There’s been a bit of an international theme over the past week, all the way from Wales to Africa! Congratulations to Cat MacDonald who represented Scotland at the 49th Snowdon International Hill Race on Saturday 20st July 2024. The race extended over 15km with almost 1,000m of elevation on a wet, cool day. Cat ran a strong race, finishing 8th lady in 1:26:58 to help the Scotland ladies team take third place. Well done to Oscar Coetzee, who ran a 1:13:43 Half Marathon in a cold and very rainy Cape Town, South Africa, on Saturday 20th July, placing 6th overall and 2nd Male Vet. Oscar also won Elite Male Vet of the year for 2023 at his home club in South Africa, Brimstone Itheko AC. Fantastic performances from Oscar this year, both home and away! And lastly, our good friend in Kenya, Isaiah Kosgei, ran an incredible 1:09:34 at the Uasin Gishu Half Marathon in Eldoret Town (Kenya) on Sunday 21st July. Isaiah was proudly sporting his Bella vest, and he continues to raise funds for, and do great work with, the Kosgei Walpole Foundation to support childrens education in his local area. Another inspiring outing for Isaiah, an incredible athlete and a former Loch Ness Marathon champion.
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The weekend of Friday 19th – Sunday 21st July 2024, saw the annual ‘Run the Blades’ (RTB) races at Whitelee Windfarm. It’s a tough, undulating, exposed, but eerily beautiful place to run, with frequent unseasonable weather changes. The events are always really well organised by Breaking Strain. Begining with the 10k on a pleasant Friday evening, we had brilliant running from Claire Wharton who was 3rd lady home (47:03). Our men finished, Jethro Browell (39:00, 4th), Jordan Davidson (39:10, 5th), Simon Wells (40:43, 11th), Gerry McDonnell (46:00) & Andy Tomlinson (49:05). Great performances, especially given the challenging climbs towards the finish line. It was the big one for our on Saturday with the 50k Ultra Marathon on a cloudy, humid, then rainy day. Amazing running all round from Stephen McQuade (9th, 4:07:47), Jordan Davidson (11th, 4:13:36), Siobhann Dunn (18th, 5th lady, 4:27:27), Brendan McGuiness (4:44:23), Jamie Robinson (5:18:16), Jimmy McGreevy (5:18:18), Alan Digweed (5:51:17) & Cormack Smith (7:58:18). Great commitment and resilience to tackle this discipline, so a huge well done to all. To finish, it was the Half Marathon on Sunday morning. Again, a tough undulating course, starting off in chilly conditions, although not the stormy weather of 2023! It was an absolutely outstanding run from Ross Horgan in 1:15:15 to win and break the course record, while Fraser Kelly finished in a brilliant 3rd place with 1:23:34. Following on were Jordan Davidson (1:32:09, 13th), Alan Chalmers (1:32:40, 14th), David Vallance (1:49:55) & Gavin Elliott (2:02:45). Another great morning of running. And the recurring name in the three races was Jordan Davidson, running 10k, 50k and 21k RTB races in a single weekend. An epic starring role!
The 2024 Jimmy Irvine 10k race, kindly sponsored again by our friends at Migo Sports will be held in Bellahouston Park on Sunday 10th November 2024 with a midday start. Entries for this event are open at Entry Central. We are proud of our great annual race in the wonderful Bellahouston Park! It always enjoys a great atmosphere and our members work hard to guide and support the participants safely around the course. There is also a fantastic long-sleeved finishers t-shirt and of course our famous post-race buffet! It’s a great way to spend an autumn afternoon, so sign-up, don’t miss out and see you at the Jimmy! #seeyouatthejimmy
