The Glasgow Athletics Association were hosts for an event which is growing year-on-year and there was definitely a sense of déjà vu – or deja blue, even – as Lachlan Oates and Fionnuala Ross sped to gold to repeat their title wins of a year ago.

Oates for his part is on quite a roll in 2019 as he clinched the first outdoor track title of the year to add to theInter-District XC crown he won at Stirling in January and the 10-Mile Championship won at the Tom Scott Road Races at the end of March.

Dundee Hawkhill’s James Donald took silver and Ryan Thomson of Cambuslang the bronze, with all three Men’s setting PBs.

Photo: Bobby Gavin

Women’s racing over multiple heats

Avril Mason was Shettleston’s third medallist, taking a bronze in the Women’s 1-2-3, the in-form Masters athletes making the Senior podium just as she did in the 10-Miler at Strathclyde Park.

In the women’s race the medals were contested over two of the four races on an evening when the conditions were as near-perfect as is just about possible at this venue on a Friday night in April in Scotland.

Photos by Bobby Gavin on Facebook

Mason posted 35.07.28 in her first track outing at 10,000m and a PB for the distance before Ross and Kilbarchan AAC’s Elspeth Curran bettered that in heat two.

‘I enjoyed that and it was good to win in a really good time for this point in the year,’ said Fionnuala, who clocked 33.50.86.

‘As it happens I am about a second away from the PB I set last year at Highgate Night of the 10Ks when I raced for Ireland in the European Cup.

‘I’m not too disappointed to go so close. It shows I’m in good shape and I am looking forward to going back to Highgate in early July.

‘I’ve run about 15 seconds quicker than when winning last year so that’s another positive. I will race the road 5K at Silverknowes – that’s the shorter end of distance for me but I will give it a go.’

Ross has featured in the Fast 10 ‘Class of 2019’ and you can follow the athlete’s journey throughout the year through regular blogs on the Fast Running website. The latest spoke about the Shettleston Harrier’s love of club relays and it’s clearly been a good building block for the start of the season.

Silver medal for Curran on first 10,000m on track

Curran, in her first track outing at this distance, wasn’t satisfied with 34.47.82, but had the consolation of a silver medal.

‘I wanted to see what it was like on the track and I found out! It’s quite tough mentally.

‘But I am on the podium again for a National Champs after winning the 10-Mile gold a couple of weeks ago so things are going well.

‘I’m on a ‘comeback’ over the past couple of years but it has been very steady and that approach has worked well.’

Mason said: ‘I’m running the London Marathon next week so it was great to get a PB for the distance here. Our coach, John Montgomery, asked for some goals for the season so I made one of mine to run a 10,000m on the track for the first time!’

Photo: Bobby Gavin

Strong evening for John Montgomery’s training group

Montgomery’s good night was to continue in the men’s race as Oates took the win on a night when a couple of others in that training group ran PBs. With conditions conducive to good performances, and very solid work by the pace-makers, the PB ratio was high – 35 from 51 finishers.

Oates followed pacer Adam Craig, who will be racing the Monument Mile Classic in May, to create a gap before halfway and the outcome wasn’t in doubt thereafter – although U23 athlete Donald worked hard to get back into the medal mix and then push on for silver as Thomson tried manfully to close over the last 2000m or so.

‘I’m delighted to get a PB by eight seconds  – that was the target,’ said Lachlan.

‘You don’t race 10,000m on the track all that often and I’ve decided against Highgate this year.

‘Up until last year I was finishing second and third in National Championships, so I’m pleased with a bit of progress on that front and defended my title here. Stirling in the Inter-District XC and Strathclyde Park in the 10-Mile Champs also went very well.’

Donald for his part was thrilled with a PB of around 25 seconds as he dipped under 30.15.

‘I’m really pleased with that and am happy with the run,’ said James.

‘I’d hoped to go through halfway in 15 minutes but had thought the second half might drop off a bit. I’ve kept it together pretty well and I didn’t want to look round and give Ryan any more motivation over the last few laps.

‘I’m studying in Edinburgh now and being coached by Mark Pollard and it is a good arrangement.’

*Many thanks to the GAA, the pace-makers, our scottishathletics Officials and all other volunteers involved at Crownpoint.

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The post Oates and Ross win repeat Scottish 10,000m titles appeared first on Fast Running.

Lachlan Oates and Annabel Simpson won the Scotland 5k Road Championships on Friday evening (May 5) in Silverknowes, Edinburgh.

Fife AC’s Simpson successfully retained her women’s title, while Shettleston’s Oates added the men’s national 5k title to his recently won 10,000m crown.

Simpson took the women’s win in a personal best 16.26 ahead of Jenny Bannerman of Inverness in 16:48.

Lothian Jo Williams, who is regularly among the fastest at parkrun each week, completed the podium in a big personal best 16:55.

“I like Silverknowes and the road race and running in a mixed race definitely helps me,” said Simpson. “I am racing 10,000m on the track at Highgate and then I’m making a half marathon debut in Edinburgh. It feels like that could work for me.”

In the men’s race, Oates had a close battle once again with Fife AC’s Logan Rees and held on to take a two-second win in 14:36 finishing just outside his 14:38 best set in February in Armagh.

It was a 10 second PB for Rees in silver clocking 14:38, while Edinburgh AC’s Michael Christoforou was right on his heels crossing the line in 14:40 for bronze.

The senior men’s title was won by Hunters Bog Trotters, with Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds retaining their women’s team gold.

There was also U20 gold for Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds pair Anna MacFadyen and Jack Leitch.

Former Glasgow marathon winner Peter Fleming, who ran a best of 2:13:33, also took part and clocked 16.31 to win the V50 prize.

While more men and women hit the quicker times at the England 5k championships last week in Kingsley, the Scottish 5k championships in Silverknowes equally had superb depth, with 193 compared to 196 sub 18-minute runners and also 20 more running under 20 minutes.

Drone footage of the action can be seen here.

Top 10 men

1) Lachlan Oates, Shettleston Harriers, 14:36
2) Logan Rees, Fife AC, 14:38
3) Michael Christoforou, Edinburgh AC, 14:40
4) Ewan Brown, Corstorphine AAC, 14:47
5) Tom Martyn, Hunters Bog Trotters, 14:47
6) Calum Mckenzie, Corstorphine AAC, 14:51
7) Callum Symmons, Aberdeen AAC, 15:07
8) Darrell Hastie, Gala Harriers, 15:08
9) Jack Leitch, Edinburgh Uni Hare & Hounds, 15:08
10) Murray Strain, Hunters Bog Trotters, 15:10

Top 10 women

1) Annabel Simpson, Fife AC, 16:25
2) Jenny Bannerman, Inverness Harriers, 16:48
3) Jo Williams, Lothian RC, 16:55
4) Anna Macfadyen, Edinburgh Uni Hare & Hounds, 17:01
5) Cera Gemmell, Team East Lothian AC, 17:04
6) Ella Revitt, Edinburgh AC, 17:07
7) Amy Frankland, Edinburgh Uni Hare & Hounds, 17:14
8) Michelle Sandison, Springburn Harriers, 17:16
9) Rebecca Johnson, Edinburgh Uni Hare & Hounds, 17:16
10) Katie Bristow, Cambuslang Harriers, 17:20

The post Lachlan Oates and Annabel Simpson crowned Scotland 5k champions appeared first on Fast Running.