before the final sprint.

Eilish led through 1000 in 3:03.01 and 2000 in 6:01.62. Although through 3000 in 4th in 9:00.24, that 3rd 1000 metres was run in under 3 minutes. She followed up with a solid 4th kilometre in 3:03.57 before wrapping up with a final 2:49.24 for a convincing and clear second behind the classy Sifan Hassan.

The single-minded Scot was not put off by the calamity that befell the Israeli athlete Salpeter who ‘finished’ a lap too early (but Laura Muir was undoubtedly the highlight of was subsequently disqualified for an earlier Scottish performances, taking the 1500m infringement) and her time of 14:53.05 was by the scruff of the neck to totally dominate just 0.22 outside her season’s best - closer her rivals. After an opening lap of 69.72 than any other Scot got to their season’s seconds, she went to the front and produced best on the track! a second 400 of 62.59, went even faster Jake Wightman runs with the selfconfidence of someone who has every PB 2018 | ISSUE 3 expectation of a medal and he produced

18

Medals at the 4 x 400m have come regularly to Scots in the British team but only once before have we had two Scots in a medal-winning team (Eilidh Doyle (then a Child) and Kirsten McAslan at the 2015 Worlds).

Zoey Clark led the quartet off with another solid opening leg of 52.5 while Eilidh Doyle, making up for the disappointment of a poor run in the hurdles final, came through to overhaul the Italians with a fine last leg of 51.50 to capture the bronze medal.

One final thought: at a time when much of the talk this year has been about innovation in athletic events as the way to sell the sport, it is ironic that a traditional championship competition produced by far the most entertaining event of the year.

By Arnold Black scottishathletics Historian

FPSG Awards Header

Photo by Bobby Gavin

Laura has Olympic dream L

Muir was a richly-deserved recipient in the aura Muir received Scotland’s FPSG Athlete of the Year from Dame Kelly main category after a year in which she rose Holmes – and then insisted she’d love to to a heady No 1 ranking in the world from realise her own Olympic dream. the IAAF.

Dame Kelly, who famously won the 1500m and 800m double in Athens in 2004, in fact, introduced the winner as ‘your future Olympic champion - Laura Muir’.

Fifer Derek Rae claimed the FPSG Para Athlete of the Year award at a glittering ceremony on Glasgow on Saturday 3 November.

‘I’d never had the opportunity to meet Dame Kelly before so this was a lovely time for that to happen for the first time,’ said Laura.

Dame Kelly Holmes helped make the presentations as Guest of Honour at the scottishathletics and jogscotland FPSG Awards Dinner at the Hilton Hotel.

Holmes has lost British Records to the Scot over the past couple of years but couldn’t disguise her pleasure in making the award to the 25-year-old from Dundee Hawkhill Harriers – who won a medal double at the World Indoors in Birmingham in March and then claimed the European title at 1500m in Berlin.

continued on page 23...

scottishathletics

19

FPSG Awards ‘I had an Olympic dream from the age of 14 when I met Tessa Sanderson at a Butlins holiday camp – yes, Butlins – and I went back to school and told two pals ‘I’m going to be Olympic champion’.

‘They said to me: ‘Yeah, you probably will be because you are not much good at anything else!’

Keep believing Scots are Kelly’s heroes

By Peter Jardine

Muir can follow her into the British Olympic

pantheon one day. The standing ovation t took Dame Kelly Holmes only four words it prompted for Laura was a moment to to capture the moment as a superb FPSG remember for all present.

Awards Dinner reached a crescendo just

I

after 11pm at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.

After opening an envelope to reveal the name of our FPSG Athlete of the Year as Laura Muir, the 2004 Double gold medallist

Further, it served to sum up much of the message delivered by Kelly herself during a compelling Question and Answer session with our host, Bryan Burnett. Keep

from Athens paused for a second and then

believing, it seems, has been Kelly’s way for

described the Scot as . . . ‘YOUR FUTURE

decades.

OLYMPIC CHAMPION’.

‘What would my message by to young

It was delivered with such genuine warmth

athletes or athletes at any level ? You have

and clear admiration by the Englishwoman

to keep believing and finding out about

that few would doubt Holmes truly believes

yourself,’ she said.

Humble Derek is so proud

‘I am thrilled and delighted to win this award,’ said Derek.

I

n the broad pantheon of Scottish athletes, few come across more humble and grounded than Derek Rae.

The hugely popular and always wellmannered Fifer has made huge strides in Para sport since suffering a motorbike accident eight years.

Victory in his class in the IPC World Cup at the London Marathon was a moment to savour and helped land him our FPSG Para Athlete of the Year award despite the strong claims of Hannah Dines, Gavin Drysdale and Maria Lyle.

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PB 2018 | ISSUE 3

‘Eight years ago, after my accident, I struggled to get around a football pitch in Kirkcaldy. So there is no way back then I could have envisaged what has happened for me.

‘I think in life you achieve things through hard work and I’ve worked hard at my sport. I am also very grateful to hundreds of different people for the support I’ve had along the way. I’ve been to Africa for training camps with top British athletes and my feeling is I’ve shown that if I can do it, so can others – if you dedicate yourself to your athletics and trust your coach and the process.’

‘I’d injuries and all sorts of problems along the way but, in 2004 in Athens, the cradle of the Olympics, I achieved that dream and not once but twice in first the 800m and then the 1500m.

‘I believe everyone is good at something.

You just have to push yourself at times to find out and see what you can do.

‘If you don’t try, you won’t find out about yourself – and for me there is nothing worse in life than ‘What If’ moments. That’s far worse than trying to achieve something and not managing it.’

Photo by Mark Shearman

FPSG Awards

‘I believe everyone is good at something. You just have to push yourself at times to find out and see what you can do. If you don’t try, you won’t find out about yourself.’

Dame Kelly Holmes With jogscotland awards combined with scottishathletics recognition for clubs, coaches, athletes, volunteers and Officials, the FPSG Awards Dinner always ensures an evening which stretches right across the spectrum of our sport.

Terrific stories lurk beneath almost every nomination on every list – be that from jogscotland Achiever of the Year to Honorary Life Member to the recipient of the Tom Stillie Sword – in this case, ultra runner and event organiser extraordinaire, Adrian Stott.

The Hall of Fame inductions added another layer of excitement and acknowledgement and we’ve covered that elsewhere in this special section of PB magazine.

What is certain is that if a diverse sport

Morgan, Robbie Simpson and Jake

‘She is the top middle distance athlete in

can somehow engender a unity of purpose

Wightman.

the world in my opinion and it is about

and a togetherness of vision - #SALBelieve

consistency – Laura has shown that. The

#SALBelong #SALAchieve #SALTogether –

‘I think the standards are rising in Scottish

then the chances of success being achieved

athletics and we’ve seen that happen in the

double at the World Indoor was tough –

improve dramatically.

past few years,’ said Kelly. ‘The short-list

there’s a physical and mental challenge

could easily have had more names on it and

when you do two event, as I know myself.

they would have been deserving.

But she delivered brilliantly in Birmingham

FPSG Athlete of the Year short-list could

‘The passion comes from the grassroots and

and carried that on into Berlin.

easily have reached eight to ten names

that’s where the nurturing of talent comes

given others who won medals at major

from, too.

There were examples all through the programme, to be honest, and indeed the

championships but ‘missed the cut’ as Muir was joined by Eilidh Doyle, Charlotte

‘I started at 12 and the dedication of my coach – coming along night after night and weekend and to all races – made a huge different to me. I know in that room at the FPSG Awards there were hundreds of people who are fully committed to their sport and I could feel their energy and support.’

