Twenty Bellas raced this morning in windy and surprisingly humid conditions at the Stirling 10k which also doubled up as the Scottish 10k Champs. Several scored PBs and season bests, but it was our ladies who once again brought back the silverware. Louise Ross and Emer Campbell picked up National Silver and Bronze medals in the V40 category and Shona Donnelly won the V50 Bronze. Well done ladies! 🥈🥉🥉 Results available here, and our thanks to Central AC for hosting a superb event! Photos courtesy of Graeme McNay and Robert Macleod.
Bella ladies win Scottish medals again!
574 posts
Some great results in the last few weeks at the club that we wanted to highlight. 2018 John Lucas Round Strathaven 50 Mile Relay Huge congratulations to to Euan, Andy, Graeme, Russell and Craig (Euan, Andy and Graeme pictured) for winning the men’s relay event. Well done too to Ann who took part at the same event, in the mixed team event. Many thanks to Marc Bromwich for organising the men’s team entry, and was all set to run, but had to pull out because of injury. 2018 Paisley 10k A great clutch of results and individual runs from the always popular Paisley 10k, part of our annual club championships. Shona Donnelly was 1st female v50, Gerry Scullion 1st male v50, and Cat, Ann and were the 2nd female team home. Cross country training returning in September Our informal Saturday morning cross country focused training sessions resumes from 8th September in Bellahouston Park. More details on the club forum: Chi will be posting specific details in advance. Always a great way to start the weekend! Cross country and relays are a big part of the club’s autumn and winter focus, and pretty much all the races are included as part of our membership. Justensure your Scottish Athletics and club membership is up to date, and that you’re setup on the forum in order to get your name down when entries open! Jimmy Irvine Bella 10k entries open Entries to our popular 10k, the Jimmy Irvine Bella 10k, have now opened, and are already selling fast. Pop along to entrycentral.com/bella10k to sign up.
We’re delighted to announce that entries are now open for the 2018 edition of the Jimmy Irvine Bella 10k, taking place at midday on 11 November 2018. Sign up now to secure your place at entrycentral.com/bella10k
A great time was had this morning at Drumchapel parkun, for a bit of a social visit to Glasgow’s “most undulating” parkrun. Over 20 Bellas ran, volunteered or supported the event. Thanks to the organisers for putting on a great event, and for delaying the start until a group of 7 of us running over from the southside arrived a touch late after going on a diversion around Blairdardie due to… navigational… challenges! It was fantastic catching up with everybody, and some familiar faces at the event. First Bellas home were Gerry Scullion and Louise Ross who each won a massive slice of Strawberry gateaux, kindly donated by Robert Macleod. Thanks to Kevin for organising!
Back at our February AGM, our membership voted to adopt a new membership fee structure, and we’re delighted we’ve now invited our existing members to renew their membership under the new structure. Members should check their email (be sure to check your spam folder too), and follow the instructions. We’re still updating our website to reflect it everywhere, but we’ve replaced the old cash based system with a modern and, we think, excellent value for money setup that’s easier for members, and us. We’re also delighted that we can offer concessionary rates at last. The fees can be paid for annually or monthly, and we’re encouraging members to pay by direct debit (although we also support payment by card and bank transfer for annual membership). The total fee is made up of membership (equivalent to £25 per year), and a training/racing fee – which members select based on how often they train with us (or take part in our subsidised races), which broadly seeks to cover the core operational costs of our club. Our fees are now: £65 (or £5.62 per month), for regular training/racing (3 or more times a month) £45 (or £3.95 per month), for occasional training/racing (2 or less a month) £35 (or £3.12 per month), is our concessionary rate for members in full-time education, low-income/unemployed, or senior (60+ years). £25 (annual charge only) for Basic membership, for members who aren’t training with us just now. This doesn’t include a club vest or club subsidised races. Except for the Basic membership, all the new membership fees are entirely inclusive, and include all our training sessions, support of our awesome coaches, access to our club forum and social media groups, all the cross country races you can handle, a discount to the best club organised 10k in Glasgow, super social events through the year, all for between £3 and £6 a month! You’re also helping support us as we grow and develop the club into our charitable status, aiming to be a substantive part of our community. Existing members just need to follow the link they were sent as part of the renewal process at the end of July 2018, before the end of August when existing memberships run to. If you’re a current member, and have not received your renewal note, please get in touch with us so we can check your email address. Once you’ve signed up to the new setup, you can also stop popping a £1 coin in the tin! If you’re stuck, we’ve a guide/FAQ on our club forum. If you’re looking to join us, or are you a lapsed member considering a return, your first four sessions are free, so come along and check we’re right for you before signing up (we just need your emergency contact details on file). You can have a read about what’s involved at our training nights on our ‘Join Us’ page too. Once you’re happy, pop over to our membership page at bellahoustonroadrunners.co.uk/membership and sign up. Our […]
We’re excited to announce a new range of club kit is now available from Migo Sports. A selection of technical running tops and hoodies, in club colours (purple, white and black), all sporting the club logo, are available. Prices start from a fantastically competitive £12, and can also be customised with your initials. Kit can be posted directly to you for a small fee, or collected in store in Muirend. The club has bought samplers of each item in a variety of sizes, and are available on most club nights, for members to try on and get a sense of size, before placing their order. We look forward to seeing the kit out and about! Lots more at https://www.migosports.co.uk/collections/bellahouston-road-runners
66 Bellas competed in another hotly contested President’s Cup on Wednesday 20 June. The 5K handicap race around Bellahouston Park was won by Julia McDonald for the women and Andrew Haddow for the men. Each runner sets off after a time handicap based on their recent race performance. So every club member has a good chance of winning and the finish is always exciting. More than three quarters of runners crossed the finish line within one minute of each other. Even so the team of volunteers at the finish funnel coped brilliantly. Club president Richard Leyton led the winners to victory on the lead bike before presenting the prizes afterwards over sandwiches and cake at Nethercraigs. Congratulations to all the runners and well done for all those new PBs. Full results for the race are available on the club member’s forum.
