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With Niall McGill

Perth Road Runners marched into 2018 with a spring in their step.

Eleven green vests spent New Year’s Day at Camperdown Parkrun where Stuart Robertson was first Fair City member home and fourth overall in a time of 18:49.

He was followed in Dundee by Kevin Riddell in 19:49 and James Fotheringham in 22:04.

Fabienne Thompson was first for the Perth females and seventh overall in 23:37, followed by Gillian Edwards in 24:54 and Arlene McWalter in 39:07.

All 11 then made their way back to the North Inch and joined 20 other road runners at Perth Parkrun.

Robertson continued his fine form as first road runner home and fourth overall in 18:06 with Riddell following in 19:11 and Fotheringham in 20:58.

For the females it was Marlena Nowaczyk who was first Perth runner in 22:15 and fourth overall with Thompson sixth overall in 22:33 and Edwards in 23:35.

In east Perthshire, 12 road runners crossed over to Blairgowrie for the Fun Run - including four who had completed both the Camperdown and Perth parkruns.

No official results were released but Duncan Ryan was fourth overall and first male vet earning him a prize for the day.

Elsewhere, two Perth runners joined up with a member of Perth Triathlon Club to make a relay team for the New Year’s Day Triathlon in Edinburgh.

Jo Connell swam the 400m, Caroline Ness cycled three laps of Arthur’s Seat and Sara Baillie ran one lap of Arthur’s Seat. The team came 11th out of 18.

Also on New Year’s Day, husband and wife team Caroline and Stephen Jones completed both Eglinton and Ayr parkruns.

Caroline was first female in both runs with times of 22:31 and 23:07 respectively. Stephen crossed the line in 22:44 and 24:09.

Earlier in the week five road runners laced up their trainers to take on Forfar’s Plum Pudding Plod.

Peter Ritchie, Steph Boyd, Anne Stewart, Robin Wombill and Fiona Morrison all made their way around the 2.75 mile fun run.

In Aviemore, on Saturday, Jane Dernie was the sole green vest at their Parkrun, finishing in a time of 33:24.

Also doing a spot of parkrun tourism were Paul Grace and Daile Sipple, who ran the Camperdown Parkrun in Dundee in 22:09 and 27:07 respectively.

Back in Perth 36 road runners were in attendance down the North Inch among 230 participants.

Myles Bax was first across the line in a time of 17:31 followed by Duncan Ryan, who was fourth overall in 18:20 and Richard Ward in 19:49.

First female road runner home was Marlena Nowaczyk - also third female overall - with a time of 21:21. She was followed by Catriona Liddell in 26:16 and Ella Webley in 26:26.

On Hogmanay Neil Muir took to the paths of the Chilly Willy Hogmanay Trail Race. Limited to just 50 runners, he was fifth overall in 16:52 over the approximately four mile route.