PB Magazine - Issue 3, 2021

www.scottishathletics.org.uk

£3.75

2021

Issue 3

PB

Field of dreams ... #LindsaysXC is back The official magazine for members of scottishathletics

04 Contacts scottishathletics 05 Chief Executive Colin Hutchison 06 News: HLM awards 07 News: World Indoors for Glasgow 08 #LindsaysXC: Lanark

12 Team Scotland: Birmingham 2022 14 4J Annual Awards: Jo Pavey

18 4J Annual Awards: Steve Doig 19 4J Annual Awards: Photos 20 Women in Sport: Scout Adkin 22 Women in Sport: Nichola Crawford 24 Women in Sport: Jenny Selman 26 Grassroots Athletics: Roger Clark 28 Grassroots Athletics: 4J National Athletics Academy 30 Grassroots Athletics: Josh Kerr returns to Edinburgh AC

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

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16 4J Annual Awards: Laura Muir & Owen Miller

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10 #LindsaysXC: Scone Palace

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Chief Executive

Colin Hutchison

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s we approach the end of 2021, it is a great time to reflect on a challenging but successful year for athletics in Scotland and turn our thoughts to what lies ahead in 2022.

The momentum built up throughout spring and summer has continued into autumn and winter with development work gathering pace in clubs, membership throughout the sport continuing to increase and events at all levels across the disciplines showing encouraging entry numbers.

There has been a tremendous effort from all stakeholders in athletics in Scotland throughout 2022 to support the return of the sport and we are grateful to each and every one of you for your efforts in ensuring athletics has recovered strongly from the impacts of the pandemic.

Colin Hutchison Chief Executive Scottish Athletics

@SALChiefExec

Thanks for your support ! Restoring momentum has been huge team effort (it’s in our DNA) This provides great impetus as the sport continues its recovery moving into 2022 and the number of people engaging in these sessions across all areas has been hugely encouraging.

It was a pleasure to be able to recognise some of these contributions at the 4J Annual Awards and to have the opportunity to celebrate once again the achievements of athletes, coaches, Officials and volunteers from across Scotland.

To further add to that momentum, it has been an extremely exciting last two months for athletics in Scotland with the announcements of firstly Dynamic New Athletics (DNA) coming to Glasgow in February 2022 and, more recently, the fantastic news that the Emirates Arena will host the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2024.

For athletes, these events will provide unique opportunities to compete at a global level in front of a home crowd. Of course, we have all seen from the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2019 that these events can inspire the athletics community across Scotland.

The DNA competition will provide a unique opportunity for a Scottish team to compete in a European level event and the innovative format offers a different take on how athletics events can be delivered.

As we know from experience the Emirates Arena provides a fantastic venue for major athletics events and we hope to have a full house on Saturday 5 February to cheer on the Scottish team (and our opponents) at DNA. Keep an eye on our website for further information on tickets for the competition.

The enthusiasm and support from Glasgow Life to bring major athletics events to Scotland has been fantastic and we are grateful to them and all other partners for the investment they are making.

Despite the challenges clubs have faced over the past 21 months it has been great to see the continued development of the Club Together programme.

This continues to be our core club development initiative and has had a Colin with Guest Speaker Paula Dunn at our National Club Conference

tremendous impact on the growth of

Looking ahead to 2022 it is sure to be another exciting and positive year.

10 years. Clubs are continuing to join the

In January, we are looking forward to getting back into the Emirates Arena for the 4J Studios scottishathletics Indoor Championship season, and outdoor we will be building up to one of the highlights of the year with the Lindsays National Cross Country at Callander Park on Saturday 26 February.

The international calendar is packed in 2022 with highlights including the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, Birmingham 2022, the European Athletics Championships in Munich, the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, and the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand (rescheduled from 2021).

I’ve no doubts at all that there will be strong Scottish representation across all events. +++

athletics in clubs in Scotland over the past programme, assess and expand their roles to fit their needs, and a few are now taking on the employment of roles directly as a club. As the project gradually evolves, I have no doubt it will continue to play a crucial role in modernising the sport alongside other projects in clubs and across our development team. +++ To finish the year, the main thing I can say is a huge thank you to everyone involved in athletics in Scotland for your patience as we have navigated our way through the pandemic, for your resolve and innovation in ensuring that athletics continued through the toughest moments, and for your tremendous efforts in delivering all aspects of athletics across the country.

Best wishes to all of you for the Festive

Season and we look forward to working with In recent months it has been great to be able you in 2022 to ensure it is another incredible to return more focus to our programmes year for athletics in Scotland. and projects and to move to hybrid models of learning for coaching, officiating, athlete scottishathletics development and club development.

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NEWS

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

Katie and Sophie land SWiS Awards

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wo women from the athletics community in Scotland were named as winners at this year’s Scottish Women in Sport Awards.

Katie Johnson of Edinburgh AC was named sportscotland Young Sportswoman of the Year, while Sophie Allan of Dunfermline Track and Field is Kube-net Volunteer of the Year.

The awards were presented at a ceremony held at voco@Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow, in November.

Katie was U17 Athlete of the Year at our own 4J Studios Annual Awards this year, marking a breakthrough year for the 16-year-old Edinburgh AC athlete.

Katie won 800m gold at both U17 and U20 at both the Scottish and English age group championships. She also helped the U20 women set a new Scottish 4x400m record Sophie Allan

at the Manchester International, where she represented GB at U18 level, and Scotland at U20. Katie also took both the Schools International and UK School Games 800m titles.

Sophie was recognised for her work as a dedicated official, coach and general volunteer within athletics. In the past year she has officiated at more than 41 events, team managed at Scottish Schools events and organised events for Dunfermline Track and Field.

Sophie does all this while holding down two jobs. Most of her spare time is dedicated to athletics, she sits on SSAA committee, Peer Groups for Field and Start Team, and takes the time to mentor new officials.

Huge congratulations from all at scottishathletics to two worthy winners, who have both put many hours of hard work in Katie and Sophie were among eight finalists from the athletics and running communities at this year’s Scottish Women in Sport Awards. Also making it onto the shortlists and deserving great credit for their achievements were: Pamela Stephen & Fiona Pollock of Cambuslang Harriears for Kube-net Volunteer of the Year Andy Young for Frame Coach of the

Special moment for HLM trio scottishathletics were delighted to confirm additions to our list of Honorary Life Members at our 4J Annual Awards in October.

The status is conferred, usually each year via the Annual General Meeting, on those individuals who have made a contribution to the sport in Scotland deemed as ‘above and beyond’ and across all manner of roles.

In 2021, three nominations were approved by our (online) AGM back in September and then the formal presentations were made at the 4J Awards Dinner in Glasgow.

We send our warm to the three individuals and their families of achieving Honorary Life Membership.

Katie Johnson won our U17 Athlete of the Year title Year Nichola Crawford of Aberdeen AAC for Frame Coach of the Year Alison Miller Duff, of Ready, Steady, Go Pitreavie for the SW/S Inspiration in Sport Award.

Maria Lyle for Para-athlete Sportswomen of the Year Laura Muir for Sportswoman of the Year

scottishathletics, Alistair has made a significant impact on developing new Officials for 30 years.

Janice Hendrie of Inverclyde AC: One of our most experienced coach education tutors and club supporters, Janice has guided countless athletes to enjoy our sport and also had a key role with Scottish Schools AA..

Bob Masson of Aberdeen AAC: Administrator, Coach, Official and Athlete, Bob has been involved in athletics at all levels for many years and continues to work tirelessly to develop athletics in the Aberdeen area.

stadium and made sure I took a moment to think back over my career and recalled my club, my first coach, my experiences in schools athletics,’ said Jo. ‘I did that because I wanted to remember that the people involved in those years put me on the path to the Olympics.

Former head of the track discipline for

Five-time Olympian Jo Pavey, our Guest of Honour at the 4J Annual Awards, was quick to highlight the contribution and commitment of volunteers – and she might well have had our HLM trio in mind.

‘I think it is so important that these individuals and these steps on the journey are acknowledged and celebrated and I loved being part of that at the 4J Annual Awards Dinner.’

