Seven years after winning his first Scotland international vest in Cardiff as a late call-up for a similar event, the GB international who finished fifth at the Euro Cross in Lisbon last week is relishing the prospect of racing so close to his roots.

In fact, the King’s Park course really is ‘home turf’ for Dunblane-raised Butchart, who trained in the Stirling park on many occasions a few years ago while coming through the ranks with Central AC.

Fellow GB international, Mhairi Maclennan, will lead the Scotland Senior Women’s team in the Home Countries match with England, Wales and Northern Ireland – with Run Stirling to be streamed live online by BBC and Vinco.

There are a number of other GB internationals within the ranks of this Scotland, selection, too – notably the U20 trio of Hamish Armitt, Cera Gemmell and Megan Keith, who all came home from the Euro Cross in Lisbon with team gold medals with the British squads.

‘I am really looking forward to pulling on the Scotland vest and representing the country once again,’ said Butchart, with around 1000 athletes in total expected to be involved in the whole event which includes the British Cross Challenge.

‘It is good to see an event like this being held in Stirling and well done to all those folk behind the scenes working to pull it all together – including those at Central AC.

‘With the British Cross Challenge element and the international competition, as well as a live stream on BBC and Vinco, it should be a great event and a strong advert for athletics in Scotland.

‘It will be a little surreal for me racing there because I’ve done many a training run in King’s Park growing up as a kid and as a teenager with Central AC.’

Butchart won his first Scotland vest in the Celtic International XC in Wales back in January 2013 – when a late call-up paid off as he finished third as Dewi Griffiths took the U23 gold.

‘It’s a while ago now but I do remember a very long bus journey south on the Saturday,’ he recalled.

‘There was snow and ice in Cardiff but I ran well and got on the podium and actually that selection and performance gave me a bit of push at that time to train harder and try and realise my potential.’

A number of partners have combined to help stage the event including scottishathletics, EventScotland, Stirling Council, British Athletics and Great Run. Butchart’s club, Central AC, are also taking on much of the organisation as host club.

Scotland Senior and U20 teams compete in the Home Countries XC International with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

And the Scotland U23, U20 and U17 teams compete in the Celtic XC International with Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Senior Men: Andy Butchart, Jamie Crowe (both Central AC), Jonny Glen (Inverclyde AC), Lachlan Oates (Shettleston)

Senior Women: Mhairi Maclennan (Inverness Harriers), Annabel Simpson (Fife AC), Fiona Brian (Metro Aberdeen), Nynke Mulholland (Inverclyde AC).

U23 Men: Ben Greenwood (Perth Strathtay), Jack Leitch (Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds), Max Milarvie (VP-Glasgow), Hamish Hickey (Central AC)

U23 Women: Holly Little (VP-Glasgow), Kerry Macangus (Kilbarchan AAC), Zoe Pflug (Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds), Constance Nankivell (Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds)

U20 Men: Hamish Armitt (Giffnock North AAC), Cameron Wright (Kilbarchan AAC), Kristof Hornyik (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers), Christian Graham (Lasswade AAC)

U20 Women: Cera Gemmell (Team East Lothian), Megan Keith (Inverness Harriers), Eloise Walker (Edinburgh AC), Hannah Anderson (East Kilbride AC)

U17 Men: Lucas Cairns (Inverness Harriers), Andrew McGill (Livingston AC), Sam Griffin (Aberdeen AAC), Harris Paterson (Giffnock North AC)

U17 Women: Anna Hedley (Fife AC), Julia Cash (Giffnock North AC), Meredith Reid (Glasgow School of Sport), Anya MacLean (Garscube Harriers)

The post Scottish team selected for Run Stirling appeared first on Fast Running.

Aged just 18, Ingebrigsten set the world alight last year as he won double European gold over 1500m and 5000m. Racing over 5000m this coming weekend, competition to the Norwegian in London will be stiff as he faces some of the quickest in the world this year including Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia who is third quickest in the world this year.

Six Brits will tow the line including Scottish record holder Andrew Butchart, close to his personal best already this year in Rome and will be aiming to go one better in front of a home crowd. There is also exciting names such as Ben Connor, Alex Yee, Marc Scott and Nick Goolab on the entry list.

