Fife Athletic Club/Kirkcaldy Wizards: 'Superb' runs at Dava Way Ultra

A group photo of all the Kirkcaldy Wizards who completed the Dava Way 50k Ultra

Fife athletes were out in force at last weekend’s Dava Way Ultra which started in Grantown-on-Spey and finished in Forres, with the two historic towns being linked by the Dava Way path.

The route predominantly followed the old Highland Railway line, leading to a course which was mostly off road trail. Runners ascended the 1,050 feet Dava Way summit before descending back to sea level.

Laura Muir and Michelle Johnstone (5:25:12) and Rob Justice (5:25:15) chose to run together from start to finish, helping each other through the tricky sections.

Justice pulled up with cramp close to the finish line but he was carried across the line by Muir and Johnstone.

Wizards who contested the Parkrun tour at Livingston Parkrun

All three runners acquitted themselves superbly, completing the 50km race in 5 hours and 25 minutes.

Kirkcaldy Wizard athlete Paul Frape completed his first ultra event of the year. He crossed the finish line in an impressive 5 hours, 25 minutes and 58 seconds.

Frape was joined by clubmate Cara Murdoch, competing in her first ever ultra event. She took to the ultra scene like a duck to water as she ran an excellent 5:25:19.

Maggie Justice and Karen Richards started and finished together in a superb time of 6 hours, 7 minutes and 1 second.

Wizard Susan Young was also competing in her first ultra race. Young crossed the finish line, in 6 hours, 36 minutes and 59 seconds.

The Cardiff Cross Challenge was founded in 1997 by Graham Finlayson BEM and has grown into one of the most prestigious events in the United Kingdom, attaining a prestigious Gold Label in 2021, as the season opener in the World Athletics Cross Country Tour.

The 2024 edition took place at Llandaff Fields, just north of the city centre, and once again brought together a selection of the world’s top Cross Country performers, to compete in Cardiff as part of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour.

Fife AC's Logan Rkm senior men's final, with an excellent time of 27:42.

Rees finished as the second British athlete, looking in sensational form as he prepares for the European cross country trial at the 2024 Liverpool Cross Challenge in a fortnight's time.

Ruan Van Rensburg competed in the Newton 10k race on Saturday and the Jimmy Irvine 10k on Sunday.

The Newton 10k race started at the Westburn Hall in Cambuslang and followed the Clyde path out and back on a 10k course.

The race was organised in memory of Newton Road Runners athlete Cat Gaskell, who tragically passed away in 2021.

The Jimmy Irvine 10k was organised in memory of legendary Scottish athlete Jim Irvine, who was born in 1935 and ran for Bellahouston Harriers during his entire running career.

The 10k race in his memory consisted of two-and-a-half laps of Bellahouston Park.

Van Rensburg finished 12th on Saturday in the Newton 10k in a time of 36:28, before going on to finish 29th in a time of 36:45 at the Jimmy Irvine 10k the next day.

A group of 13 Kirkcaldy athletes made the trip to West Lothian to complete Livingston Parkrun.

This author finished third in a time of 19:24. Craig Wilson finished fifth in 20:09. Andy Harley finished eighth, achieving a course PB of 21:27.

There were also Livi Parkruns completed by Greg Wilson 23:51, Harry Godson 25:15, Kevin O'Neill 27:04, Mark Gowans 27:52, Val Symon 28:30, Marie Godson 29:55, Chris Payne 31:55, Fiona Walker 33:50, Lesley Wallace 34:41 and John McIntyre Senior 37:18.

At the home Kirkcaldy Parkrun, there was a hotly contested battle for top spot contested by Fife AC clubmates Ben Kinninmonth and Jamie Lessels and Roadrunners Südbaden's Jonas Müller.

Kinninmonth finished first in 16:33, with Lessels third in 16:46 and both achieving course PBs in the process.

There were landmark milestones accomplished by fourth and fifth placed Fife AC athletes Marcas Macfarlane and Ryan Dunning, with both achieving their first ever sub-18 5k.

MacFarlane achieved a time of 17:54 and Dunning achieved a time of 17:58. PBs achieved by Simon Jeynes, who crossed the finish line in 20:21 and Jock Smith in 24:31.

Wizard Ross Campbell achieved a PB of 25:24, Kasia Szafarz finished as second female in 23:16, with Fiona Mosley hot on her heels as the third lady in 23:22.

In the Kingdom of Fife, Alan Wise (24:54), David Shepherd (26:27), Judith Arnstein (26:52), Leanne Reid (31:47), Sharron Wilson (32:32) and Sam Forsberg (36:00) ventured to Lochore Meadows Parkrun. Shona Turner (27:14) and Ann Harley (27:50) completed Loch Leven Parkrun.

In the central belt, Flora Louden (29:21) completed the Heriot Watt-based Oriam Parkrun. Lee Cessford (24:36) and Keith Traill (28:53) ran Perth Parkrun.

On the west coast, Claire Jurecki (33:36) and Michaela Sullivan (56:26) completed Ayr Parkrun. Mollie Turner achieved a 5k PB of 25:31 at Greenock Parkrun.

In Angus, Susan Thores (29:27) completed Montrose Parkrun.

In the south of Scotland, Niamh Gibbons (28:39) completed Wallaceneuk Parkrun in Kelso.

Venturing South of Hadrian's Wall, Jennifer Hodgson (40:46) completed York Parkrun.

Further afield, Calum (20:19) and Helen (26:51) Reid completed Wroclaw Parkrun in southwest Poland. Adele Clevely (36:08) finished Cornerstone Lakes Parkrun in Chicago.