Harrier’s Press Report 27th & 28th October 2007
October 29th, 2007A packed weekend of action saw the Harriers travel up to Cumbernauld to the National Cross Country Relay Championships on Saturday and then rather closer to home for the always-popular Jedburgh Half Marathon on Sunday, with some runners competing in both events. For the first time at the nationals, the Club was able to field a full team in the Young Females category, which requires a runner in each of the three age groups, under 13, 15 and 17. Lucy Morris, Charlotte Brown and Gillian Ingles ran well for their first outing together, finishing a very creditable 42nd out of 64 teams. Lucy put the team into 32nd place initially with a gutsy leg of 11 mins and 44 secs, followed by Charlotte who ran consistently well in 11.26 to lift the team to 30th, with a good solid effort from Gillian in 12.28 to bring the team home before the wind and rain swept in for the senior races.
The ladies’ team was depleted on this occasion and a medal was never on the cards but Katie Anderson got the team off to a flying start in 17 mins and 06 secs, handing over to Fiona Dalgleish in 13th place. Fiona held on to this position with a superb leg in 18.05 and it was down to the ladies’ captain, Karen Renton to bring the baton home in 25.28, achieving an overall 42nd placing out of 64 which wouldn’t have otherwise happened without her.
The soft and muddy conditions were not conducive to good times, but the two mens’ teams competing did well to finish competitively with the A team almost halfway up the field. Graeme Murdoch led off and as ever ran well in 14 mins and 41 secs to hand over in 31st place to Gregor McAnemy (17.13), Stevie Gillan (18.21) and Fergus Johnstone, who brought the tam home in a smart 15.30. The B team inched their way up the finishing places with each leg, headed up by Malky Gowans in his signature fluorescent green socks(18.01), President Robin Murray (17.45), the ever-cheery John Paterson (18.27) and finally, special Olympian Davy Darroch, leaving at least 10 teams in their wake!
The green socks went through the wash overnight as Malky, as well as Graeme Murdoch and John Paterson completed a back to back racing double, along with 14 others from the Club at the Jedburgh half marathon.
In conditions which were warm on the way out but into a wind on the way back, Graeme Murdoch obviously felt the benefit of his previous day’s sharpener and took 4 minutes off his personal best with a cracking 1 hours 19 mins 44 secs time, finishing in 12th place overall. Other PBs were Derrick Brydon, (1.29.32) taking 7 mins off his previous best and first-timer Billy McBain in a spirited 1.38.53.
Also finishing 12th for the ladies was Rachel Fagan who, despite injury clocked in at 1.30.59. Other Harriers competing strongly were: Neil Aitchison (1.25.27), Martin Clarke (1.28.07), Dave Nightingale (1.28.08), Mark Bryson (1.28.48), Alan Goodson (1.30.28), Graham Pogson (1.33.26), Malky Gowans (1.36.58), Andrea Pogson (1.37.38), Jane Chalmers (1.49.56), Laura Howie (1.52.46), Dawn Grant(1.53.38) and Sheila MacNab (1.55.57) and Carole Fortune in 2.04.
Next Sunday, 4TH NOVEMBER the Harriers will be travelling to Gorebridge to the Lasswade AAC Open Races.