In such an exciting race it will be good to see some of the best British runners performing in front of a home crowd.

Photo: Keith McClure

The women’s race also stacked

Just like the male equivalent, the women’s 5000m has rose in stock thanks to the confirmation of Sifan Hassan in the race. Hassan is the 3000m and 5000m European record holder as well as the new world record holder for the mile after a blistering race in Monaco last Friday.

Having enjoyed such a stellar year already and clearly in the form of her life, Hassan could be in shape to break her own European record, while if conditions are favourable in London the 26-year-old could also eye Tirunesh Dibaba’s world record of 14:11.15 from 2008.

The 5000m race is also packed with British talent such as Rosie Clarke, Eilish McColgan, Charlotte Arter, Melissa Courtney and Laura Weightman, who narrowly missed the British Mile record in the very same race as Hassan broke the world record.

The Müller Anniversary Games takes place just ten weeks before the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

The two-day Diamond League event has seen history made on numerous occasions in recent years, with some memorable performances from British names such as Sir Mo Farah, Laura Muir and Dina Asher-Smith, while para athletics stars Kare Adenegan and Sophie Hahn both broke world records at the 2018 edition of the event.

Tickets for the Müller Anniversary Games are on sale at www.theticketfactory.com/british-athletics

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Ingebrigtsen and Hassan added to Anniversary Games 5000m races appeared first on Fast Running.

For Farah it was his seventh win in seven races on the famous central London course, while Twell took two seconds from her personal best to win the women’s crown for a second time just 24 hours after setting a world mile record for running hand-in-hand.

In the end Farah’s win was easy enough but the four-times Olympic champion was pushed hard by Rio Olympian Andy Butchart and former British Mile champion Nick Goolab before prevailing in 28:15.

“I really enjoyed it today,” said Farah, who was racing for the first time since finishing fifth in the Virgin Money London Marathon last month. “I love coming to London and particularly running on this course. It’s fantastic to win for a seventh time.

“The London Marathon is behind me now. I was a bit disappointed not to run quicker there but I have recovered well and was confident today.”

Photo: Vitality London 10,000

Goolab led the trio through halfway in 14:08 before he dropped back, but Butchart hung on until the last two kilometres, when Farah finally kicked away and put more than 100m between the pair.

“I knew Andy and Nick are both running well and I would have to keep my eyes on them,” said Farah. “We got rid of Nick, but Andy kept pushing and pushing and pushing.

“I thought, ‘When am I going to get rid of you?’ He did very well, but I was confident I could do it in the end. This is my race.”

Butchart may have failed to add to his victories here in 2016 and 2017, but the Scot was pleased enough to finish runner-up just 13 seconds behind, matching his personal best from 2016.

“I knew I would have to do the hard work,” said Butchart, who led for most of the first 5K. “But Mo was just chilling really. It’s really hard to lead a 10K and get away from someone like him.

“I wanted a good run and got that. It was only in the last 2K that he pulled away and I’m pleased to equal my PB. It shows I’m ready to run fast on the track.”

Personal best for Twell

As for Twell, she set off at a pelt in the women’s race, running with a small group of male club runners as she established an unassailable lead that grew with every step.

On Sunday she and husband Joe Morwood had smashed the Guinness World Record for the fastest road mile holding hands, but that effort did little to dent her 10K title defence.

Twell passed halfway in 15:33 and eventually won by nearly 40 seconds from Stockport’s Jess Piasecki with Verity Ockenden of Swansea taking third.

“This is a great course and a great event,” said the two-time Olympian who stopped the clock at 31:55. “A personal best and a world record in one weekend can’t be bad.

“My legs were fine after yesterday, but I think I felt it in my arms a bit. The bigger races always bring out the best in me, and this is one of the biggest and the best.

“Today was London in its full glory and the crowds were fantastic. I’m just delighted.”

The unheralded Piasecki was also pleased as she clinched the runner-up spot in her best time of 32:33, while Ockenden also took some well-known scalps from a race loaded with internationals as she pinched the last podium place in 32:39, a PB for her by nearly two minutes.

“I saw Steph go off and I knew that was too fast for me,” said Piasecki. “But I ran quite within myself until the last kilometre. That was tough but it was worth it to finish second.”

