Hundreds prepare to race in our National Road Relays

Thursday 23rd March 2023

Action from the start of the Men’s race at Livingston last year (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Key info for Livingston

The National Road Relays take place on Saturday with hundreds of athletes preparing to race at Livingston.

It’s 25 years since the late Martin Hyman answered the pressing West Lothian question to come up with a suitable course in the vicinity of St Margaret’s Academy.

Medals are up for grabs in three age groups in the men’s and women’s races.

Six counters are required for Senior and Masters Men’s teams and four counters for Senior and Masters Women’s teams. At V50, it is four to count for men and three to count for women.

Please note the times for the races and the close of declarations as follows:

Sen Men 6 Stage; M40+ 6 Stage; M50+ 4 Stage – Race starts at 11.30am; declarations close 11am

Sen Wom 4 Stage; W40+ 4 Stage; W50+ 3 Stage – Race starts at 11.40am; declarations close 11am

Central AC won the golds in the Senior Men’s race at Livingston last year (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Defending Champions:

Report from 2022 National Relays

Our 2022 winners were as follows:

Senior Women Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds; Masters Women Gala Harriers; W50 Edinburgh AC

Senior Men Central AC; Masters Men Corstorphine AAC; M50 Cambuslang Harriers

Travel:

Please note for those approaching Livingston on the M8 from the West there is a Junction closure at Junction 3. You will need to seek an alternative access to Livingston and then to the course.

Junction 3 is open for those coming from the East.

Thank You:

Lothian Running Club do a superb job hosting this race and we send our thanks in advance to all our volunteer Officials and marshals in the course. Assisting Lothian RC are those from Cambuslang Harriers, Corstorphine AAC, Ferranti AAC and Hunters Bog Trotters.

Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds won golds in the Senior Women’s race in 2022 (photo by Bobby Gavin)

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Photo by Bobby Gavin

Last year, Alex Jackson reflected on the contribution of the late Martin Hyman to the National Road Relays. This time, Alex looks at 25 years of the event in Livingston . . .

It is now 25 years since the National Road Relays started being held at Livingston Almondvale, the venue first being used in 1998 when Martin Hyman came up with a new traffic-free venue for the event.

Over the years the Short Leg (3.15 miles) has seen little change but the Long Leg has undergone a

number of changes due to path closures, house building and diversions.

The Men’s fastest Short lap is 14.58 by Steve Cairns (Hunters Bog T) in 2002. In last year’s event, Tom Graham Marr (Central AC) came close to that time with 15.04.

The Women’s fastest Short lap is 16.42 by Madeline Murray (Edinburgh AC) in 2016. The second fastest all time is 16.50 by Morag Millar (Central) in 2022. Morag’s record on the Short lap is impressive – she has five of the top 11 fastest times.

The Men’s fastest Long lap is 27.33 Glen Stewart (Mizuno RC) in 1999. This was on a shorter course than is now run. Last year the long lap was lengthened due to house building.

This year we can return to the (shorter) long lap run in 2019 and previous years. The Women’s fastest Long Lap is a very fast 31.04 by Hayley Hailing (Kilbarchan AC) in 2007.

Morag Millar pictured here racing at Livingston in 2017 has five of the top 11 times on the Short Leg at the National Relays (photo by Bobby Gavin)

The most successful Men’s 6 stage team at Almondvale are Cambuslang Harriers. who have a total of 17 medals, six of them Gold. Next are Central AC with 13 medals – six Gold and seven Silver (Central have never finished third). Shettleston Harriers also have 13 medals – six of them Gold.

The most successful Women’s 4 stage team are Central AC with 11 medals – six of them Gold. Next are City of Glasgow with eight medals – six of them Gold. They are followed by Kilbarchan AC – six medals, four of them Gold.

From 2004, Masters V40 team medals have been awarded, followed by Masters V50 teams in 2012. This year over 80 team medals will be awarded in categories.

At the 2006 event, there was a sign displayed at declarations stating as there was a new low pedestrian underpass on the Long lap, no athletes taller than 6 ft would be allowed to run the Long Lap.

There were a number of anxious people coming to declarations about this sign when it was pointed out it was April 11 . . . and April Fool’s Day.

Throughout the years at Almondvale, the work done by the host club has been vital to successful events.

In early years this was by Livingston and District AC and then it was taken on by Lothian Running Club so we send them a huge thank you in advance.

*Further detailed info on the National Relays is online on the CC and RR website archive.

National Road Relays archive material

Paralympian Derek Rae raced for Fife AC in the National Relays last year (photo by Bobby Gavin)

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Tags: Alex Jackson, Livingston, Martin Hyman, National Relays