Fourteen Bellas headed to Tillicoultry on Sunday 28th December to race the PH Racing Clubs annual Tilli 10k. A great route from Tillicoultry to Dollar and back on the Devon Way, in the shadow of the amazing Ochil Hills. This race always sells out its 800 places very quickly, and is a great finisher to the year, and a great way to shake off that festive overindulgence. Its also one of our ‘medium’distance Club Championship events! It was a great day for it, slightly chilly, but dry and calm. Our star of the day was Stuart Laurence who ran a fantastic 37:05, with the amazing Cathy Wood rounding off a brilliant year with a PB of 41:20! No sooner had 2025 ended, when 2026 arrived with the first 10k of the year at the Beith Harriers annual New Year 10k on Friday 2nd January! Another great event, with a smaller field of 300, on a tough but scenic route around Beith. Kenny Osborne ran a great race to finish in 6th place, 1st MV40 in 34:15, with Cathy Wood 42:48 and Tom Thorne 45:37. So, another year of racing stretches out in 2026, and we can’t wait!
Club Championship
Seven super Bellas were in Spain recently to take on two of the most exciting marathons in Europe. First off, on Sunday 7th December , were four of our members who ran the Valencia Marathon on a warm, sunny day in Catalonia. There was brilliant running from Bruce Carmichael (2:42:25), Neil McSeveney (2:46:34), Bryan Mulgrew (2:47:14) and Sarah McSharry (3:36:02). Next was the Malaga Marathon on Sunday 14th December, where we had three Bellas running, in good conditions in Andalusia. Again, there were great performances from Brian Kerr (2:37:57, PB), Laurence Prior (2:55:50, PB) & Chic Forsyth (3:19:30). A fantastic run from Bryan in particular, who finished in 75th place from 17,500 participants. Bien hecho todos!
It was Barwwod Park in Erskine on Saturday 6th December 2025, for the latest Scottish Athletics West District Cross Country Championship event. We had a quartet of ladies and a dozen gents taking part on a decent day in Renfrewshire. Conditions underfoot were soft, with several tricky sections with an accumulation of some impressive mud! Our ladies set off first, with 3 laps of the course, covering around 4.2 miles. Cara Thom was the first Bella lady home in am impressive 30:30, continuing her impressive form this year. For the gents, the ever impressive Oscar Coetzee was the first Bella gent home in 24:52 to take MV40 bronze, and helping the gents senior team to 4th place, just outside of the medals. Next up is one for the masters at Tollcross Park on 31st January 2026!
Sunday 9th November 2025 saw the latest running of our annual 10k race at Bellahouston Park, the Jimmy Irvine Bella 10K! We had some significant changes this year with a new flatter course and our race HQ being located at Bellahouston Sport Centre. We have had to tweak our course in recent years due to works within the park and we will of course take on feedback regarding this latest version, as we will about our new HQ location. It was pretty wet in the days leading up to the race, and that rain continued on the day, right up to the start of the race (at midday). Thankfully, it eased off for the most part of the race! This year, we had over 800 runners sign up to participate and there were around 640 finishers on the day. We did of course put on our usual post-race buffet which was more accessible this year being house at the nearby sport centre. We also teamed-up with ‘Rerun It’ to collect used sports gear that the charity will ship over to Malawi for use by local athletes. And, as always, we were delighted to partner with The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice to raise funds for the hospice. The race itself saw a new course record set by the winner, Jamie Crowe of Central AC in an amazing 12:41! There was also a fantastic run from Jill Cherry of Victoria Park City of Glasgow with 34:53, only 30s away from a new female record. Bellahouston Road Runners gents and Bellahouston Harriers ladies took the respective team prizes! Some other records fell too with Tony Connelly (31:37) being a new Bellahouston Road Runners course record; FV70 Margo Turner 56:29; Johnny Mair 47:46. Well done folks! The full list of winners reads: 1st female – Jill Cherry (Victoria Park City of Glasgow): 34.53 2nd female – Rosa Ryan (Perth Road Runners): 38.57 3rd female – Kristina Glynn (Bellahouston Harriers): 39.19 1st male – Jamie Crowe (Central Athletics Club): 29.41 2nd male – Lewis Hannigan (Kilbarchan AAC): 30.25 3rd male – John Bell (Inverclyde Athletics Club): 31.09 V40 female – Sarah McSharry (Bellahouston Road Runners): 43.20 V50 female – Allie Chong (Giffnock North AAC): 41.10 V60 female – Shelia Lewis (Giffnock North AAC): 45.22 V70 female – Margo Turner: 56.29 V40 male – Oscar Coetzee (Bellahouston Road Runners): 33.07 V50 male – Brent Brodie (Bellahouston Harriers): 35.29 V60 male – Gareth Walker (Clwb Run Wales): 40.04 V70 male – Johnny Mair: 47.46 1st female team: Bellahouston Harriers (Kristina Glynn, Joanne Frith, Julie Lynch) 1st male team: Bellahouston Road Runners (Tony Connelly, Ross Horgan, Steven Lamb) 1st female member of Bellahouston Road Runners – Cathy Wood: 41.35 1st male member of Bellahouston Road Runners – Tony Connelly: 31.37 Full results at: http://results.perfecttimingscotland.co.uk/Results.aspx?CId=20065&RId=1257 We are very grateful to Migo Sports for generously sponsoring the race again this year and providing the prizes. Thanks to everyone involved in organising the event, the volunteers, marshals, medics, timing […]
What an event for Bellahouston Road Runners at this year’s very scenic Loch Rannoch Marathon! A beautiful day on Sunday 12th October for the event, with three Bellas participating. And it was success for all three! Jordan Davidson, carrying on his excellent form this year, finished in a PB of 2:44:29 to finish second in the race, first Male Senior! Then there was Tomoyo Fujiwara, in 3:34:52 to finish 3rd placed lady, first FV50! Lastly, Ian Watt ran 3:38:20 to claim first MV55! A brilliant treble of prizes for our brilliant Bellas!
It was the Great Scottish Run 10k & Half Marathon on Sunday 5th October. The stormy weather gave way to blue skies and a bit of a breeze for a great event. Excellent support and a new start at the top of St Vincent Street for a record field this year. We had around 100 Bellas running and marshalling! It was an early 10k start, but great running from our 6.2 milers, with our first 3’s being: Ross Horgan (32:35, 15th), Grant Murphy (33:10 PB, 20th), Ross Wood (44:44) – Lauren Rice (43:04), Rachel Fraser (44:41 PB), Alex Shaw (49:39). Then, it was the Half Marathon, where we had around 72 Bellas running. Some amazing PBs achieved and too many great runs to mention. Our top 3s were: Ruairi Barfoot (1:14:52 PB), Ross Gale (1:15:38), Jordan Davidson (1:16:05 PB) – Rebekah Russell (1:25:49, 3rd F35-39), Rhona Fraser (1:30:48, 1st F45-49), Cara Thom (1:31:56 PB). In addition, Al MacLachlan (1:33:56) was 1st M65-69. Elsewhere, Claire Wharton qualified for the British & Irish Masters Cross Country after trials at Tollcross Park! Lynn Stuart ran a brilliant PB at the Chester Marathon, Flora Henry was second lady at the Barry Buddon 10 Miler in Carnoustie, and Poppy Bowie was first lady at the Brisbane Road Runners 20k! Very well done ladies!!
On Sunday 28th, it was the ever popular Baxters Loch Ness Marathon 2025. A spectacular point to point route from the banks of Loch Ness to the finish in Inverness. Great weather conditions this year, and a new course record of 2:15:46. Not too shabby from our Bellas either with Oscar Coetzee (2:32:21 6th, 1st MV40), Bryan Mulgrew (2:43:38, 20th), Debbi Scott (3:34:46), Lucy MacKay (4:33:20). Lucy completed her 80th marathon including every Loch Ness event to date! Oscar retained his MV40 title too taking 8 mins off last years time.
The Kelpies Half Marathon ran on Saturday 27th September. A start & finish at the Kelpies, with two crossings over the Forth at the Clackmannanshire Bridge and then back over the historic Kincardine Bridge. There were perfect conditions and plenty of Bella horsepower too, especially from the race winner, our Grant Murphy, in a PB and Course Record 1:12:15! Another outstanding effort following on from Grant winning the Girvan HM in July. Great running too by Gavin McGowan (1:39:14), Lauren Rice (1:41:53), Anne Campbell (1:44:13), Wallace Gray (1:49:14), Laura Henderson (1:49:52) & Louise Gray (2:08:19).
