Corstorphine Athletics Club has enjoyed a sterling start to the cross-country season with a string of medal performances. Juniors, seniors and veterans all helped secure 10 podium finishes as the athletes swapped the track for the mud and grass.
The men’s senior team comprising James Dunn, Stuart Livingstone, Ewan Brown and Aaron Hoyle scooped silver in the East District XC Relay at Galashiels. The result was matched by the men’s masters M40 quartet of Tom Ferrington, Malcolm Lang, Christopher O’Brien and Chris Poxton, who also finished second in their race at last month’s event.
Beth Garland was runner-up in the Pentlands Skyline Race at Hillend on October 9, while Tymek Chmielowski took bronze in the under-13 boys run at the East District XC League meet at Hawick.
Andrew Ferguson and Adam Wetton won silvers in the men’s and under-20s races respectively at the Lasswade XC on October 30, with Victor Jack’s contribution helping secure an overall win in the team event.
The men’s masters M50 trio of Stuart Campbell, Alan Cunningham and Iain Macleod won bronze at the Lindsays National Cross Country Relay Championships in Cumbernauld on October 22. Iain followed that up by winning the veterans’ category – and finishing fourth overall – at the Path of Condie half-marathon in Perthshire.
There were further medals on November 5 as the Under-17 women’s team featuring Charlotte MacPhie, Amy Crawford and Olivia Clarke took silver at the Lindsays Short Course Cross Country Championships in Kirkcaldy. And the senior women’s quartet of Beth Garland, Sophie Collins, Zoe Carruthers and Megan Smith secured a best ever 4th place finish for CAAC in their event.
The successes come as the club resumes its involvement with Edinburgh City Council’s Active Schools programme, providing qualified coaches to lead weekly sessions for pupils in P5-P7 within the Royal High catchment area.
Nine club members are currently gaining their qualifications as coaching assistants, including four Royal High students. Four others, including club captain Graeme Reid, are upgrading to become full athletics coaches. Graeme, who leads the Active Schools sessions on Friday afternoons, said the club was delighted to engage with the local community and youngsters from Blackhall, Clermiston, Cramond and Davidson’s Mains primaries. He said: “Our qualified coaches, supported by senior Royal High pupils, lead the young athletes through an eight to ten-week block delivering a programme of fundamental athletics which will give the participants an understanding of basic techniques in running, jumping and throwing. “These fun sessions involve a mix of technique, practical skills and competition, and create a pathway into athletics for the participants. Such has been the success to date, that we are looking to expand the sessions in the future to provide further opportunities.” For more details on Active Schools sessions, visit www.joininedinburgh.org/sports/active-schools or check the club’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Wonderful update. And great achievements.