The opening race of the Harriers 2018-19 club championship takes place on Saturday 22nd September. Distance is 4k for Seniors & under 17s . Junior distances are 2km for under 13s & 15s & 1km for Under 11s. *under 15s can opt for 4km.
Register for race at Orangefield clubhouse between 12.00 & 1.10pm, or at start 1.20pm – 1.40pm. (Start is at Yellow Pole half way along Esplanade).
Can those not running please come along and help with Timekeeping, and to marshal the route 🙂
Paisley 10k, 19th August
22 Harriers headed for Pailsey on Sunday 19th August for the annual Renfrewshire Leisure Paisley 10k. The ever popular event saw over 1700 runners take to the streets of Paisley. The course can prove a great chance for a PB if you are running well, and some very quick times were seen from the leading athletes.
On the day, Eileen Stevenson secured a PB by over a minute in a great time of 53.07. Steven Campbell was fastest Harrier on the day in just over the 35 minute mark, with Chris Watson second in a good time of 38.23. Marianne McKay was first lady in just under 49 minutes, before being dragged back out to do the 3k fun run with her young harriers not long after!
Results: Steven Campbell 35.08, Chris Watson 38.23, John Stevenson 39.04, Duncan Anderson 40.00, Stephen Hanley 40.30, George McCallum 40.59, Stephen Reid 44.37, Steven Smith 47.30, Malcolm MacLean 46.38, Marianne McKay 48.58, Cheryl Thomas 49.26, William Laing 49.59, Fiona MacFarlane 50.02, Eileen Stevenson 53.07, Lynsey Mooney 54.54, Simon Hutton 55.47, Gerry Gillespie 57.31, Graeme Crawford 59.24, Wenda Crawford 61.49, Nathalie Smith 62.18, Claire Melville 62.46, Charlotte McKay 65.05
Gourock Triathlon
7 Harriers took on the individual challenge at this years Gourock Triathlon. The half mile swim in the Gourock Outdoor Pool was followed by the 20k cycle and 5k run along the Cloch Road. There were some other Harriers who took part in the team events, and some even did both!
David McCorkindale: Swim 13.13 Cycle 24.45 Run 18.46 Total 57.51, Andrew Osborne: Swim 14.41 Cycle 25.58 Run 17.49 Total 58.25, Danny McLaughlin: Swim 16.48 Cycle 24.54 Run 18.21 Total 60.41, Paul Monaghan: Swim 17.10 Cycle 28.13 Run 16.13 Total 63.24, Andrew McCall: Swim 20.00 Cycle 27.22 Run 17.34 Total 66.37, Jim Cuffe: Swim 18.08 Cycle 29.33 Run 21.39 Total 71.04, Boyd McKenzie: Swim 17.15 Cycle 30.56 Run 23.27 Total 72.58
Cowal 5k
3 Harriers headed over on the ferry for the annual Cowal Games midweek 5k race and joined local Harrier Alan Mollins in Dunoon. Alan ran a great race in 17.39 for 5th overall place and first junior. Former champion Daniel Doherty was 2nd overall in 16.57. Marianne McKay and Fiona MacFarlane also picked up prizes running 23.08 and 24.04 respectively. Steven Campbell and Paul Monaghan headed over on the following Saturday for the hill race, but no results yet available.
Perthshire Half Marathon
The Crawford family headed through to Aberfeldy for the scenic half marathon. Wenda Crawford ran the race with son Cameron in toe in 2.26 on a fun family weekend out. From camping out in a field before and after the race to the ceilidh dancing afterwards, a great weekend was had by all!
Ayr 10k
Viki Smith and Donna Campbell headed to the seaside for a blustery 10k last Wednesday. The seafront race saw Donna come home in 46.07 and Viki 51.25. The course is flat and could be a fast one, but very exposed to the wind throughout.
3k on the Green, 31st August
Four Harriers made it along to the monthly 3k race on Glasgow Green last Friday. John and Eileen Stevenson joined daughter and, now regular at the event, Nicola for the race. John’s first attempt at the race saw him dip under the 11 minute barrier in 10.54. Eileen managed to break 15 mins in 14.50 with Nicola just over the 13 minute mark in 13.07. Stephen Hanley also ran the race and finished in 11.13.
Clyde Muirshiel Bog Stomp 2018
A string group of Glenpark Harriers headed for the hills behind the Greenock Cut Visitors Centre for the annual Clyde Muirshiel Bog Stomp. It was good to see a large group from the club out supporting the local race now in it’s third year. The route had changed from previous years, but still started with the steep climb up Cornalees Hill and then meandered through the trails which are often used by Harriers for their Sunday training.
John Stevenson and Sue Hewitson were first harriers home respectively. The event has been advertised as a run, not a race, so no results yet available.
