The men’s masters M40 team retained their title amid another strong Corstorphine showing at the National Road Relay Championships.
The six-man team – Malcolm Laing, Ally Brockie, Tom Ferrington, Chris Poxton, Chris O’Brien and Ian Hutchison – finished 1min 49secs ahead of Metro Aberdeen to land the gold.
CAAC’s men’s M50 quartet of Keith Hood, Alan Cunningham, Stuart Campbell and Iain Macleod were also in the medals, scooping silver behind Cambuslang.
CAAC M50 Team | Scottish Athletics 6/4 Stage Relays 2023 | Copyright Bobby Gavin
Dermot Cummins, Ewan Brown, Tom Cunningham, Calum McKenzie, Donald Macaulay and James Dunn just missed out on the podium in the men’s seniors race as they came home in 4th spot.
And the women’s seniors comprising Kirstian Macaulay, Sophie Collins, Kara McKenzie-Tait and Daisy Rae also ran a strong race to finish 10th last weekend at St Margaret’s Academy in Livingston.
Men’s M40 member Chris O’Brien, who ran the fifth leg, said: “I was chuffed to be given the nod for the ‘A’ team given we have such strength in depth within the age group. I just hoped I could justify my place.
“I set my sights on a few vests that started close by but, as I reached Almondvale, I was caught by a runner in a Metro Aberdeen vest. I dug in as hard as I could to stay as close as possible for Ian Hutchison to be in with a shout.
“Having jogged up the course to warm down, I saw the very welcome sight of Ian with a broad smile in full flow with Metro nowhere to be seen.”
Chris has been running with CAAC since he was nine, and the close-knit bond with team-mates has helped to create and maintain friendships to this day.
He recalled: “I remember standing over a particularly sweaty teenage Tom Ferrington at Corstorphine Primary School, mid circuit training, when he joined one winter!
“Our ages and abilities evened up and in our late teens we started training together. Lots of hard running on and off the track – and maybe a few beers – have resulted in many good friendships being forged.”
CAAC F40 Team