October 4th, 2019

The main domestic event of the weekend was the Great Scottish Run which offered 2 races namely at 10K and the Half Marathon.  The Half Marathon incorporated the Scottish Championships and the Cambuslang Harriers trio of Stewart Gibson, Fraser Stewart and Kevan Harvey packed well to take the bronze medals behind Shettleston Harriers and Fife AC.  Only 31 seconds separated the 3 sub 70 minutes Cambuslang athletes with Stuart (69.08) only 5 seconds outside his pb, Fraser’s time of 69.39 was a 46 seconds pb and Kevan on the same time made an impressive debut at this distance.

The club has contested 4 Scottish Championship Events on the hills, trail and road in the last 5 weeks and is the only club to have finished among the male team medals in all 4 national competitions winning 1 silver and 3 bronze  medals which is a testimony to the club’s strength and versatility.

The next 4 local athletes home were in the M40/45 category and they all recorded excellent times.  Kenny Campbell in setting a pb by 3 minutes and 16 seconds of 71.24 just edged out club captain Iain Reid (71.40) in the closing stages to lift the M40 bronze medal.  Kenny is now getting back to his best after a prolonged period of injury. Iain enjoyed a good workout as part of his preparation for his late October Marathon. M45 Stevie Wylie, another athlete on his way back after injury, can be pleased with his 73.01 clocking while fellow M45 Kerry-Liam during a quiet racing spell recorded exactly 74 minutes.  Two other Cambuslang athletes comfortably broke 80 minutes. Vice captain Ritchie Carr’s time of 75.29 took 39 seconds off his pb and Andrew Anderson ran a solid 77.48. The final 3 athletes to finish were M40 Iain Nicholl (81.22), James Smith (88.37) and club president and M60 Des Dickson (89.05) in his half marathon debut. This was to be a happy and successful debut for Des as he was awarded the bronze medal in his age category.  This was his first national individual medal and a just reward for his consistent training with club members.

Cambuslang fielded 6 runners in the 10K race with Craig Jardine the first finisher in 9th place in 32.35 in spite of suffering from a cold.  Craig was followed home by U20 Andrew Carey (35.09), U17 Michael Black (35.49) and M40 Willie Fairley (43.58).  Paula McCabe (47.16) and U20 10K debutant Rachel Wardrope (58.56) represented the Cambuslang Ladies.

On the same day Iain McDonald and M45 Justin Carter took part in the Berlin Marathon and both ran fairly close splits to record pbs of 2.44.10 and 2.48.07.  Also abroad in Italy Colin Donnelly showed his class by winning the M60 World Mountain Running Championship by over 1 minute from his nearest rival. While Colin also has a good pedigree at cross country running his forte is on the hills where he has won individual Scottish, UK, European and World medals throughout his long career.

While Colin was racing on the hills in Italy Alasdair Campbell was doing likewise in the 2 Breweries Hill Race in the Scottish Borders over a distance of 18 miles with almost 5,000 feet of ascent.  Competing against many of the top Scottish hill runners Alasdair ( 2 hours 49 minutes and 54 seconds) had possibly the best hill run of his career to finish less than a minute behind the renowned hill running internationalist Tom Owens.

The club is now looking ahead to the cross country season.

David Cooney