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‘When I stood on the start-line at an Olympics, I looked up at the flame in the

4J ANNUAL AWARDS SPECIAL – PAGES 14-19

Alistair Aitchison of Edinburgh AC:

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World Indoors will belong to Glasgow

Image via: Brand Oath

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orld Athletics has announced Glasgow will host the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships following a successful bid process.

The Emirates Arena will stage the biggest Indoor athletics championships in the world, five years on from holding the hugely successful European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2019.

News of the award has delighted the bid partners EventScotland, Glasgow Life, UK Athletics and UK Sport who received the outcome of the World Athletics Council vote on December 1.

Eilidh Doyle, Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete and a relay medallist at Glasgow 2019 at the Emirates, formed part of the bid team.

‘In an era where Scottish athletes are shining on the world stage, I am delighted that Glasgow has been chosen to host this major, global event,’ said David Ovens, Chair of scottishathletics.

‘I want to say thank you to the event partners: Glasgow Life, Event Scotland, UK Sport and UK Athletics, who have worked

extremely hard to pull the bid together.

‘Glasgow has a fine tradition of hosting fantastic events and I am certain that the World Indoor Championships in 2024 will be no exception.’

Laura Muir, with a 1500m/3000m gold double, Chris O’Hare, Zoey Clark and Eilidh Doyle all landed medals with GB and NI when Glasgow hosted the European Indoors in 2019.

‘I’m delighted that Glasgow has been chosen to host the prestigious World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2024,’ said Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

‘This will underline Scotland’s global reputation as the Perfect Stage for events

Greenock Glenpark Harriers are celebrating their 125th Anniversary this year (after Covid-19 issues suspended activities for much of 2020) as one of our oldest clubs.

Seven Scottish athletes have been named

by British Athletics on their Olympic and Paralympic Futures Academy Programme for 2021/22, which is supported by Nike.

And the commemorations went up a level at a superb 125th Celebration Dinner held in November as they marked that stretch from being formed in 1895.

The Programme is a key step in the pathway to support athlete and coach development with the aim to progress to become a successful Senior athlete, and transition onto the World Class Programme (WCP) in the next cycle.

Endurance duo Erin Wallace and Kane Elliott are on the Olympic Futures programme and the five Para Scots are Steven Bryce, Kirsty Soutar, Steven Stone, Alexander Thomson and Mel Woods All at scottishathletics send our warm congratulations to these athletes and their coaches and families as well as the clubs involved in their development.

Joining Greenock Glenpark on their big night were double Olympian Callum Hawkins; Ian Beattie, the new Chair of UK Athletics; and our own Bryan Burnett, whop reprised his MC role from recent Annual Awards Dinners for scottishathletics.

We send our warm best wishes to all at Greenock Glenpark Harriers - here’s to the next 125 years! **********************************

Giffnock North AC athlete Erin, coached by Andy Young, is on Year Three while Falkirk Victoria Harriers athlete Kane, coached

by Willie Sharp, is on Year One. Erin won bronze in the 1500m at the Euro U23 Champs in Tallinn last summer.

On the Para side of things, five Scots are listed (coach in brackets): Steven Bryce (Allan Bryce, Victoria Park City of Glasgow); Kirsty Soutar (John Owens, Red Star); Steven Stone (Laurence Bissett,

and is welcome news as we look to recover from the pandemic.’

Ian Beattie, who took over as Chair of UK Athletics in October, said: ‘We are delighted to be awarded the opportunity to host the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships.

‘World Athletics have demonstrated their confidence in the UK to host global athletics championships once again, and history has shown time and time again our ability to deliver amazing events.

‘We’re thrilled with the outcome and look forward to a successful Championships working alongside our partners that will truly give all athletes a fantastic stage upon which to perform.’

Forth Valley Flyers); Alexander Thomson (Chris Baillie, Victoria Park City of Glasgow; Melanie Woods (Rodger Harkins, Red Star). ********************************** Eilish McColgan saw fine road running performances rewarded when she was named Female Athlete of the Month for October by European Athletics.

The Scot, who competed at her third Olympics during the summer, had set a European 10-mile best of 50:43 at the Great South Run in Portsmouth during October. ********************************** There was triple individual success for Scots at the British Masters 5k Road Championships held at Barrowford in Lancashire.

Mark Doherty of Inverclyde AC took gold in the M35 category in 15.08 and Alastair Walker of Teviotdale Harriers replicated that achievement in the M65 category with a run of 18:03. And there was a W45 victory for Mandy Williams of Central AC. There were golds for Inverclyde AC in the M35 team race thanks to the efforts of Mark, Colin Doherty and Paul Friend.

scottishathletics

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Back to their grassroots Olympic trio savour warm welcome at Lanark

By Peter Jardine From track to field (s).

It was the day three Olympians came to Lanark Racecourse – and our sport was the clear winner.

Laura Muir and Andy Butchart claimed golds at the Lindsays Short Course XC Champs and that duo now have no fewer than nine gold medals between them (Laura has five, Andy now four) in this particular cross country event.

Jake Wightman found it a little tougher but the Olympic 1500m finalist and Commonwealth and European medallist enjoyed his visit north nonetheless.

In fact, Jake noted the strength in depth

in the Senior Men’s race where the top ten places were highly-coveted. If Scottish Championship medals become hard-earned, everyone benefits. Whatever the discipline.

‘I haven’t done cross country in a long while and I enjoyed coming back.

A group of four were well clear at hallway in the Women’s race before Laura made her break. That left Morag Millar of Central AC and Eloise Walker of Glasgow Uni to conduct an almighty battle for silver – Millar took it on the line – with U20 champion Megan Keith not far behind in fourth.

‘But what I feel is that when I did this the last time a number of years ago I was at a similar level of fitness and finished higher up the race. I think this time there are a number of guys running well in Scotland and three or four U20 athletes were very prominent, too.

Megan had further consolation in leading Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds to yet another success in the team race – their fourth in a row in the 4k. Glasgow Uni took the silver medals and Edinburgh AC were in third.

‘That is a real positive for the sport and the turnout – in pretty grim weather – was terrific as well. The warm welcome for Laura, Andy and myself was appreciated, too.’

That Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds team featured Keith as well as Katie Lowery (seventh), Isla Calvert (10) and Hannah Anderson (12).

‘There was really good depth in the Men’s race today as I discovered,’ said the Edinburgh AC athlete.

Laura highlighted the fantastic response to her appearance, her first race in Scotland since early in 2020 when she competed indoors at the Emirates Arena.

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battles were keenly-fought across six races for individual medals and for team places on the podium.

But it would be wrong to give an impression that Lanark was simply a fanfare for Olympians. In tough wet and very windy conditions, the

If the top of the Women’s podium ‘went green’ on the middle weekend of Cop-26, then there was another yellow fever outbreak come the Men’s race.

Central AC would have been strong favourites even without the presence of leader of the pack Butchart. Followed home closely by Jamie Crowe and with U20 champion Ben MacMillan in fifth place, their team was completed by a fine run from Tom Graham-Marr (15) for a total points tally of 23.

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Giffnock land four sets of team medals

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iffnock North have a remarkable habit of being an unstoppable force when it comes to the younger age group races at the Lindsays Short Course XC. There’s been a steady stream of yellow and blue clad athletes making their way to the podiums, in fact.

Photos by Bobby Gavin Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds and Cambuslang Harriers contested the silvers and bronzes, with the students taking second by a single point.

‘Coming back to the club seemed the obvious thing to do and it is pleasing if I’m able to push others on, too, when I’m training with them,’ said Butchart.

‘It has been brilliant for me because the young guys are so hungry and so desperate to beat me in every session.

‘These are becoming some of the toughest sessions I’ve done and I’m having to work hard just to stay ahead of them. There are promising young athletes (at Central AC) and everyone is benefiting from it.’

With MacMillan landing the U20 gold, there was silver for Andrew McGill of Livingston and bronze for Kane Elliott of Falkirk Victoria Harriers.

As the podium was vacated, Butchart and Wightman headed off for a warm-down with the Racecourse fields at last savouring sunshine.

