JULY SENIOR RESULTS AS DAVID, CRAIG, AND MANY OTHERS IMPRESS.

TEAM PRIZE FOR KILLIE AT AYRSHIRE HALF MARATHON CHAMPS

On Sunday July 9th, the Girvan Half Marathon took place and with this incorporating the Ayrshire Championships there were a trio of Kilmarnock Harriers in the field.

Craig Ferguson was making his debut over the distance and in an excellent run he broke the 80 minute barrier having led briefly at the start as he starts to show his potential.

Connell Drummond (83.00) and John Cairns (85.10) were also competing and when all was said and done Kilmarnock Harriers took the Team Prize back up the A77 to complete a good day for the Club.

Garscube 5 mile Race

The following Thursday evening around Milngavie, Garscube Harriers hosted their Charlie Kilshaw 5 Mile Road Race and extended a very welcome invitation to Kilmarnock. This was gladly taken up by a large number of athletes from the Ayrshire Club, as in a field of 100 there were no fewer than 19 Harriers toeing the line. On a cracking 2 lap course it was one such athlete who was to happily cross the line first to continue his tremendous improvement since coming to the Club less than a year ago.

Having made an excellent half marathon debut four days previously, Craig Ferguson has now smashed the 30 minute barrier for 5 miles and led yet another new Kilmarnock Harrier home with David Moody being next home for the Club in a very fine 7^th place overall. First Female for the Harriers was Liz McDerment who was followed across the line by her teammate Paula Wilson who also took the prize on offer for being closest to her predicted time on the night.

One of the most impressive performances on a great night has to go to Jackie Duncan who demolished her personal best for five miles by a huge 93 seconds while full times and positions were-

1^st Craig Ferguson 29.00, 7^th David Moody 30.42, 13^th John Tougher 32.32, 17^th Scott Lyden 33.41, 23^rd Stewart McAllister 34.24, 31^st Gordon Sandler 35.30, 40^th Kenny Wales 36.23, 41^st Russell Duncan 36.32, 45^th Les McDerment 37.21, 52^nd Liz McDerment 37.49, 55^th Paula Wilson 38.28, 61^st Lynne McCaffrey 39.03, 64^th Amanda Bryden 39.55, 67^th Mark Lyden 40.53, 75^th Jackie Duncan 42.30, 76^th Ian McAughtrie 42.30, 81^st Jackie Sandler 43.12, 84^th Alison Wales 45.14, 95^th Alan Anderson 50.14.

As a fantastic footnote to the event, the night also raised a whopping £675 in aid of the Beatson Cancer Charity another fantastic gesture by all involved.

David Crowned Clyde Stride Champion

Although a number of athletes are on holiday at present and the race calendar isn’t as full at this time of year, there was an Ultra Marathon taking place last weekend as the popular Clyde Stride took place. There are a number of Kilmarnock Harriers who enjoy the challenge of testing themselves over distances in excess of 26.2 miles and one of the most successful in the country at present is Kilmarnock Harrier David McClure who has a number of achievements to his name.

The Clyde Stride provides the opportunity to race along one of Scotland’s most accessible new pathways, and runs from Glasgow (Partick Railway Station) along the Clyde through Strathclyde Regional Park, the Unesco World Heritage Site at New Lanark, and the Falls of Clyde Nature Reserve to finish adjacent to the Visitor Centre and sells out quickly.

At the finishing line, David cut the tape in first place overall in an impressive 4 hours 52 minutes to take the win from runner up Craig Reid who also had a great run to finish within 3 minutes of David.

Also taking place on the day was a Relay event which also took on the 40 miles and Kilmarnock Harrier Connell Drummond was defending the team title along with his running friends Barrie Johnstone, Colin McLean and Daniel Burns.

Like David, Connell too was happy at the end of the race as the quartet successfully took the honours to complete an excellent double in the Team stakes.

KILMAURS 5K BRINGS FAST TIMES

Last Wednesday night saw the village of Kilmaurs host their successful, annual 5K Road Race, and once more there was a large turnout of athletes from around the country with Kilmarnock Harriers in particular having a large presence on the night.

Overall it was Cambuslang Harrier and serial race winner around the country Robert Gilroy who was to prove a worthy winner on the night in a fine 15.44, however it was Craig Ferguson who was to be first home for Kilmarnock in an excellent sub 17 minute run which was to demolish his previous lifetime best for the distance. Kilbarchan AAC athlete Elspeth Curran (17.29) won the Women’s Race with a bit of daylight to spare while the consistent Rhona O’Neill crossed the line first in the Harriers stakes. Most athletes on the night were to clock close to their personal bests and in some instances set new ones on a great night for running, and all this tallies up to Amanda Bryden and Scott Lyden leading the Kilmarnock Harriers Summer Championship for 2017, with special mentions too going to Susan Beattie who has now gained her 3^rd Silver clocking in the annual Kilmarnock Harriers Club Standards Scheme.

Kilmarnock Harriers times and positions were –

4^th Craig Ferguson 16.56, 14^th Mark Alexander 17.52, 29^th Scott Lyden 19.09, 32^nd John Tougher 19.19, 35^th Steven Robson 19.29, 40^th Michael Corson 19.59, 46^th Stewart McAllister 20.10, 47^th John Parker 20.19, 51^st Alister Neil 20.36, 53^rd Gordon Sandler 20.58, 60^th Kenny Wales 21.22, 65^th Russell Duncan 21.27, 66^th Stuart Nibloe 21.50, 69^th Matt Dodds 21.59, 73^rd Stephen McDowell 22.27, 76^th Mark Lyden 22.40, 90^th Rhona O’Neill 23.02, 91^st Douglas Dickson 23.05, 92^nd Ellie Anderson 23.06, 94^th Lynn McCaffrey 23.10, 95^th Lynn Cowan 23.13, 100^th Amanda Bryden 23.21, 102^nd Kerry Warboys 23.25, 106^th Matt Ferguson 23.42, 112^th David McGill 24.05, 118^th Susan Beattie 24.17, 121^st Michelle Goldie 24.46, 123^rd Dawn McManus 24.41, 124^th Ian McAughtrie 24.40, 133^rd Hannah O’Shea 24.55, 145^th Jackie Duncan 25.22, 147^th Geoff Robertson 25.32, 161^st Emily O’Shea 26.07, 164^th Malky McGregor 26.05, 167^th Alison Wales 26.11, 174^th Ryan Handy 26.37, 180^th Jacqui Sandler 26.52, 190^th Fiona Docherty 27.31, 191^st Sandra Dickson 27.44, 201^st Alan Anderson 28.08, 230^th Ann Graham 30.32, 243^rd Liz Mackie 31.54, 251^st Luca Dickson 32.54, 252^nd Amy Collins 32.50.

DUO TAKE ON 5,000 METRES ON THE TRACK

Two days later, on Friday 28^th July, Stacie Taylor and Connell Drummond were at Scotstoun Stadium to compete in the Glasgow Athletics Association’s Milers Meet where both were taking part in races over 5,000 metres on the track.

In form Stacie had a cracking run, with the US based athlete clocking 16.51.93 to finish second fastest female of anyone on a night where an extremely high calibre of runner was on show.

Connell also taking part on a night which also doubled up as the Scottish Masters Championships over the distance and clocked a decent time of 18.48.82 on a night which wasn’t the best for running.