‘Laura has taken some of my British Records and I hope she takes a few more.

If Records stand for years and years then that’s a sign a sport isn’t moving forward.

So, really, you have to be pleased for someone when they come along and wipe it away.’

Emulating Kelly’s Olympic achievements is a far bigger ask. It seems safe to assume

So, what about winner Muir?

Laura will not fail for the lack of trying . . .

‘Honestly? It really had to be Laura as your

Photos by Bobby Gavin

Athlete of the Year, didn’t it?’ the Guest of Honour told scottishathletics afterwards.

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21

FPSG Awards FROM HAMPDEN AGONY...

...TO BERLIN JOY

RE

Cram

I

t’s a reflection on Laura Muir’s goldplated reputation within the athletics community in Scotland that her elevation to No 1 in the IAAF World rankings for women’s 1500m came as no surprise back in September.

After a 3000m outing in the GAA Miler Meet in 8.37, there was a superb Scottish indoor Record at 800m at the FPSG Scottish Champs when she clocked 1.59.69.

Photo by Mark Shearman

That status has been forged through time and through times – from venues as diverse as the mud of Cumbernauld House park and the tracks of Monaco and Oslo.

To put it another way: we’ve known for quite some years how good she can be and indeed is already.

Yet 2018 might well go down as the year Laura went global.

Two medals in three days at the World Indoors in Birmingham thrust her further into the spotlight – she beat the #BeastFromTheEast, too – and that was followed by her first major outdoor international medal with gold at the European Championships in Berlin.

The piece de resistance, though, came in Brussels on August 31 when she won the Diamond League 1500m final in 3.58.89 with the likes of Shelby Houlihan (United States), Sifan Hassan (Holland) and Gudaf Tsegay

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(Ethiopia) trailing in her wake in a classic front-run.

That was Laura’s fourth run inside four minutes in 2018 (three of them were 3.58s in fact) and by no means should observers or supporters ever become blasé about that.

It is a matter of record on the scottishathletics all-time lists that Laura remains the only Scotswoman to break the four-minute barrier with the likes of Yvonne Murray, Liz McColgan and now Eilish McColgan at 4.01.

So the IAAF World No 1 ranking which followed merely under-lined the Scot’s status and reflected the fact that rivals around the world now give the 25-year-old huge respect, as Steve Cram acknowledged.

‘Laura’s had a great year once again,’ said the BBC commentator.

‘She’s got the respect of the other athletes as well and that’s a big thing. She’s running against really top-class runners and it’s a very tough event at the moment.

‘But the athletes she’s up against know what Laura is capable of and she can use that to her advantage. She can take the race on in whatever way she thinks she can win the race.’

Laura kicked off the year with a couple of impressive runs in the Emirates Arena.

Don’t forget, at that stage, Laura was deep in her final year university studies and work placements which ate up the hours.

Nonetheless, barely a single training session was missed.

‘Laura has obviously had to contend with structuring her season around her university exams and she couldn’t go to the Commonwealth Games but that meant she was able to focus on the Europeans and getting gold there,’ added Cram.

‘I felt that anything after that was a bonus – and I think the Diamond League victory really was an extra bonus for her and her coach, Andy Young.

‘But what Brussels showed is that Laura is learning all the time – I think she ran a smart race. She’s learning what decisions to make in the races, and make her own decisions as well. She’s the one out there and she needs to either have a set of plans or be able to adapt during the race.

‘I think she knows herself that when she’s had opportunities over the past few years, she maybe hasn’t always made the right decisions but that’s not easy to do.

‘She’s got a very exciting couple of years ahead and if she can plan that well, and there’s no reason why she shouldn’t, she’s got a very good opportunity to do very well.’

FPSG Awards

RESPECT

ram says rivals fear our Laura When Stephen Maguire left scottishathletics for UK Athletics after Glasgow 2014, Laura was still nursing the anguish of Hampden and being eliminated in the heats at the Europeans in Zurich. There’s been a lot of water under the Squinty Bridge, since then.

‘Andy, in fairness to him, always had a very clear idea of where Laura was going,’ said Maguire, now back with us as Head of Performance and Coaching.

‘It was just understanding that vision and trying to support as well as we could. Now, she is truly world class - she turns up to a competition and if she doesn’t get on a podium, and is contending to win it, then there is something wrong.

‘You could always see the talent - you were aware of it.

There is a journey for everyone and she is still on her journey. That journey now is not just to be a podium athlete every time, it is to win every time.’

Cram feels the countdown to Doha and the World Champs next autumn will be dominated by the issue of who races which event.

‘I think the big thing next year is going to be who runs what – you can’t double-up in the 1500m and the 5000m at the World Championships and all of these women, including Laura Muir, have the option of doing either event.’

continued from page 19...

‘She is a legend, of course, after that double Olympic gold in the 1500m and 800m in Athens in 2004. That connection with middle distance running made it even more special for me to receive the FPSG Athlete of the Year award from her.

‘If I could replicate in any kind of way her Olympic success then that would be fantastic.

‘Have I allowed myself to dream about the Olympic podium? Maybe a little bit. I didn’t prior to Rio in 2016 but after going pretty close that year I’ve realised what it might take and Tokyo is definitely in my mind and a big goal – even though there are plenty of targets ahead for 2019.’

It’s the third time Laura has won the Scottish Athlete of the Year crown, following success in 2015 and 2016, and her coach, Andy Young, made it a double by collecting the Performance Coach of the Year award.

Fife AC athlete Rae for his part was a gold medallist in his T45/46 category at the IPC World Cup at the London Marathon back in April and continues to set PBs at various distances.

Charlotte Morgan, who had been shortlisted for the FPSG Athlete of the Year award alongside winner Muir plus Eilidh Doyle, Jake Wightman and Robbie Simpson, took home the Masters Athlete of the Year trophy.

Muir’s 2018 in best times 800m: 1.59.09 Oslo

Next year can wait.

1500m: 3.58.18 Lausanne

For the moment, the FPSG Scottish Athlete of the Year can reflect on (another) memorable year and one which confirmed her as a true star of global athletics . . .

Mile: 4.19.28 London 3000m: 8.37.21i Glasgow

Insight: Seb Coe ‘I am a fully paid up member of the Laura Muir Fan Club. She’s a top athlete and she’s hasn’t had it easy by any means to reach the top.

‘I actually had a long chat with her at Zurich way back in 2014 when she had struggled at the Europeans just after the Commonwealths.

It has been exciting, and pleasing, to see her come a long way since then and pick up medals in Belgrade and Birmingham.

‘Let’s be honest – Laura has chosen one of the toughest sports in the world in which to try and medal and she has chosen the toughest disciplines, with the African behemoths in opposition. On top of all that, through luck or judgement, she had the toughest degree course in veterinary medicine.

‘So I take my hat off to her absolutely on her achievements this far. I would even suggest that in Scottish sports terms she is very, very good indeed. Down the years you have not had other women running under four minutes for 1500m and not too many under two minutes for 800m, either. Or under 15 minutes for 5000m. She has quite a range of distances, doesn’t she?

‘I think what all of that says is that Laura has incredible mental strength.

‘Expectation around her now is high and she will know that. People will start to think 3.58 is commonplace – when plainly it isn’t for British women.

