January 8th, 2025

This report is intended as a summary of the key achievements by Cambuslang athletes during the months of October, November and December. Club captain Kirsty O’Brien is to be congratulated on providing more regular and detailed reporting of these events and others during this period.

West District XC Relays 2024 Copyright Bobby Gavin

The club kicked off the cross country season with a number of spectacular performances in the West District Cross Country Relay Championships. The harriers returned from Kilmarnock with 3 team gold and 3 team bronze medals. The team gold medals were earned by the senior women trio of Hannah Addison, Eve Mackinnon and Zoe Pflug, the senior men quartet of Chris McLew, Callum Tharme, Jamie MacKinnon and sub 4 minutes miler Andrew McGill and the M40/50 foursome of Ian Hodge, Iain Reid Justin Carter and Gordon Robertson. The performances of the W40/50 A team and M40/50 B team put the icing on the cake thanks to Jacqui Thomson. Bernie O’Neil, Kirsty O’Brien, Mark Gallacher, Richard Cooper, Mick O’Hagan and Brian Douglas. The young athlete male team consisting of U13 Carlo Brown, U15 Rory Barclay and U17 Daibhidh gained the bronze medals team award for the first time since 2014. U13 girl Brooke Walker ran superbly to come in 2nd on the opening leg of the young athletes’ female competition.

One week later Cambuslang athletes Andrew Carey and Seonaidh MacInness helped Glasgow University to the team bronze medals in the Scottish Cross Country Championships.

At the Scottish Cross Country Relay Championships the exact same M50 trio from last year of Chris Upson, Mark Gallacher and Justin Carter successfully retained their M50 team title. The senior men fielded the identical team and running formation as in the West and in a thrilling finale which went to the line Andrew prevailed over his Edinburgh University opponent to clinch team silver. After a long absence of 21 years the senior men were back on the podium. Debutant Grace Drummond, Holly Little, Zoe Pflug and Eve MacKinnon in 4th place and the M40 team of Andrew Anderson, Iain MacCorquodale, Brian Douglas and Stuart Gibson, also in 4th position, just missed out on the medals. Nathalie, Brohan, Julie Reid and Bernie O’Neil battled away well to take 6th team spot. Under 17 Daibhidh and U13 Brooke distinguished themselves by clocking the 2nd and 3rd fastest times in their respective age categories.
On the following weekend the M65 trio of club president Des Dickson, Paul Thompson and Colin Feechan travelled to Long Eaton to contest the British Masters Cross Country Relay Championships and were rewarded with the gold medals. Des came in 2nd on the opening leg before Paul moved the team into the lead which Colin then extended. With Colin recording the fastest time, Des the 3nd quickest and Paul the 4th an emphathic team victory was delivered by the Scottish visitors. It was a speedy return home after the medal ceremony as Des was attending the Scottish Athletics Awards Ceremony in Glasgow later in the evening. The club had been shortlisted in the Off Track Club of the Year Category and members Chris Upson and Mike Johnston had also been shortlisted in the Masters and Performance Development Coach of the Year Awards. Unfortunately no awards came Cambuslang’s way. However, it was a great honour for all concerned to have been nominated in the first place. Colin went straight home to get some rest before tackling next day the Scottish Veteran Harriers 10000M Track Race held in conjunction with their AGM. In spite of his racing exploits and the travelling involved over the previous 2 days he nonetheless won the event to trim the Scottish Age record he had set last year to 37.25.61. Prior to Colin the previous record of 27.30.60 had been set by Willie Marshall also of Cambuslang as far back as 1993.

There were no team podium places for Cambuslang in the Scottish Short Course Championships at Kirkcaldy although the senior men squad of Andrew McGill, Callum Tharme, Jamie MacKinnon and Callum Matthews missed out on the bronze medal by 1 point. U17 Daibhidh who was 4th fastest overall led John Frood and Angus O’Neil into 6th team spot. M65 Colin Feechan convincingly retained the M60 title while Justin Carter was the M50 bronze recipient. On the same weekend Craig Jardine won an Oxford Cross Country League Match.

Four club athletes were selected to represent Scotland in the British and Irish Masters Cross Country Championships in Belfast. In the opening race the M65 defending champion Colin Feechan had to settle for 4th place. A persistent groin strain restricted his stride throughout and prevented him from mixing it with the leaders. If it had only been an individual race he would not have started. However, he did not wish to let down his fellow Scottish team mates and team manager John Bell. His participation paid off as team bronze medals were duly won. New member Kevin Campbell stunned everyone including pre race favourite Lee Gratton of England to win the overall men’s 35/40/45 race and was crowned M35 champion leading the Scottish team to the bronze medals. Kevin in his first cross country race matched the English M35 champion stride for stride until he kicked for home on the final uphill stretch. Chris Upson also ran superbly to claim the individual M60 silver medal and led his age group to the team bronze. Unfortunately although competing well in the M50 event there were no team medals for the M50 team which included Justin Carter.

