City marathon’s a championship
Event runs from strength to strength
The Stirling Scottish Marathon has been awarded championship status in just its second year.
The event will double up as the Scottish Marathon Championships 2018 after recognition by the Road Running and Cross Country Commission.
This means that medals will be up for grabs for those racing as both individuals and a team when the event comes to town on April 19. All runners with a valid Scottish Athletics membership will be eligible.
The Scottish Championships were previously held as part of the London Marathon, and before that at the Loch Ness Marathon in Inverness for five years while also taking place in Edinburgh and Lochaber.
The city’s first-ever marathon earlier this year saw 6500 people sign up to take part – with Scottish Olympian Andrew Lemoncello winning the event and Lesley Pirie being the first female winner.
And the 2018 event will see runners take in a new route which organisers say showcases the best of the area’s scenery and landscape, and now incorporates a stretch of the Hillfoots Road.
Paul Foster, chief executive officer of the Great Run Company, said: “Stirling is a perfect home for the championships.
“We look forward to welcoming the best athletes and clubs from all over Scotland to Stirling in April, and to a fantastic race.”
Mark Munro, chief executive of Scottish Athletics said: “Following discussion, the Road Running and Cross Country Commission have decided to take the 2018 Scottish Marathon Championships to Stirling after a couple of years at the London Marathon.
“I think the first Stirling Scottish Marathon earlier this year caught the imagination of many runners and, with its Central Scotland location, proved very accessible and popular.
“We hope this decision will encourage a really strong entry for Stirling from our clubs and the race for team medals could be as exciting as the battle for the individual podium places.”
The Stirling Scottish Marathon became one of the UK’s biggest marathons in its first year and Stirling Council leader Scott Farmer, believes that next year it can be even better.”
He said: “It is fantastic news that Stirling has been chosen as the location to bring the Scottish Marathon Championships back home to Scotland.
“Last year’s inaugural Stirling Marathon proved to be hugely successful, helping to attract a large number of visitors to the region and promoting Stirling to an international audience.
“The addition of the Scottish Marathon Championships in 2018 will broaden the event’s appeal even wider, as we seek to make the Stirling Scottish Marathon the leading marathon in Scotland.”
Tory councillor for Stirling East Bryan Flannagan is taking part in the event next year and he added: “Excellent news and a real boost for the status of our great marathon. I am looking forward to running my first marathon at next year’s event and this will make it even more fun.
“At last week’s council meeting I extended an invitation to all the other councillors to run the marathon with me, so far no one has definitely said that they won’t, so you never know.”
Councillor Flannagan, a retired naval officer, added: “Challenge yourself. There are still places available. There is a saying that the hardest part of any race is putting your shorts and trainers on, and we will see, but a marathon is as much mental stamina as it is physical. It will be ough but I will do my best.
“I would encourage people to sign up and spend the coming months doing some training and raising money for a good cause.”
The Observer reported earlier this year that the inaugural marathon, which saw sporting legends such as Liz McColgan and Zola Budd take part, boosted the Stirling economy by more than £1 million.