If the response across our social media channels was any judge, however, the warm glow from Lanark lingered for all who attended.

That happened again at Lanark as the Glasgow club took two sets of team golds and two sets of team silvers for an impressive collective display in the U15 and U17 races.

But it was also an excellent day for Falkirk Victoria Harriers and Aberdeen AAC – two clubs where there are real signs of burgeoning promise in the youth section after all the difficult retention issues presented by Covid-19 lockdowns.

Falkirk took third place in the U15 girls and silver medals in the U17 Women’s race.

Aberdeen savoured their long journey back north after taking team golds in the U15 Boys race and bronzes in the U17 Women.

U15/U17 Medal Table Yet, oddly, it still felt as if other clubs made U15 Girls Individual - 1. Millie McClelland a significant impact, too.

Brooks – Glasgow School of Sport; 2 Freya Campbell – Giffnock North; 3.

The four individual golds went to Charlotte Horn – Falkirk Victoria Harriers representatives of different clubs for a start.

U15 Girls Teams - 1. Giffnock North AC; 2. East Kilbride AC; 3. Falkirk Victoria Millie McClelland Brooks (Glasgow School Harriers of Sport) and Oliver Patton (Kilbarchan AAC) took the U15 titles with powerful U15 Boys Individual – 1. Oliver Patton runs.

– Kilbarchan AAC; 2. Rhys Crawford – Aberdeen AAC; 3. Luke Culliton – Falkirk In the U15 Girls, Freya Campbell (Giffnock Victoria Harriers North) and Charlotte Horn (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) took second and third. In the U15 Boys, Rhys Crawford (Aberdeen AAC) U15 Boys Teams – 1. AberdeenAAC; 2. and Luke Culliton (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) Giffnock North AC; 3. Edinburgh AC were in silver and bronze position.

U17 Women Individual – 1. Louisa Brown – Garscube Harriers; 2. Katie At U17, it was top of the podium for Louisa Christie – Falkirk Victoria Harriers; 3. Maja Brown (Garscube Harriers) and Reuben Thomson – Team East Lothian Macdonald (Giffnock North) - with Reuben’s win one of the closest finishes of the day.

U17 Women Teams - 1. Giffnock North AC; 2. Falkirk Victoria Harriers; 3.

There was second place for Katie Christie Aberdeen AAC (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) and third for Maja Thomson (Team East Lothian) in the U17 U17 Men Individual – 1. Reuben Women’s race. Tendai Nyabadza (Harmeny Macdonald – Giffnock North AC; 2. Tendai AC) and Corey Campbell (Team East Nyabadza – Harmeny AC; 3. Corrie Lothian) took second and third to complete Campbell – Team East Lothian the podium for the U17 men.

U17 Men Teams – 1. – Harmeny AC; 2.

Come those team podiums and Giffnock Giffnock North AC; 3. Team East Lothian did reign supreme with golds at U15 Girls scottishathletics and U17 and silvers in the two male races.

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Scone Palace That was in fact a best-ever performance in this event for Fife AC women. Glasgow University took the third with Eloise Walker and Erin Wallace book-ending runs from Aoife Carr and Stephanie Tucker.

‘It’s my debut in the green vest for Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds and it was a great way to start,’ smiled Megan.

‘That’s five in a row for us as a club I believe and it is a strong group of athletes this year.

Forces of nature Central AC and Edinburgh Uni unstoppable again

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ellow leaves on the trees and yellow vests at the front of the race. With plenty green, too, on the Women’s podium in keeping with the prescient environmental agenda.

Scone Palace may have been a new venue for the Lindsays National XC Relays but there were some familiar outcomes that late October afternoon in Perthshire.

Central AC and Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds are the current ruling aristocracies when it comes to Senior events in cross country in Scotland.

And so gold medals proved their destiny once again with the impressive Scone Palace facade as backdrop after almost two decades at Cumbernauld.

The course was a little more benign than at Cumbernauld and Central’s Senior Men took full advantage to post a remarkable 1-2 to deliver eight athletes out of 12 on the podium, with Inverclyde AC as bronze medallist interlopers.

In fact, one glance at the archive compiled by our Road Running and Cross Country Commission confirms only Central and Inverclyde have won the Men’s race since 2010.

The ‘race’ for the golds was effectively over after two laps after strong runs from Hamish Hickey and Ben MacMillan. Handing over to a double Olympian in Andy Butchart and the current National XC reigning champion, Jamie Crowe, allowed them a comfortable run for home. Carefree, even.

Behind them, the Central B team of Cameron Milne, Calum Philip, Luca Fanottoli and Tom Graham-Marr ultimately had enough to see off the threat of the Inverclyde quartet of Sean Fontana, Ben Potrykus, Ross Gray and Jonny Glen.

‘It’s a great day for the club to have two teams on the top two places on the podium,’ said Crowe, who had raced the London Marathon only a fortnight earlier.

‘We actually missed the big man, Alistair Hay, today as he had to call off sick in the morning. I’m sure he will be back and then you think about others like Conan McCaughey in Ireland and Aidan Thompson in America and we’re really pleased with the depth.

‘It was good to race here again after last season and I like it as a venue. It’s been a good course to me but Hamish and Ben had set it up so well for Andy and myself.’

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And so the Lindsays National XC Relays made a successful return after a two-year absence.

The whole #SALtogether atmosphere was summed up by the efforts of all our Officials, host club Perth Road Runners (who won Men’s V50 golds to top off their day) and GB hill running international Andy Douglas volunteering as a race marshal. +++ Edinburgh clubs were firmly to the fore in the Masters races.

Hunters Bog Trotters won the Women’s V40 race thanks to the efforts of Eilish McKechnie, Claire Gordon and Jill Stephen.

Bellahouston Road Runners took the silvers and Garscube Harriers were our bronze medallists.

In the Men’s Masters race, the winners were Edinburgh AC thanks to good runs from Stuart Johnstone, Mark Thornton Smith, Leon Johnstone and Ewan Cameron.

Central coach Derek Easton believed it a first 1-2 for the A and B teams at the club and Cambuslang Harriers followed EAC home to was naturally delighted. take silvers and there was third place in that race for PH Racing.

In that Men’s race, there were superb individual leg runs from Christian Graham of +++ Lasswade and Duncan Robinson of Giffnock North, with both timed at 11:28 for the Giffnock North won the V50 Women’s race course of around 4k. from Edinburgh and then Gala Harriers.

Edinburgh Uni’s green vests tend to dominate in the Women’s division and Scone proved little different from Cumbernauld in that regard. It seemed appropriate with ‘going Green’ a buzz-word at the time with Glasgow about to host COP-26.

Victory in 2021 was a fifth in a row for the students who were bolstered on a final leg

by Megan Keith, with the Inverness Harriers runner having won in Cardiff a week earlier at the British Cross Challenge.

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‘I thought Scone Palace could work for a National event when we raced here last December and I think everyone enjoyed the venue and the atmosphere this time around.’

Megan followed on from Hannah Anderson, Katie Lowery and Holly Page as she overhauled a Fife AC team well-served by Jenny Selman, Megan Crawford, Annabel Simpson and Sheena Logan.

Host club Perth Road Runners won the V50 men’s race from Cumbernauld and Cambuslang. +++ Inverness Harriers won the Young Females race thanks to the efforts of Lois Macrae, Katie Meek and Anna Cairns. Team East Lothian took the silver medals and Giffnock North won the bronzes.

Giffnock dominated the Young Males race as their A team took the golds and their B team landed the bronzes, with Kilbarchan AAC taking silvers. Giffnock’s winning team featured Calum Dick, Craig Shennan and Reuben Macdonald.

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Team Scotland Birmingham 2022

Friends reunited Eilish revels in Commonwealth prospects – with her pals Few would dispute that athletics can be a lonely sport. So often, there is no hiding place on the track or in the field when an athlete competes – with relays usually the notable exception.

Yet when the Commonwealth Games cycle turns toward the final few months of countdown to the next big event, two words invariably start to loom large when conversations turn to Team Scotland: team spirit.

Listen to Eilish McColgan and the Team Scotland logo for Birmingham 2022 could just as easily read ‘Friends Reunited’ across the front of the vest.

