Determined duo in national squad call Perth runners set to compete at top Masters event
Two Perth Road Runners will pull on the Scotland vest at the British and Irish Masters International.
The hard work of determined duo Duncan Ryan and Stuart Robertson has paid off with a call-up to the 50-55 age group’s national cross country squad.
Now they are in training ahead of making the Aintree trip where they’ll come up against the best from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Duncan, who two weeks ago won his age category at the Great Scottish Run half-marathon, is looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever had anything like this,” he said. “It’s only really in the last three or four years that I have got a bit more competitive about it.
“My times have got to the stage of winning things and picking up prizes. It has been something that I didn’t really think about, to be honest.
“Both myself and Stuart are lucky in that we’re in a good position having just both turned 50 in the last couple of months.
“In the last few weeks Stuart came first in the Scottish 10k and, at the Great Scottish Run, I became the Scottish Half Marathon road champ.
“It’s nice to have two Scottish champions from the road runners. There’s a real strong batch of vets and super vets within the club.
“As individuals it’s great to have people at the club who you can use to help push you along. It’s a unique spell for the road runners.”
There is a sense of heading into the unknown for Duncan but he expects the English team will be the ones to topple.
“I’m not quite sure what to expect of the course,” explained Duncan. “There’s a lot of pride and we want to make sure we do our best.
“The Scotland team looks pretty strong and it’s nice to be able to take part in a team event, because most of the running you do is for yourself.
“The English team is going to be the one to beat, because of the strength and depth that they have.
“Having looked at the last couple of years of results, the England team usually are the strongest. But we’ll be trying to work as a team.
“That can help in a cross country race, when you’re in a group.”
Duncan hopes his inclusion with the national set-up will be the first of many. His competitive edge for running personal bests is growing all of the time.
“In the last couple of years I’m actually training less,” he said. “It’s down to the fact that you have got a little older and the training is quality stuff.
“I’m usually out four days a week. But because of the work I do and having kids and a wife, I go out at 6am. All those dark hours have paid dividends.
“There’s a real competitive edge to continue to improve. Since the start of 2019, I’ve broken every personal best that I had.
“That competitive edge is getting stronger if anything else.
“Now that I’ll get a taste for this event - hopefully it goes well - then it’s something that you want to try and continue to achieve.
“There’s always the opportunity that it might lead to other competitions with Scotland teams.”