FESTIVE RACE ROUND UP ON THE ROAD AND INDOORS

AYRODYNAMIC TURKEY TROT

On Boxing Day at Ayr Citadel, hundreds of runners lined up for the annual Ayrodynamic Triathlon Club organised Turkey Trot Road Races and in the 10K, despite 50 mph winds, there were a number of fantastic performances from the 18 Kilmarnock Harriers in the field.

Clear race winner was Giffnock North athlete Luke Traynor who ran an outstanding time of 29.57, an effort which was extremely close to the course record and remarkable in such tough conditions. Behind Luke however in 3^rd, and completing a fabulous first year as a member of Kilmarnock Harriers was Richard Mair. Richard once more chipped away at his 10k personal best, this time taking around 30 seconds off of his time in September’s Stirling race by running 33.08 and surely it is a matter of time before this clocking comes down even further.

Next Kilmarnock Harrier to finish and proudly wearing the Club vest for the first time was Craig Ferguson, who finished marginally outside the top 20, and like Richard destroying his previous 10k best time by running 37.21.

First Woman in the race was former Kilmarnock resident, Shettleston Harrier Avril Mason who completed the course in 36.38. First Kilmarnock Harrier in the competitive field was another new member Kirsty Alexander who ran 42.09, an effort that not only placed her 7^th Woman overall, but also 3^rd place in her age category so it was a great day all round.

Full Killie Times were –

3^rd Richard Mair 33.08, 21^st Craig Ferguson 37.21, 28^th Jim Connelly 37.56, 33^rd Connell Drummond 38.38, 55^th John Tougher 40.50, 66^th Kirsty Alexander 42.09, 71^st Stewart McAllister 42.28, 73^rd Alasdair Murray 42.36, 100^th Stuart Nibloe 45.18, 119^th Les McDerment 46.46, 124^th Liz McDerment 47.16, 130^th Matt Ferguson 47.38, 157^th Brian Darroch 49.58, 164^th Paula Wilson 50.15, 172^nd Susan Beattie 50.59, 188^th Douglas Dickson 52.39, 237^th Kevin Beck 56.50, 251^st Sandra Dickson 58.48.

Previous to the 10k, was the 5k and although half the distance as any runner will tell you this doesn’t mean that half the effort is required and in such conditions as Monday this was even more apt.

9 Kilmarnock athletes lined up for this, and leading the way behind race winner Alexander Crooks from Ayr Seaforth, was Jamie Phillips in an excellent 6^th place overall. Kirsten Toft was first female Harrier, also finishing 2^nd in her category, while all Kilmarnock times for the 5k were –

6^th Jamie Phillips 21.20, 21^st Aaron Toft 23.21, 22^nd Lewis Ferguson 23.30, 29^th Jordon Phillips 24.02, 39^th Kirsten Toft 25.12, 41^st Nathan Ferguson 25.24, 81^st Dawn-Marie Wylie 30.40, 105^th Susan Leggat 35.07, 108^th Luca Dickson 36.02.

2017 ROLLS IN WITH BEITH ROAD RACES

On Monday January 2^nd, a number of athletes gathered in Kilbirnie to take part in one of Scotland’s oldest Races – the Beith New Year Road Races.

Recently Ron’s Runners have taken on the organisation of this event from host Club Beith Harriers, although in 2018 it will revert back to Beith taking over the event and on the day distances range from ¾ of a mile for Under 11’s, 1.2 miles for Under 13’s and Under 15’s, 2.4 miles for Under 17’s, while the Seniors took on 4 laps of the course totalling 4.8 miles.

In the Junior Races there were excellent first places for Jamie Phillips in the Under 11 Boys category, while Jonny Houson repeated this in the Under 17 age group later in the day.

Junior results were –

Under 11 Boys – 1^st Jamie Phillips 2.55

Under 11 Girls – 4^th Mhari Ballantyne 4.05

Under 13 Girls – 3^rd Eilidh Ballantyne 8.17

Under 15 Girls – 3^rd Leone McCutcheon 7.52, 4^th Lucy Glencorse 8.55

Under 17 Boys – 1^st Jonny Houson 13.22, 2^nd Jamie Nix 13.41

Rounding off the day was the Senior Race and Women and Men set off together in very good running conditions. Nine Kilmarnock Harriers were in the field and in the ladies field it was Kirsty Alexander who featured highly with not only a second place overall finish behind winner Natalie Stevenson (28.51), but also winning her age category in the process.

In the Men’s field it was Inverclyde athlete Ross Gray who took the honours in a excellent 25.12, but coming home in 6^th place overall was Kilmarnock’s Scott Martin who, like Kirsty, also took his age category prize.

Full Kilmarnock Harrier times and placings were –

Women – 2^nd Kirsty Alexander 30.45, 5^th Liz McDerment 34.49, 6^th Amanda Bryden 35.58

Men – 6^th Scott Martin 26.41, 8^th Craig Ferguson 27.06, 11^th Colin Glencorse 27.41, 25^th Stewart McAllister 31.50, 31^st Les McDerment 33.21, 39^th Douglas Dickson 37.00.

INDOOR MEETING A MASSIVE SUCCESS IN GLASGOW.

On January 4^th, the impressive Glasgow Emirates Arena played host to one of the most popular Indoor Meetings of the year as a large number of athletes treaded the boards over 3,000 metres, and in the case of record seeking Olympian Laura Muir, 5,000 metres.

Laura deservedly stole the headlines on a magnificent night of racing as she not only claimed a massive British Record over the distance, but in doing so clocked the 2^nd fastest European time of all time, and one of the 10 quickest indoor times in history. Her time of 14.49.12 was all the more remarkable in light of the fact the last 2,000 metres were done on her own as the rest of the athletes in her heat stopped after 3,000.

With all watching athletes and spectators in awe of such a piece of athletics history, none of the competitors lacked any inspiration for their own 3,000 metre heats and amongst a large number of runners from around the UK there were 6 Kilmarnock Harriers taking part, with a couple of these people making their Indoor debuts.

In Graded Races, all events had athletes of similar ability on paper lining up against each other with experienced pacemakers to help them for the majority of the 15 laps being taken on, and both first timers from Kilmarnock certainly didn’t let themselves down amongst others with more experience. John Tougher finished inside his 11 minute target with an even paced race, while in another heat Mark Alexander clocked just over 10 minutes and marginally outside his outdoor 3K PB, which Indoors at such an early part of the year was a great result.

Quickest Harrier on the night however was late entrant Robert Lindsay, while all times from the Club were –

Robert Lindsay 9.54.69, Neil Walker 10.05.70, Mark Alexander 10.07.74, Gordon Reid 10.08.75, Connell Drummond 10.48.20, John Tougher 10.58.34.