Eilish helped Commonwealth Games Scotland announce a first wave of six athletes pre-selected for next summer’s event in Birmingham.

And the feeling lingers that there is a big moment looming around the corner for the current generation.

‘It’s funny as it’s a lot of people that I grew up with,’ said Eilish who, at 31, has had arguably her best-ever year in 2021.

‘Callum (Hawkins) is a bit younger than me but I grew up racing Derek and their other brother Scott. So it’s quite a close knit running community.

‘We all know each other really well. That’s what makes being part of Team Scotland unique and a little bit different.

‘We travelled the length and breadth of Scotland as kids, doing cross-countries and going into national junior leagues and all of those competitions. So it’s really cool that we’re all now making the Senior team. We’re still here, still running fast and the standard keeps improving.

‘We’ve got a lot of the same people who’ve been around for a long while like Laura Muir and Callum, and now you’ve got someone

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like Jemma Reekie also coming through to that next level.

‘We’re looking at Josh Kerr and Laura at the Olympics and Jemma on the brink of a medal too. To have that Olympic level is pretty special for such a small nation.

‘Plus there’s a conveyor belt of people underneath that in the youth teams who will go on to make the senior teams as well. It’s exciting.’

Eilish arguably then risked the wrath of partner Michael Rimmer, who regularly represented Team England, and indeed other English athletes, by claiming pulling on the Team Scotland vest ‘means more’.

As she herself looks ahead to her third Games after competing at Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018, the Dundee Hawkhill Harriers remained adamant on that particular point about Scottish pride.

‘I just know that, for us in Scotland, the Commonwealth Games is important, special and unique,’ she insisted.

‘I feel like it’s only the Scottish athletes who feel that, as well. For English athletes, the priority will be the Worlds and Europeans. But for us the Commonwealths are something we all want to do.

‘Yes, it is a busy year of major championships with Worlds and Europeans also scheduled for the summer of 2022.

‘I’m fortunate in doing the 5k and 10k, so I could do a mixture across all three competitions.

There

Team Scotland Birmingham 2022

‘I just know that, for us in Scotland, the Commonwealth Games is important, special and unique’

‘So it’s no different from me going to a Diamond League in Paris and then Zurich.

‘Every race now I’m running PBs and getting faster and faster. I broke the British record for 5k earlier in the year and that’s ranked me higher in the world than I’ve ever been before. I’m confident there’s a medal there.

‘I’m under no illusion – the Commonwealth Games for distance running is tough.

Some of the Kenyan athletes are the best in the world – we’ve just watched them win Olympic medals, be close to world records, so I know it’s going to be difficult.

Since her ninth place finish in the Olympic 10,000m final, McColgan has stepped things up again as she takes her first steps towards becoming a marathon runner, placing third on the British all-time list for the half-marathon.

‘I’ve been sixth, I think, in every Commonwealth Games I’ve done, over three events. I’ve done steeplechase, 1500 and the 5k – this will be my fourth event over three Games so it would be nice to upgrade that sixth place to a medal position!

But, next summer, the focus will be on the track.

will be a straight final for the European Championships and Commonwealth games.

Photos: Jeff Holmes

TEAM SCOTLAND SELECTIONS Andy Butchart 5000m Josh Kerr 1500m Eilish McColgan 10,000m Laura Muir 1500m Jemma Reekie 800m Jake Wightman 1500m

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4J Annual Awards

Cheers for volunteers

Jo Pavey makes our Awards feel ultra special

By Peter Jardine

I

an Beattie’s eyes were lighting up in his role as race director for the West Highland Way race.

And, 48 hours or so after the 4J Annual Awards, Twitter was lighting up, too.

What sparked the excitement? Jo Pavey’s revelation that after no fewer than five Olympic appearances on the track, she is seriously considering a move up to ultra running!

It was not much more than a throwaway line in an absorbing Q and A with our host, Bryan Burnett, but Jo expanded on the theme later and gave the firm impression that she doesn’t do half measures.

‘I’ve run as far as a marathon in a competitive sense (2:28 in 2011 in London) but everyone wants to do things to extremes now, don’t they?,’ said Jo. ‘So moving up to an ultra is something I’ve been thinking about for a while now – putting it off, maybe. I am more suited to 10,000m and below and I don’t know if I would be competitive at all but I would be looking to go and enjoy it.’

In truth, Jo’s enthusiasm for an ultra was only matched by her unbounded enthusiasm for

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all things athletics in Scotland and indeed jogscotland over the weekend of our first 4J Annual Awards Dinner for two years.

Everyone went crazy for Pavey, in fact, as she embraced her Guest of Honour role to the extent that she asked prior to the Dinner to be forwarded all short-lists and nominee names so she could do full preparation and then asked to attend our National Club Conference – where she conducted a Round Table session.

learned about the overall development work, coaching work, Welfare work.

‘It was very interesting and different for me. I met people who are working so hard at Scottish clubs. They had such drive and energy.

‘They are volunteers but the approach is so professional. They were talking it through, analysing things and saying ‘how can we move the sport forward?’

Days after the event, Jo conducted a Zoom interview with us about the benefits of jogscotland.

‘Clubs enable athletes of all ages to enjoy their sport and achieve their goal and I’m impressed by how that’s happening in Scotland.’

‘I wanted to attend the National Club Conference to find out more about what’s happening in Scotland and feel that momentum that we talk about,’ said Jo.

Jo’s comments will strike a chord across the spectrum of our sport and it was good to see so many areas represented in the room at the Hilton Hotel.

‘It is good to go along to club on a training night of course but at the Conference I

The full concept of the 4J Annual Awards is

4J Annual Awards

AWARDS LIST Volunteer of the Year Pamela Stephen and Fiona Pollock, Cambuslang Harriers 4J Studios Innovation Award West End Road Runners Harmeny AC celebrate their Impact Club of the Year award, presented by Mark Munro of UK Athletics

Track & Field Club of the Year Pitreavie AAC Impact Club of Year Harmeny AC

to recognise, acknowledge and celebrate so much more than simply our top athletes – although of course there’s no harm in savouring their performances, too!

Nichola’s accolade was celebrated on our first up to offer congratulations.

Janice Eaglesham MBE Para Development Club of the Year -

Taking our club categories as an example there were podium moments for Pitreavie AAC in Track and Field, Harmeny AC in Impact Club of the Year and West End Road Runners (in Glasgow) in our 4J Studios 2021 Innovation Award.

Our Honorary Life Membership awards are

Fife AC

Twitter feed, Olympian Zoey Clark was the

another vehicle to reward those who make big contributions to the sport. This year, there was an East-West-Grampian location split via richly-deserved recipients Alistair

Aitchison, Janice Hendrie and Bob Masson In the coaching categories, Airdrie Harriers and Aberdeen AAC were highlighted via the and they were met with warm applause. efforts of James McMenemy as Development Coach of the Year and Nichola Crawford as It really was a night when the cheers for Community Club Coach of the Year. volunteers echoed loud and clear across the As another example of #SALtogether, when

sport.

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

Strong bond helps our sport

I

t was a special night and we were delighted to celebrate the 4J Annual Awards with an ‘actual’ Dinner in Glasgow.

I think so much of what our Guest of Honour, Jo Pavey, said about the role of volunteers resonated strongly with the audience in the room.

dedication and tireless commitment was evident across so many of our 4J Awards from the likes of Community Coach, Volunteer of the Year and Technical Official of the Year, to name just three.

‘We send our warm congratulations to all our winners for 2021 but also to those shortlisted and indeed many others across the length and breadth of Scotland.

‘To be able to celebrate that service to the sport on the same platform as our high ‘We deliberately continued our awards last year despite the impact of Covid-19 because profile Athletes of the Year Laura Muir and Owen Miller firmly underlines the connection we wanted to celebrate the hard work so many people put in to keep making the sport between grassroots and elite – and I feel that bond can help the sport in Scotland happen. keep building momentum.

