The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Grandson of running legend Ritchie starting to make his mark
Athletics:
Banff Academy pupil Sunny McGrath is emerging as one of the north’s best young distance running prospects and when he needs advice the 15-year-old can turn at any time to one of the world’s greatest ultra distance athletes.
McGrath’s grandfather is Lossiemouth-based Donald Ritchie, who, during a long and eventful athletics career, broke world records for 50km, 40 miles, 50 miles, 100km, 150km, 100 miles, 200km and for running 24 hours indoors.
Ritchie’s world record of 6hr 10min 20sec for 100km equates to roughly 6min per mile and his 100 miles record of 11:30:51 breaks down into close to 7min per mile.
These were astonishing performances, as good in their own right, if not better, than anything the likes of Usain Bolt or Mo Farah have achieved at more popular and higher-profile distances. Ritchie has held more global records than any
“He also helps with my training by telling me about some of things he did”
other British athlete and it is little wonder that he was awarded an MBE for his services to athletics.
Now 73, he takes great pleasure in helping his grandson by driving him to races and offering the occasional word of wisdom.
McGrath is certainly showing signs of being capable of making his own mark on the athletics stage despite this being only his second season in the sport.
Last winter he won the under-15 division of the Scottish North District Cross-Country League and picked up a bronze medal in the Scottish cross-country championships.
He made his Scotland debut in the schools cross-country international at Margam Park in Wales where he finished 29th.
This season he has a 100% record in the North League, despite having moved up to the under-17 age group, with wins at Keith, Nairn and Evanton.
The youngster, who is a member of Deveron Harriers, is grateful for the help his grandad offers.
McGrath said: “He comes to all my races if he can. On the way there he’ll ask me what my plan for the race is then he’ll make some suggestions.
“He also helps with my training by telling me about some of the things he did when he was younger.”
McGrath, who lives in Sandend, is also an accomplished footballer having been on Aberdeen’s books as a youngster and is now part of the Deveronvale development team.
He said: “I played for Aberdeen but I was dropped when I was 12. My grandad and my PE teacher, Mrs McDonald, suggested I should try running as I liked doing it and about a year later I joined Deveron Harriers.
“I turned up for training at the Harriers and they said I was too young.
“However, I asked if I could do one session with them to let hem see me running and after that they let me join.
“They didn’t have to take me in, but they did, and I am grateful for that. I get good coaching there from George Rutten.”
McGrath has given himself some clear targets for the rest of the cross-country season, starting with the North league.
To be sure of winning the title he needs one more win from the remaining two fixtures at Thurso on January 27 and at Forres on February 10.
“They didn’t have to take me in, but they did, and I am grateful”
He said: ”At the start of the season I would have been happy with a top-three place as I am one of the younger runners in the age group. But now I want to win.
“I will, however, need to do the fourth race as I’ll miss the last one because I’ll be in Madrid at that time with Deveronvale on a football trip.
“We are playing a couple of local teams and will be visiting Real Madrid’s stadium.
“My other targets are to get a top seven placing at the Scottish interdistrict championships at Holyrood in January and at the national championships at Falkirk in February.”
Looking longer term McGrath aims to test himself against Britain’s best in his age group.
He said: “Next year at this time I’d like to go to Liverpool for the British championships and test myself at that level. That’s the sort of person I am. I want to see how I get on against the best.”
This coming weekend McGrath will be competing in the Scottish North District cross-country championships at Gordonstoun. He won the under-15 title last year but is aiming for under-17 success on Saturday.