The Scottish Veteran Harriers Club 5k ran in Clydebank on Wednesday 26th June on a cloudy but warm evening. Whilst not the most scenic of courses, it’s a great well-organised event on a flat and fast loop. There was some great running from our Bellas as always with, in finishing order; Oscar Coetzee (15:50, 2nd place), Calum Borthwick (16:09, 5th place), Paul McNairn (16:51), Alan Moss (17:59), Kelly Taylor (18:03, 2nd lady), Al MacLachlan (20:06), Calum Sinclair (20:51), Andy Tomlinson (22:18), Joni Lindsay (24:13), Robert Macleod (27:20). This was another short course Club Championship race completed. Congratulations to Oscar on his second place finish, and Kelly on second female placing! Great return performances too from Joni and Andy who were both recovering from injury and illness. Well done everyone! The latest Off-Road Championship race followed on Friday 28th June with the Calderglen Harriers 10k. Calderglen Country Park provides a tough challenge, with the course undulating through the woods and with having to bat away the midgies! Seven hardy Bellas ran with, in finish order: Simon Wells (46:41), Rhona Fraser (47:49, 4th lady), Anne Campbell (55:32), Stevie McIntyre (56:37), Charlotte Parkinson (58:01), Henry Merriweather (59:10) & Laura Wilkinson (60:20). Congratulations to Rhona, Anne & Charlotte who made up the third place ladies team. If this puts you in the mood for a great 10k run later this year then check out our very own at https://www.entrycentral.com/jimmyirvinebella10k
There’s no stopping Catriona ‘Cat’ Macdonald who has been in brilliant form on all fronts of late. On Sunday 9th June, Cat (representing Morpeth Harriers) ran in the 5.8 mile ‘Blaydon Race’ in Newcastle. This is a large annual road race with around 4,500 competitors. Cat finished 3rd female senior (6th placed female overall). On Friday 21st June, Cat raced the ‘Black Rock 5’ a unique road and beach race that takes place annually in Kinghorn, Fife. Over 1,100 runners took part over the 7km long route that is timed to coincide with a sufficiently low tide to enable runners to pass behind the Black Rock, about 1km offshore from Burntisland. Cat finished 2nd place female. Then, the following day, Saturday 22nd June, the summer solstice, and it was onto Melrose for the ‘Eildon Three Hills Race’ which covers 7.2km with 510m of ascent, traversing the iconic three Eildon hills. Cat was 1st female, capping off quite a weekend!
It was fantastic to see so many Bellahouston Road Runner volunteers helping out with marshalling at the recent GSi Events Ltd, Mens and Womens 10k races in Glasgow on Sunday 16th June 2024. The Club has regularly turned out at these particular events over the last number of years and it’s always a great day out. We had members at the start and throughout the course to help ensure things ran safely and smoothly, to pardon the pun! Seeing so many people being cheered on and enjoying themselves on a great city course was wonderful. Our members also regularly volunteer at other great events including the Bellahouston Harriers Brian Goodwin Memorial 10k, the Great Scottish Run each autumn, cross country league and of course parkrun. It’s a great way to spend a few hours and get to know fellow club members a bit more. It’s also a great way to stay involved if you are between races or are injured, or if you just fancy cheering the runners on! So well done everyone, and “…thanks marshall!!”
Saturday saw the annual BRR pilgrimage to the Killearn 10k Trail Race (including the beer festival cool down!). It was a beautiful warm first day of summer for this tough, multi-terrain route from Killearn village out to the Dumgoyne foothills and back. Brilliant running by our 22 Bellas who made up 12% of the field, with our amazing top 3 ladies being Rhona Fraser 42:50 (1st lady), Deborah Gray 44:54 (2nd lady) & Claire Wharton 46:22 (7th lady, 1st FV50). A fantastic run too by Shirley Wieland in 53:05. For the gents it was Craig Ross 40:26 (6th), Alan Chalmers 42:02 (10th) & Colin Hughes 44:13 (15th). Colin and Shirley would normally have won their respective V60 categories, but Killearn was structured slightly differently this year. Nevertheless, brilliant runs and a great event as always. Well done everyone!