Photo: Vitality London 10,000

Mile & 10,000 double for Woods & Sidbury

In the wheelchair races, Shelly Woods made it two wins in two days since her return to elite racing as she took the women’s title just 24 hours after winning the Vitality Westminster Mile on Sunday.

Woods, who took two years out of the sport following the birth of her first child, led from start to finish and won by 43 seconds in 27:25 from Mel Nicholls, regaining the title she last won three years ago. Eden Rainbow-Cooper was third in 29:02.

“I feel refreshed so it’s great to be back and to be part of this event,” said Woods. “This is such a great race for wheelchair athletes, plus it’s a really competitive field. It’s been a really positive weekend; I’ve really enjoyed it.

Danny Sidbury also added the Vitality London 10,000 crown to his unexpected Mile victory, winning the men’s race for the first time by an even bigger margin in 22:32.

“I decided to go hard from the gun, like I did yesterday in the Vitality Westminster Mile, and then to settle into a comfortable pace, so I was surprised that I built up such a lead,” said Sidbury. “To do the double feels great.”

JohnBoy Smith was second in 23:21 with Simon Lawson third in 23:27.

The post Farah and Twell retain British 10k road titles in London appeared first on Fast Running.

Sir Mo Farah, fresh off his tough fifth place at the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon, will be looking for his sixth victory at the Vitality London 10000 on Monday 27 May after previous wins in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018.

But he will face stiff competition from two-time previous winner Andy Butchart who, after a 2018 scampered by injury, has returned to competitive action in fine fashion this year. The Scottish athlete, who was sixth in the 5000m at the 2016 Olympics, ran a World Championships qualifying time of 13:18.16 for 5000m in the USA earlier this month.

Farah and Butchart will line up with a strong domestic field that includes six men who have run sub 29 minutes including Nick Goolab – the fastest man over the distance in the UK this year (28:22) and 13:34 victor at the Ipswich Twilight 5k this weekend. Goolab arrives in London having finished 4th in last week’s Great Manchester Run 10km.

Loaded women’s race

The women’s race also has a loaded domestic field that includes three former winners: defending champion Steph Twell, 2016 victor Lily Partridge and Gemma Steel who won in 2014. Twell ran 32:41 in last week’s Great Manchester Run.

Charlotte Arter, the reigning British 10000m champion on the track, and Tish Jones, who was the second British woman home at the Virgin Money London Marathon and qualified for the World Championships, are also racing, as are three of the six-strong team that Great Britain sent to the World Cross-Country Championships in March: Kate Avery, Jennifer Nesbitt and Jess Piasecki. It will be the first faster test for some of those who raced marathons in April, as well as Jones and Partridge the race sees Hayley Carruthers, Tracy Barlow and Louise Small lining up.

The Vitality London 10000 takes place on Monday 27 May – the day after the Vitality Westminster Mile where Laura Muir will be starting a summer season which she hopes will end in glory at the World Championships in Doha.

Muir & O’Hare in for the mile

Multiple European champion Muir leads the entrants in a star-studded elite women’s field in the Vitality Westminster Mile. Defending champion Melissa Courtney, the Commonwealth Games 1500m bronze medallist, is back again as is 2017 champion Adelle Tracey.

European Indoor Championships 800m gold medallist Shelayna Oskan-Clarke will make her debut in the event while Sarah McDonald, who won the Vitality Westminster Mile in 2016 and was runner-up a year later, returns to the streets of central London.

Photo: Andy Peat

In the men’s race, defending champion Chris O’Hare is hoping to become the first man in the history of the Vitality Westminster Mile to break the four-minute barrier.

O’Hare, who won a bronze medal over 3000m at the European Indoor Championships in March, is aiming to break the mark and win the Bannister Trophy just weeks after the 65^thanniversary of Roger Bannister’s first sub-four minute mile.

O’Hare will face competition from rising star Jake Heyward, who was fourth in the 1500m at last year’s World Junior Championships, and three-time British 800m champion Elliot Giles. Jamie Webb, who won a bronze medal in the 800m at this year’s European Indoor Championships, and the current course record holder Nick Goolab, who ran 4:01 to win in 2016, will also be on the start line.

