If you’re already a club member, the forum is a really important service to sign up to. It’s the online meeting place for club members, and where you’ll find all sorts of details about local races, championship details, social events, and race reports. To sign up, visit the forum page above, or send an e-mail to the club webmaster, giving your details and when you joined. We’ll set you up in no time, and you’ll be ready to go. If you’d signed up previously, and have been having difficulty logging in, drop a note to the webmaster as well. In the next few weeks we’re hoping to have a ‘forum helpdesk’ so you can ask questions, get your password reset. Speak to Richard or a committee member to find out more.
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Results for the Bellahouston Road Runners first ever hill race, the Ben Venue Challenge, are now available. Click here for the results (PDF). Please report any result corrections to Andy Birnie via benvenue@bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk. Feel free to send any comments or suggestions via e-mail, or in the comment section below. Drop us a note too if you have any pictures from the event. The gusting 80mph wind forced a course change, but nothing could dampen the friendly atmosphere or the competitive racing for Bellahouston Road Runners’ inaugural Ben Venue race. The race had a bit of everything – fast forest paths, muddy bogs, open hillside & a quick taste of the gales at the cairn but more importantly there were lots of smiling faces and plenty of homebaking at the finish! Matt Williamson (Bellahouston Road Runners) was eventual winner of the 6 mile race (1800 feet of ascent) in a time of 51 mins 17secs, having led for most of the way. He held off newcomer Peter Devenport (Unattached) and Matthew Sullivan (Shettleston Harriers) during the fast descent through Gleann Riabhach. In the girl’s race, Fiona Maxwell (Shettleston Harriers) had a slightly greater winning margin, winning in 59 mins 22 secs from Ellie Homewood (Westerlands) and Lyndsey Munro (Bellahouston Road Runners). The boys from the east coast cleared up the vet prizes with Carnethy boys taking the vet40 prizes in order of Adrian Davis, Bruce Smith & Steve Fallon. Gordon Pryde (Lomond) collected the V50 prize while Keith Burns (Carnethy) was 1st in the competitive group of V60s. The ladies vet prizes were better spread around Scotland, with Jo Schreiber (Lochaber), Joanne Anderson (Carnethy) & Caroline Strain (Wee County Runners) collecting the V40 prizes and Helen MacPherson (Westerlands) taking the V50 prize. Both team prizes went to the home club with counting runners Matt Williamson, Mark Johnston & Marcos Sans Gomez for the guys and Lyndsey Munro, Pauline Wright & Katie Padgham for the girls. Many thanks to the 83 runners who ignored the weather forecast and turned up today, and helped raise over £400 for the Lomond Mountain Rescue Team. This was Bella’s first hill race, so we’d love to hear your suggestions for how to improve things for next year. And there will be a next year, since we want to run the full advertised course, because we are so confident you will just love it! Please email any comments to benvenue@bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk
Last night’s AGM saw a new committee elected for the next year. We’d all like to thank committee members who were standing down for all their help and dedication over the last few years, particularly Scott Kennedy and Club president Emma Birnie who’d both served for a long time and given so much to the club. We’d like to wish the new committee all the very best over the next year, which next year will see the club’s tenth anniversary. The new committee is: Club President:: Robert McEwan Club Secretary:: Carla Deans Membership secretary:: Maddie Smillie Treasurer:: Peter Gallanagh PR officer:: Alistair Kell Womens captain:: Jane Wild Men’s captain:: Brian O’Donnell Social convenor:: Lucy Mackay Ordinary member 1:: Jim O’Hara Ordinary member 2:: Julie Fitzpatrick
If you’ve recently completed the Glasgow Half Marathon or 10k, you’ll soon be looking for your next challenge, rather than putting your running shoes away for another year. What better way to prepare yourself, and keep your fitness up, than joining a running club? Bellahouston Road Runners are a friendly, welcoming, active and sociable group of runners, and we always welcome new faces. With the winter months approaching too, having company on long runs or training sessions is invaluable. The winter months are particularly good for building up your core strength ready for next year. But you may also fancy giving cross country or hill running a go to provide a little variety. Whilst running your race, you may also have noticed the many purple topped runners (it’s the biggest race for the club, and marks the end-of-championship), and must have heard the many supporters out along the route? It makes a big difference to have so much support when running. Check out the rest of the website to find out more about us, and if you fancy coming along see the details on the Join Us page. If you can run for an hour, and have a 10k time of approximately 55 minutes, you’ll have no trouble. We know ourselves it can be daunting joining a club – we’ve all been there – so we always try to provide a warm welcome. Your first two sessions are free, so what have you got to lose? Pitch up at about 6.15pm (there are basic changing facilities/toilets, but no showers), look out the on-duty committee member in the ski centre club room (just ask anybody that looks like a runner, or ski centre staff member, to point you in the right direction), and they’ll explain what the score is and introduce you to coaches and other runners. Sessions vary in length, but are usually around 1-1.5 hours.
