As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, we had our first ‘foodbank run’ this week, organised by our Club Secretary Catherine Laurence. Our aim was to collect at least 250 items by Wednesday 12th March 2025, to deliver to the Glasgow South East Foodbank in the Govanhill area, during our training that evening. This was a great success with our members donating 351 items (185.9kg). We loaded up a car with the goods and transported these along, while our training group ran to the foodbank premises. While there, our members were given a short talk about the work of the organisation by Denise, the foodbank manager. Notwithstanding the items donated, a number of cash donations were made by several members who couldn’t make it along. This was the GSE Foodbank’s largest single donation since Christmas. Thankyou to everyone involved. www.glasgowse.foodbank.org.uk Unit1, Govanhill Workspace, 69 Dixon Road, Glasgow G42 8AT
Monthly archives: March 2025
The British Masters Athletics Federation Cross Country Championship ran at Tollcross Park on Saturday 15th March 2025, where Jen Conway was the sole Bella on duty for the 6k course on lovely sunny, spring day. Jen ran another brilliant XC race, as she has all season, with 23:41 to finish 3rd FV35. Hot on the heels of the Inverness HM last weekend, was the 41st Alloa HM on Sunday 16th March. It was a large field with 1864 finishers, and was well organised as always. 39 Bellas ran in near perfect conditions in the shadow of the Ochils. There were great results again, with a large number of fantastic PBs and 5 men in the top 50, with just about the same for our ladies. Our top 3 finishers were (M) Sean Coyle (1:14:37 PB), Bryan Mulgrew (1:15:11), Kenny Osborne (1:17:18) (F) Christie Lamb (1:30:49), Rhona Fraser (1:30:52), Poppy Bowie (1:32:09 PB). Full event results are at https://live.sportsystems.co.uk/Results.aspx?CId=20246&RId=15172 Huge congratulations to Bryan Kerr, who ran a fantastic PB of 2:40:32 at the Barcelona Marathon on Sunday too. Bryan’s impressive training regime clearly paying off again.
It was the 40th Inverness Half Marathon on Sunday 9th March 2025, that also served as the Scottish Athletics Half marathon Championship. It was also one of our ‘long’ club championship events. The event was as popular as ever, and this year was blessed with fine, warm weather making it a greater challenge for the runners on what is a tough, undulating course. There was an incredibly close finish to the race with the first three men finishing within 3 seconds of each other in just over 65 minutes! Thirteen Bellas competed and acquitted themselves with aplomb. Ross Horgan finished in a fantastic 22nd place, registering a PB of 1:10:19, agonisingly only 2 seconds from equalling our 14 year old club record! Our remaining athletes also done very well, namely: Calum Borthwick (1:13:02), Angus Gray (1:14:18, PB), Ruairi Barfoot (1:15:16, PB), Kelly MacDonald (1:25:34, 24th lady, PB), Ben Law (1:28:40), Jonnie Felton (1:39:06), Flora Henry (1:41:16, PB), Victoria Curley (1:43:40), Joni Lindsay (1:50:37), Martin Murphy (1:51:42), Mark Worton (2:04:03), Megan Parkinson (2:10:36). Well done everyone!
The annual Cambuslang Harriers ‘Down by the River’ 10k took place on Sunday 9th March this year, with 18 Bellas running. It was a beautiful spring morning for the race that extends out and back along the River Clyde Walkway. This was a ‘medium’ club championship event and we enjoyed some impressive results, notably with the evergreen Oscar Coetzee finishing second in 32:57, closely followed by Kenny Osborne who finished 4th, first MV40, in a new PB of 33:25! Our fantastic V50 ladies trio of Claire Wharton (43:07), Katie Mathieson (43:46) & Tomoyo Fujiwara (46:22) finished in first, second and third respectively in their age category! Outwith these results there were great performances and PB runs for David Jarrett (35:41, PB), Simon Wells (37:30), Poppy Bowie (41:47, PB), Kenny Crawford (41:48), Cathy Wood (41:51), Alan Digweed (42:25), Jonny Moran (42:27), Dave Ferguson (42:57), Veronica Fusaro (43:29, PB), Laura Templeton (52:07), Catherine Laurence (54:56), Della Lansley (58:47) & Terry Nimmo (01:00:33). Another great event organised by Cambuslang Harriers. Thanks to all involved, especially the volunteers, officials and timers.
The John Muir Way 50k Ultra Marathon ran on Sunday 9th March, on a beautiful spring day on the east coast of the country. The route extends from Port Seton promenade, up through Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick, down to East Linton and onto the finish at Foxlake Adventures, Dunbar. A stunning route taking in coastal path, woodland and rural landscape on the historic John Muir Way. A huge well done to Brendan McGuiness with 4:24:49, on the back of his recent, excellent Glentress Marathon, Stuart McMillan with 6:05:34 in his first Ultra, and the legend that is Lucy MacKay with 6:57:18. An excellent, well organised event and as always, thanks to the volunteer marshalls, officials, and sponsors.
It was the Shettleston Harriers 54th Alan Scally 5k Relays on Saturday 1st March, at Glasgow Green. This is a great annual event which this year saw some 261 teams from all over Scotland participate, including our own 9 teams covering Senior, V40 and V50 classes. The event was very well organised as always with excellent pen marshalling and updates for relay changeovers by protay timing. The weather on this first day of meteorological spring was cool, with both a light breeze and some rain. The course is traffic free and flat, and all contained within Glasgow Green. There was great running from our Bellas across the nine teams, with several PBs recorded. Our Mens V40s (Oscar Coetzee, Angus Gray, David Jarrett, Paul McNairn) took 2nd place, while our Women V40s (Ann Robin, Claire Wharton, Charlotte Parkinson, Sarah McSharry) took 3rd place! Overall, our top 3s were (M) Josh Evans (15:36), Oscar Coetzee (16:09) & Sean McAnallen (16:48) (F) Cathy Wood (19:52), Poppy Bowie (20:16) & Jen Conway (20:20). All-in-all, a fantastic afternoon, with a great atmosphere and warm support. Thanks to Shettleston Harriers, protay and everyone involved in marshalling and officiating.