Sir Mo Farah will also be at the Vitality Westminster Mile – but not racing. He will be cheering on runners in the family events with some lucky entrants getting the amazing chance to run alongside the four-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion.

The Vitality Westminster Mile is the world’s biggest timed mile event with races for all ages and abilities, from families to adults, schools, wheelchairs, Masters and Olympians. The under-13, under-15, under-17, under-20 and senior races are also the British One Mile Road Championships. Entry for children aged 11 and under is free. Entry for adults is £8 and for children between 12 and 18, entry is £6 with a £1 reduction for Westminster residents. To enter, click here.

A record number of more than 17,000 participants are expected to run the Vitality London 10000 on a course which passes iconic London landmarks such as Admiralty Arch, Nelson’s Column, St Paul’s Cathedral, Mansion House, the Bank of England, the Old Bailey, Somerset House, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

The Vitality London 10,000 also incorporates the British Athletics 10km Championships for men and women.

Entry to the Vitality London 10,000 costs £35 (£33 for members of a UK affiliated running club). To enter click here.

Entries close at 17:00 on Friday 17 May.

For full start lists for the Vitality Westminster Mile click here and for the Vitality London 10000 click here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Farah, Goolab & Butchart to face off at London 10000 appeared first on Fast Running.

The 2019 IAAF World Indoor Tour, a series of the six finest indoor meetings on the planet, kicks off with the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on Saturday (January 26).

Staged over the course of 26 action-packed days, the series includes stops in Karlsruhe, Torun, Madrid and Birmingham, before reaching its final destination Düsseldorf on February 20.

The series winners will be crowned in the German city, where they will also be awarded prize bonuses of US$20,000 and wildcard entries for the 2020 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.

2019 marks the series’ third edition, but it’s already showing its widespread appeal. The Karlsruhe, Birmingham and Dusseldorf fixtures have sold out well in advance, the Polish meeting is on target to host yet another sell-out crowd of 5200 at Torun Arena, and Madrid is on target for a near-capacity crowd.

British and Irish distance interests in Boston

British distance runners have had great success over in the US, none more than Chris O’Hare in recent years. The 3:52 miler won the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games last February amongst a whole host of other top-class performances in 2018. The British 1500m champion will race over 3000m in Boston.

Other British runners on the same startline will be Andy Butchart returning from injury and Andrew Heyes. Both could feature in the sharp end of the race but the man to beat will likely be Edward Cheserek. The Kenyan born athlete has been in the US since high school and is the most successful NCAA athlete in history.

In the women’s mile, Great Britain’s Hannah England and Ireland’s Ciara Mageean will both feature against strong domestic and international runners with the likes of Emma Coburn and Cory McGee toeing the line. England is a world medallist and Olympian who is also chair of British Athletics Athlete’s Commission, working hard to get the best for her fellow athletes in the future.

The men’s mile could be interesting with young Scottish athlete Josh Kerr competing, alongside one of America’s most promising college track stars, Justyn Knight, and the Beer Mile world record holder Corey Bellemore – who may be hampered by the lack of beer drinking with this event. New Zealander Nick Willis is in the mix too.

In the men’s 800m Guy Learmouth will be racing, amongst others, Boris Berian. If you’re not aware of Berian’s story it’s worth investigating how the Olympian and World Champ went from serving fast food to running fast for a living.

Who else is hitting the boards?

While many of the fields are still t0 be finalised, several are shaping up nicely.

World indoor champion Yomif Kejelcha, Olympic medallists Clayton Murphy and Hagos Gebrhiwet and IAAF Rising Star award winner Sydney McLaughlin are just a few of the stars who will help get the series underway on the US east coast.

Karlsruhe will feature Cuba’s rising long jump sensation Juan Miguel Echevarria, world and Olympic pole vault champion Ekaterini Stefanidi in the pole vault, and European high jump champion Mateusz Przybylko.

Echevarria returns to action in Torun four days later on a slate that includes double European champion Laura Muir, world indoor champions Pawel Maslak and Andrew Pozzi and three world champions in the pole vault: Sam Kendricks, Shawn Barber and Pawel Wojciechowski.

Later in the series, Muir is also set to compete in Birmingham among a host of world indoor medallists.