‘That has followed on into 2021 – despite lockdown in the early months – and the David Ovens, Chair of Scottish Athletics

Tom Stillie Sword Gerry Gaffney, Inverclyde AC Technical Official of the Year Kevin, Carol, Rebekah and David Rose, Perth Strathtay Harriers Raymond Hutcheson Award for Services to Officiating Richard O’Grady Community Club Coach Nichola Crawford, Aberdeen AAC Development Coach James McMenemy, Airdrie Harriers Performance Coach Andy Young Honorary Life Members Alistair Aitchison (Edinburgh AC), Janice Hendrie (Inverclyde AC), Bob Masson (Aberdeen AAC)

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4J Annual Awards Photo by: David Pearce For Team GB

From Highland Games to the Hilton – via Tokyo Muir and Miller back on podium together

By Peter Jardine

T

he strong link between the grassroots of our sport at our clubs and Scottish elite athletes was a hot topic before, during and after our 4J Annual Awards.

It came up prominently via chief executive Colin Hutchison’s column in the pages of PB a week or so before the big night and then from our new Chair, David Ovens, when we summarised short-lists in all the various categories.

And Jo Pavey highlighted the same connection, too, via a number of conversations that weekend as she first attended the National Club Conference and, almost 12 hours later, helped present the 4J Studios Scottish Athlete of the Year and the 4J Studios Para Athlete of the Year awards.

Laura Muir and Owen Miller were the richly deserving recipients, of course, and here’s where the link between grassroots to elite really gets interesting.

As it happens, the connection stretches all the way from Highland Games events in the Kingdom of Fife in the mid-to-late 2000s right through to the Tokyo podium at the Olympics and Paralympics.

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Disability Sport Fife and the Miller family uncovered a photo of Owen and Laura – and her younger brother, Rory – landing medals together in the colours

of Dunfermline West Fife (the club is now defunct but effectively returned as Dunfermline Track and Field).

Cue photographer Bobby Gavin, in a Hilton Hotel suite, recreating the moment some 15 years on after Laura and Owen received their Athlete of the Year trophies.

‘It was great to see Laura again and be up there on the same stage as her,’ smiled Fife AC T20 Paralympic champion Owen.

‘We competed together at events when we were just youngsters at Highland Games events. We represented the same club in Dunfermline.

‘Those memories came back for me seeing her again and like a lot of people in Scotland I watch all her races on the telly.

‘Laura was brilliant at the Olympics and that’s a big inspiration for me and for others.’

With added resonance, speaking beside his

4J Annual Awards

ATHLETE AWARD WINNERS Athlete of the Year Laura Muir, Dundee Hawkhill Harriers long-time coach Steve Doig, Owen then put the improvements in his 1500m PB down to hard work – and support from others.

‘I look at the medal every now and again and it is odd to think I won it. But having that taste of it fuels me for next year.’

Para Athlete of the Year Owen Miller, Fife AC

‘I’m getting quicker but it comes from working with my training group at the track – they put the dedication in to help me become the runner I am now.’

Laura won the Athlete of the Yar title for the fourth time outright. In 2020, she shared our Performer of the Year award with Jemma Reekie and Jake Wightman.

Masters Athlete Stefanie Reid, Charnwood AC

Look at those bare comments and they could just as easily come from Laura.

This time, fellow Olympic medallist Josh Kerr was joined on the short-list by Olympic fourth-placer Jemma and Eilish McColgan, who broke the British Record at 5000m in 2021.

U20 Athlete of the Year Kane Elliott, Falkirk Victoria Harriers

Without ‘over-egging the pudding’ there are parallels between the two 1500m runners and their improvements, albeit Owen has arrived somewhat later on the European (via INAS Games) and international stage (with Tokyo his first Paralympics at the age of 29).

Laura, meanwhile, has stressed in a number of interviews since the Olympics how she’s needed time to come to terms with the achieving a goal she has nursed since, well, a few years after those Highland Games outings.

‘When you work for something for so long and then it actually happens, it can feel strange at times,’ she said.

Owen emerged from a Para short-list which featured World Record racerunner Kayleigh Haggo and fellow Paralympic medallists Sammi Kinghorn and Maria Lyle.

Josh Kerr sent us a video message from the United States after his Dallas Trust Trophy success.

All of the above ensured our social media coverage reached out well beyond Scottish shores and spilled into Sunday. Connected up, in fact.

U17 Athlete of the Year Katie Johnson, Edinburgh AC Eddie Campbell Award (Hill Running) Isla Hedley, Fife AC Dallas Trust Award Josh Kerr

scottishathletics

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4J Annual Awards The fact that he delivered such an accomplished performance in Tokyo, however, is testament to the high quality competition opportunities afforded to him, in particular through races such as those organised by the British Milers Club (BMC).

‘Owen has learned (tactical racing) as he’s gone along; his racing wasn’t always like that,’ added Doig.

Group therapy Coach Steve and athletes spur Owen to Tokyo glory Owen Miller won our Para Athlete of the Year title at the 4J Annual Awards, with his coach Steve Doig among those short-listed for Performance Coach of the Year.

And Fife AC won our Janice Eaglesham MBE Para Development Club of the Year award.

So it made complete sense for us to talk to Steve about coaching T20 1500m runner Owen and the impact being felt across Para athletics in Scotland.

By Katy Barden

W

hen Fife AC’s Owen Miller took the lead in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 1500m final, his coach Steve Doig was still on edge.

‘Owen was in a medal position with 150m to go at the 2019 World Champs and he finished sixth, so that’s always in the back of your mind,’ he admitted.

‘I wasn’t totally sure (he’d win) until 30 or 40m to go.’

Miller ran a tactically astute race – not always a given for a T20 athlete (defined as an athlete with an intellectual impairment) – and moved to the front with just over 100m to go. He didn’t look back.

‘It was quite surreal watching it (at home),

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because normally I’d be at most of this races, and whether you have any impact or not, you can shout advice from the sidelines.

‘I was jumping up and down by the end. The dog wondered what was going on.’

Doig, an additional support needs teacher, started working with Miller in 2016 in a move engineered by Disability Sport Fife’s chair Richard Brickley. Miller had previously been coached by former international athlete Gemma Nicol.

‘Richard spoke to me about whether there could be some sort of sharing arrangement with Owen’s training so he could come and access some of our sessions,’ he explained.

‘He trained some days with us and did some sessions with Gemma for quite a few months, but when Gemma’s time was going to be taken up with family, that was the catalyst for Owen moving across to us full time.

‘The thinking was very much that he’d be included within the (mainstream) group and ultimately that’s what’s made the difference for him - it’s not me, it’s the fact that he’s got a big group helping him and working around him.’

Coaching an athlete with an intellectual impairment, and in Miller’s case also autism, presents different challenges to coaching an athlete with a physical disability.

‘The BMC races have had a massive effect on him from the point of view that they’re fast, but also the fact that in mainstream events he’s got to adapt his tactics (and learn to race), and I think that then helps him going into the T20 races.’

While Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong condition that affects social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour, Doig says that pacing has been one of Miller’s greatest challenges: ‘He was doing 800s one day (in the early days) and he ran his 800m but he ran straight past me and kept on going and did another lap. So he can miscount sometimes. It’s not an issue when the whole group is there, but there can be issues like that.

‘And then sometimes when we’re doing sessions with a float recovery, so reps at a set pace and floats at a set pace, they can go a bit haywire if he’s at the front.

‘The fact that I had some awareness of people with autism through working in the school has helped, but the group has embraced the situation so much and everyone treats him the same. It would have been difficult if that wasn’t the case.’

Doig believes that Miller, the British T20 1500m record holder with a best of 3:52.09, can still improve and has potential to go sub-3:50. That in itself is impressive, but the impact of his gold medal-winning performance in Tokyo is worth more than digits on a stopwatch.

‘Disability Sport Fife have had more applications for joining their sessions after Owen’s win than they’ve ever had before,’ he said, proudly.

‘That’s a great outcome for Para sport in Scotland.’