It was The Kyles 10 Miles on Saturday 13th September in Tighnabruaich, another ‘long’ championship event for us. And it was the Kyles for smiles with Bryan Mulgrew (58:44) winning, while the ever improving Cara Thom (1:11:47) was the winning lady. We also had Leanne McIntosh (1:15:36) finish a great 1st FV40, and the amazing Shirley Wieland (1:23:44) 1st FV60! A brilliant haul of prizes! There was also one of our ‘short’ championship races at the ‘Flat n’ Fast 5k’ in a wet Linlithgow on Saturday. Great running from Ross Horgan 15:37, Josh Evans 15:50, Bryan Kerr 16:25 PB, Jethro Browell 16:54, Bruce Carse 17:27, Jay Cowan 17:34, Jamie Robinson 17:44 PB, Jamie Wieland 18:31, Lewis Milligan 19:36, Cathy Wood 19:55 and Flora Henry 21:10. Well done everyone, including the returning Ross, who was 19th overall! On Sunday we had runners at the Cumbernauld 10k, with Triss Gabert running a nice 39:25, while at the ‘Kenny Phillips Round Cumbrae 10 Miler’, we had Josh Evans (57:39, 8th), John McKenzie (1:06:22), Ronnie Hart (1:06:28), Jamie Wieland (1:06:48 PB) Katie Blackett (1:11:24, 6th lady) and Brian Young (1:26:32). Sunday also had some international events including the Vilnius Marathon, Lithuania, where Ben Law (3:34:16) & Mark Worton (5:02:57) completed their marathons debuts! And at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, one of the ‘Super Half’ events, Andrew McCulloch (1:35:34) was our pick of the bunch.
It was the last Friday in August this week, so time for ‘3k on the Green’ at Glasgow Green. This is an excellent monthly event billed as ‘The best wee race in Scotland’ and the £2 entry fee goes to charity! This event (29th August) also doubled as a ‘short’ Club Championship race with a healthy fourteen Bellas taking part. The weather was fine for our runners who produced great results: Grant Murphy (9:20, 1st & PB), Josh Evans (9:33, 3rd), Jordan Davidson (9:48), Stuart Macdougall (9:52), Bruce Carse (10:10), Jamie Wieland (10:49, PB), Dean Dempsey (11:01), Barry Edwards (11:14), John McKenzie (11:19), Rhona Fraser (11:55, 3rd lady), Al MacLachlan (12:05), Katie Blackett (12:23), Louise Ross (13:00), Lynne Hamilton (14:40). Many thanks to the 3kotG organisers and volunteers! Read the race report here https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Avr7YrdFo/
There was a fantastic performance from Pauline Wright at the Reykjavik Marathon on Saturday 23rd August. Overcoming injury, on a tough course, in windy conditions, to produce a brilliant PB of 3:43:19! And great running too from Stewart Penny at the Dunoon Ultra to finish 10th overall in 4:32:41 covering 30.2 miles with 981m of ascent. Saturday also saw the latest running of the Tom Robb Memorial Trail Race, our final Off-Road Championship race this season. 7 miles through the picturesque Carron Valley Forest. A great showing with Alan Moss (47:38), Rebecca Croney (58:41, 2nd FSnr), Victoria Curley (58:45), Brian McQuade (1:03:16), Alice Howe (1:07:05), Sue Campbell Senior (1:09:35), Roz Wilson (1:09:44), Megan Parkinson (1:10:49), Fiona Birrell (1:11:02), Lynn Stuart (1:14:02), Rhoda Yarmahmoudi (1:16:14, 3rd FV60). In Glasgow FrontRunners OUTrun 5 Mile Race at Kelvingrove Park on Saturday, we had Benjamin Nurse (29:42, 3rd), Jamie Wieland (32:24, PB), Cathy Wood (35:10, 3rd FSnr) & Stef Boyle (42:21). On Sunday 24th, Poppy Bowie, tackled the 21.1k Surefoot Trail Race at Mt Coot-Tha, west of Brisbane. 1,112m of elevation to contend with, but a brilliant run to finish 3rd lady in 2:18:03. Great training for that Deaflympics marathon, which will hopefully be a wee bit flatter! Closer to home, Cathy Wood ran the Forth Bridge 10k in 43:13, taking 3rd FSnr.
