Kildonan hill is easy for Dave’s old knees
Mollie and Jamie mop up other prizes
Usually the sun is shining but this year it was a wet night on Tuesday for this year’s Kildonan Fun Run.
But 14 hardy athletes dusted down their running shoes to hit the starting line and it stayed remarkably dry for the duration of the race.
Organisers said they were pleased with the turnout given the weather conditions and were happy to see five juniors taking part which bode well for the future.
Injury
First home was Dave Black, back from injury after missing last year’s race and completing the tough four-mile course in 27min 12sec.
He said: ‘Last year I couldn’t run at all because of old duffed knees. This evening I won a running race. That is truly a privilege and I am grateful that my old duffy knees can now manage right up to High Kildonan at all, especially in a faster time than anyone else.’
First female home was Kildonan’s own Mollie Maclean, who crossed the line in a sprint finish with boyfriend Tom Galbraith in a tied time of 33min 47sec. The first junior home was Jamie Worthington in a time of 35min 11sec.
The run is held as part of Kildonan Fun Week and events continue every day until Saturday.
Isla McKinnon of the Arran Junior Triathlon Club (AJTC) has earned herself a podium finish in her first ever triathlon at the Scottish National Youth Championships.
Finishing in third place and just 30 seconds behind the second placed competitor, Isla battled against more than 300 children at the third Scottish National Youth Championships at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow which was hosted by the Fusion Triathlon Club.
Held in partnership with Triathlon Scotland, the national governing body for triathlon, the event for children aged between eight and 16 took place in good racing conditions with temperatures reaching above 20 degrees by the afternoon. Racing distances varied according to the age groups but the category in which Isla competed, the TriStar Start 8-years, comprised a 50m swim, 1.4km bike ride and a 600m running course.
Isla moved up through the field throughout the bike section and then put in a great run to secure the final spot on the champions podium.
The achievement is all the more special for young Isla as it was the first triathlon that she has competed in since joining the AJTC less than six months ago. During this time she has also competed in a swimathon – which involves the two disciplines of swimming and running – where she took second place in her age category.
Having only been formed in 2016 the AJTC has already made its mark in the triathlon world by producing a number of national level athletes and their own triathlon, the Island-2-Island Festival.