On Sunday June 26th Dunfermline played host venue for the International Home Countries and Scottish Half Marathon Championships and in the knowledge that there would undoubtedly be a strong field assembled, Jo Zakrzewski of Dumfries Running Club took the opportunity to use the race as a test to see how well she had recovered from Comrades.

The race route at Dunfermline is somewhat undulating and twisty and that combined with the conditions on the day being hot and humid meant that runners’ times were slower than would normally be expected for the distance. In the race for the Championships, the Scottish team led by Martin Williams and Susan Partridge claimed victory over the English team by over 2 minutes. Jo admitted to finding the conditions tough and the many hidden turns into the finish dispiriting but she enjoyed the experience of running in a high quality field, working her way up through the field in the first mile and finishing in a very respectable position as the 6th Scottish lady in a time of 83.39.

The 5k track championships at the David Keswick Centre in Dumfries on Tuesday 21st June were the final event of the Dumfries and Galloway Athletic championships. This has not been run for several years and many thanks are due to John Allison of Dumfries and Galloway council and Jim Callander of Nithsdale AC for making sure the event was able to go ahead.

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On Monday 20th June Les Hill is organising a 4 miles handicap in Mabie Forest. This will be on wide tracks that are suitable for sturdy road shoes (not racing shoes) or trail shoes. It is a fairly straight forward route that should be easily followed. Les will also get some markers put out or maybe even a marshal or two. Gemma has agreed to open the Bike Shed Café for us to use after the handicap for refreshments.

Meet at the Bike Shed between 6 and 6.15p.m. The start / finish area is less than half a mile from the Bike Shed and first runner will start around 6.30.

We should be finished and back at the café around 7.30 If you are not taking part but able to marshal please let Les Hill know ASAP.

Chris Woods and John Jarvie were the only DRC representatives amongst the 5000 in the Mens Health 10k at Bellahouston park in Glasgow on Sunday 19th June. Chris had another typically strong performance well up at the sharp end of the field in 38 mins and John was delighted to knock over 7 mins from his personal best to finish in 49minutes.

On Saturday June 18th it was the start of the hardest and most challenging race on the Scottish running calendar when Frank Skachill of Dumfries Running Club lined up with 160 other competitors for the 95 mile West Highland Way race from Milngavie to Fort William.

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The 2011 Grand Prix results so far for 2011 are now available. After the races at Dentdale, Tom Scott, Holywood Stroll and Stranraer Alan Baxter currently heads the mens standings with 112 points having ran in all 4 races. In the womens standings Maureen Dickson is currently at the top with 115 points also having ran in all 4 races.

They can be found here.

On Sunday 12th June there were 21 Dumfries Running Club members who took part in the Mabie Trail race. The well chosen technical route is a stiff test with a number of sharp climbs, steep descents with rocky outcrops and tree routes ready to trip up tired or careless runners.

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On Sunday 12th June 2011, three Dumfries Running Club members ventured to the Lake District to take their places amongst the 250 runners on the start line of the resurrected Grasmere Gallop 10K. The National Trust rangers have changed the route from previous years so that it now follows a circuit leaving Grasmere village for a short section along B roads before enjoying some of the best views in the Lakes from a sustainable route over footpaths and bridleways in the Grasmere and Rydal area.

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After the 6th handicap series race for 2011 held on Thursday 9th June we are now half way through the series of 5K races.

The maximum 50 points available was claimed by Karen Hastings in 31:06 showing great improvement in her times in recent months. The fastest time on the night was an excellent 17:51 by Alan Baxter. After 6 races Adam Dickie has been overtaken at the top of the leaderboard by Liz Smart. Despite Adam improving his points total from 5 races to 214 Liz has now also completed 5 races with 217 points.

The updated results are available here.
The July 5K handicap is scheduled for Thursday 7th July

In the third race of this series in 2011 on Saturday 4th June DRC members Liz Smart and Susan Graham travelled to the Lake District to take part in the latest of the Lakeland Trails Series the Staveley (Kentmere) race and challenge. Liz took part in the trail race coming in on 2hours and Susan took part in the challenge and was delighted with her time of 2 hours and 47 minutes.

On Saturday 4th June  Les Hill headed to the Yorkshire Dales for an off road 25 miles race with 2800 feet of climbing. Knowing that he had not yet recovered from his recent 24 hours race he set off slower than normal and about half way, when he felt good, pushed on to try and gain some ground on those ahead. He reckons he had moved up the field by at least ten places and was in 13th place at the last check point with just over two miles to go. However, over this last two miles of fairly easy running terrain showed up the fatigue of his recent exertions and he lost seven places to finish in, a still credible but disappointing, 20th with a time of 3 hours 38 minutes 27 seconds. 30 minutes slower than when he won this race eight years ago.

The Stranraer half marathon was held on Saturday 4th June. To cap an excellent week of races Kevin Conchar was the first DRC runner back and winner of maxi mum points in 8th place in 81.43 heading off Alan Baxter by just over a minute and along with Danny Queen who was 21st in 88.35, these three won the title of first male team ahead of Larne AC and East Antrim Harriers. Allan Manson ran well in 93.04 and finished sixteen seconds in front of Alastair Bloxham.

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The Carlisle tri club 10k held on Wednesday 1st June has only been in existence for 3 years now yet has grown into a sharp test of speed that always attracted a high quality field to the start at the Carlisle Race course. As an added bit of spice this had been designated as the DRC club championship event for 2011 which guaranteed a bit of extra competition as there was silverware on offer.

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