Congratulations to club members Iona Robertson and Kenny Richmond, who have been selected to represent Scotland at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships at the Kaisermarathon in October. Click here for more details on the Scotland team. Both had great runs at the Ochils 2000 race at the weekend to earn their places in the team. Good luck to them both, from all members of the club, plus also good luck to Iona in the Transalp Race starting this weekend. Not bad for a road running club!
In the last few years, some members of Bellahouston Road Runners have found that they actually prefer running up (and down) hills rather than on roads. We have enjoyed running many hill races the length and breadth of Scotland, so we decided it was time to do our bit, and organise Bella’s first hill race. The race will be on 3rd October, starting at 1pm, on Ben Venue in the Trossachs, close to Aberfoyle. More details can be found here All race proceeds will go to Lomond Mountain Rescue Team, who will be on duty providing safety cover during the race. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday 3rd October.
Results for today’s Bella 5k are now available. Click here to download the results (PDF). Note these were updated on 21/Aug/09 to correct some omissions, and are now the final results. Pictures are also available here, courtesy of Kenneth Phillips. Add any other photos to the Bella RR flickr pool (link). Robert Gilroy, of Ronhill Cambuslang, won the men’s race with a time of 15.31. Kirsty Husband, of Garscube Harriers, won the ladies race with a time of 18.14. 2nd and 3rd in the Men’s race went to Michael Deanson (Glasgow Uni), in 16.04, and Daniel Bradford (Glasgow Uni) in 16.11. 2nd and 3rd in the Ladies race went to Donna Finlayson (Victoria Park) in 18.51 and Michelle Sandison (Springburn) Harriers. The first male and female team was Bellahouston Road Runners. First MV40 was Charlie Thompson (Ronhill Cambuslang) in 16.05, First MV50 was Paul Thompson (Helensburgh AC) in 17.11, and first MV60 was Tony Hall (Garscube Harriers) in 21.45. First FV35 was Emma Birnie (Bellahouston Road Runners) in 19.17, First FV45 was Jacqueline Cowan (Giffnock North AC) in 21.21, first FV55 was Sandra Wilkinson (Helensborough AC) in 30.28, and first FV65 was Sallie Lloyd Jones (Jog Scotland) in 36.06. Thanks to all sponsors, volunteers, organisers and participants for making the event a great success. If you enjoyed the event, why not come along one evening and try out a training session with the club? We meet twice a week (Monday and Wednesday) at the Ski Centre in Bellahouston Park, ready to run at 6.30. We’re always friendly, and like to see new faces. Your first two sessions are free. See the rest of the website for more details.
Club President Emma has some great news about the 2009 Bog and Burn Championship: Tonight saw the final race of the Bog & Burn series at Hillend Ski centre in Edinburgh. A mere (but very tough) 1.4m race up and down Caerketton hill. Three Bellas – John Milligan, Jane Simpson and myself racing with me taking 2nd place in the womens race and Jane taking 4th place and John getting a pb for the course! The race was followed by a tasty bowl of soup and a roll at the Steadings pub and the prizegiving for the series. Bella featured quite heavily in the line up of prizes and John and I came away armed with enough booze to open a small off-licence! Amongst the winners were: Kenny Richmond for 3rd place overall Andy Birnie for 2nd MV40 Iona Robertson for 2nd place in the ladies series Emma Birnie for 3rd place in the ladies series Jackie McGuire for 1st LV40 A brilliant effort from a ROAD RUNNING club eh! Well done to all.
