Edinburgh 10 Miles, 1985
There have been many road races in Scotland that were recognised as 'classics' - races run over the same course for 30, 40, 50 or more years where the times of the various greats of the event could be compared. In winter, the Nigel Barge and the GU Road Race joined the Edinburgh to Glasgow and the McAndrew as must-do races. In summer there were Shotts, Dunblane, Balloch to Clydebank, Clydebank to Helensburgh, Gourock and Strathallan as the events that you had to do. Some have lasted with changes of name - the Springburn Cup became the Jack Crawford memorial - and others have lasted with changed trails. In the case of the latter, it's the traditional Tom Scott trail, the 20/21 mile Strathallan course, the real and original Nigel Barge course. The question is - how many of the routes are still runnable? Once we have the route and the memories, it might still be possible for a runner to go out on a Sunday morning and make his way swiftly on his own or with a friend or two, over the classic Tom Scott or other course. Is the Barge still able to be covered on foot? Can we get round the GU 5 without any major detours. The police might stop hundreds or even dozens of athletes running round Plains in Lanarkshire on a Saturday afternoon but who's to stop a couple of friends out for a social jog or a cut-throat 'training run'? You do get fed up running round Business Parks and Public Parks!
The first to be covered was the Tom Scott from Law to Motherwell where Joe Small of Monklands and Clyde Valley wrote of the event. By the way, if you have a favourite road race that you consider a classic of its kind, let me know: the only stipulation is that must have been run over at least 25 years whether or not it still exists! We then added the three from the west end of Glasgow: the McAndrew Relay, the Nigel Barge and the Glasgow University Race. If anyone out there has any pictures or information or stories, I'd be delighted to have them! Email address is ardbruach@btinternet.com. Meanwhile, Charles Bannerman in Inverness and Colin Youngson wrote a review of some North of Scotland races that can be found in the Northern Classics section. The McAndrew Relay is now on site and can be accessed from the link below - there will be a page of comments and memories from some of the runners later. The first part of the story of the GU Road Race is now up, and the memories of Alastair Douglas and Colin Youngson of the race are in place and can be via that page. The report on the Edinburgh to North Berwick is fairly short - largely because it has an excellent website in its own right run by Brian Howie and it would be pointless to duplicate it. Finally there is an initial write up of the Strathallan 22 and 14 mile races. The Dunky Wright is here - born 1972 and still going strong. We also have a unique take on the Morpeth to Newcastle, with some trips to Byker thrown in, by Colin Youngson. The most recent are the 10K - OK which was a women's race in Glasgow in the 1980's - it only lasted for ten years but it was hugely significant and people still talk of the 10K - OK, and the Strathkelvin Luddon Half Marathon..