Both Zoe Pflug and Andrew McGill, on the strength of their early season form, were picked to represent Scotland in the UK Cross Country Challenge Event at Liverpool. Unfortunately Andrew could not take up his place on account of injury. Zoe rose to the challenge and, relishing the wet and muddy conditions, finished a very respectable 28th from 308 finishers. Coach Iain Reid took U15 Jack Gillon and the U17 trio of Daibhidh Kinnaird, Angus O’Neil and son Euan with him. Although all 3 U17s are in their first year of this age group they performed well in the difficult conditions as did U15 Jack. Daibhidh in particular was impressive as he crossed the line in 8th spot and 2nd Scot from 160 finishers. M45 Iain made good use of his time and took part in the senior/master event and came home in a worthy 109th place from 540 participants. Meanwhile back home the scheduled Lanarkshire Road Relays which were due to take place at Coatbridge were cancelled due to the heavy rain and gale force wind conditions. The greatly anticipated debut of Kevin Campbell in a Cambuslang vest was therefore postponed until the West Cross Country Championships.

There were a number of club highlights at the West which was held in Erskine such as team gold medals for the senior men and women and the M40s along with a team silver for the U17s. Individually there were gold medals for U17 Daibhidh, silver for senior male Kevin Campbell and M40 Colin Reilly and bronze for senior female Eve Mackinnon. U13 girl Brooke Walker narrowly missed out on a bronze medal by 1 second. The first under 15 boy over the line was Rory Barclay and Lewis Roddis was the leading U20. Daibhidh was ably supported in the U17 event by John Frood and Euan Reid. In the 4 to count senior women race Eve was 3rd, Zoe Pflug 6th, Katie Clubb who had made the long journey from Shetland was 14th and Holly Little closed in in 18th place. There was a close chasing pack just behind Holly consisting of Georgia Freeman-Mills, Grace Drummond, Hannah Addison and Zara Higgins who all finished in the top 33 places. Kirsty O’Brien, Bernie O’Neil and Erica Christie were the leading club W40, 50 and 60 athletes. The senior men’s tight packing was even more spectacular with a possee of red and white vests at the front. Kevin was a very close 2nd, Jamie MacKinnon 8th, Callum Tharme 9th, Fraser Stewart 11th, Cameron Smith 12th and Kevan Harvey 13th. It was heartening to have Cameron and Kevan back in racing action after a lengthy period of injury. Spare a thought for Mike Christoforou who in spite of being 15th was not a counter. Nevertheless, he can be pleased with his effort as he is working his way back to full fitness. Further excellent back up came from Andrew Carey and Rory Muir who were 25th and 27th. Silver medallist Colin Reilly in his first race as a M40 spearheaded Ian Hodge and M50 Mark King to team gold. M45 Arthur Calnan had a promising cross country baptism. Statistically speaking Cambuslang Harriers senior men have by far amassed the most medals in the history of the competition with 29 gold, 12 silver and 5 bronze medals.

During this autumn season there have also been several spectacular road performances. Moira Stewart has rewritten club and Czech Republic national records. She already held both records over 10K road, half marathon and marathon and has now further improved them. Her 10K time now stands at 32.29, her half marathon at 68.44 and her marathon at 2.23.44. These are times which most Scottish male athletes would be proud of. To put Moira’s time into context it is almost 3 minutes quicker than the Scottish record of 2.26.40 held by Stephanie Twell. However, in spite of her recent marathon pb the family record stays with her father Eddie who ran 3 seconds quicker as a M40.

Ryan Thomson too also broke new ground in his Valencia Marathon effort. Having prepared thoroughly he executed his race plan perfectly to record a pb and club record of 2.15.47 which puts him 3rd in the Scottish rankings behind Weynay Ghebrisilasie of Shettleston and Kilbarchan’s Callum Hawkins. Yet he is not on the Scottish Marathon Project whose aim is to improve the standard of marathon running in Scotland. M35 Steven Fitzpatrick earned a silver medal at Chester in the British Masters Marathon Championships. His time of 2.32.57 was only 73 seconds outside his pb. Kevan Harvey in his first race for 13 months set a pb of 51.37 in the classic Brampton to Carlisle 10 miles road race. The club was represented in the Telford 10K by Eve MacKinnon, Callum Tharme and Jamie MacKinnon. Fast times were recorded by all 3. Eve lowered her pb to 35.28, Callum dipped under 30 minutes by 11 seconds and Jamie, although feeling unwell, was still 7 seconds under 31 minutes.

DAVID COONEY