‘I recall reaching a stage in my own career when I crossed the line in the 800m and if 1.44 was on the clock people would look a little perturbed and ask me ‘What went wrong?’ But I’d venture to suggest Laura will cope with that, on the evidence we’ve seen thus far.’

scottishathletics

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FPSG Awards

T

he smiles on the faces and the echo of the applause ringing around the room at the Glasgow Hilton said everything about a big night for our new Hall of Fame inductees. scottishathletics have been working for the past few months on a project designed to recognise and celebrate the success of Scotland’s very best athletes.

The ‘Hall of Fame’ is a perpetual list of senior Scottish athletes of outstanding achievement and already includes the likes of Eric Liddell, Liz McColgan and Allan Wells.

And the FPSG Awards Dinner felt like the right moment to induct a further 15 names after a comprehensive review of how the Hall of Fame should work in terms of its criteria.

Mark Munro, in his role as chief executive of scottishathletics, set the ball rolling on this project some time ago.

‘First of all, I must thank our wonderful and progressive volunteers within the Nominations Committee of scottishathletics,’ said Mark.

‘After several months of discussion, it was agreed to review the criteria for consideration of inductees into the Hall of Fame. The most significant change has been the focus on an athlete’s career achievement and impact on the sport rather than a oneoff performance.

‘In many respects, it is righting the wrong of the previous restrictions in criteria and acknowledging the impact of some wonderful athletes on the sport in Scotland which is long overdue.

‘Secondly, I would like to congratulate the 15 athletes and their families. It is a wonderful list of Who’s Who of Scottish athletes over several generations.

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‘Scottish athletics has a great past. I think it is so important that we remember and acknowledge that past – and the Hall of Fame recognition does exactly that.’

Allan Wells ‘Regrettably some of the inductees are no longer with us but it was great to welcome their families to Glasgow for the FPSG Awards Dinner. It was a great celebration of the sport - past and present.’

There was a terrific response from the candidates we contacted, with messages coming in from across Scotland and beyond, all of which have under-lined the strong sense of pride evoked by the Hall of Fame honour.

Lee McConnell, who finished competing in 2013 and is thus nominated following the five-year gap since competition (which is part of the criteria) mentioned above, unfortunately had a previous engagement for November 3.

But Lee said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to have been put forward for the scottishathletics Hall of Fame and am very pleased indeed to accept. It’s a great honour to be bracketed with Scotland’s very best athletes.’

In cases where the recipient had passed away, we were in touch with family members and a number of those attended the FPSG Awards Dinner for the induction ceremony.

scottishathletics Hall of Fame Original list: Jim Alder, Wyndham Halswelle, Eric Liddell, Liz McColgan, Tom McKean, Yvonne Murray, Allan Wells.

Inductees for November 2018: Duncan Clark - Commonwealth Games hammer champion Dale Greig - Marathon world record holder Lee McConnell - multiple track medal winner Angela Mudge - World and European mountain running champion Tom Nicolson - winner of 42 Scottish titles Geoff Parsons - triple Commonwealth high jump medallist Alan Paterson - European high jump champion Rosemary Payne (now Chrimes) Commonwealth discus champion Don Ritchie - multiple World ultra Record holder Meg Ritchie (now Stone) - Commonwealth discus champion Ian Stewart - World, European and Commonwealth Gold medallist Lachie Stewart - Commonwealth 10,000 metres gold Rosemary Stirling - Commonwealth 800m champion James Wilson - ICCU Cross Country winner and Olympic medallist Dunky Wright - Scotland’s first Commonwealth Games champion

FPSG Awards

#peoplemakeathletics Honorary Life Member Mairi Levack , North Uist AAC

‘Many of our athletes have gone on to achieve success not only in athletics but other sports:

Speak to anyone involved in athletics in the Western Isles and the name Mairi Levack will almost certainly enter the conversation.

Beth MacLeod: Women’s rugby international and captain of the Scotland ladies rugby team

A total stalwart of the sport might just about describe her contribution and scottishathletics were delighted to bestow Honorary Life Membership at the FPSG Awards Dinner to the founder member of North Uist AAC.

Iain MacCorquodale: Scottish International athlete and World Island Games Medallist.

Kerry MacPhee: Mountain Biking multi gold medal winner at the World Island Games and Glasgow 2014 cyclist ‘Through Mairi’s stewardship the club has gone from strength to strength and this has been reflected in an award for Scottish Volunteer of the Year for Mairi.

‘This year, Mairi won the lifetime achievement award at the Scottish Education Awards. She is now nominated to represent Scotland for the UK final.

‘As well as running the club Mairi has also been the athletics team manager for the Western Isles World Islands Games team.

‘This is a much deserved award even although she will be cringing at being in the spotlight. We at the club are all very proud of her and all her efforts to grow the sport here.’

Here’s an outline of her commitment from Norman McLeod: ‘North Uist is a small island in the Outer Hebrides with a population of roughly 1,400 inhabitants. Many of you will live in a street that have more people.

‘The club was formed in 1991 by Mairi Levack when she came to the island to teach in the primary school. Her dedication to athletics goes far beyond coaching and the lifestyle changes that the young people of the island have experienced over the last quarter of a century has been amazing.

‘Mentoring, encouraging, listening and a shoulder to cry on come to mind when you mention Mairi’s name on the island.

‘Athletics is now the major sport on the North Uist with a turnout of 80 plus for training on a Thursday night is about average. Mairi was instrumental in getting a track at Benbecula.

Now retired from teaching, Mairi has stepped back from leading the club in the past year but is delighted to see growth continue.

‘It has been wonderful to see what has happened,’ she told scottishathletics.

‘I was a PE teach who loved athletics and when I came to the islands in 1990 I wanted to see what I could do.

‘There wasn’t much by the way of facilities then – so we used what we had: we did cross country on the beaches and the hills.

‘It has just snowballed from there and the club is very strong now with some very good people involved. At one point we had 80 people heading by bus to championship events on the mainland and on another occasion we were 22 hours on a ferry trying to get to the Inter-Districts. We left Skye at 4.30am and just about made Edinburgh, although running to the course became the warm-up when police challenged me on where I was trying to park the mini-bus!’

Volunteer of the Year Stephen Wallace, Cumbernauld AAC Cumbernauld coach and administrator Stephen Wallace picked up our Volunteer of the Year title at the FPSG Awards night after making a huge contribution to that club in recent years.

Here’s the citation from Cumbernauld: ‘Like so many volunteers, Stephen has multiple ‘hats’ but he is a bit unique in that he splits his time between administration and coaching as well as holding down a demanding full-time job and family duties.

‘He is club secretary at Cumbernauld AAC, a role which, as all secretaries will appreciate, takes up a lot of time. But he can also be found coaching on club nights and organising the groups at the start of each evening. As a sprints coach, he has coached many athletes including (GB Junior) Lewis Brown.

‘Locally Stephen has been key to establishing strategically important partnerships for the club with the local authority, Active Schools and Greenfaulds High School. These partnerships in the last 12 months have led to the club working with Active Schools to deliver athletics competition throughout Cumbernauld.

‘Not only does Stephen co-ordinate training and competition for athletes in Cumbernauld AAC but he also co-ordinates and manages the composite team of Cumbernauld, Airdrie and Motherwell AC in the YDL where the U17 team qualified for the 2018 Scottish Challenge Final.

‘Stephen has a great attitude; he is diligent and respectful to all and has an outstanding commitment to not only his club but to the sport as a whole. This was demonstrated when he was selected by scottishathletics to be a Team coach at the Celtic Games held at Grangemouth in August 2018.