Earlier this month on 2nd June, the Killearn 10k Trail race took place, and Rhoda Yarmahmoudi wrote up a race report for members, available on the members forum: The down hill into the park and the big purple finish sign were a very welcome sight, as soon as I crossed the line a very concerned marshal said “sit down!” Three bottles of water later, and I began to feel human again, and realised that I’d probably been getting dehydrated out there!!! [The club] did very well, with Colin Hughes … the first V50 and 8th male over all, and Romy coming in as 2nd F. The Bella ladies won the ladies’ club title. I had hoped to be sub 60 mins and was delighted with 00:58:23! Well done to the prize winners, particularly in such hot conditions. Full results from the Killearn 10k available here. The next day 20 club members did the rescheduled Alloa Half Marathon in hot and humid conditions. Mark Wilson has put together a race report on the club forum”, [As I] approached the hill I heard everyone talk about before the race as i looked towards the top of thus hill I could see the incline of it with runners streaming up it ahead of me, as I started the incline my first thought was I am not stopping, further and further up the hill I power on through pace now down to something that felt like a brisk jog as I arched the crest of the hill I drove my arms to get me over the last little bit at last I was at the top thank god Well done Mark, and everybody else who took part! Full results are here. A hearty pat on the back (or should that be a nice cold drink!)to everybody who raced that weekend in hot conditions!
A sunny, if slightly windy day in Glasgow today saw the conclusion of the Babcock 10k series at the expertly organised Shettleston 10k on Glasgow Green. A great turnout from members – many of whom were completing the series of three – and some super pics too (a selection below) from the Bella support crew! We’re delighted that Romy Beard, Laura Henderson and Mandy Morgan secured team bronze in the West District championships competition within the race. Full results here, and the team results are on the Scottish Athletics report. Well done Ladies, and well done everybody who took part! Well done too to Stephen McQuade securing a 13 minute PB at the Edinburgh Marathon today (in a time of 3:05:47), and Garry Smith following on from his debut Highland Fling a few weeks ago tackling the Edinburgh Half Marathon. Many members just took advantage of the lovely bank holiday weather to enjoy a ride or run in the sun, whether a parkrun, the Dunblane 12k, or their local park/streets. This week’s training we’re looking forward to track speed sessions, and tempo efforts in Pollok park, all looking forward to next month’s Brian Goodwin 10k. If you fancy getting along to develop your running or improve your 10k time, have a poke about our website, and come along around 6.20pm. Pictures courtesy of Camilla Cunningham and Mhairi Moir. Plenty more on our club member’s facebook group.
The club has had a busy few days for club championship races, with the Dumbarton 10k and the rearranged Down by the River 10k both featuring as medium distance races this week. The Dumbarton 10k was a fantastic evening for the 35 members taking part, and highlights from the results include Claire Wharton (41:57) and Jane McNeilly (42:35) as 1st and 3rd V40 Ladies (separated in 2nd by our friend Mary Senior, formally of this parish). Gerry Scullion continued his fine running form with a superb 37:00 as 3rd V50 Male. Cambuslang 10k took place earlier today, and we understand Romy was 3rd Lady overall, Emer 4th lady (and 1st V40), and Romy, Emer and Mhairi scooping the 1st ladies team prizes. Away from the champs, Wednesday evening saw perfect conditions for the Antonine trail race with their coveted finishers rock, Saturday saw the popular Dick Wedlock 10k taking place in Pollok park, where Bryan Mulgrew stormed to 3rd place. Well done to everybody who took part!