RELATED: Laura Muir set for return to the Arena Birmingham

A strong men’s 60m showdown will include world indoor silver medallist and Asian indoor record holder Su Bingtian taking on Reece Prescod, the European 100m silver medallist, and twice European indoor 60m champion Richard Kilty.

Meanwhile, some of the featured showdowns in Dusseldorf include Pozzi taking on Olympic silver medallist Orlando Ortega in the 60m hurdles, Stefanidi facing 2015 world champion Yarisley Silva in the pole vault, and the Ingebrigtsen brothers, double European champion Jakob, European silver medallist Henrik and 2017 world bronze medallist Filip in the 1500m.

Disciplines and scoring

The tour will feature 11 point-scoring disciplines (those that were not part of this year’s tour programme), five for men – 400m, 1500m, 60m hurdles, high jump, long jump – and six for women – 60m, 800m, 3000m/5000m, pole vault, triple jump and shot put.

Each athlete’s best three results will count towards their point score and the athlete with the most points in each discipline at the end of the tour will be declared the winner at the finale in Dusseldorf.

New competition order rule introduced in jumping and throwing events

The series will also introduce a rule change this year in the jumping and throwing events. In addition to the re-order in reverse ranking after the first three rounds, another re-order will be added after the fifth round.

2019 IAAF World Indoor Tour

January 26 – Boston
February 2 – Karlsruhe
February 6 – Torun
February 8 – Madrid
February 16 – Birmingham
February 20 – Dusseldorf

RELATED: Indoors: not just for the elites

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The post IAAF World Indoor Tour kicks off this weekend appeared first on Fast Running.

Laura Muir and Andy Butchart are among the athletes confirmed to battle it out at the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships on February 9-10 at the Arena Birmingham.

Double world indoor medallist Muir will race once again in Birmingham after dazzling the West Midlands crowd with two medals at the IAAF World Indoor championships last March before European and IAAF Diamond League title heroics.

Butchart has already declared his wish to win gold in Glasgow but he will have to navigate the domestic opponents to qualify for the biggest event of the indoor season this year.

Eilish McColgan, fresh from a maiden European outdoor medal in Berlin, will go into 2019 with confidence, seeking to hit the same highs early in the year alongside securing further podium spots on both the domestic and international stages.

Fellow Scottish athletes Chris O’Hare, Lynsey Sharp and Eilidh Doyle will also have the added incentive in Birmingham to make the GB team for the home championships in March.

Also confirmed is defending 60m champion Asha Philip, Andrew Pozzi, Jazmin Sawyers, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Tom Bosworth.

RELATED: Laura Muir wins 3000m British Indoor crown

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The post Laura Muir and Andy Butchart among athletes confirmed for GB Indoor Championships appeared first on Fast Running.

Marc Scott and Jessica Piasecki were the impressive winners of the Trafford 10k, which also incorporated the England 10k Championships, on Sunday (September 2).

The fast and flat annual road race in South Manchester was rescheduled from it’s regular March date due to adverse weather, but it was worth the wait, as competitive distance runners turned out in their droves and superb performances were aplenty.

In the men’s race, Scott, who recently ran the fastest 5k in the UK this year, was the emphatic winner with a sub 29-minute clocking of 28:57. Andy Butchart finished 31 seconds adrift (29:28) in his first race after six months out with an injury.

RELATED: Marc Scott runs the fastest 5k in the UK this year

The winning time was a personal best on the roads for the Richmond & Zetland / Bowerman Track Club athlete and the third quickest time this year by a British athlete.

After missing the Commonwealth Games and European Championships it was a welcome return for Butchart to the world of racing.

Liverpool Harriers’ Dejene Gezimu’s completed the top three men in 29:35, while Cambridge & Coleridge Jack Gray crossed the line in fourth in a time of 30:10, followed closely by James Westlake of Crawley AC in 30:15.

In the women’s race, Stockport Harriers’ Piasecki continued her recent winning ways and took the title in 32:52, just eight seconds outside her PB to record the fourth fastest time in the UK this year.

Photo: Pete Brown

The former British half marathon champion finished over a minute ahead of Elsey Davis, who crossed the line in 33:57.

City of Norwich’s Dan Nimmock, who will represent England later this year at the Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships, completed the top three in 34:16.

