Weekend Round-Up 10th & 11th May (Hills/Meadowbank/Hollybush)
May 12th, 2008Gala Harriers have been sweating in the early summer heat this past weekend on the hills, track and road –with notable successes for both the young and the hardened campaigners.
Saturday saw the Scottish junior hill racing championships over a testing climb on Ben Lomond, with young Alice Haining out to defend the Under 14 title that she has held for 3 years. Despite a knee injury which meant that she was more careful on the descent, Alice stormed up and down the warm 2.5 kilometre course, taking rough tracks and squelchy peat bogs in her stride, coming home a worthy champion.
The junior hill championships form part of the larger Ben Lomond Hill race in which seasoned veteran Shelagh King came home after an exhausting 2 hours 40 minutes and 8 seconds on the Ben.
Over considerably shorter and less hilly terrain were the Scottish Athletics East District Championships on track and field, held at Meadowbank on Saturday and Sunday. Representing the Harriers over the sprint distances were Emily and Martha Douglas and Sophie Elder. In the U17 100m final on Saturday Emily achieved 6th place in 13.46 having qualified by coming 4th in her heat in 13.48. The next day she took on the 200m and boosted her placing by one position, coming 5th in 27.99, having qualified 3rd in her heat in 28.29.
In the 1500 m former Harrier Laura Goodson, now running for her Edinburgh club took fourth position in 5.02.65.
On Sunday, Sophie Elder won her heat in the U15 100m in 13.98 and took 3 1/100s of a second off that time to finish 7th in the final. Martha Douglas completed her heat in 14.58 in 6th place. She went on to come 3rd in her heat for the 200m in 29.29. Sophie Elder qualified for the final in 28.93 in 4th place in her heat.
From hills to track and then to roads – and the sunbaked route from Gala Academy to the Rink Farm and back saw 22 Harriers beat unseasonally high temperatures to achieve some personal bests and the return of one of the club’s longest serving members to club competition. Sunday saw the club’s 10k Hollybush handicap and the dark horse winner was former President and now Head Coach Neil Renton, coming home a comfortable winner in 38.24 in his speedy red racing shoes. Next home for the club was Fiona Shepherd in 46.13 and third was veteran Billy McCulloch in 44.11. Dave Milne, running as a guest breasted the tape in second place overall in 44.31. There were some excellent performances over the hot and gruelling course, notably by 10k virgins Neil and Carolyn O’Docherty and newcomer Alex McCarty. Full results below and photos now posted in the photo gallery:
The Harriers’ Thursday night junior track sessions are now fully underway and membership has closed as numbers have reached their maximum. Any parents who could help at the track on a Thursday from 6.30 – 7.30pm would be most welcome and their support to assist the coaches would be much appreciated. If you can give an hour of your time, please contact Lynsey Renton on 01896 668434 or 07726951411.