‘Stephen was honoured to have been selected for this role but he had already booked his family holiday to Madeira which clashed with the date. He considered the logistical challenge and accepted the coaching role arranging at his own expense a flight back to Manchester then a train to Stirling where he met up with the team on the night prior to the competition.

‘He then successfully carried out all his coaching duties (the team won all seven trophies) before joining the team for the awards dinner and presentation and travelling back to Madeira to re-join his family for the remainder of his holiday.’

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25

FPSG Awards: Club Photos FPSG Awards Dinner Roll of Honour Technical Official of the Year: Margaret Brown Raymond Hutcheson Trophy for Services to Officiating: Ian McWatt Volunteer of the Year: Stephen Wallace The Eddie Campbell Memorial Award: Sunny McGrath Honary Life Membership: Mairi Levack Impact Club of the Year: Team East Lothian Track & Field Club of the Year: Edinburgh AC

Garscube Harriers celebrate their Off Track Club of the Year award with Jack McConnell

Off Track Club of the Year: Garscube Harriers The Tom Stillie Sword: Adrian Stott The Dallas Trust Trophy: Eilish McColgan Club Coach of the Year: Kirk and Linda Smith Development Coach of the Year: John Lees Performance Coach of the Year: Andy Young U17 Athlete of the Year: Kane Elliott U20 Athlete of the Year: Erin Wallace

Edinburgh AC took home the Track and Field Club of the Year trophy

Masters Athlete of the Year: Charlotte Morgan FPSG Para Athlete of the Year: Derek Rae FPSG Athlete of the Year: Laura Muir

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Team East Lothian collected the Impact Club of the Year award from Jo ButterďŹ eld

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PB Interview

Stephen Maguire

W

hen Stephen Maguire was first announced in a significant role with scottishathletics, back in April 2012, it’s safe to say the landscape for the sport in Scotland was a little different from today.

A couple of months later, only four female athletes were named for the London 2012 Olympics with Team GB and NI - as Dutch head coach Charles van Commenee selected Lee McConnell, Eilidh Child (as was), Eilish McColgan and Lynsey Sharp.

Freya Murray (as was) duly made it five Scottish women headed for London when she was announced as a late replacement in the marathon for Paula Radcliffe. Freya did well in the marathon but none of the track quartet progressed beyond the semifinals.

Fast forward four years to the summer of 2016 and the next Olympics in Rio and no fewer than 15 Scots were picked to represent British Athletics in Brazil after meeting the required performance standards.

As another marker, back in early 2012, there were 1905 entrants for our National XC Champs at Falkirk - whereas five years later that number had risen by more than another 400 athletes.

The whole scene in Scotland, both at the high performance end and at club level, seems a more vibrant place with athletes, coaches and club volunteers lacking nothing in enthusiasm and motivation. Maguire, for his part, oversaw the huge challenge of guiding Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014 before swiftly departing a then role as Director of Coaching to join UK Athletics en route to Rio. ‘I always said I would come back to Scotland,’ grinned the Northern Irishman.

‘I

had a great time.

The opportunity to work back in Scotland is to do with the talent that’s here. To give it an impetus to move forward.

To have more balance in my life, especially with my family as well.

‘But there is a real potential there for

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Feast of Stephen Maguire believes Scots can dine at top table athletics in Scotland, and there aren’t too many jobs out there where you can have a full input into the pathway from junior into senior. And I see it as something for the long-term.

‘People seem to be pleased I’ve come back but last time, I had two years before a home Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I had to get medals and we had to work hard and push. This time, I feel I have more time.

‘The sport is in a good place. I want to listen and see how I can help and try and mould the coaches and athletes so they can evolve. Before, some things needed to be done quickly.

‘I think now I have more leeway to make things better over the longer-term.’

Maguire had one eye on Birmingham and the 2022 Commonwealths when saying that but of course, at the very top level, Scots are looking to Doha and the next World Champs and then to Tokyo for the next Olympics. With the Emirates Arena and the European Indoors early next year en route, perhaps.

BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year 2017 And he firmly believes those at the very top can be a marker for those a little lower down on the pathway.

‘In my four years (and a bit more) away, Laura Muir has evolved into being one of the best endurance athletes in the world,’ added Stephen.

‘Now she has to be on podiums. That’s her objective. You have Eilidh Doyle, Lynsey

Stephen Maguire

Flashback... Stephen in 2012

PB Interview

‘Let’s actually aim to be good at what we do. Don’t aim to be mediocre or average.

Scottish athletes and Scottish coaches can be the best in the world’

Sharp, Eilish McColgan, lots of athletes that the younger ones can look at and say ‘this can be done’. Sammi Kinghorn is another.

Things are very positive.

‘Let’s actually aim to be good at what we do. Don’t aim to be mediocre or average.

Don’t spread ourselves so thinly that we are just okay.

‘For a few athletes, the biggest target now is Tokyo. People need to figure out where the likes of the European Indoors in Glasgow (1-3 March 2019) fits into their preparation but I would be very surprised, being Scottish athletes, if they didn’t want to compete in it.

‘I want to engage with the full athletics community in Scotland and I will always be open and available for conversations. If we all work together then we can definitely look to continue some of the very good work which has been happening in recent years – as we’ve seen by representation on GB and NI team selections for big events.

‘We are lucky we have the talent bank in Scottish athletics that we have now and that is testament to the work done by clubs, athletes and coaches not just in the last four years, but eight years and 12 years. It just doesn’t happen by accident.

‘We’re punching way above Scotland’s weight in terms of population percentage and we want to see that carry on and happen across a whole range of disciplines whether it is track and field, cross country, ‘Rather than turning up and getting the T-shirt now, it’s about turning up and getting Para athletics, road running or ultra running.’ to the podium. Part of my job is instilling that belief that Scottish athletes can really Maguire would love to see facilities and take on the best in the world. coaches within Scotland itself meet world ‘There are role models now, people can look class standards - but accepts that whatever environment suits a particular athlete is, in up to athletes and coaches can look up to other coaches and they can actually see that fact, best practice. it can be done, that Scottish athletes can be ‘Look at some of the great training groups the best in the world.’ worldwide: a lot of them are centred around With a job title as Head of Performance and a shoe company – so you have your Nike group, your Adidas group, the Brooks Coaching, Maguire’s remit is to lead and Beasts, Puma. They all have separate spots direct, to guide and facilitate, to coax and with athletes from different countries. That’s cajole. the way things are moving.

‘My job now with scottishathletics is to ‘But it doesn’t mean we can’t develop help, to motivate, lead and drive people across the next line from having potential to something in Scotland, especially around being a winner,’ said Stephen. universities.

‘One of the big differences from when I left is that there are some good facilities now.

I was in Aberdeen and I was looking at the Sports Village and thinking ‘there’s no reason why you couldn’t bring through a top-class sprinter here.’

‘And they already have, with Zoey Clark having medals from the World Champs and the World Indoors as well as the Europeans in Berlin.

‘So clearly there are opportunities here, and what I want to do is put a support system in place that allows someone like Zoey to keep doing what she’s doing without needing to go anywhere else.’

In the years away, Maguire’s experience and skillset has improved.

‘What’s the biggest thing I learned . . . probably to be clear in my expectations but patient in how we get there. Culture is important. I’ll not be doing the doing. I’ll be influencing and helping.’