Finishing fourth was Danielle Hodgkinson of Wallsend Harriers in 34:24, with clubmate Charlene Thomas completing the five women under 35 minutes in a time of 34:54.

Meanwhile, in the England Championships club competition, women’s gold was won by Vale Royal AC, with Salford Harriers silver and Chorlton Runners bronze.

Tipton Harriers won the men’s gold, with Liverpool Harriers clinching silver ahead of Sale Harriers.

Top 5 men

1) Marc Scott, Richmond & Zetland / Bowerman Track Club, 28:57
2) Andy Butchart, Central AC, 29:28
3) Dejene Gezimu, Liverpool Harriers, 29:35
4) Jack Gray, Cambridge & Coleridge, 30:10
5) James Westlake, Crawley AC, 30:15

Top 5 women

1) Jessica Piasecki, Stockport Harriers, 32:52
2) Elsey Davis, Bristol & West AC, 33:57
3) Dani Nimmock, City of Norwich AC, 34:16
4) Danielle Hodgkinson, Wallsend Harriers, 34:24
5) Charlene Thomas, Wakefield Harriers, 34:54

RELATED: Nick McCormack and Jessica Piasecki win Podium 5k

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The post Marc Scott and Jessica Piasecki win Trafford 10k appeared first on Fast Running.

Andy Butchart is among a top field announced for the rescheduled Trafford 10k on Sunday (September 2). The Scottish athlete was forced to miss the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast after breaking his foot running in February.

The fast Trafford 10k was rescheduled from March due to adverse weather conditions and race organiser Dave Norman hopes this new September date will be more suitable to fast times. Athletes can come off a fast summer on the track and have shiny new 10k road PBs to start the autumn.

Fast Fields

Butchart leads a pack of 10 men who have previously run under 30 minutes for the distance. Marc Scott, fresh from his blistering run at Mid Cheshire 5k, will also challenge for the win and actually has the fastest 10k mark (28:07) in the field.

Scott Overall (28:49/13:28) and Nick McCormick (29:04/13:18) complete the four men who have run under 30 minutes and 14 minutes for 10km and 5km respectively.

McCormick is fresh from setting a season’s best 14:46 at the Podium 5k this Bank Holiday Monday.

The women’s field has Jessica Piasecki (32:41/15:29) with the quickest times and the only runner to have broken 33 minutes. Like McCormick, Piasecki was also victorious at the no frills Podium 5k. The 28 year-old former British half marathon champion ran 15:55 in Barrowford and starts as a favourite in the women’s race.

There will be six sub 34-minute women chasing for the win, including the ever improving Elsey Davis who has had a cracking 2018 so far.

Kendal’s Rebecca Robinson (33:09/15:48) has the second fastest set of PBs in the field so look out for the mountain runner featuring in the top 10. Juliet Potter (33:27/15:27) has the quickest 5k PB of the women’s field but her 10k best was back in 2008.

Former 800/1500m runner Charlene Thomas is also an exciting prospect for the race, having run her 33:27 PB this year at the Brighton 10km.

Fast times

The weather forecast for Sunday looks to be perfect for fast times and the move to September will hopefully pay dividends. Last year only five runners broke 30 minutes, but in 2016 it was 28.

Yet even in the tough conditions of 2017, which saw Chris Thompson run a solo 28:55 for the win, 126 runners broke 33 minutes. Tough times brings out tough people and the speed of the pack will show again this weekend.

The race is organised by Dave Norman, someone at the heart and soul of British distance running. After running 15:29 at Podium 5k this week, the Altringham runner warmed down with Piasecki and is excited to see how the two 5k winners run this weekend.

A fountain of running information Norman said: “Nick McCormick is entered and after retiring in 2014, he has competed in three hometown races this year ‘for fun’, but is now training for the New York Marathon where he hopes to run 2:25.”

Related: McCormick and Piasecki winners at Podium 5k

Related: Butchart to miss Commonwealth Games

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Andy Butchart to make injury return at competitive Trafford 10k appeared first on Fast Running.

Butchart sustained the injury in his indoor season opener at the Millrose Games in New York last Saturday (February 3), where he finished 5th over 3000m.

The 26-year-old, viewed by many as the British successor to Mo Farah on the track, was due to represent Scotland in the 5000m at the Commonwealth Games in April.