Ardrossan 10k
Viki Smith completed her second 10k in the space of 5 days at Ardrossan on Sunday. Viki was 53.21 on another windy day on the Ayrshore coast. Close behind her was Fiona Cushnaghan finishing in 53.37.
Harry McGill came out on top in the much awaited re-match with veteran Micky Dunn in a repeat of the 2017 final of Greenock Glenpark Harriers John K Neave 100metre handicap race. With five of last year’s finalists again making their way through to the last 8 there was more than a feeling of déjà vu as the athletes went under starting orders.
The trophy was expected to go to one of the winners of the 4 semi-finals Micky Dunn, Harry McGill, and the surprise athletes of the night, youngsters Ava Beaton and Sophie McGinty, who had both been impressive recording the quickest times of the opening 10 heats.
Also joining them were Beth McKenna, Paul Beaton Katie Johnson and Joshua Ruddy.
Sophie, off 22metres, burst away from the gun and held off the back markers until the 80m point, and once again it was Dunn who was to hit the front. But with the finish line just a few strides away, his thoughts of glory were dashed as McGill came storming through like a runaway train to reverse the result of 2017.
Sophie held on for bronze followed closely by Ava Beaton just leading a blanket finish for the minor places.
The prizes were presented by Sally Mack, daughter of John K Neave who had won the 1915 race which inspired the current competition.
Special thanks for a brilliant job by all the volunteers who kept to the tight schedule to ensure all 15 races were completed in just an hour;
Thanks also to race sponsors Greenock Morton Hospitality, and to Warren Hawke, Brendan McEleny, and Mark Farrell earlier in the afternoon for hosting Sally and her husband Ken who had travelled from London, on a tour of Cappielow the scene of the original race in 1915.
RESULTS: Heat1 Ava Beaton 11.60, Heat2 Sophie McGinty 11.65, Heat3 Michael Dunn 11.66, Heat4 Leah Knox 13.25, Heat5 Douglas Campbell 13.54, Heat6 Abbie Tosh 12.89, Heat7 Beth McKenna 12.67, Heat8 Mhairi Moore 12.93, Heat9 Harry McGill 12.00, Heat10 Joshua Ruddy 12.50.
S/F1 Ava Beaton 11.92, S/F2 Sophie McGinty 11.97, S/F3 Michael Dunn 11.33, S/F4 Harry McGill 11.79
Final 1. Harry McGill 11.20, 2. Mick Dunn 11.52, 3. Sophie McGinty 11.80, 4. Ava Beaton 12.07, 5. Katie Johnson 12.30, 6. Joshua Ruddy 12.51, 7. Beth McKenna 12.71, 85. Paul Beaton12.72
A rare photograph below from the original competition in 1915.
2017 winner Mick Dunn
On Thursday evening (6th Sept) Greenock Glenpark Harriers host the JK Neave 100metre handicap competition at Ravenscraig Stadium. 60 athletes are expected to take part including last years’ winner veteran Micky Dunn and runner-up Harry McGill.
Thanks to race sponsors Greenock Morton FC Hospitality who have links to the original event, which commemorates the competition held at Cappielow Park in 1915 to raise funds to support the families of the fallen in the Great War.
The race was won by John Kydd Neave an accomplished sprinter who was also part of the Glenpark Harriers team that won Silver in the inaugural medley relay in the Scottish AAA championships in 1919. The club are honoured that his daughter Sally will be at Ravenscraig to present the trophy to the winning athlete.
The competition gets under way with the heats at 6.15pm with the final at 7.15pm.
All Juniors are at Tower Hill for cross country races or training this Saturday morning.
**Inverclyde Primary Schools (P5-P7) XC races start at 10am (register at 9.15am) – You need to speak to your teachers if you want to compete, before race day – this is a schools organised event.
For all other GGH Juniors, a training session will follow after the races 11am – 12pm; bring your spikes. (Meet at the Tower Hill play park).
*Parents Do not take you car into the Park
Junior training returns to Darroch Park Gourock on Saturday at 11am (18th Aug). Meet at the middle gate entrance on Larkfield Road.
Bute Highland Games
Glenpark Juniors
The sun shone on another fabulous day at Rothesay, as the Harriers made their annual visit to the Bute Highland Games. The club’s 16 junior athletes put in some terrific performances in the 100, 200 and 800metres events in front of thousands of spectators in the town’s packed stadium.
The primary school events got proceedings under way with Aimee McEleny, Stella McCabe and Orla Trainer impressing in the under 9 events. Leo Beaton, despite his pre-race nerves, was the most convincing winner streaking clear of the field in both sprints. Team mates Patrick McCabe and Ruari Trainer had their own close battle over the shorter distances. Under 11s Erin McEleny and Maria McCabe were among the medals with Leah Knox and Ashlin Monaghan battling close behind. Douglas Campbell also had success winning 2 silvers. Under 13 Ava Beaton was most successful of all, with wins in all her 3 races, while Ethan Cooper ran strongly to make both sprint finals.