With an infectious personality and an ability to engage in conversation on so many levels, Maguire will assuredly seek to bring the community together for the greater good.

Budget for the man who once worked in finance and with Arthritis Care to be truly hands-on. As he seeks to raise a high bar even further .

scottishathletics

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scottishathletics

New Strategy

Why we are ‘Building a Culture of Success’ scottishathletics are delighted to launch a new strategy for the sport for the forthcoming years – entitled ‘Building A Culture of Success’.

The strategy was adopted recently by our Annual General Meeting delegates at the Emirates Arena, with the document having been written following a lengthy period of consultation and consideration.

‘This is thanks, in the main, to the significant contributions from our member clubs, event organisers and ‘athletics people’ - the majority who devote their time voluntarily and for the good of others 52 weeks of the year.

‘Whilst the Strategy period is eight years (2018-2026), It is designed to act as reference point for it is in effect a two-year driving the sport forward in Scotland and rolling document which will the eight-year period involved, from 2018 to be reviewed and tweaked 2026, is subject to on-going reviews to keep to ensure it is continually the strategy relevant. updated and fit for purpose.

‘Building A Culture of Success’ outlines five key pillars for athletics which are based on two solid platforms – good people and sustainable foundations.

The five pillars are: *Clubs and Pathways *Competition *Performance Environments *Partnerships and Commercial *Recreational Running and Health Copies of the new Strategy document have been sent to all clubs.

‘Our aim is to build an integrated and transparent system that supports our members as well as continuing to develop the sport of athletics in Scotland as a whole.

‘This document provides an overall strategic vision for athletics in Scotland, from grassroots introductory level through to international level, and sets the context for future strategic decisions and identification of key programmes and projects.

At the AGM, Mark told club representatives that the main focus remaining the same – via the ‘Building a Culture of Success’ strategy.

‘It is clubs who are driving the sport forward in Scotland and we are constantly amazed and delighted at the progress they are making.’

Mark Munro, chief executive ‘First of all, we are extremely grateful to the numerous clubs, club leaders, coaches, officials and volunteers who have supported the consultation for this piece of work,’ said Mark Munro, Chief Executive of scottishathletics.

‘The strategy, Building a Culture of Success, builds on the previous strategy and over a period where we have evidenced significant growth and improvement within our sport.

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‘The title Building a Culture of Success is not just about performances on the world stage but is about the whole sport pulling together in the same direction with clubs and people very much at the heart. It is also about recognising the importance of all parts and individuals within the system.

‘We look forward to working with the sport to deliver the right approach for athletics in Scotland moving forwards.’

‘The main focus is athletes, clubs, coaches, Officials and events,’ he said. ‘It is about putting these people, these groups, at the heart of all that we do.

‘Looking back, the 2017-18 year in question is one of the finest we have ever had – and not just at elite level performance. It is clubs who are driving the sport forward in Scotland and we are constantly amazed and delighted at the progress they are making.’

Grassroots Athletics

Falkirk Vics

Falkirk Victoria Harriers

Falkirk victorious Club makes big strides on and off the track

L

ike most clubs within the scottishathletics Club Together project, Falkirk Victoria Harriers have seen a large growth in athletes and the associated volunteers required to meet the demands of an expanding club.

athletes of the calibre of Grant Plenderleith and Allan Smith is a big help as our younger athletes aspire to match their effort and commitment. Kane Elliott winning the U18 European 1500m Gold springs to mind immediately as an example of this.

However, Falkirk Vics are also now starting to see an increase in retention of those numbers at Senior and U20 level, with some very promising athletes in both those categories.

Grant for his part shows great commitment to the club where he can be seen turning out early on a wet Saturday morning to help the club set the National XC course and then appearing a week later in a GB and NI vest at the World Indoors. That’s exactly what happened earlier in 2018.

Our Seniors won gold medals at National events such as 3 x 800m (male and female) and 4 x 400m – when not so long ago we really struggled to enter any teams!

Further proof of this retention was to be found when our Men’s team finished third in the Men’s League Div 1 and our U20 athletes won last year’s Indoor League.

There are many factors behind this retention but undoubtedly having International

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Jade Nimmo has returned to the club that was instrumental in her early development and Freya Ross is now coaching and competing. Both are a huge boost to the club and, in particular, to our younger female athletes as ideal role models.

Another group our athletes can look up to is our Masters. Falkirk Victoria Harriers have always had a strong contingent that have competed at very high levels. Fiona Matheson continues this on the World stage

by setting new records and medalling at World Champs. And then we have Hugh McGinlay, who is still competing in his nineties!

A recent innovation to aid retention is Falkirk Vics offering bursaries to support athletes going through further education – a time where there is a very large drop out rate of athletes in their late teens.

These bursaries are very kindly supported by the family of the late Jim Dingwall and indeed are named in his honour. The bursaries recognise those athletes who are balancing their studies while remaining committed to the club and showing athletic improvement.

Other development projects include: *Our Community Athletic Pathway (CAP): This project is delivered in partnership with Falkirk Community Trust Run Jump Throw, Active Schools and local High School pupils.

It is funded via Awards for All.

Falkirk Vics

Grassroots Athletics

The aim of the project is to engage primary school children in athletics with a meaningful pathway for those who wish to progress to the club.

‘The current success and on-going signs of growth in the club are very pleasing for all of us with Falkirk Victoria Harriers at heart,’ said John Pentecost, club president.

It works via High School pupils being trained in Leading Athletics, First Aid, Officiating and Child Protection. With their new skills they deliver after-school clubs to their Primary School clusters. Athletes are then sign posted to the RJT with a bridge into the club from same. The High School pupils are encouraged to help within either RJT or Falkirk Vics as a club for further development.

‘It simply would not be possible without the dedication of our coaches, officials, committee and all our volunteers. Falkirk Vics are also grateful for the support of all

their partners at Grangemouth Stadium, Falkirk Community Trust, Central Volunteer Services and of course scottishathletics.’

Check out the club website www.falkirkvic.org.uk Email enquire@falkirkvics.com

*Community Inclusion: Through strong links with Forth Valley Flyers, we have established a pathway for athletes with a disability to progress to mainstream athletics.

This pathway is working very well for all. Falkirk Vics have also developed a roadshow where they tour local community groups spreading the word of how to get involved with the club as either an athlete or volunteer.

The club have also been awarded Volunteer Friendly status which is a national standard covering everything to do with volunteering.

This award is beneficial when recruiting volunteers from our wider community.

Our future plans include expanding CAP to other age groups as well as developing our current coaches and volunteers. In particular, we are keen to develop or recruit coaches to fill our shortfalls, especially in the like of hurdles, javelin, pole vault. Of course, the club will consider funding any interested parties and support them in every way possible.

scottishathletics

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Grassroots Athletics

Lasswade AAC Endurance Group noting, to name only two, would be first GB and NI vests for hill runner Lauren Dickson at U20 level and a Scottish U20 1500m title for Matthew Smith at Aberdeen.

Helping young athletes plan and manage their own training programs, integrating the use of technology to help monitor and motivate, providing advice on nutrition, injury prevention and recovery is all essential to the way athletes develop within the club.

Report by Craig Morton

T

he calendar year of 2018 has been another outstanding period for the Lasswade AAC Endurance Group, building on the success of the previous year.

Key to this success is the dedication and expertise of our coaches, Kirk Smith, Linda Smith and Gillian Cousin, developing and supporting a group of talented, hard-working young athletes and helping them reach towards their full potential.

