Temperatures were favourable at around 7C and overhead conditions just about perfect as the sun broke through after early morning rain, as the runners set off in the Lochaber Marathon at Fort William on Sunday 18th April. This race, superbly well organised by Lochaber AC and run in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, has been used as the Scottish Veteran Harriers Marathon Championship for a number of years now and this year’s race also incorporated the BMAF Championship.
From the start two fairly new members of the Vets fraternity, Stuart Kerr and Kerry Liam Wilson, both M35 and from SVHC, were at the front and setting the pace in this pleasant out and back course. The pair were together until just over a mile to go when Stuart managed to create a gap and finish 21 seconds up and win not only the Vets competition but also the overall race with both men setting personal bests.
In the women’s event Helen Ambrosen made her long journey worthwhile as she ran 3:18:31 to take the BMAF title with Susan Addison, in fine form recently, running 3:20:54 in 2nd place taking the SVHC title. Of special note was Ann Bath’s performance in winning the W60 title for the 3rd year in a row.
There were 49 BMAF finishers, mostly as one would expect from Scottish Veteran Harriers Club and there were many favourable comments regarding the high standard of organisation and support for the runners as well as the friendly atmosphere surrounding the race, run in a most spectacular environment.
Alastair Macfarlane
Scottish Veteran Harriers Club