We’re out and pounding pavements right through the year in good weather and bad, and enjoy so much of the varied routes we run in and around the beautiful parks on the southside of Glasgow. Alas some routes are blighted with rubbish, and whilst some gets attention, many don’t, and accumulate enough that it winds up looking really quite awful. So earlier this year club member Jane Wild finally had enough, and decided to start doing something about it, and has been organising litter picks with fellow club members. After the first effort tackled the surrounds of Bellahouston park, this month a group of us tackled the stretch of Pollokshaws/Haggs/Dumbreck road from Netherauldhouse roundabout, all the way to Bellahouston park. Thanks to everybody who helped out or contributed to the effort, and to the many people we spoke to out and about our route. Everybody who took part found it far more enjoyable than I think we’d expected (a few competitive dashes for finds!), and we filled a good few bags along the way. Turns out too that picking up litter, and running, even has a name in Scandanavia where it’s known as Plogging (wikipedia too!). So we also plugged our plogging with a bit of coverage in The Evening Times. Thoroughly enjoyable way to give something back to the local community and area we’re based in, and we’re hoping to hit the roads again through the year. Give us a shout if you’d like to get involved, and if you’re not a runner why not check out the Friends of Pollok park, or the Friends of Bellahouston Park to get involved with their localised efforts to support and improve the local parks.
The club has been working to review it’s processes and policies ahead of the new GDPR legislation that comes into effect on 25th May, 2018. This new legislation puts people in firm control of the uses to which their personal data is put, and requires organisations that use that data to be clear and open with the reasons they use it. We’ve recently posted a note to members, available for them to read and comment on via our members’ forum here, and will be updating our website to reflect that over the next 14 days.
The Club held its inaugural 3K track race on 18 April, the sunniest and warmest evening of the year so far. No fewer than 53 club runners competed in three heats, cheered on by fellow club members, and supported by an enthusiastic team of volunteers who worked hard to time each runner individually. It was a great chance for everyone to practise racing on the track in a friendly environment, and a nice excuse to enjoy some food and drink together after the running was over. We hope that this sort of racing evening will become a regular part of the club’s activities. Let us know if you have any ideas for next time! The club is extremely grateful to Doleen and Jim who gave invaluable help on the night, and to Pollok Parkrun and Giffnock North for lending equipment. Congratulations to all the runners who took part and a big thank you to everyone who volunteered. Here is a brilliant video of the event that Kevin Turner has put together.
This article was originally posted on 7th April. 2018, but is kept up to date to reflect the results each year. Saturday 17th February 2018 saw the second Bellahouston Mob match at Pollok parkrun between Bellahouston Road Runners, and Bellahouston Harriers, with a fantastic 134 club members completing the distance, many more supporting their club or helping with the event. The first took place on 4th March, 2017, with 98 runners. Whilst inter-club races, and “mob matches”, are not new, they do appear to have fallen by the wayside a little, certainly in the Glasgow area and elsewhere in Scotland. We’re hoping that the great reception to the event in both years so far, and the hugely positive comments from club members that we’ll be able to encourage other clubs to give the format a try, and hope that what follows here can help with that. The actual result felt secondary to the atmosphere and camaraderie on the day: We’re hoping it painted a positive and welcoming picture of what belonging to a running/athletics club and local community can bring, and that prospective new members might be encouraged to join our respective clubs. We’re mindful though that given the event we are taking part in is staged by parkrun volunteers, it’s important that we recognise the work they do to put the event on, and work with them to minimise the impact the mob match can have. Our club also has two of the current Pollok core team, as well as the previous Event Director, amongst it’s members, which helped with considerations/awareness of issues.
Robert Macleod just sent in this race report from yesterday’s Tom Scott 10 mile road race: If you had asked me 5 or 10 years ago would I take up running in the years to come I would have just laughed at you, the most running I ever done was running from people wanting to batter me in school, I officially ran my first race in June 2016 doing the men’s 10k in my Adidas sambas and the reason that was I didn’t intend to continue running after that, I struggled with that race and I stumbled over the line in just over an hour, fast forward to April 1st 2018 otherwise known as April fools day well I certainly wasn’t planning on being a fool today as I prepared myself for my very first ever long race, the 56th Tom Scott memorial road race which was a 10 mile race around Strathclyde park, Earlier in the week my 5 year old daughter Mirrin asked me Daddy why do you never win races, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but I answered because there are faster people running than me that’s why, I had the added bonus of the children being away for the weekend with their Auntie so there was no added distractions, We set off in plenty of time and arrived at Strathclyde park just before 9 to get my race number, I definitely underestimated the coldness and I only had a top over my running top, we went inside and then later I nipped out for a wee warm up, the start of the race was quickly approaching so I quickly took my top off and threw it to Elizabeth, the race started quickly and I probably started off a bit quick, that would catch up with me later, I set myself a target of 1 hour 20 minutes which is 8 minutes a mile and I thought I’m more than capable of that, I was unsure of what route this race was taking me but following who’s in front of me I can’t go wrong, on the other side of the loch I seen Graeme Paterson and he told me to stay steady all the way round and that’s what I intended to do, as I was about to start the last lap the winner Luke Traynor was finishing his race which is very impressive and hopefully he will go to the very top and I certainly believe he will, when I got round to the other side I was overtaken by Lynne Hamilton, I asked her if she would wait for me but I don’t think she heard me, I occasionally looked behind me and I noticed Lynsey wasn’t far behind me so I managed to catch a second wind, this was my first visit to Strathclyde park and I could just about see where the finishing line was so I made a run for the finish I seen the clock ticking at […]