Kirk and Linda Smith have led the Endurance Training group for athletes at Lasswade AAC for the last ten years.

Nominated and shortlisted for Club Coach of the year in 2017, and again at this year’s FPSG Awards, the Smiths have proven a formidable team, strongly supported by Coaching Assistant, Gillian Cousin.

In addition to coaching the Endurance Group, they spend an enormous amount of time promoting and organising club athlete participation in cross country, road and track league matches in addition to participation in district and national competitions.

For the Endurance Group, this has included bringing in successful athletes, both past and present, including Freya Ross, Greg Louden and Tom Hanlon to provide advice, training and support to developing athletes.

Additional developmental and gym sessions for competing athletes have also proven hugely popular and successful.

Outside of the club sessions, Lasswade AAC strives to secure close links with the local community in an effort to improve participation in the region, as well as attract and identify potential new members for the group.

Our Annual Open Cross Country meeting and Ten Mile Road Race are established fixtures, bringing in both recreational and club runners of all ages. Additionally the club provides support to school athletics events throughout the year.

Club officials attended this year’s Primary School Cross Country Championships, where two of the club’s younger members, Andrew McWilliam and Abbie Foster, both came away with victories. Having almost 400 runners competing, from 20 schools, underlines the popularity of the sport in the region.

Lauren Dickson: GB and Scotland Hill Running team: European Mountain Running Championships, Skjope, World Mountain Running Championships, Andorra (top GB finisher); Scotland Hill running Champion; Scottish mid Trail champion;SSAA 3K champion Harry Henricksen: Scotland Hill Running team; Scotland Mini Marathon team; Scottish Schools XC champion; Scottish Schools XC team; Scottish mid Trail U15 champion Christian Graham: Represented Scotland at Celtic games (U18 3000m); Scotland Mini Marathon team; Inter-District XC champion; Scottish indoor 3000m champion; 2nd at National XC Championships (U17) Sarah Tait: Represented Scotland Celtic games (1500m SC); Scotland Mini Marathon team; Scottish Schools XC team; Magnus Tait: Represented Scotland Celtic games (U18 2000m SC); Scottish schools XC team Matthew Smith: Scottish U20 1500m Champion Andrew McWilliam: Midlothian Primary Schools Cross Country Champion 2018 Abbie Foster: Midlothian Primary Schools Cross Country Champion 2018

As with all sections at the club, Lasswade’s Endurance Group strives to provide a safe, sociable and inclusive environment for all athletes, regardless of ability. Treating all athletes as individuals, while promoting a team ethos, has led to a strong bond between both athletes and coaches.

The success of the Endurance Group, its coaches and athletes, continues to be a source of pride for the club and local community.

Many and varied have been the success stories at the club in 2018 and some of these are displayed on the panel. Well worth The group very much appreciates the support from Mark Pollard, Endurance PB 2018 | ISSUE 3 Performance Manager with scottishathletics

34

Lasswade AAC Endurance Group

Kirk and Linda Smith were named Club Coach of the Year at the FPSG Awards

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Grassroots Athletics

Young at Heart

Young at heart Jim’s 70 years with Killie

I

’ve been involved with Kilmarnock Harrier and Athletic Club, the second oldest club in Scotland, for 70 years. It has been an honour and a privilege to be a member of this great club. And it still is.

Looking back I recall taking the first step after being encouraged – or pushed forward maybe – to ‘join the Harriers’ by my mother.

I guess she saw it as a way of keeping me away from street corners.

Today the challenge is about trying to restrict the number of hours young people spend glued to their iPhone or iPad or game screens. Nothing changes, yet everything changes.

Down the years I’ve been involved in the sport from the exhilarating early years as a competitive athlete when most competitions were handicapped, with two top sporting events held annually in Scotland’s central belt. The Rangers Sports were held at Ibrox Stadium and the Glasgow Police Sports were held at Hampden.

Olympians and World Record holders were

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invited to compete in invitation events in front of crowds of up to 50,000.

Having won a heat of the 880 yards, I was honoured to have my photo taken alongside an Olympic Sprint legend Dutch woman Fanny Blankers Koen – she had won four golds in the 1948 London Olympics. These were great days brought in to sharp focus after five years of war while still coping with food rationing.

Time rushes past and a seemingly natural path for me to take was firstly to mentor young athletes and then formally qualify to coach a wide range of endurance athletes from club level right through to Commonwealth Games competition; again another truly exciting time for both the athlete and myself.

I have been asked on many occasions if there have been many changes over these 70 years and what they have been.

The answer, of course, is very much a YES, and some of them what I would call ‘sea-changing’ moments down the decades with the club.

hair-raising stories from a dozen or so hardy

*As a 15-year-old, I greedily absorbed the

growing.

characters not long returned from fighting in the Second World War - to today with around 400 active club members and

Young at Heart *From an old wooden hut with a tin bath to wash the mud from your legs after the weekend cross country run to the Ayrshire Athletic Arena, a multi-million pound all weather track with indoor facilities including changing rooms and showers (something we didn’t even dream about in the 1940s). *There’s been massive changes to athletics clothing and footwear - from thin-soled sand shoes to hi-tech fully cushioned multicoloured eyecatchers. *From everyone walking, running or cycling to the club - now parent ‘taxis’ drop the athletes off and pick them up after training. *From the era of ‘only professionals’ can accept prize money to the blurring of the lines so that now amateurs can accept cash prizes. *From the days of only radio, on to television and now Internet with communications today being immediate and worldwide thus making our coaching base so all-encompassing.

I mentioned ‘sea-change’ moments over the years and two in particular come to mind.

Grassroots Athletics The first was the scottishathletics initiative, the ‘Club Together’ programme. This acted as a wake-up to Kilmarnock Harriers to have a new look at where we wanted our club to go and to partner strongly with East Ayrshire Council to identify and encourage pathways for young people to develop their interest in athletics and all sport at an early age and to make activity a way of life for all – for life.

The other ‘sea-change’ moment was the bold commitment of East Ayrshire Council to build the multi-million pound Ayrshire Athletic Arena, with the opening coinciding with London 2012 Olympic Games.

I was fortunate enough to have been Club President during both these ‘sea change’ moments and they were challenging and exciting times for us as a club and for the sport in East Ayrshire.

There are many more memories to recount and they keep on coming, thankfully.

In 2017 I was honoured to be voted scottishathletics Club Coach of the year another occasion to savour and an award for which I am very grateful.

Among all the memories, the abiding one would be about some wonderful people I have met along the way: volunteers, athletes and coaches, all of whom I consider friends.

What followed that was a tsunami of youngsters desperate to join our club; a Here’s to another however many years!! great problem to have and thus forcing a monumental charge to increase volunteer numbers along with coaches and to define and refine the processes along with the tools to help everyone do the best they can.

We now have two professional specialists in our club, one to identify business opportunities and the other is our Coach and Pathways development officer. I guess this is only the start.

scottishathletics

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Commonwealth Half Marathon

Kenny Wilson

Heart and soles K

enny Wilson calls it his zip.

It might be less recognisable now, but the scar which runs vertically down the torso from the base of his neck through his breast bone provides the physical evidence which proves what a remarkable character this 28-year-old Highland athlete is.

At the tender age of five, Wilson was found to have an atrial septal defect, more commonly known as a hole, in his heart, undergoing open heart surgery to fix it yet returning, larger than life, to school some two weeks later.

