Runners take on a dual challenge

Aug 15 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

WITH many Perth Road Runners cycling for leisure and fitness, the annual club duathlon held at Pitcairngreen is an ever-popular event.

It involves a one-lap, 4.2-mile run and then a three- lap 12.4-mile cycle.

At the end of the run, Linton Scarborough was eight seconds ahead of Mark Cooper but Mark took it back, and lots more, once in the saddle to not only win the event but also to knock almost two minutes off the old course record that he set last year.

His finishing total time was 58:10 with an ever fit Derek Phillips in second place and Linton coming home third.

For the ladies, Erni Hamilton was uncatchable in both disciplines to finish fourth overall in 68:15 and again breaking the course record she also set last year by 19 seconds.

Fiona Angus was the second lady home.

Last Saturday saw six male and six female members take part in a special invitation four-mile race as part of a day of events at Perth’s fine George Duncan Memorial Track.

The club were running against teams from other local clubs.

Following a tribute for George Duncan, the race started and took a route across to the Tay, along the river to go anti-clockwise around the North Inch and back again to the track. Despite the wet conditions Linton Scarborough came first and Derek Phillips was third with Keri Weatherhogg the winning female in fourth place.

On Sunday Scott Sharp travelled to North Queensferry for the annual Forth Bridge 10k road race where he finished 77th out of 310 in 45.11.

Also on Sunday, six club members went over to Mull for their Half Marathon.

The runners all got soaked before the start but the rain soon cleared and they enjoyed some sunny spells.

Paul Arcari of Kilbarchan AAC won the event from Robert Gilroy of Ronhill Cambuslang with Neil Muir first PRR home in 6th place and 1:20:30. Bill Lawson 1:33:51 was second PRR home with Peter Ritchie having a brilliant run to overtake Kenneth Stewart at the 11 mile mark and beat him home by 15 seconds in 1:36:48.

Not far behind Kenneth was Bob Brown in 1:39:44 thereby ensuring that all the Perth runners completed the 13.1 miles in under 100 minutes.

Wilma Davidson of Dundee Road Runners won the 10k walk beating PRR Veronica Muir into second place despite Veronica taking nearly six minutes off her 2007 winning time.