2024 was the 6th running of the 3 race babcock 10k Series, formerly the Polaroid Series. 12th May saw the first race at the Shettleston 10k, Glasgow Green. Over 20 Bellas ran on a lovely warm morning on a fast, flat course. Our first three gents were Tony Connelly 33:01 (6th), Oscar Coetzee 33:36 (10th, 1st V40) & Kenny Osborne 34:58 (11th) with the gents also taking a fantastic mens team gold! For our ladies it was the top trio of Rebekah Russell 37:23 (3rd FSnr), Grainne McGrath 40:20 (11th FSen) & Cathy Wood 43:41 (19th FSen). A great morning of running for all of our Bellas. Next up was Dumbarton on Thursday 23rd May, in entirely different conditions with heavy rain on a more undulating suburban route. 22 hardy Bellas raced, with the top three gents being Oscar Coetzee 32:58 (8th, 1st MV40), Calum Borthwick 33:05 (10th) & Bryan Kerr 34:34 (20th). So two straight MV40 wins for Oscar to help the gents team take bronze! Our ladies first three were Rebekah Russell 36:32 (4th FSen), Poppy Bowie 42:05 (14th FSen) & Alice Howe 51:02 (33rd FSen). So it was onto Helensburgh on Thursday 30th May for the final race of the series. What a contrast in weather from Dumbarton, with lovely Spring sunshine although a brisk headwind for the first half. 23 Bellas ran with our top three gents being Oscar Coetzee 33:15 (8th, 1st MV40), Ross Horgan 33:24 (9th) & Kenny Osborne 34:29 (14th). A clean sweep of MV40 golds for Oscar and team bronze for the gents! Our top three ladies were the formidable Rebekah Russell 36:48 (3rd FSen), Kelly Taylor 39:13 (7th FSen) & Cara Thom 45:11 (22nd FSen). Brilliant running from our ladies to also take team bronze! Helensburgh also served as the Scottish Athletics West District 10k Championship with the team competition rising to four members. With Bryan Mulgrew 35:23 (22nd) our gents were West District team runners-up. Lyndsay Kennedy 48:39 (30th FSnr) was our number four lady meaning West District ladies team 3rd. Congratulations to the outstanding Oscar Coetzee, the overall series and West District MV40 winner, 3rd placed gent overall and 3 team awards. The amazing Rebekah Russell had a fantastic series too, finishing ladies runner-up with two 3rd place FSen finishes as well as Helensburgh team bronze and corresponding West District awards! 11 members completed the full 3 race series with fantastic performances throughout from all of our Bellas. A real purple patch in another great babcock series. Well done everyone! https://babcock10kseries.co.uk/ Images courtesy of Daren Borzynsky
Endurance was the name of the game this week with lots of testing events. Cat MacDonald was first lady at the Goatfell Hill Race on Arran on Sunday 19th May. On Thursday 23rd, 22 hardy Bellas raced the second of the Babcock 10k race series at Dumbarton in monsoon conditions. Our gents top three of Oscar Coetzee 32:58 (8th, 1st MV40), Calum Borthwick 33:05 (10th, PB) & Bryan Kerr 34:34 (20th, PB) took the mens team bronze. Great running too from Al MacLachlan 41:44 (2nd MV60) with Rebekah Russell 36:32 (4th FSen) first Bella lady home. There were outstanding efforts by Jordan Davidson & Graeme McNay on Saturday. Jordan completed the West Highland Way Ultra (25:53:19), all 96.5 miles with over 22,500ft of ascent. Graeme meanwhile ran the Cateran Trail Ultra in Perthshire, at 56 miles with 7,500ft of climbing. Very well done to Craig Ross (1:29:26, 4th MV40 ) & Louise Ross (1:41:52, 2nd lady, 1st FV40) at a hot and hilly Kirkcudbright Half Marathon on Saturday. The rain returned for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on Sunday 26th. In the Half we saw great runs by Ruairi Barfoot (1:19:32), Tom Thorne (1:37:29), Anton Soderqvist (1:50:18), Emily Jackson (2:01:49) & Lucy Mackay (2:06:51). The Marathon followed with great running from finishers Chic Forsyth (3:16:16), Harris Millar (3:23:02), Cathy Wood (3:42:51), Sam Dickson (3:54:38), Conor Cross (3:56:08), Hayley Drysdale (4:17:58), Gerry Hanlon (4:28:03) & Lynn Stuart (4:56:38). A great week, well done everdone!
You may have noticed Bellahouston Road Runner, Andy Tomlinson in the media of late following his gaining entry to the Abbott World Marathon hall of fame after gaining his 6th ‘star’ upon completion of the London Marathon in April 2024. A few weeks down the line, Andy has been reflecting upon his achievement which for most of us is beyond comprehension, never mind doing it while managing Cerebral Palsy. Starting his journey in Berlin 2021, Andy completed New York, Boston, Chicago, Tokyo and London by 2024. 6 world Majors in 24hrs 47min 25sec, averaging 4hrs 7min 54sec, with a PB of 3hrs 45min 53sec in Boston. Quite incredible and a credit to himself. We at BRR are very proud of our fellow member. Andy may well be a record breaker after his efforts and his achievements were recognised globally in the media. Our own Siobhan Dunn penned a fantastic BBC piece on Andy which is available here
What a night at Bellahouston Park on Wednesday 15th May for our President’s Cup 5k Race. A fantastic 74 members ran in this annual ‘handicap’ event with each individuals start time calculated against their recent 5k /10k race performances. This ensures that everyone has a chance of winning, and also involves a very busy finish line! It was fantastic to be holding the event in Bellahouston Park again after a couple of years at Rouken Glen, although a fine substitute. We were blessed with a fine spring evening, with good running conditions on a reasonably flat course. Congratulations to our champions on the night, Graeme Pert & Sarah-Jane Kissock, who were cheered on by our army of volunteers and supporters. Overall, there was some fantastic running and several PBs, with 44 members finishing within 30 seconds of their predicted finish times. Testament indeed to the hard work put in by our stats team. Our President, Emer Campbell, commented “This was another superb night for the club. Huge thanks everyone who helped organise this event, the volunteers, supporters and of course congratulations to Graeme and Sarah-Jane”
It has been seven years since we became a charity and we are very pleased to Trustees’ annual report (2022_23) Final Public. It highlights all the fantastic achievements of members and the incredible events the club has held – we hope you enjoy reading it. The report has been approved by the Scottish Charity Regulator OSCR. We are grateful to everyone who helped write the report, particularly the Board of Trustees. We are especially thankful to Julia MacDonald for the expert, independent examination of the accounts. Note that all our annual reports, and charitable status documents, can be found on our charitable status page.