Some two decades after he stopped undergoing check-ups on the condition, he ran the biggest race of his life as he proudly competed for Scotland at the Commonwealth half marathon championships in Cardiff.

‘I probably was born with it,’ says Wilson, who is coached by Carol Sim at the Moray Road Runners club.

‘But I was five when they found it – I had a chest infection which wasn’t clearing. They thought it was a heart murmur to start with but they found I had a hole, took me to the Edinburgh sick children’s hospital and I had the operation November ’95.

‘I don’t remember too much about the op,’ he added. ‘I think I remember waking up in what must have been intensive care or something at some point.

‘But before the operation there are home videos of me finishing last at every nursery or school race sports day. So luckily since I’ve been patched up it has been going a bit better for me!

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‘And I got a cool scar out of it! When I was a kid, they called it my zip. You can still see it nowadays but you can’t notice it too much.

Nowadays I think it is keyhole surgery they use to do that operation, instead of cutting people open. It just shows you how much things have moved on.

‘I was lucky that it was picked up early, I had check-ups for two years afterwards and luckily they gave me the all clear.

‘It is not something I think about nowadays.

Luckily the human body recovers pretty quickly and you can start pushing yourself again.’

Something of a late developer in the sport, it is only marginally less remarkable that this Highlander still finds the energy to devote to his running after shunting whisky casks around in his day job at Knockando distillery.

He regards the likes of Andy Butchart, another late starter, Callum Hawkins and Laura Muir as an inspiration, and even in his late 20s would love to see how his body responds to full-time training.

‘Some of the casks are pretty heavy,’ he said. ‘It is hard physical work, but luckily I think I don’t like the taste of the stuff.

That means I’m probably not the best for promoting it!

Wilson for his part feels inspired by a golden generation for Scottish athletics.

He was joined in Wales by Mike Crawley of Corstorphine AAC and John Newsom of Inverness Harriers.

‘Hawkins and Butchart, Laura Muir, there are a lot of big names doing really well on the world stage and I think that is helping to drag everyone’s performance in Scotland up,’ said Wilson, who recorded a PB of 66.58 in Cardiff for 25th place with Twell home in seventh place.

‘They are a big inspiration for us all I think.

While I wouldn’t say I am closing right up to them, every day I am just trying to get that little bit closer.

‘I did running as a junior but I didn’t really have that much success. But I got back to it in about 2012-13, started taking it more seriously and it has obviously become something that I am quite successful at as a senior.

‘I work full time in a distillery which is a really physical job, it is hard getting the training in sometimes after a hard day’s work, but it is something I enjoy.

‘It is just about trying to keep the ‘No, if the opportunity came full time I progression going because the last few years would grasp it with both hands. I would my times have all been going down.’ love the opportunity even for one or two years to go full time and see the difference it From his hospital bed to the sharp end of would make.’ athletics, Wilson’s story is a heart-warming one. And it may still have a distance yet to Cardiff might not have had the cachet of run. the Gold Coast, but the winners still called themselves Commonwealth champion.

Steph Twell made a promising start to her

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The Event Frontrunners

Para Athletics

Hannah Dines

By Hannah Dines WPA European Champion RaceRunning

S

ome people stand on the shoulders of giants. I stand on the shoulders of teenagers who were likely in the smallest birth weight percentile for unwell babies. I made and continue to make myself in their image. We all hail from Glasgow’s Red Star Athletics Club.

Gavin Drysdale trained for a decade and Kayleigh Haggo for eight years before they got their first-ever RaceRunning Para-athletics event at the European Championships in 2018.

RaceRunning is, to all intents and purposes, just running. You move rapidly using your legs, meanwhile, a frame that you lean on, deals with the trickier gravitational forces and lets you get on with the race.

If you struggle to stand or walk, RaceRunning is for you. If you’re struggling with my explanation, it’s best you watch a video - Channel 4 films most elite Para-athletics competitions and then they become freely available on youtube.

Gavin and Kayleigh were my first team-mates and the only team mates who have been so consistently selfless, supportive and positive despite overwhelming barriers to their sporting success.

I asked them how it felt not to have a Paralympic race, funding or a confirmed World Championships and they both emphasised the benefits of personal goals: getting fitter and faster no matter what; about having dreams and joy at the high participation levels within RaceRunning.

Two classifications were merged for our events meaning Kayleigh and I went ‘helmet-to-helmet’ and had to race either other despite being in different classifications.

Not once did Kayleigh moan about the advantage I had over her, which I certainly have and attest to. Instead, she thanked me for giving her something to chase. To her credit, it had taken me four years and an elite level cycling programme to get me fit enough to beat her. Which I only achieved this year.

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Debut for

dreamers In the end, she set her fastest time alone, when we were in different heats. She broke her own World Record by more than half a second. I only did around a 10th of a second better in my heat.

In the final I took the win; perhaps it’s me who thrives off the nearness of competition.

Still, Kayleigh races with a RaceRunner (frame) that she had not updated since she was 11 - Bromakin will be doing the honours in that respect. Standard Life Aberdeen also helped out with a wheelchair motor for competition. She is a perfect ambassador and I’m proud to call her a team-mate.

I’m really very spoilt with Gavin, too. When his legs were a lot shorter, we would be only fractions of a second apart and take turns firing ourselves down the athletics track determined to be the first over the line.

breath. In Berlin, he broke the men’s 100m RR3 world record. This is particularly impressive because he had to come back from a crash as well as sitting all his Highers. I don’t know which was worse and, yet, he still took gold.

This sportsmanship seems to be a trademark of our shared club. Ross Paterson, who also made his debut in Berlin but in the most able-bodied classification of ambulant running, is just as respectful an athlete and human being.

He is trying to get a job as a nursery teacher and hopes he will get to have a positive influence in some of the most important years of a child’s early education and development. Kayleigh, who already works as a swimming teacher in that age group, gave him tips on the plane. He brought home a 400m silver medal and a promising 200m fourth place finish.

They brought home treasure and these three really should be your national treasures.

First Gavin would beat me by 0.01 seconds, then me, then him again. So ecstatic was he to have true competition he used to thank me when I beat him

The World Championships takes place in November in 2019. Until then, if they do get a race that is (and RaceRunning is added to the programme), they will be improving themselves and others.

Quite a picture: a 13-year-old boy taking the time to thank a tomato red 20-year-old who is bent over double she is so out of

In the meantime, they’ve certainly improved me.

Officials

Shona appointed as full-time Officials Development Officer scottishathletics are pleased to confirm our continued commitment to our qualified Officials with the appointment of a full-time development officer for that area of the sport.

It’s absolutely essential that we continue to recruit and train scottishathletics Officials to make our events happen and indeed for the on-going health of athletics in Scotland.

development of our new strategy. That’s why we are increasing our support.

‘We believe Shona’s full-time role will enable us to proactively work with clubs to support them at a local level whilst also addressing some of the barriers to progression as officials move through the pathway.’

A rare weekend off from officiating for Shona Malcolm has thus now been our dedicated officials ensured Sunday appointed as our Officials Development 21 October was the ideal time to gather Officer – with this role being part of our officials together for our annual conference.

Development Team and working closely with the Events Team.

