Fife Athletic Club pair pipped by Ravenscraig Park two-mile race winner

Kirkcaldy Wizards & Fife AC who took part in the Ravenscraig 2 race

Last Friday saw Fife Athletic Club excel in the first race of the summer series, a two-mile road run at Ravenscraig Park in Motherwell.

Winner was Perth Road Runners’ James Waldie in 10:04, with an incredibly close battle for second place between Fife clubmates Ben Kinninmonth and Jamie Lessels seeing both run 10:11 but Kinninmonth crossing the line first to be runner-up.

There were also strong Fife AC performances by Ruan Van Rensburg (5th & 10:18), Yulian Vasiliev (6th & 10:32), second male junior Marcas MacFarlane (7th & 10:37), first male 60 John Thomson (17th & 12:05), Andy Harley (18th & 12:07) and female junior Charlotte Paddison (43rd & 16:58).

Kirkcaldy Wizards were strongly represented too by yours truly Rolf Gunnemann (10th in 11:22), Gary Barclay (11th in 11:26), Chris Kent (33rd in 14:12), Ian Simmons (35th in 14:52), George MacDonald (44th in 17:14) and female junior Brooke Young (47th in 19:49).

Kirkcaldy Wizards on parkrun tour to Auldcathie District Parkrun

Anster Haddies’ Luca Anderson, Orla Gage and Lynne Herd all won their respective age categories, with Luca Anderson first male junior and fourth overall in 10:15.

Orla Gage was first female junior and 24th overall in 12:57 and Lynne Herd won the female 40 age category in 13:15, placing 26th overall. Eric Anderson was 31st in 13:42.

Pitreavie’s best performers were Fraser Harkness (13th & 11:33), first male 50 Des Fitzgerald (19th & 12:12), Chrissie Maitland (22nd & 12:32), Bill Henderson (23rd & 12:46), Thomas Neilson (25th & 13:04), Jack McInnes (30th & 13:38), Anne Halley-Ben-Shabat (37th & 15:38), Derek Duncan (38th & 15:42), Rachael Luff (40th & 16:46), Melanie Sinclair (41st & 16:47), Kenneth McAllister (45th & 17:27), Huw Thomas (46th & 17:37) and female junior Annie Sinclair (49th & 20:09).

PH Racing Club were represented by Aaron Bennett (9th & 11:19), first male 70 Ed Norton (27th & 13:16) and Mark McKenzie (28th & 13:17). Dundee Hawkhill Harriers had first and second female juniors Francesca (20th & 12:15) and Fearne (21st & 12:18) Jarrett and male junior Cillian Sweeney (32nd & 13:47).

Calum Reid and Niamh Gibbons at Wexford 10k

Edinburgh AC were represented by Leanne Calder (34th & 14:29) with Cole Gray (15th & 11:40), Annabel Tite (42nd & 16:57) and Paton McIlroy (48th & 19:50) and male senior Ethan Ritchie (29th & 13:34) also doing well.

Kirkcaldy Wizards runners Calum Reid and Niamh Gibbons ventured to Dublin to run the Wexford 10k on Palm Sunday.

Reid finished 44th out of 1,075 athletes with a time of 44:34, while Gibbons achieved a two-minute 10k PB in an excellent 54:09.

Meanwhile, in the Moray Marathon, staging its second event, Lynn Whisker achieved a superb time of 4:01:45 to finish fourth female 50 and 84th overall.

There was a Parkrun PB at the local Kirkcaldy Parkrun for Marcas MacFarlane, who was second in 17:35.

And four Wizards and one Fife Athletic Club runner made the trip to Auldcathie District Parkrun.

Val Symon (25:24), Lindsey Robertson who achieved a course PB (25:59), Carol Batey (26:13), Chris Payne (27:47) and Fiona Walker (30:57) all made the trip.

Adele Cleveley achieved a seven-minute course PB at Forfar Loch Parkrun, with a time of 38:02.

And Helen Reid achieved a course PB of nearly a minute at Loch Leven Parkrun, completing the course in a superb 28:19.

Mark Gowans celebrated a milestone 200th parkrun at Nairn Links Parkrun, marking the occasion with a 26:41 time.

Last Tuesday, April 8, Wizard Nick Brian achieved a 25:59 time in the Edinburgh Meadows 5k, finishing as the first male 70 and setting a course record for the age category.

Brian’s fine display proved to be the starting point for another fine week of running for those of a Fife Athletic Club or Kirkcaldy Wizards persuasion.