However, following an MRI scan in Boston, Butchart revealed that he has a fractured navicular in his right foot, with his agent confirming to Fast Running that the injury will see him miss the Gold Coast Games.

“I never thought it would be me. 500m to go during my 3000m at Millrose last weekend I felt a sharp pain in my right foot,” said Butchart on Instagram. “I knew what it was straight away… and after an MRI in Boston, it was confirmed – Fractured Navicular in the right foot.

“Heartbroken! It definitely sucks and I won’t be racing for a while… but I’m gonna come back faster, fitter and stronger than ever!”

Butchart, who finished sixth in the 5000m at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, had made a strong start to his preparations for the Commonwealth Games winning bronze at the European Cross Country Championships in December.

The Scottish star was set to compete at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow at the Emirates Arena on Sunday 25 February.

‘I never thought it would be me’ . . 500m to go during my 3000m at Millrose last weekend I felt a sharp pain in my right foot. I knew what it was straight away .. and after an MRI in Boston it was confirmed – Fractured Navicular in the right foot. Heartbroken! It definitely sucks and I won’t be racing for a while .. buuut I’m gonna come back faster, fitter and stronger than ever!

A post shared by Andrew Butchart (@andybutchart) on Feb 9, 2018 at 11:33am PST

Prior to the new year, Butchart moved to San Diego, along with fellow Scottish athlete Lynsey Sharp to train under the guidance of coach Terrence Mahon.

The post Andy Butchart to miss Gold Coast Commonwealth Games appeared first on Fast Running.

The BUCS cross country championships at Hillingdon House Farm had a peach of a water hazard and victims aplenty.

More hazardous than your usual pond –  hopefully no athletes were harmed in the making of these videos.

Chaos early doors here #BUCSXC pic.twitter.com/7XgwcMRCnw

— LSAC (@LufbraAthletics) February 3, 2018

Hats (or shoes) off to this chap who went back for his shoe.

Monday blues? Don't fear, we have something for you! Check out the below video from #BUCSXC, just make sure you watch until the very end #WhereIsMyShoe pic.twitter.com/y8DnD0uWBc

— TeamBrunel (@TeamBrunel) February 5, 2018

Jenny Nesbitt auditions for Braveheart about 23 years too late… we’re not even sure she was born when it was released. The blue and gold facepaint of the Team Bath athlete would have made William Wallace proud.

Time for Braveheart 2!

Time for the face paint battle to commence #BUCSXC #TeamBath #run #runner #running #athlete #racing #race #bucs #cross #crosscountry #teambath #blueandgold #gameface #facepaint

A post shared by jenny nesbitt (@jennynesbitt1) on Feb 3, 2018 at 12:44am PST

The Big Half took it upon themselves to vote for Callum Hawkins in the next Scottish referendum and he wasn’t happy.

When he’s not tweeting about people cutting their toenails on airplanes Andy Butchart is a good lad. We’re not sure though if he realised a tweet about volunteering was a contractually binding agreement. Get your high-viz at the ready Andy.

Put some clothes on Greg!

I haven’t put one of these out in a long time.. my body fluctuates a lot when I’m not in training, I have to work arguably harder than others with diet and training in order to get into and maintain shape. Thankfully I love the process. Healthy eating, daily circuits and of course jumping to get a fat ass! • Ps… I’m actually very happy. I just forgot to smile in this pic • #fitness #athlete #dubai

A post shared by Greg Rutherford (@gregjrutherford) on Feb 4, 2018 at 10:00am PST

St. Valentine’s Day is approaching but not to worry, Dwain Chambers has got your back. Is anyone brave enough to send the other half to the British champion sprinter for a workout?

Ladies, if you have a fitness goal or an occassion to prepare for, lets give this valentines training package a try. If you fancy giving this a go but feel uncomfortable coming on your own then bring a friend with you to help share the fun! For more information please head to my website via my bio.

A post shared by Dwain Chambers (@dwainchambers100) on Feb 5, 2018 at 8:28am PST

A warm and fluffy moment to finish, with Chris O’Hare sharing his cracking result at the Wanamaker Mile with his family in New York. The cup is nearly as big as the wee man!

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