As always there was an outstanding response with 76 officials in attendance scottishathletics chief executive Mark Munro giving up a rare free day to further develop confirmed the appointment to the Officials themselves, support the development of Conference in Dunfermline last Sunday. others and work together to help grow officiating for the benefit of athletics in ‘We are delighted to be able to increase Scotland. the time commitment of the Officials Development Officer role,’ said Colin Hutchison, our Head of Development. ‘scottishathletics recognise the challenges faced nationally in recruiting, retaining and progressing officials and have listened to feedback received from clubs during the

In addition to presentations from Mark Munro, Head of Commission, Margaret Brown, and Officials Development Officer, Shona Malcolm, delegates were also treated to keynote speeches from Victoria Clark (Active Advantage) and Adrienne Hunter

(SEE Consultants) and GB athlete, Grant Plenderleith.

The morning’s presentation from Victoria and Adrienne focussed on collaboration and working together to achieve more and an interactive exercise to start the session identified that between them the officials in the room had over 1400 years of officiating experience in athletics – quite incredible!

Following on from Guy Learmonth in 2017, Grant Plenderleith gave up his afternoon to share his experiences of interacting with officials at national and international level, also sharing with the officials feedback he received in preparation for the presentation from other top athletes in Scotland and across the U.K.

Margaret Brown was named Technical Official of the Year – with Maria Lyle helping us make the presentation.

The other nominees were: Mike Burns and Dave Finlayson.

The Raymond Hutcheson Trophy for Services to Officiating was awarded posthumously to Ian McWatt. scottishathletics Chair Ian Beattie presented the trophy, with Mike Forrest the recipient on behalf of Ian McWatt Photos by Bobby Gavin

scottishathletics

41

Hill Running

Charlotte Morgan

Morgan’s grin

By Charlotte Morgan World champion Long Distance Mountain Running

I

started running in late 2010, and for the next couple of seasons ran lots of races on the Scottish Hill Runners calendar. It was fun and racing was my main training.

My first Scotland vest in the hills followed but, struck down by illness, I struggled to a disappointing run.

Getting allergies and asthma under control in late 2014 led to better quality consistent training and by early 2015 things were looking up with fifth place at my first National XC. But a fall, and complications from a stitched knee, saw a halt to progress.

I thought maybe age had hit me and that my opportunity for improvement had passed.

Allergies, asthma, Alpine snowline camps and foot cramps can’t deflect Charlotte hoped, but I was pleased to take the win from a GB ultra-runner.

Over the next winter training hit an alltime low. Discovering that my iron levels were way down explained a lot and as these improved I regained a short spell of consistency in time for the trial at the 3 Peaks Race.

I ran a safe race to gain my first GB vest!

To run well at the world championships on the famous Giir Di Mont course in Premana, Italy, I would need to find a massive A change of approach and some good winter improvement – but things were on a good miles saw me take aim at GB selection for trajectory. the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships.

Wanting an interim race to evaluate my The trial race didn’t go to plan and I narrowly missed out. Having been so close, I decided to travel to the open race attached to the championships in Slovenia, to gain a little insight into what it was all about.

A bout of shingles in the build-up and I decided to run more cautiously than I had

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progress, I returned to the Slovenian race from the previous year, stopping off in Italy to look at the course for the coming championships. Wanting to stay in the mountains, but with the rifugi not yet open, I packed a rucksack of food and a tent and spent a few days around the snowline, sleeping in old shepherds’ huts when the weather got too rough.

I travelled on to Slovenia, felt great, and made a 30-minute improvement on the year before. It was a good result. This preparation had suited me. The template was set.

I returned (with tent) to altitude above Premana for my final build up and got to the start line fit and happy. I was thrilled to achieve seventh place, albeit with a feeling I’d under-cooked it.

With eyes firmly set on Poland 2018, the winter preparations proved an exciting time with a new-found resilience to little setbacks. Racing in Spain through March saw me rounding into shape for when it mattered. I had a clear idea of where I needed to be to be at my best come June.

A mishap at the trial race and I was lucky to gain selection. With this lifeline, I set about following last year’s template of visiting the course followed by some altitude trekking in Italy. I travelled to Poland feeling happy, strong and prepared.

Race day dawned cold and wet. On the

Hill Running

Jacob Adkin

start line, wearing a pair of arm warmers hurriedly fashioned by stitching together two pairs of socks, I tried not to think of the snow and ice forecast for the summit.

The first mile was on the tarmac and I settled into a relaxed rhythm to reach the trail as comfortable as possible: I was sitting in third place.

I was surprised to find myself in such a strong position on the first climb, but I was determined not to lack the courage to hold my spot this year. I topped off the 1000m ascent holding position. Working steadily on the descent to overhaul the lead pair of GB team-mate Victoria Wilkinson and Polish athlete Dominika Stelmach, I was amused to reach the halfway point leading a British 1-2.

On the second climb, I somehow managed to maintain my advantage; I was feeling great.

Leading over the crowded summit area disaster struck! I found myself tangled in a pair of walking poles. I stayed upright but my foot cramped. Wiggling my toes brought slight relief but as I hit the hard stone path of the descent the crippling pain shot up into my calf and brought me to a halt.

I went to go again; no good. My lead was gone! I spent a couple of minutes massaging my calf. I told myself not to panic, that I had time. Relaxation was key to any chance of regaining the lead. I got into my stride and set about the chase.

It was exciting but I kept calm as I descended from the mist and the leader came into sight; I eased ahead with half the descent to go. How was this going to play out? The running gods smiled on me and I was able enjoy the run to the finish.

I was delighted to be the new world champion.

J

acob Adkin claimed a superb sixth place finish at the World Mountain Running Champs in Andorra in September. It was his debut in the Senior Men’s race at this event. Gregor Nicholson of Moorfoot Runners put a series of questions to Jacob, who started out with the club more than a decade ago.

Q:

This has been a breakthrough year for you. What has made the difference?

A: Ultimately it’s down to how much more

enjoyment I get back from running now and having a full year free of injury.

Previously, training could feel like a chore at times, particular when juggling university life as well, but recently I have been able to appreciate the sport for what it is and how much it can give back.

This is both in terms of the physical side of running, but also the brilliant people I have met along the way. I have been very lucky to have spent a good portion of this summer living and training in Chamonix in the French Alps, as well as travelling to races in amazing places, and this has only amplified the experience.

I have also been fortunate to benefit over the last few years from the Borders Athlete Support Programme which helped me through previous injuries and support from Salomon UK.

Q:

What has it been like working with your new coach Robbie Simpson (Commonwealth Games marathon bronze medallist) and what have you learned from him?

A: I have always been inspired and

motivated by Robbie’s work ethic, commitment and outlook of the sport.

Having chatted to him at races and on trips, he has so much great advice and knowledge which he willingly shares to help others.

As a friend as well as a coach it works really well, creating a dynamic training situation which allows me to adapt things if necessary, while still maintaining the quality.

I have gained a lot more confidence in my running and racing through working with Robbie. The knowledge he has gained from racing at the very top is invaluable.

Q:

What did it feel like standing on the start line in your first senior World Champs?

A: I felt a little nervous, but mostly relaxed as I knew I had done everything I could to be on that start line amongst some of the world’s best mountain runners.

Wearing your country’s vest gives you a sense of pride like no other, and I was just looking forward to testing myself in my first senior world championship race.

Q:

How did it feel when you crossed the line in sixth place?

A: It didn’t hit me straight away - I was too exhausted!

From fellow GB team-mates cheering me on, I knew I was up to sixth, but I was so focussed on trying to catch the runner ahead (Norwegian Johann Bugge was first European home just six seconds ahead) that I finished without registering the bigger picture.

Only afterwards when speaking to teammates and the managers did it start to sink in!

scottishathletics

43

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