Fife athletes turn out for Derek Adamson memorial run as Fife AC team seal gold at National Road Relays

The Fife AC senior women's team of Megan Crawford, Jennifer Cruickshanks, Jenny Selman and Annabel Simpson won gold at the National Road Relays in Livingston (Photo: Bobby Gavin)

Ninety two runners attended the event to pay their respects to Wizards and Fife AC stalwart Derek, who died aged 58, after he took unwell at Alness Parkrun earlier this month.

There were runners sporting club colours from numerous running clubs around Fife, which emphasises just how widely admired and adored Derek was around the region and beyond. Mark Gowans delivered a moving speech to pay tribute.

Beveridge Park proved to be the setting for a poignant Kirkcaldy Parkrun event. Participants were asked in advance to wear a cap as a tribute to the late Derek, who was often pictured wearing a cap in running photos. A total of 312 parkrunners attended.

Ninety two runners attended the memorial run event to pay their respects to Wizards and Fife AC stalwart Derek, who died aged 58 (Photo: Submitted)

At the event itself, there was a second placed finish for this author, in a time of 18:04. There was also a personal best (PB) and a first female accolade achieved by Fife AC youngster Nellie Luxford, who finished fifth overall with a time of 19:57. Wizard duo Vikki Laing and Iona Penman also achieved PBs. Vikki Laing completed the parkrun in 24:04 and Iona Penman crossed the line in 25:40. Helen Reid achieved a course PB of 28:49.

Elsewhere, Judith Arnstein (27:03) and Jim Paterson (36:31) completed Saturday morning parkruns at Lochore Meadows. Chris Payne (28:57) and Jennifer Hodgson (49:19) ventured to Ruchill parkrun in Glasgow. Claire Doak (30:28) completed the Fountains Abbey parkrun in the Yorkshire city of Ripon. John Morris (25:58) ventured to Forfar Loch parkrun and Lauren Denholm (28:02) travelled through to Glasgow for Elder parkrun. Ben Kinninmonth made the most of a city break to Krakow by adding an international parkrun to his collection. He finished first with a time of 16:44.

Meanwhile, at the National Road Relays in Livingston last Saturday, tt proved to be an outstanding success story for the Fife AC senior women's team, who claimed first place, with a combined time of 1:47:28.

Jennifer Cruickshanks got her team off to a strong start, running the first leg in 20:29. Jenny Selman picked up the baton and completed the second leg in an outstanding timre of 34:43.

Sheena Logan in action at the Sri Chinmoy 100k Anglo Celtic Plate (Photo: Gordon Donnachie)

The team placed themselves in a strong position to contend for a first placed finish, with Megan Crawford completing the third leg in 19:09. Scotland international Annabel Simpson, as the anchor leg four runner, brought home the gold, with an outstanding 33:07 time. Fittingly, Simpson and Selman ran the first and second fastest individual long leg times overall to inspire their team to victory.

There was also an outstanding performance by the Fife AC's men's team, who finished fifth, with a combined time of 2:18:39. Ben Sandilands got his team off to a flyer by running the second fastest individual short leg time of 15:16. There was an equally powerful performance by Reiss Marshall, who completed the second leg in a time of 30:33.

Owen Miller kept his team in a lofty position, with an outstanding 15:36 time. The fourth leg runner Conor Gourley maintained the excellent standard, with a leg four time of 30:55. Michael Sanderson completed the fifth leg in a superb time of 15:59. Finally, there was a strong finish for the Fife AC men's team, as Andrew Thomson completed the sixth leg in a blistering 30:20 time.

Fife AC also submitted a veteran 40 relay team. Andy Harley set his team off to a strong start by completing the first leg in a time of 19:56. Stephen Dickson was the second leg runner but unfortunately had to make the difficult but sensible decision to withdraw to avoid aggravating an injury. Rory Sandilands produced a strong showing in the third leg, completing the leg in a time of 19:42. There was an outstanding long leg performance by Eric Lalande, who completed the fourth leg, in a time of 39:15.

Alison McGill in action at the Sri Chinmoy 100k Anglo Celtic Plate (Photo: Gordon Donnachie)

There was also a superb showing by John Kinninmonth, who completed the fifth leg in 22:48. James Hall completed the sixth and final long leg, in a speedy time of 36:48. This gave the Fife AC team an overall finishing time of 2:58:33 and overall ranking of 39th.

There were also some outstanding performances by Fife AC athletes at the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 50km and 100km events. The 100k race also incorporated the annual Anglo Celtic Plate home countries event, as well as the Scottish 100km road championship for 2024.

It will also be the British 100k championship for 2024. Fife AC's Sheena Logan was selected to represent the Scotland women's team.

In the 50km event, Fife AC's Mike MacDonald finished an overall tenth, achieving an excellent 3:31:51 time over the 50km distance. Alison McGill also had a strong showing, finishing 17th overall in a time of 3:47:27.

McGill finished as first female 40 in the Scottish Championship 50km rankings and as second female overall in the British Championship 50km rankings. There was also a superb performance by Christian Harding, who finished 39th in a time of 4:24:17.

Finally, representing her country in the Anglo Celtic plate home counties events, Sheena Logan produced an outstanding performance. Logan finished an overall 30th, completed 100 kilometers in a time of 8 hours, 19 minutes and 26 seconds.

In the 100km championship rankings, Logan finished as the first female 40 in the Scottish Championship rankings and overall sixth female in the British Championship rankings.