Wood you Believe it 2 - Champions!

Two years after winning the silver medal our ladies have got the GOLD! In perfect running conditions, Joanne McEvoy launched the team into a substantial lead, covering the undulating 2.5 mile course in 15:31. Julie Beveridge only joined the club a month ago and here in her first race in a Calderglen vest she performed admirably on leg 2. Relay legs often require a solo effort and this was the case with Julie until the final half mile when George Stewart eased passed and gave some words of encouragement. Julie finished in 17:21, still with a large lead. Frances Maxwell has plenty of experience of this event and it was therefore fitting that she took the final leg and brought the team home as winners of the Lanarkshire Championship in a time of 16:48,  a new pb by 11 seconds. An even bigger pb was achieved by Mary Goldsmith on leg 1 for the ladies 2nd team. Mary had already demonstrated great form in the opening road relay of the season at Houston, setting a pb there and the trend continued here with a 33 second improvement to finish in 17:03, booking her place in the first team for the race next week in Cumbernauld. One year ago on first training with the club, Kirsty Findlater would probably not believe that she would now be running flat out for 2.5 miles without stopping. Running very confidently, Kirsty set a great debut time of 19:21 on leg 2 for the 2nd team. At this impressive rate of improvement, Kirsty has many pb's to look forward to. Well done to all the ladies!

Calderglen's men fielded an impressive 4 and half teams. The first team was the same vets team as last week but in a slightly different running order. First off was Alan Cullie, still not quite back to his best form but recording a respectable 14:46 in about 8 or 9th position. Eddie Reid is keeping Alan close company this year and again was only seconds slower on leg 2, finishing in 14:52. Martin Duthie is sharpening up with every race and this week pulled the team back to 5th position with a solid 13:40 on leg 3. Finally a slightly feverish Alan Derrick set off on the last leg and predictably was never breathing comfortably but maintaining 5th position in a time of 13:23, a few seconds down on last year. Of course the future of our club is youth as demonstrated by the many young athletes running earlier in the day and by under-17 Richard Campbell, making his first appearance in a senior team, he was assigned a no-pressure first leg in the incomplete men's 5th team to give him a bit of experience. Pace judgement comes with experience and Richard probably went off a little quickly, being leading Harrier for a few hundred metres but only faded a little to come in just behind the 2nd team in a time of around 15:20 (estimated). Well done to Richard. Jim Homes set the second team off, this time avoiding any photo finishes by finishing in a clear 15:14 (another personal best). Stuart Waugh, in his first of two planned races this weekend, was not holding back on leg 2, recording 15:38. Making his relay debut, Graham Ramage was pleased to see that no baton changes are required in road relays (we distance runners can't do anything complicated like that) and probably found pace judgement the most difficult part of this largely solo effort, finishing in a fine 16:21. David Herbertson had once again just jetted in for the race, this time from Europe, but improved substantially on last year to finish in 16:01, not a pb but heading back in the right direction. We are certainly giving Ian Rae's slow twitch fibres a rest before next year's West Highland Way race training begins by exposing him to these "sprint" relays. This week Ian was on first leg duty for team three, recording 16:15. Leg 2 went to George Stewart who although still some way off his best looked in better form this week, finishing in 16:34 and avoiding a third successive defeat by Frances (much to her relief as after three wins she gets to keep George). Ian McKenzie was under no such pressure on leg 3, setting a time of 17:15. Final leg duty went to Colin Banks who had a tussle with a Springburn runner throughout which helped him to a 16:41. David Wardrope was on the first leg for team four and got quite close to last year's time, recording 16:28. Another first time relay runner today was the ever enthusiastic Michael Daly who had some competition all the way around his leg, finishing in an estimated 18 and a half minutes. Chas had a long day looking after the young athletes and then returning as keen as ever for leg 3 which he finished in 20:49.  Richard Lawton was on leg 4 and seems to be over his injury, recording 18:35. Russell was on leg 2 for the fifth team, taking over from Richard Campbell. Russell was delighted to improve by 1 minute and 12 seconds on last year with a time of 19:34.

This was a very healthy display by the Harriers, old and new. Thanks and well done to all. Thanks also to our supporters and photographers Sandra, Maud and Mandy and to Andy Henderson who fulfilled the club's marshalling duties throughout the day. This link takes you to the photo gallery. Roll on Cumbernauld!

As a footnote, Drumpellier Park is a great venue for races (when the weather is nice!) and it surely must have been inspirational to regular park users to see so many people young and old doing something so positive, running their hearts out. But not to one jogger who rather than being enthused by the fast, fit runners around him, hurled abuse at marshalls (not once but twice) who politely asked him to jog to one side of the path in the start/finish area. Only in the West of Scotland I am ashamed to say......

Alan