Sunday 17th August was a busy Club Championship race day on the east and west coasts. First off was the Scottish Half Marathon on a warm morning! Very well done to our magnificent seven of Tony Connelly (1:11:22, 10th), Callum Dickson (1:22:20, PB), Lyle Robertson (1:24:40), Andy Hallam-Whitehill (1:43:58), Flora Henry (1:49:05), Claire Galloway (2:15:12) & Camilla Dyer (2:50:17). Tony was only a second outside of his PB, and only a minute from the 14 year old club record. There was a big PB from Callum too! In the west, it was another biggie at the Paisley 10k. The heat was building for this one, with a record 3,500 field participating. A brilliant 47 Bellas ran in these testing conditions so well done everyone! Our amazing top threes were (M) Oscar Coetzee (33:27, 3rd MV40), Grant Murphy (33:30), Bryan Kerr (34:34) (F) Deborah Gray (40:14, 1st FV40), Rhona Fraser (41:52), Lauren Rice (43:05). A great PB of 38:34 for Liam McNally too!
A fantastic 19 Bellas ran at the first ‘public’ Bill Elder 10k in Greenock on Sunday 10th August 2025. It was an excellent new event put on by Greenock Glenpark Harriers (GGH), with great organisation and they even supplied lovely weather! The event had an almost sold out 300 limit, with 231 starting on the day. There was ample parking space around the area, with a smooth registration process at the boat club, with toilet and changing facilities here too. It was a flat, out/in course from the boat club, east along the esplanade/quayside and back. It was a wee bit warm at 17 degrees with only a light westerly breeze, so pretty decent conditions. Most of us regularly run the Renfrewshire AAA 5 Miler in Greenock each February in the cold and wet, so this was a nice change! The start was on the esplanade just east of the boat club, with the starting gun going off at 1100hrs sharp. There was some congestion moving off, as with most sizeable events, but things eased out very quickly, while avoiding the benches and bins on the right side. It’s a flat one mile stretch right down the esplanade before some right, left turns around some of the quayside buildings, before hitting the quayside proper again past Customs House Quay, East India Quay and Virginia Quay, before a 180 degree turn just past Garvel Point. Then it was back in the opposite direction. On the return, the race winner, John Bell of Inverclyde AC, was opening a sizeable lead of almost 2 minutes from our Tony Connelly, with Josh Evans and Kenny Osborne (on home turf) following closely behind. Also showing strong were the vastly improved Jamie Wieland, with Rhona Fraser pushing on in the second half, and Cathy Wood, continuing her injury recovery, closely behind. It was again a full stretch of the esplanade to finish, into the breeze with only that very gentle incline towards the finish. Overall, we had great running from our contingent including: Tony Connelly – 32:15, 2nd Josh Evans – 33:51, 7th Kenny Osborne – 34:37, 8th, 1st MV40 Jamie Wieland – 39:01, PB Rhona Fraser – 42:25, 3rd Lady, 1st FV40 Cathy Wood – 44:05, 3rd FSnr Brian McQuade – 47:21, PB Shirley Wieland – 50:27, 2nd FV60 Brilliant efforts from our podium crew, and carrying on their fantastic recent form, big well done’s to Jamie and Brian with excellent PBs. We had 4 ladies (Rhona, Cathy, Katie Blackett & Louise Ross) in the top 10, and 3 gents (Tony, Josh & Kenny) likewise top ten finishers! GGH put on a great after race BBQ on the beach at the boat club too! A great new event and one to put in the diary for 2026. With thanks to GGH, the marshals, volunteers, officials and Protay Timing. See you all next year! Full Results: https://protay.co.uk/billelder10k2025/results.php
It was the Scurry Around Devilla Forest 10k Trail Race on Sunday 10th August, our penultimate Off Road Championship event this year. Devilla is a lovely woodland at the north side of Kincardine, with the start \ finish within the grounds of the Scottish Police College. The weather was fine and dry, so a great day for it! We had three Bellas competing with outstanding efforts from our trail trio with Jordan Davidson 1st in 38:01, Simon Wells 3rd in 40:02, and Rebecca Croney 1st lady in 47:53! Absolutely fantastic results, well done folks! That means only the Tom Robb Trail 10k on 23rd August remaining in the current Off Road competition.
It was the Girvan Half Marathon on Sunday 13th July, one of our ‘long’ Club Championship events. It was 28°C with plenty of hills, but this didn’t deter Grant Murphy, who won the race in 1:16:13! A fantastic effort by Grant, bettering last year’s third place and continuing his return to fitness of late.