Athletics: Millburn Harriers’ packed calendar of events

Apr 2 2010 by Andy Galloway, Lennox Herald (main ed)

MILLBURN Harriers recently completed their cross country championship, with the final race of the series held over the Strathleven Industrial Estate course.

Winner of all the club’s men’s races in the series was Stevie Cowper, who takes the title yet again. Catherine Wardlaw won the ladies championship.

Final race results were: Stevie Cowper 32.19; David Somerville (guest) 33.55; Alan Quinn (guest) 34.26; Stephen Johnston 34.48; Pat Burns 35.21; Howard Nicholson (guest) 37.44; Jim McKenzie 44.45; Jim McIntyre 51.48.

Ladies: Geraldine Currie 43.55; second Karen Lees.

Four members took part in the Balloch to Clydebank half marathon on Sunday, March 14.

Club runners were: Stephen Cole (1.32.04), Daniel Burns (1.32.48), Gary Lavery (1.35.01), Pat Burns (1.39.12).

However, pride of place that same weekend went to two of the club’s elder statesmen.

Jim Robertson has a long history of ultra running, an interest that has infected many club members, who have now completed a large number of these races.

In order to be called ‘ultra’, a race must be longer than the traditional marathon distance.

Last weekend, however, he introduced another member to the ultra running bug. He and Jimmy McIntyre travelled to the Yorkshire Moors with close friend Jim Drummond of Central AC for the Wuthering Hike race over 33 miles with 4400 feet of climbing.

They finished together in 9 hours and 28 minutes on a cold, damp typically Yorkshire day. This was well inside the 12-hour time limit for the race.

What made this a remarkable achievement for Jimmy was not that it was his first ultra, but that the Jamestown man waited until he was 74 years old before trying one!

Indeed with the two Jims aged 69 and 57, the total age in the car came to exactly 200.

JIM Robertson recovered well enough to take a larger party of club youngsters to Newtonmore on Saturday, March 20 for the Newtonmore 10-mile race.

Thirteen club members and a guest, Andy Fyffe of JogScotland Alexandria, travelled up for this event.

First club runner home was Stevie Cole in 66.16 followed by Richard Darroch (71.38) Jim McKenzie (72.28) Ian Currie (78.43) Geraldine Currie (80.24) Christine Fyffe and Catherine Wardlaw (both 93.07) Karen Lees and Alison Somerville (both 100.56) Catriona Darroch (111.24) and Sandra Heggie and Jim Robertson (both 111.25). Andy Fyffe finished in 80.33.

Staying overnight, the members also attended the after-race ceilidh. And the organisers have actually welcomed them back should they wish to return next year!

Finally, the club held its AGM recently and elected a new committee. Jim Robertson (Chair), Davie Hall (sec), Alison Somerville (social sec) remain in post, while Richard Darroch (treasurer) Jimmy McKenzie (race coordinator) and Geraldine Currie (ladies rep) join them as new members.

The club meets at the Alexandria CE centre in Main St every Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm for training. All abilities are catered for, and new members will be made most welcome.