Dumfries Sports Club

An indication of the wide variety of races undertaken by Dumfries Running Club members was shown last weekend by Jo Zakrzewski who undertook her first-ever Saunders Mountain marathon along with partner Russ Ladkin.

This massive two-day event involves hundreds of teams in eight different categories with navigation as well as running ability tested to the limit in the Lake District.

Each team had to carry all their own equipment, tent and food and were strictly monitored under the safety requirements of the Fell Runners’ Association. Read the rest of this entry »

The inaugural 5k womens Race for Health was held on the morning of Sunday June 28th at the Crichton Campus. Organised by Devorgilla rotary club, this event replaced the Race for Life and was not organised as a race as such with having fun, raising money for charity and running with like minded participants the main focus of the event.

A number of the Monday night beginners group from the club took part in the event with Emily Kennedy and Dawn Philip running together in 29.22. However, family bragging rights go to daughter Sophie who was 5th overall and beat her mum by over 5 minutes. Eileen Adamson and her two young daughters ran with Theresa DeFazio in 34 minutes with the two adults glad to use the kids as a reason to ease off in the warm sunshine! Further details on the Monday night club beginners group can be found on www.dumfriesrunningclub.org.uk .

Dumfries Running Club members are nothing if they are not versatile. Most enjoy races on the flat but there are a substantial minority who enjoy nothing more than the challenge of hill running and they got their place in the sun last Tuesday at the Lotus Hill Race, close to Beeswing.

In all 25 took part on one of the hottest nights of the year, expertly organised by Bob Green, helped by Alan McKean, Paul Hart and Sebastian Pflanz with the latter two glad to rest after their heroics at the West Highland Way race the previous weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

Aside from Paul Hart, Sebastian Pflanz and Norman Neilson and their back up teams who were involved in the epic 95 mile West Highland Way race, the main focus for Dumfries Running Club members over the weekend were the East Kilbride Half marathon and the Glasgow mens 10k, both of which were run on Sunday morning. Read the rest of this entry »

Off running in Mabie is a joy whatever the season for members of Dumfries Running Club and the trail race 10k last Sunday, expertly organised by Steve Head has quickly established itself as a highlight in the race calendar.

With strong sunshine combined with a headwind that felt like a hairdryer in places, Mabie forest was at its very best for the 120 who took part in the sold out race. The carefully chosen technical route offered a variety of terrain using both walking and biking routes with very steep sections to test stamina and speed and plenty of tree roots ready to trip up tired or inattentive runners.

In all, with 31 Dumfries Running Club members entering the race with another 6 as marshals and at least 8 others out to support their club mates, this truly was a bumper turnout. An added attraction was the prospect of overcooked sausages at a post race barbeque which had swelled the numbers.

In a magnificent breakthrough Steven Smith underlined his growing potential by winning the race in an outstanding 37.50, over two minutes ahead of second place with off road specialist Dougie Brown, who has a season ticket for Mabie forest, in third place in 40.33 ninety seconds ahead of Alan Baxter and Sandy Shankland who were 6th and 7th respectively. Read the rest of this entry »

A smaller than usual party of 10 Dumfries Running Club members travelled through to Stranraer to join 200 others taking part in the half marathon and junior fun run last Saturday morning. Even though the race is a counter in the 2009 best all rounder championship the fact it was moved several years ago into early summer meant its proximity to Kirkcudbright and the Edinburgh marathon has limited the number of club runners who attend.

Starting and finishing from the Academy, the rural route is testing and difficult in places with beautiful views of Loch Ryan no compensation for some sharp inclines. Best club performance was from Sandy Shankland who was delighted to claim the over 50’s prize in an excellent 84.11mins in 16th place. However the performance of the women runners was the real highlight of the day. Lisa Finlay retained her title as first woman in 20th place in 85.30 and Jo Zakrzewski, who seems to set PB’s in every race she runs, knocked 4 minutes off her best to finish as 3rd woman in an outstanding 87.02. Read the rest of this entry »

The glorious weekend weather meant that most people relaxed, enjoyed the sunshine and ate al fresco meals on one of the few suitable weekends of the year. However, for 10 members of Dumfries Running Club the Edinburgh marathon on Sunday morning was the main focus of the weekend.

This race advertises itself as the largest mass participation marathon in Scotland and in total over 9,000 people lined up on Regent Road in the city centre for the 9am kick off along with 4,000 others in four person relay teams. Read the rest of this entry »

This well established race has always been popular with Dumfries Running Club members and, now in its 28th year, remains a local favourite. Without the sporting dilemma of 2008 when the race clashed with Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup final, this year 22 club members tackled the 13.1 mile distance with three others attempting the rarely run11k shorter race that was introduced last year. While the race is not a counter in the club’s best all rounder grand prix for 2009, it was chosen as the one off race to determine this year’s male and female club champions.

Best performance of all came from Marcus Scotney who ran an excellent race in 72.13 minutes which meant he was in second place behind the 2008 champion Ben Gamble of Stone Master Marathoners. Steven Smith was 5th place overall in an excellent PB in 75.38 which confirms his real promise at this distance and combined with Norman Neilson who was 24th in 84.27, these three claimed the first team prize. Norman is in serious training for the arduous West Highland way race in June and followed his race with an 18 mile run home; truly a sign of a dedicated runner. Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, Troon, Langholm and the Glasgow Womens 10k were the targets for Dumfries Running Club members.

On a filthy night last Wednesday Jo Zakrzewski and Mark Johnston joined 800 others at the Troon 10k which doubled as the West District championships for the distance. In the first of her three PB’s in a week, Jo was 3rd woman in 40.36mins and Mark completed his first 10k in three years in 48.49.

At the Doctors Run on Sunday 10th, thirteen club members travelled through to Langholm for the 8 mile race starting and finishing at the sports pavilion. In this tough event runners climb from the outset for two miles with a muddy middle off road section and the reward is a compensatory fast descent to the grass track finish back in Langholm. Read the rest of this entry »

The May Bank holiday weekend is always a busy one for Dumfries Running Club members and 19 took part in a variety of races and events over the holiday weekend.

Keswick Half Marathon
On Sunday morning 4 club members took part in the Keswick Half marathon on a hilly scenic route that showcases the beauty of the Lakeland landscape. The route is not the easiest as athletes go past Derwent water and through Borrowdale. Read the rest of this entry »

The target for most runners last weekend was the Flora London marathon live on Sunday morning. With Gareth McIntyre unable to run due to injury, it was left to Susan Graham to be the only Dumfries Running Club member in the race.

Susan has been training carefully for the race and has been gradually extending her mileage in anticipation of the big day. Cheered on by Margaret and Andy Gray, Steve McQueen and husband Billy she found the warm conditions difficult in the latter stages and was delighted to finish in 5 hours 58 minutes.

A relatively new event, the Highland Fling, was the target for 16 DRC members on Saturday the 25th.

This off road ultra event involves runners traversing the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Tyndrum, a distance of 53 miles through some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland either under their own steam or as part of a 4 person relay team. Read the rest of this entry »