The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Simpson into his stride
Flying start to year for Robbie
“I wish I could get into a really good quality 10km race to see how fast I could go” “It is a nice course and I enjoyed it, especially the off-road section”
Two days. Two victories. Two records.
The early 2014 statistics make good reading for Deeside athlete Robbie Simpson, who yesterday outclassed a record field of 371 runners to win the Lumphanan Detox 10km for the fifth year in a row.
Simpson’s time of 31min 17sec slashed 16sec off the previous course record set by fellow international Robert Russell (Central AC) in 2009.
The Great Britain mountain- running international’s impressive performance came just 24 hours after he set another record time in the Aonach Mor hill race at Torlundy, near Fort William.
Simpson is delighted with the start he has made to the new year.
He s aid: “I ’ m very pleased with both results. I didn’t feel tired at all after winning at Aonach Mor and I was surprised how comfortable I f elt at Lumphanan.
“I really wanted the 10km record, although I thought it was too slow in the early stages and at one point I thought I wouldn’t be able to make up the time.
“However, from about halfway onwards I knew I could do it.
“My training is going very well but I wish I could get into a really good quality 10km race to see how fast I could go with a bit of competition.”
Simpson finished more than 1km ahead of his nearest challenger yesterday, orienteering international John Rocke ( Aberdeen University), who was runner-up in 34:35, while Sam Burgess (Aberdeen AAC) took third position in 34:53.
Colin Dempster won the over-40 men’s prize when recording 37:35 while Ray Creswell (Aberdeen AAC) was the leading over-50year-old in 38:31.
Steph Provan (Deeside Runners) set a personal best time of 40: 54 to win the women’s prize when f i nishing 33rd overall.
She said: “My fastest 10km time previously was 42:44 at Balmoral.
“I normally do hill races but this was my second time at the Lumphanan 10km.
“Last year I did 43:47 so I’ve improved a bit.
“It is a nice course and I enjoyed it, especially the off-road section.
“It was only in the final kilometre that I heard I was leading and once I realised that I just had to keep it going.”
Choc Harris ( Garioch Road Runners) was second in 41:11, while Aberdeen’s Debbie Moore was a fur- ther 11sec behind in third spot.
Alford’s Carolyn Milne picked up the over-50 age group award when finishing fourth womanin 42:40. Catherine Macaslan was the leading over- 60 in 59:19.
Caithness athlete Andrew Douglas produced an excellent performance to win Wednesday’s Portobello Promethon four-mile road race ahead of a field of 326 runners.
The Edinburgh- based athlete, who finished sixth in the English Northern 10km road running championships at Clitheroe two days earlier, posted a time of 19min 5sec to finish 3sec ahead of Ross Houston (Central AC).
Nicola Duncan (Portobello) won the women’s race in 21:29, while Laura Dunn (Edinburgh AC) was second in 22:38.