Our thanks to Officials; 10,000m Champs; 5K; Stewart Togher

Tuesday 27th March 2018

The FPSG Indoor Season and the Lindsays Cross Country Season are already starting to fade into the memory – and the Commonwealth Games fast approaching will certainly sharpen the appetite for the outdoor track and field season!

But, before we finally say goodbye to a hectic spell, we wanted to once again express our gratitude to our scottishathletics Officials. We feel sure the message below from our Events Manager, Alasdhair Love, will be echied by so many within the sport.

‘On behalf of all at scottishathletics and, in particular, myself and Caitlin Watt as the Events Team, THANK YOU to all officials both new and old who have helped deliver such a successful winter season.

‘Whether you have supported Cross Country, Road Running or Indoor Track and Field Championships we have delivered another fantastic season to all entrants, their coaches, their supporters and everyone else involved in these events.

‘Our own standards and expectations continue to increase in terms of the professional outlook of our events and we simply would not be able to do that without the support of volunteers and Technical Officials.

‘We are very much looking forward to a sun-filled, windless summer season and hope that the many new Officials we have trained over the winter will join us as we continue to raise the bar and perform when it counts!’

Any officials who have yet to submit their availability can still do so online

OR, also, if your availability has changed then please do not hesitate to contact us at events@scottishathletics.org.uk.

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scottishathletics and the Glasgow Athletics Association are very keen to keep on developing 10,000m running on the track in order to improve quality and depth in the Scottish rankings.

So the GAA Miler Meet Night of 10ks will be the Scottish Championship event for the 2018 track season and will provide paced 10,000m races for Scotland’s top male and female endurance athletes (U20 and older) on Friday 20 April at Crownpoint in Glasgow.

With the focus of furthering endurance running in Scotland by increasing the number of runners in the male and female 10,000m track rankings, the GAA will provide as many heats as necessary to cater for the number and standard of runners who are up for the challenge and come to Glasgow to test themselves over 25 laps at Crownpoint track

This Night of 10ks is really the only opportunity for endurance runners across Scotland to compete in a paced 10,000m race on the track at their own performance level in 2018 – so we hope that runners utilise this opportunity to chase a new PB.

Entries are already open on BMC website

We look forward to having the support and enthusiasm of the Scottish endurance community in continuing to re-establish and develop the depth of the event once again at this event, which is run in association with the British Milers Club.

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Annabel Simpson of Fife AC won the Women’s 5K gold last year

Enter online for 5K Champs on May 4

The Scottish 5K Road Champs are happening on a Friday evening in early May in Edinburgh – and entries are now open.

Silverknowes Esplanade has been a regular venue for this championship event in recent years and the race, which is organised by Run and Become, has a reputation for delivering fast times over a flat course.

This year it will take place on Friday 4 May and entries are open at £12 and £10 for scottishathletics members. The race forms part of the scottishathletics Road Race Grand Prix.

The Run and Become Sri Chinmoy 5km road race at Silverknowes is quite simply acknowledged as one of the most competitive in depth short road races in the Scottish calendar.

Whatever your standard, the momentum of this event from start to finish line seems to bring the best out of everyone and gets the adrenaline flowing. Entry limited to 600 runners.

Last year, the 2017 Scottish championship gold medals went to Kris Jones of Dundee Hawkhill/Swansea in 14.31 and Annabel Simpson of Fife AC in 16.43.

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Privileged to have spent a year studying sports coaching with this guy in Edinburgh. Taught me a lot about strength training, throws and life. Always remember him playing piano. @BritAthletics @scotathletics @AthleticsWeekly https://t.co/xzSAY5op2Q

— Norman_Brook (@Norman_Brook) March 27, 2018

scottishathletics was saddened to learn of the passing recently in America of a fine Scottish throws coach – Stewart Togher.

He was born in Portobello and moved to the United States and the University of Oregon, who reported last week on his death at the age of 80.

Bill Walker of Edinburgh AC advised us:

‘Stewart was a Guru in throws events having coached Meg Ritchie, Chris Black and many other GB International Throwers. Athletes from Germany, Australia, USA, Japan, Ireland and other countries came to Edinburgh to train with him in the summer.

‘He was the Throws Coach for Oregon University and USA Hammer Coach at Athens Olympics where his Japanese athlete won Gold. He also coached Lance Deal who was the first American athlete to beat the USSR hammer throwers.’