Gruelling event is tamed by Leven Las Vegas

Club runners Andy Cargill, Davie Hogg, Robin Pate, Josephine Lenachan, Lorna Hughes and Brian Adams were at The Angus Ham, a half marathon starting and finishing in Monikie Country Park, Dundee.

The event is notorious for the punishing climb over last mile, just as runners are desperate to see the finish line.

That didn’t deter Davie Hogg, who made light of these difficulties by setting a new half marathon personal best, breezing in at just over six minutes faster than his previous best.

There have been other events taking place over the Kingdom for members to compete in, too.

The first of PB Timing’s ‘Skull Mountain Series’ held on Tuesday evening on the Falkland Estate was certainly tough.

It had a variety of terrains and some lung busting climbs.

It certainly wasn’t for the weak hearted.

The four mile race attracted 200 runners from all over Fife and beyond and it was local Bryan Innes who set the early pace around the flatter parts of the Estate.

Once the serious climbs and descents began the lead changed four times between LLV’s Chris Russell, David Millar and Andrew Todd. Over the last half mile it was Millar who held a narrow lead and kept all the others at bay with just ten seconds covering the top three at the finishing line.

With the series being decided by cumulative time over four races there is still much to run for and it will be fascinating to see it pans out in the coming months.

Certainly Leven Las Vegas stalwart Chris Russell will be hoping for better than third next month.

At the parkruns there was a flurry of personal bests achieved by four out of the fifteen LLV taking part, Karen Capewel, Peter Rieu-Clarke, Mark McLean and Kate Cross, for the second week in a row. A fitting end to a busy and successful week for Leven Las Vegas.