4J Annual Awards

Photos: Bobby Gavin k and Field

c ceived Tra vie AAC re a re it P f o ir u Paul Allan m Laura M r award fro Club of Yea

Gerry Gaffney of Inverclyde AC received the Tom Stillie Sword accolade from our Chair, David Ovens

West End Road Run ners rece our Innov ived ation Awa rd for 20 21

the Raymond Richard O’Grady received es to vic Ser for rd awa Hutcheson Brown, ret rga Ma m fro ting cia Offi Commission Convenor of our Officials

Andy Youn g won our Performan ce Coach o f the Year award

Sharp, collected Kane Elliott’s coach, Willie award from r Yea the U20 Athlete of the Derek Rae

James McMenemy won our Development Coach of the Year award

Isla Hedley of Fife AC won the Eddie Campbell Memorial Medal (Junior Hill Running).

The Rose family – Kevin, Carol, Rebekah and David – won our Technical Official of the Year award

Women in Sport

#SheCanSheWill

Community spirit lifts Aberdeen Nichola leads team effort to retain young athletes berdeen AAC’s Nichola Crawford was thrilled to land our Community Coach of the Year accolade at the 4J Annual Awards.

A

challenge head-on. She believes if action hadn’t been taken, then many youngsters may have fallen away from the sport completely.

Nichola was quick to stress the ‘team effort’ approach at the club and also how staying connected with teenage athletes has paid off.

‘As most of the children were in the 14-16 age group, I knew if we didn’t keep them going with something, we would lose them altogether,’ she added.

Lockdown early in 2021 of course tested fully the patience and imagination of our volunteer coaching workforce, as many sought ways to maintain our sport.

‘So we set up these online sessions twice a week. I even got each of the youngsters to take a turn at planning and leading the sessions for the others to follow.

‘We would also put on a variety of challenges It is testament to the likes of Nichola that and relays for them to try. participation numbers in track and field and in cross country reflect that commitment and ‘One of the big events we put on once dedication. restrictions eased a little last summer was a 24-hour relay in which they had to run one ‘Honestly, I was totally shocked to win the mile every hour for 24 hours. award,’ said Nichola, who was short-listed with Martin Leadbetter of Lothian RC and ‘It was an amazing achievement and we Stephen Wallace of Cumbernauld AAC. raised £6,000 for the Archie Foundation/ Friends of the Neo Natal Unit children’s ‘I really didn’t think I’d get it as there are so charities.’ many people in athletics in Scotland doing great work as volunteer coaches.

Crawford, now a depute head at Albyn School, enjoyed competing as a youngster ‘But I have to say that it’s not just about but became involved in coaching at a me. I have worked for a long time with John relatively early age.

McGregor and without him I couldn’t have done it. Sheena Cooper is also a fantastic ‘I got my coaching qualification in 1994, help every week. So, we are a team, and just before my 16th birthday. Linda Low, that’s why it works.’ the local athletics development officer at the time, took me under her wing and we Modest to a fault, the Aberdeen teacher worked in the community. One of my first has nonetheless taken a huge amount of coaching jobs was at Seaton primary. satisfaction from meeting the lockdown ‘It was great because I always wanted to teach PE so it was fantastic to be doing this before heading off to university.

‘When I completed my degree and came back to Aberdeen I worked for a year at St Machar Academy, then Hazlehead Academy before moving on to Albyn.

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‘We did a lot of athletics training at Hazlehead and talented youngsters such as Iain Donnan, Darren Shinnie and Alex Thoirs emerged and I was able to pass them, and others, on to Aberdeen AAC.

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‘It has been fantastic to see kids moving

through the age groups and developing along the way. Caitlin and Kirsty Purcell started with us when they were 12 and it was exciting to see them running for Edinburgh University in the National XC Relays at Perth.’

Aberdeen AAC’s coaching coordinator, James Joy, wasn’t at all surprised by Nichola’s success.

‘We were urged to nominate Nichola by a host of athletes and parents so it was an easy task to put her name forward’ he said.

‘She does so much work, mainly looking after a big group of primarily 14-17 yearold endurance runners, not only coaching them three nights a week, but also attending competitions almost every weekend.

‘During lockdown she went out of her way to maintain contact with the youngsters using Zoom calls to check on how they were, and to keep them motivated. She organised online circuit sessions which they could do in their gardens.

‘I am sure we will see high numbers of youngsters representing Aberdeen throughout the winter and much of this will be because of Nichola.’

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University challenge GB vest selection means so much to Scout after tough times, sibling rivalry and ups and downs on the hills

By Katy Barden

W

hen Scout Adkin won the GB junior trial ahead of the European Mountain Running Championships in 2011, she had the world at her feet.

A decade later, following a dominant performance at the British Championships and World Trials, the Moorfoot athlete is back on top – domestically at least – with an opportunity to scale the great global heights her talent once promised.

There is no tabloid-worthy scoop to explain those missing years, however. Adkin’s story is one of real life, commitment and a true love of the sport.

‘After I did the European Mountain Running Champs in summer 2011 I went to Uni (Robert Gordon) for four years which was great . . . but a physio degree is tough,’ explained the Angela Mudge-coached athlete.

‘You are in 9-5 pretty much every day, then you’re on placements basically working full time but still having to do course work, assignments and so on.

‘Placements taught me the reality of full time work and trying to train as an athlete, and although I pretty much still managed to train through all of that, it wasn’t good quality. I was exhausted.

‘Running was partly my way of coping with it all. That’s what I’m so used to doing. I love exercise and I love being outside, so it kept me going.’

Perhaps inevitably, Adkin experienced a ‘bit of a dip’ in the summer that followed her graduation.

‘I think everything caught up with me,’ she admitted.

She then relocated to York - a predominantly flat city which was in complete contrast to her favoured landscape - to start her first job, a brave move considering she didn’t know the city or anyone that lived there and was about to start working in a busy hospital.

‘To be honest, looking back, I’m surprised I did it,’ she laughed.

‘It was full time but I could also be on call and on weekend cover, so all of that drains you. I was still doing a fair bit of training, but York was very flat, so I could only go out to a do a ‘proper’ hill run or session at a weekend which wasn’t ideal.

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‘I also picked up some injuries over the first few years I was there, partly because I was doing

a lot of flat road running. Then I picked up a breathing problem basically due to the air pollution in York, so that set me back a bit.

‘Running was and still is my coping mechanism. Working in a very busy NHS hospital in ICU, it’s stressful and running was how I managed to cope with that, but I knew something needed to change.’

Adkin found a new job as a physiotherapist in a private sports injury clinic in the Lake District – a home from home where she’d spent many weekends training – and moved at the end of 2018.

As it transpired, 2019 marked a turning point.

‘Once I got to the Lakes and got settled and my partner moved with me . . . everything just clicked,’ she said.

‘It’s a great place to live and work. It just felt like ‘ok, now I’ve got the opportunity to really train and get my body back to where I knew it could be’ and it just took me that year (then another year due to Covid!).’

Coincidentally, Adkin is currently treating her brother Jacob, the 2019 European Mountain Running champion, who finished fourth in the British Championships and World Trials in spite of picking up an injury mid-race which resulted in a chipped bone and ruptured ligaments.

The siblings, who have both been selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the World Mountain Running Championships in Thailand in November 2022, were incredibly competitive in their junior years, but with experience has come an appreciation of what they can offer one another and the value of support.

Women in Sport

#SheCanSheWill Photos WMRA, Woodentops & Adkin family

‘When Jacob was Euro Mountain Running Champ, I was so happy for him, but it also motivated me to push myself and to believe I could get back there and do that,’ she said.

‘Because it’s so long since I’ve been on a GB team, it’s reassuring to know he’s there on the team with me.’

Adkin has questioned her own perseverance in the midst of challenging times, but ultimately, she always believed she had the potential to get back to her best.

‘There were times when I was thinking, ‘why am I pushing myself to get race fit, why don’t I just do the odd 5k to keep me sane?’. Then I kept thinking back to what I knew and know I’m capable of. Deep down I had that selfbelief and motivation, but that was tested quite a lot in those ten years.

‘After winning my first GB vest (as a junior in 2011), I knew I’d be down the pack in the seniors but I thought I’d build back up again, but every year went by and I just wasn’t.

When you’re racing and you know you can come 10 or 20 places ahead of where you’re coming, that’s really hard to stomach.’

Adkin’s situation is not totally unique.