It’s now six years years since we became a charity, and as part of that we publish an annual report and accounts, for submission to the Scottish Charity Regulator, OSCR. You can read our recently submitted report, for the year 2021-22, on our website. We’ve again used the opportunity to reflect on and highlight the achievements of the club and its amazing members, pick a few of our favourite photographs, and cherish some memories. We hope you enjoy reading it! We’re grateful for everybody who helped contribute to the report, particular our Board of Trustees. We’d also like to once again express our gratitude to Julia McDonald for the independent examination of our accounts. You can find all our previous annual reports on our Charitable Status page.
We’re delighted to today be sharing our Annual Report, for 2020-21. It highlights the achievements, performances and awards from right across the club, a few of our favourite photos, as well as the statements and details our charitable status requires us to make. We hope it helps show what a positive impact being a member can have, both to other members, but also the communities we are a part of. Club President, and Chair of the Board, Richard Leyton, said the following in his introduction: I am delighted to share the Bellahouston Road Runners Trustees’ annual report, covering the period from August 2020 to July 2021. Our previous reporting period was a story of two halves, pre-lockdown normality, followed by the club and its membership coming together over the first Coronavirus Lockdown. All in our 20th anniversary year. This reporting period picks up the story – and challenge we set ourselves – for the club to build forward. It has been a remarkable year. We were honoured and delighted to receive Scottish Athletics’ Impact and Innovation Club of the year award, Glasgow Sports Council’s Club of the year award, as well as many individual nominations and awards for the club and its amazing membership. We think these awards are a reflection on the huge contributions, achievements and innovations from, and inspired by, our members. We continued to innovate. Our Coronavirus plan, built on the Scottish Athletics framework, was widely shared and referenced. Directly because of our plan, our group training setup could respond quickly to rule changes as they impacted group sizes, travel restrictions and social distancing regulations. We were able to organise club-internal training events, enabling members to experience something close to a normal race experience in a club setting. We could also, when rules allowed, work collaboratively with other clubs to organise small scale track events. Looking to the future period, we are mindful of strategic challenges. There are significant changes to our local sports facilities, as well as changes in support from local authorities impacting them, and us. There will be additional risks and costs for event organisation which may have an impact on our finances. I am confident that the club and its membership will respond and adapt to these, and other, challenges. I’m continually reminded that the club has a real appetite to grow, build and innovate. At every training session or event I attend, our members are fostering a friendly, welcoming and supportive environment that embraces everybody. The feedback I regularly hear from members is that the club, and the friendships they’ve made through it, are important parts of their lives, supporting their physical and mental wellbeing. I’ve always felt that if we get these foundations right, everything else flows from that. I think this report reflects that, and I’m confident and optimistic we’ll continue to do so into the next reporting period. Richard Leyton, Chair of the Board of Trustees 20th February, 2022 NB: You can find full details about our charitable status, […]
What a great morning that was at our Festive Fun Run at Pollok parkrun! Well done to everyone who wore festive outfits, ran the parkrun, and came back to the Cricket Club for the afterparty The brilliant costumes worn by Lucy Mackay and Colin Hughes won them the prizes for the best dressed. Congratulations you two! The parkrun was won by our very own Alan Moss, who ran round in his Christmas jumper!! A fantastic £220 was raised in the charity draw, with Stuart Douglas’s name being pulled out from the hat. Stuart’s charity of choice is the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity The club will match the £220 and donate it to Elizabeth Hughes’s Beatson appeal Merry Christmas everyone!!