Entries for the Achilles Heel Bella 5k are now open. This year the event takes place on Sunday, August 16th. Race starts at 11am, with declaration and changing (from 9.30am) at Palace of Arts, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow. Pre-entry is £5 for SAL members, and £7 for non-SAL members. There’s an additional £2 for entry on race day. Minimum age of 16 on race day. Visit https://bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk/bella5k for more detail and to download the application form.
Emma has sent this excellent race report from the The Inter-Counties Fell, on Saturday 23rd May at Hutton Roof Crags near Kendal: Bella was represented by Kenny Richmond, Iona Robertson and Emma Birnie all running for the Scotland West team. The course was a tough 7 mile slog up to Hutton Roof crags then a long undulating cross country course to the near vertical acsent up Farlton Knot and back for a fast grassy descent back to Hutton Roof village. The West teams led the way in the Scottish stakes with the West girls team (Fiona Maxwell (Shettleston), Iona and Emma) bringing home bronze medals for third place and the mens west team (Matthew Gillespie & Tom Owens (both Shettleston) & Kenny Richmond the 3 counters) securing 4th place overall. Other Scottish team results are as follows: Women – Scotland East 4th (just beating Greater Manchester on first-team-home), and Scotland Central in 8th. Among the men’s teams, the honours were in the same order with Scotland West 4th, Scotland East 6th and Scotland Central 9th. The Scotland North teams were incomplete. A great day out with fabulous cakes on offer at the village fete afterwards! Full results are here: http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2009/hutton.htm
Just a bit of blowing the club trumpet here…don’t know about anyone else, but we’ve been smiling over the last few days at the variety of races that Bella runners (and riders) have been turning up at. In the last week or so we’ve had: Greig pot-hunting on the roads and farm tracks of the Borders Bella sweeping all before them at Goatfell Joe running his 2nd superb ultra in a month a record Bella turnout at the Glasgow parkrun Ewan conquering the hills of Windermere Brian O’D flying the flag at Loch Leven Richard hashing with Mendip Hills Hash House Harriers (MH4) Mole, Bruce G and Jackie (and others?) braving the hairpins and carpet tacks on epic cycle events a couple of Bellas winning a bizarrely handicapped ’10k’ race on Skye (albeit running in the colours of their 2nd claim club!) In the coming week we’ve got (among others): a Bella contingent heading to the Inter Counties fell race in Cumbria more (even more remote) pot-hunting from Greig on the Isle of Lewis the Polaroid 10k series kicking off in Helensburgh another parkrun So we’ve got 5ks, 10ks, HMs, Marathons, Ultras, Hill Races and cycle races. Throw in the ongoing Duathlon training which folk are doing in preparation for the Highland Cross and the Corrieyairack Challenge, and I think you can say we’re diversifying more than most clubs! Doesn’t make writing training schedules any easier though! It’s all great to see and illustrates that we’re so much more than just a road running club. There’s something for everyone at Bella!