The university years in particular often correspond with a drop off from the sport, but it is possible to continue, and, eventually, to thrive.

‘Don’t worry if you feel like you’re going backwards through uni,’ she stated.

‘As long as you enjoy what you’re doing and it doesn’t become an extra burden then you’ll make time for training and you’ll have the motivation to keep fit and keep racing, albeit accepting it might not be to the standard you were at before.

‘You have to accept that it’s going to be different compared to when you were at school and living at home, but the key is not to give up and to keep enjoying it. When I felt like I was getting worse, getting slower, it was my love of getting out onto the hills that kept me going. Eventually you do come out the other side.’

First club’s key role Moorfoot Runners

S

cout Adkin learned her trade at Moorfoot Runners under the guidance of her first coach Gregor Nicholson.

The Moorfoot club - named after the hills that lie to the north of Peebles and Innerleithen - was established in 2001 and Nicholson, along with his wife and respected fellow coach Linda, started up the club’s junior section in April 2006.

The couple had previously coached a number of young athletes, including Adkin, outside of the official club scene, many of whom were competing on the Highland Games circuit.

Initially reliant on school playing fields with a weedy and bumpy cinder run-up for an under-sized long jump pit, a new five-lane 100m sprint track with a one-way long jump pit opened at Peebles High School in 2014.

It made a difference not only to Linda Nicholson’s jumps group, but also in enabling speed work for the middledistance runners, although the vast majority of endurance sessions still take place on grass or road.

Pre-Covid, around 40 juniors were attending club nights with a core group of around a dozen training to race, and while

numbers took a hit during lockdown – as was the case with many clubs – they are starting to creep back up.

In fact, the senior section is as healthy as it has ever been, with a record number of 19 runners taking part in the first leg of the Borders Cross Country Series in Lauder in November.

While its rural location puts Moorfoot at a disadvantage compared to other clubs in terms of track and field facilities (the nearest 400m track is in Tweedbank, a 90-minute round trip), it’s fortunate to have some fantastic trails and hills in the immediate vicinity, hence the relative success of the club in producing hill runners, seven of whom have gained international hill running honours since Adkin’s first junior vest for Scotland in 2008.

The club has also enjoyed success with individual championship titles, medals and international representation across road, track and cross country, most notably winning the U13 boys’ team title at the 2016 National Cross Country Championships. More recently, Kieran Fulton was selected to represent Scotland (U15) at the 2021 Mini London Marathon.

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Women in Sport

#SheCanSheWill

Long-run love st

Why Jenny firmly believ can keep her in a foreve Photo: by Bobby Gavin

By Katy Barden

W

hile it’s not exactly a smile on her face, the images of Jenny Selman racing through the glorious Perthshire countryside at the Lindsays National Cross Country Relays show a happy athlete.

‘Cross country is so inclusive,’ she says.

‘You can be an Olympian standing on the start line of the National, but you could be standing next to someone’s granny. It doesn’t matter how fast you are or how long the race will take you, it’s just all about getting out there and everyone putting in their own best effort.’

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Selman, who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the European Junior Championships in 2009, is vocal about the benefits of being involved in sport, in particular for girls and women.

The 30-year-old works for Edinburgh Leisure and is responsible for securing the external funding required to run a programme of projects that use the power of sport and physical activity to support people who are affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequality and poverty to improve their health and wellbeing.

‘All the projects we do at work, whether it’s with care-experienced young people or people with dementia, it’s not about actual fitness, it’s about keeping connected, combatting social isolation, confidence, resilience – all the things that come with being active,’ she says.

‘It’s exactly the same for girls, particularly teenage girls in sport. Not everybody is going to progress to the Olympics or Commonwealth Games, but there are so many other things that being involved in sport can give you that are really beneficial not only for health, but for life in general.’

Arguably, that’s why Selman herself has persevered.

After a decade of mixed performances fuelled by injuries and inconsistency, she has had an exceptional year recording lifetime best marks over 800m (2:01.64) and 1500m (4:11.48), in addition to earning her first Scotland track vest since 2010.

‘I don’t know where the time has gone,’ says the Fife AC athlete.

‘It’s really strange to think that all those

Women in Sport

#SheCanSheWill

‘I don’t know where the time has gone’ Jenny Selman

nning tory

ves her sport er happy place trips as a junior were so long ago because it doesn’t feel like that. There were a lot of very average years in between but I was always still running.

‘I just think that a string of average level injuries stunted my progress, then starting work and other things.

‘I was still running fairly well when I was at

Uni but towards the end things started to tail off.

‘I started working with a new coach (Lewis Walker) - who I still work with now - and things were going well, but once you start to pick up random little niggles, unless you’re a pro athlete with medical or physio backup, they can linger on and turn into bigger issues and then all of a sudden nine months have passed and you’ve not trained properly.

‘For me there were just these low level issues that were just taking so long to get better. I felt like I spent quite a few years being injured, then getting back fit, then to get injured again, and it was just a cycle of that for years.

‘I kept running and when I look back I’m like ‘why did I keep running when I was running so badly?’, but I just really enjoy it.”

Selman’s commitment has paid off and after a period of consistent training, completely focused on her coach’s programme, she’s now reaping the benefits.

‘When I moved to Edinburgh there was a group of girls I started jumping in (on sessions) with and he (Lewis) was happy for me to do that.

‘But maybe in the last year or so I’ve started following his programme completely again and, actually, when I look at the points when I’ve run well, it’s been when I’ve been following Lewis’s programme. I think his training really suits me.

‘He’s now taken on some of that middle distance group, so I have this perfect scenario where I’m doing Lewis’s sessions but I have a great group to do them with, and I think that’s a big part of why I ran better this summer. We

had this brilliant group working well together and we had a great atmosphere at training and we all really benefited.’

As a result of her resurgence, Selman now finds herself considering next summer’s Commonwealth Games a possibility when it wasn’t even previously on the agenda.

If she doesn’t make it, the process of getting faster has, at least, been a satisfying one.

‘I was so happy to run big PBs over 800m and 1500m this year,’ she says.

‘At the start of the season I never thought I could run those times, so it’s kind of made me think maybe I should stop putting limits on what I can run.

‘Obviously I’m in an event that’s so strong in Scotland. Laura and Jemma have both run 1:56 then if Lynsey comes back she’s got a good shot of making the time, so even if I actually do run it, there might be other girls that run faster.

‘If I make it then brilliant and if I don’t make it, I’ll be fine with that. It’s not something I was expecting to do but I’ll still be happy with running a PB and knowing I gave it a go.’

For Selman, running quick times is a positive by-product of loving the sport. For others, simply loving the sport is enough. Ultimately, that’s what matters.

‘You know there are athletes who get to a certain age and they decide they’re going to hang up their spikes, but I can’t really imagine ever doing that,’ she says.

‘I think I’ll be trailing around at the back of local road races when I’m old. I think I’ll always run, I just fundamentally enjoy it.’

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Grassroots Athletics

Masters

Class act Masters event switch helps Roger and inspires his pupils

By Katy Barden

I

nspiration comes in many guises.

For Roger Clark, who once taught at Sir Roger Bannister’s former school and later at Gareth Southgate’s, it originated through association and continues as a result of his own action.

Clark is a chemistry, science and computer science teacher at Breadalbane Academy in Aberfeldy. He is also the British Masters 400m champion (54.37), a title he won in August 2021 in his first season competing over the one-lap distance.

An accomplished endurance athlete who represented Scotland in V45 cross country and triathlon prior to his injury-enforced transition to the track, Clark has been surprised – and energised – by his Masters event switch.

‘I had a really good season in 2017, but that’s when my hip problem started,’ explained the PH Racing athlete.

‘It’s the weirdest thing, but when I tried running again I found that there was no pain when I was running super-fast, so I just kept that ball rolling and eventually just thought, ‘what events could we do here?’

‘I had run the 400m at school and it’s one of those things, if you’ve done something when you’re younger you’ve still got it in you. I was a good school runner, so I thought ‘let’s just give this a go’, and it snowballed from there with my first race at the Scottish Champs.

