Call to halt merger amid ‘crisis’
to get his hopes up. But this month, against the odds, Ewan competed in a race for the first time since the crash, finishing third in the Dunoon 10k in Argyll and Bute.
Ewan found his love for running through trying to lose weight.
At 15, he transitioned from a selfconfessed, out-of-shape teenager to one of the fastest distance runners in Scotland.
“I began running to lose weight and get fit because I was always heavier when I was younger.
“I fell in love with it. I found myself running every single night then I started challenging myself and timing myself.”
Ewan immersed himself in the world of distance running, earning a reputation in his hometown Lochgilphead as being “the guy in the shorts always running”.
Ewan and his mum would regularly sit together and watch Mo Farah’s races — with his mum taping it for him if he was unable to watch it live.
Ewan felt a sense of emptiness without racing in his life, but he’s optimistic about the future.
He said: “I’m just so glad to be back competing. I don’t want to jinx it but this could be me injuryfree now.
“I just can’t wait to start training with Central Athletics. It’s been torture living and studying in Stirling and not being able to run with them.”
Ewan may yet realise his childhood dream of competing at the Olympics. He said: “I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I want to take it one step at a time… literally. “But you never know.” Ewan’s physiotherapist Morag Fraser, from the Framework Clinics in Bridge of Allan, said: “I can see why previous physios and doctors told him he might never race at a high level again. The burnt scar tissue around his Achilles heel was tight and affecting his running. In order to run at pace there needs to be elasticity in the ankle.
“But I think Ewan, being the athlete he is, became more and more determined every time he was told he couldn’t do something.” OPPOSITION parties have joined together to call for the merger of transport policing in Scotland with the national force to be halted due to the “crisis” in Police Scotland.
The call comes a day after Police Scotland’s chief constable announced he is temporarily stepping aside as two allegations against him of gross misconduct – one from a senior officer on the force executive – are investigated.
Phil Gormley denies the accusations.
The Scottish Conservatives have been long-standing opponents of integrating British Transport Police in Scotland with the national force and are now calling for the plans to be frozen, backed by the Scottish Liberal Democrats.