Well done to the Bellas who took part in Ben Lomond Hill Race on Saturday. Some challenging conditions (a snow blizzard up top) made for an interesting race. Andy Birnie was 1st Bella with an excellent 7th place. Race was a dead heat between a visiting American called Judson Cake (I kid you not!) and Brian Marshall. Thanks also to Stuart and Katie for defying hypothermia, by marshalling at the top. Report and results here: http://shr.uk.com/NewsItems.aspx?NewsItemID=476
Club members Raymond and Susie recently tied the knot, and celebrated as any good running couple should, with a trip to a far away marathon. Here’s their full report: The Boston marathon was on Monday 20 April, with the build-up kicking off in earnest the previous Friday with our wedding. Conscious of the endurance benefits of alcohol me and the best man squeezed in a couple of sneakies at a windowless pub in Garscube Road to calm our nerves prior to the ceremony. Susie claims not to have troubled the champagne beforehand but even I know that it beggars belief that she married me sober. After the ceremony – and some obligatory stretching shots outside the ski centre – the carb-loading continued inside the House for an Art Lover with both grape and barley energy drinks. As the night wore on there was time for a final pre-marathon session: 1 x tango (warm up); 3 x Strip the Willow (tempo) @ 2 pints recovery; Gay Gordons / Dashing White Sergeant / St. Bernard’s waltz (continuous loop); Auld Lang Syne (cool down). Experienced marathoners will appreciate that this is all textbook stuff. Shamelessly hawking our newly-wed status at check-in the following day earned us an upgrade to club class and a passport to the BA executive lounge at Heathrow. There we were surrounded by a dizzying array of complimentary fine foods and drink. Susie retained her dignity whilst I treated it as an against-the-clock all you can eat/drink buffet. Once on the flight the hospitality continued in the same vein. By mid-Atlantic I felt like a goose being fattened for foie gras. Having registered at the expo on the Sunday – and given our livers a well-earned rest – it was up at around 5am on race day to wolf down some contraband porridge and head off to the start. The Boston marathon is a point to point race and so fleets of yellow school buses left central Boston from 6am to get all 26,000 runners out to the town of Hopkinton in time for the 10am start. The organisation was superb. The only downside was that once at Hopkinton there was the grim prospect of hanging around for a couple of hours in a field that doubles as the high school sports ground. It was a bit like T in the Park but without the neds. New England can be pretty cold at that time of year. You could tell the Boston veterans: they were the ones with thermals, bivvy bags and tents. Susie wasn’t too badly off with her bella hoodie and a couple of tops. I’d taken one look at the early morning blue sky from our hotel room window and figured that a vintage men’s health 10k T-shirt would be more than enough. Whilst I sought refuge in a portaloo Susie managed to cadge a few spare bin liners that proved just about enough to stave off hypothermia. The race itself was unforgettable. It’s a tough up […]
Over the Christmas period there are a few changes to the usual schedule: The club is meeting as normal on 22nd December and 29th December. Ready to run at 6.30pm from the Ski Centre. There’s a tubing session after training on the 22nd, with mulled wine, mince pies, and games 8-10pm. On Christmas Eve and New Years eve, the Ski Centre closes at 5pm, so the club won’t be meeting at the usual time. There will, however, be informal club runs from the Ski Centre earlier in the day. Meeting at 12pm, ready to run at 12.15pm, and probably hitting the trails in Pollok Park. The club’s Festive 5k on Sunday, 21st December. Meet at the ski club from 10.30am for “registration” the Race starts at the track in Bella park @11am and follows the Bella 5k route. £5 entry, and will be given to charity. Fancy dress mandatory. Mince pies afterwards back at the Ski Centre. The Ayr Turkey Trot on Boxing day is always popular with the club. The Glasgow parkrun will, as usual, be taking place on Saturdays, with events on 20th and 27th December and 3rd January, at 9.30am. Feel free to help by volunteering too.
Here’s Brian’s report from yesterday’s “Eddie’s half marathon” in Fort William: Greig and I, with support crew of Danielle and the dogs, headed north for this half marathon in Fort William. Excellent weather conditions allowed for some spectacular scenery on the drive up, and indeed throughout the race. Snow capped hills all the way. The race starts and finishes on the shinty pitch next to the Nevis Centre, and it’s an out and back course. We headed out through a housing estate and onto a cycle path for the first mile or so, then onto the roads all the way to a turning point at half away with only a few turns to get us there. It was a bit hectic for traffic with runners on both sides of the road and the cars having to get between us. Limited marshalling, and this caused a problem for Greig on the way back as he and the group he was running with ended up on the wrong path for a short time (about 19 seconds worth claims Greig!). I was delighted to get a new PB 1:21:43 and finish in 10th place, but hats off to Greig for another stunning performance. He finished 5th in 1:19:18. That’s his first sub 1:20 and he did it in style. Afterwards there was loads of biscuits, tea and coffee for the presentation. Slightly disappointed that with the range of prizes on offer Greig didn’t manage to bag one but I don’t think that took the shine off the day for any of us. Thanks to Danielle and dogs for support once again. The race was won by Robert Gilroy in a time of 1:10:46. Highly recommend this one. More here, on the forum.