‘I didn’t really have any expectations that I’d be able to run 400m quickly, but what you begin to realise is that if you gradually increase the intensity, your body can actually cope with it.’

Clark has polycystic kidney disease (PKD), an inherited condition which can lead to the deterioration of kidney function. As a result, in addition to adapting his training to maximise his potential on the track, he has to keep on top of his blood pressure to ensure there is no detrimental effect on his kidneys.

‘I think it’s definitely helped me keep a healthy lifestyle,’ added the V50 athlete who trains predominantly with his wife Anna, a talented runner in her own right.

‘I’ve used some of the PH sessions in my training plan, but I’ve done a lot of strength training and I’ve listened to loads of podcasts, so I’ve soaked that all up. Without the strength training I tend to find I get little niggles, so it’s been a big focus, as well as a lot of mobility exercises.’

Masters athletics and all the associated camaraderie has provided Clark with a new lease of life. It has inspired him to reset his own goals, as well as to positively impact those around him.

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‘My Masters experience has been absolutely fantastic so far,’ he said.

‘Athletes have their game face on before the races, but once the race is done everyone is best of friends and very supportive. I’m actually keeping in touch with a couple of guys I raced against (at the British Championships) to share training ideas and stuff. There’s definitely a team feeling about it and everyone wants everyone else to do their best.’

It’s a community similar to that of PH Racing.

‘We have a brilliant ethos at the club,’ said Clark, who is now looking ahead to next summer’s World Masters Championships.

‘There is definitely a culture of achievement and of going beyond what you thought was possible, and I definitely feel that I’ve bought into that. It’s about encouraging each other and pushing each other on to achieve some really fantastic performances.’

Clark lives and breathes that mentality. He’s now using his own experiences to inspire others through the creation of a school running club which saw a group of athletes attend the Scottish Secondary Road Race Championships for the first time.

‘We’ve had an amazing response. It’s a rural area and these kids are very robust and have a lot of resilience, so we knew they could be good at running.’

Their teacher, evidently, isn’t too bad either.

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HeaderL Athletics Grassroots

4J National Athletics Academy HeaderR

Next step on the ladder scotttishathletics are pleased to confirm the latest intake in our 4J Studios National Athletics Academy.

And athletes, coaches and parents met for the first time in person since 2019 in late November when we hosted a Training Camp at the Inverclyde National Training Centre in Largs.

The 2021 cohort features 19 athletes with some new coaches involved and some returning.

Covid-19 issues clearly affected our plans to host activity for the 4J Studios National Athletics Academy during 2020 and indeed early this year.

The large Year 1 intake thus features four athletes who were eligible to join us last year but had their entry deferred (there was no new intake in 2020).

We also have three more athletes joining us via revised consideration standards which were adjusted because of limited competition opportunities in 2020 (in which to achieve Academy qualifying standards).

‘We are delighted to announce the intake for the National Athletics Academy and want to thank our sponsors, 4J Studios, for their continued support,’ said Julie Mollison, our Head of Coaching Development and Talent.

‘Our first ‘in person’ gathering took place on November 26-28 at the sportscotland National Training Centre at Largs.

‘We did manage to stage virtual camps during the Covid-19 lockdowns and that helped us keep in touch with the athletes and their coaches and parents or support teams.

‘There was a busy programme for the Training Camp weekend with practical

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sessions as well as class-room education.

As in the past, coaches and parents are very much involved as well as the young athletes themselves.

‘We cover a whole range of key issues when working with the Academy and continue to work with feedback from graduates who are now successful Seniors representing GB and NI and/or Scotland.

‘I’d like to thank all the athletes, coaches and parents who are joining us for their help with our initial interviews.

‘We would also thank the Scottish Institute of Sport, the team at Inverclyde National Training Centre and Kilbarchan AAC and Renfrewshire Leisure for their help with training at Linwood.’

Athlete and Coach (club in brackets): Louisa Brown (Garscube Harriers) Alex Chalmers Corey Campbell (Team East Lothian) Alister Russell Olivia Clarke (Corstorphine AAC) David Arnott Kai Crawford (Aberdeen AAC) Aaron Odentz Rebecca Grieve (Pitreavie AAC) Francis Smith Lewis Hainey (Inverclyde AC) Norrie Hay Kate Harvie (Edinburgh AC) Linda Nicholson Katie Johnson (Edinburgh AC) Amy Kennedy (Cumbernauld AAC) Colin Sinclair Reuben Macdonald (Giffnock North AC) Dudley Walker Dean Patterson (Glasgow School of Sport) Norrie Hay Meghan Porterfield (VP-Glasgow) Alison Grey/Henry Hunter Molly Reville (Edinburgh AC) Linda Nicholson Rosie Sharples (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) Bryan Roy Paige Stevens (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) Alison Grey/Allan Smith Segae Ugbe (Montrose and District AAC) Colin Christie Sofia Vidak (Glasgow School of Sport/ Falkirk Victoria Harriers) Norrie Hay Libby White (Ayr Seaforth) David Watson Valencia Wright (Giffnock North AC) Ross Cairns

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Grassroots Athletics

Edinburgh HeaderR AC

Josh offers up guidance teaching Kerr urges parents not to focus on short-term goals

O

lympic medallist Josh Kerr has thanked his parents for their low-key approach to early years success –

and urged others to follow suit.

The American-based Scot returned to Edinburgh AC for the first time in a couple of years in September.

Josh with his first coach Eric Fisher

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It was a superb moment for all concerned as youngsters (and some not so young) from EAC, Harmeny and Costorphine gathered at Saughton and listened avidly to an absorbing and enlightening Q and A. Josh is a student of the sport and is keen to point out that getting carried away with U13 medals and records is not necessarily ideal for athlete development

‘I think it is far better to work up through the rankings – be that Scottish or British – year-on-year and just keep progressing. I’m obviously thankful that I was able to do that and I’d a lot of help, advice and support in that from my parents and Edinburgh AC.

‘I think it is really important not to get carried away with achievements in your early teens,’ he said.

‘My parents (John and Sandra) were key in that. They would say to me after a race or a meeting ‘Look, nobody will remember your U13 Champs, Josh. What they may remember is if you keep moving up and keep improving to become a successful Senior athlete’.

‘Not doing that was, I would say, a massive part of my own upbringing in the sport within the set-up for athletics in Scotland.

‘They were strong on that. We looked at trying to PB each year and take it from there and look to start running fast times – in a more global or European sense – at 17, 18, 19.

‘Everyone can get carried away online by looking at Power of 10 and checking this time and that time or this PB and that PB. It’s not that important!

‘That was the plan. You can run those U13 Records and that’s fine but I think the danger then is over-loading training and looking to do more and more to try and force things to happen. That’s not a sensible progression.’

Grassroots Athletics

Edinburgh HeaderR AC Josh himself started running when still at primary school and, under the guidance of first coach Eric Fisher, progressed through the ranks at EAC.

‘I think it is really important not to get carried away with achievements in your early teens’

‘I started running when I was nine, I was able to get into some local competitions after a summer camp,’ he recalled.

‘I really enjoyed that and I thought ‘you know what, I think I might have a bit of a future with this . . .’

Josh believes eager parents and enthusiastic coaches have to find a happy medium in terms of keeping a young athlete in the sport and building for further down the line.

‘Pushing up mileage too soon too young might achieve one or two very short-term goals but that is what it is – short-term,’ he added.

‘If you are a coach or a parent wondering about the mileage of an U13 athlete then in my view you are doing something wrong.

‘Our philosophy back then was to do the training that the club and the coach

suggested but no more than that. We stuck to those guidelines and, on race day, I gave everything I could do off that training if you like. You can be as serious as you want on race day. Or not if you prefer.

‘But to really nurture an athlete at that age it has to be more about longer term development and just getting quicker over the years.’

‘We entered as many races as possible and after I won a couple and realised how much fun that was. It all kind of snowballed from there with the fantastic coaches at the club.’

On that return, he described the immense talent that comes out of Edinburgh being down to the ‘amazing grassroots coaches’ who dedicate themselves to progressing young athletes. Sensible parenting along the way helps, too.

Photos: Gary Leek

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