3k on the Green, Friday 29th May – A Friday Lunchtime Favourite
The 3k on the Green has firmly established itself as a highlight on the local running calendar. Held on the final Friday of every month, it’s a popular event affectionately dubbed “the best wee race in Scotland” by those who frequent it. The 3k gives runners a fantastic opportunity to test their speed, track their progress, and enjoy a high-energy blast over a sharp, shorter distance. At the most recent May edition, the club’s colours were worn by Jennifer Rooney, who lined up as the sole representative for the Harriers.
Undeterred by the lack of team-mates on the start line, Jennifer crossed the finish line in a blistering 12:23, agonisingly close to her personal best – falling just a single second short of the benchmark she set last year, and 5th female on the day. A great showing once again from Jennifer after her performance at the Chisholm Mile!
Saturday 30th May – Durisdeer Hill Race
This year’s Durisdeer Hill Race incorporated two championships, raising the stakes and attracting many of Scotland’s top hill runners. With valuable points available in the second race of the SHR Championship (of six), plus Scottish Athletics West District medals on offer, competition was fierce.
The race is classed as a medium hill race, featuring steep climbs and sharp descents across the Southern Uplands. The route is completely unmarked, adding an extra layer of challenge as runners must navigate the wild terrain, or risk following someone, who may not know the best lines.
Andy McCall made the journey south to the small village for his first attempt at this race. The opening climb immediately split the field, with over 150 runners tackling the 1,100ft ascent to Blackhill, within the first mile. A steep drop to the road crossing followed before runners entered the valley, the most technical section of the course. Here, good route choice could gain you places, or lose them just as quickly.
After a few early navigation errors, Andy tucked in behind a local Hartfell Hill Runner who clearly knew the terrain. This helped him settle into a strong pack of experienced hill runners. However, as the race climbed out of the valley and onto the final two brutal ascents to Well Hill and back to Black Hill, the effort began to take its toll. Andy slipped off the pace and found himself in no-man’s land for the final stretch.
He crossed the line in 24th place overall, 11th in the West District, with a time of 1:45:45.
Photo credit: John Robson
Sunday 31st May – Dunblane Road Race
Fresh from completing the Babcock 10k Series on Thursday evening, Sarah Jane Whelan and Gerry Gallacher headed to Dunblane for the 12km Road Race. The course starts and finishes in the town centre but quickly heads into rolling hills and rural roads, offering a tough but scenic challenge. Runners also get the bonus of passing the iconic Golden Post Box celebrating Andy Murray’s Olympic gold medal.
Both Harriers ran superbly, with Gerry finishing in 56:11 (89th place) and Sarah Jane in 67:13 (235th).