The under 15 girls’ Abbie Tosh and Olivia Trainer both looked impressive in the 800m, finishing with strong burst to the line. Jude Dolan was another who was among the prizes. Thanks to all the organisers at Bute with a special mention to Cameron Spence and Shaun Lyon from Inverclyde AC & Glenpark who helped organised the athletic events.
Seniors
Four of the seniors gave the 10k run a go. The route takes runners from the track north along the Bute coast towards Port Bannatyne where they are turned to head back to Rothesay, finishing on the track. Paul Monaghan was first harrier home in 35.31, just outside the top 10 and in a similar time to his 10k at the Bill Elder. Jon Stevenson ran a sub 40 with 39.47 as he continues his comeback from injuries sustained in his borderline mental ultra efforts in the spring. The better halves of both runners also ran the 10k, with Claire Monaghan running in 48.48 and Eileen Stevenson in 56.03.
For some however, running was a bit too dull. With a storied history of multiple martial arts, and generally battering folk, Marianne ‘The Hitwoman’ McKay decided to compete in the Scottish Backhold Wresting competitions. Whilst getting to grips with the new technique; Marianne, with Stone Cold focus, impressed to take 2nd place in the under 10 stone category. Now that she was used to the technique, she entered the open weight category. In front of the Rowdy home crowd, Marianne was able to Hulk up and gain the Edge over her opponents, convincingly winning the Bute Highland Games title belt.
Scottish Track and Field Championships
At the Scottish Track & Field championships at Grangemouth on Saturday Harry McGill achieved both his aims in the Under 17 men’s’ 1500m heats – a personal best and a place in the final. He clipped two seconds from his PB bringing it down to 4.18 to scramble into the last 12 by just ½ a second. In Sunday’s final despite being seeded last, he ground out another fantastic performance. After 3 laps he was well off the back of the field and looking out of it, but a determined effort in the last 400m saw him close the gap and pass two athletes to claim an unexpected top ten finish.
Port Glasgow 10k
The highly anticipated first running of the Port Glasgow 10k was on Sunday. The innagural event had been organised by Glenpark’s own Andy McCall and Nicola Gillespie among others. heir hard work and dedication to getting the event up and running has to be commended. They were rewarded with a fantastic turnout of just under 200 runners, even if the Scottish weather didn’t quite play ball.
Andy himself set off as the leading bike and took the runner around lower Port Glasgow, a route he devised and perfected over the last few months. The runners started in the Coronation Park and headed west towards Kingston Dock, they then looped back towards the Port town centre before heading east to Woodhall. The final 2k straight along the boardwalk towards Newark Castle allowed runners a chance to pick up the pace with a good breeze behind them and finish in style back in the Coronation Park.
There were almost 30 Harriers in attendance, and the light blue vests were dominating the Port Glasgow streets. They were dominating the podium as well by the end of the race! Club champion Chris Mooney had a great battle with Bellahouston Harriers Colin Thomas (capable of sub 33 on his day). Chris is the form man though and stuck to his task, shaking off the competition with 1km to go and coming home in just over 34 minutes. Home favourite Daniel Doherty was spurred on by the partisan crowd and grabbed 3rd overall in 36.11.
Emma Baxter returned from her injury troubles to run her first race in months. She was able to cruise round in 43.19 to take 2nd in the ladies race behind Kilbarchan’s Jennifer Rooney. Great to see Emma back out in a Harriers vest. There were good runs elsewhere for Kevin Gill, Gordon Hepburn and David Black (running his first race as a Harrier).
Results: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Sy2mBj_mGi_5GjgWsHGhgM4lHa4EJsr/view
Run Mhor Marathon
Sue Hewitson has been a big advocate of the MAF heart race based training regime for the last few months. This has led up to the Run Mhor marathon, a 2000ft gain race from Callander going north towards Loch Voil and ending in Monachyle. Sue completed the race in 4.07 to claim 3rd v40 overall. The race was tough on her legs but a great result and showing the progress the MAF training has done over a long period of time. A 35th overall position out of 180, well done Sue!
Scottish Veteran Harriers 10k
Not satisfied with a 10k race on Tuesday and Saturday, Paul Monaghan headed to Pollock Park for the Scottish Veteran Harriers 10k. Excited by the prospect of the flat fast course that was used for June’s Brian Goodwin 10k, Paul was sorely disappointing to find that a different, hillier course was the actual venue! Not to matter, Paul went out and comfortably won the race in 38.06, almost 90 seconds clear of his nearest competitor. Having ran close to 35 for his last 2 10k’s, this shows that the route was much tougher than expected.
