Women’s record-holder rallies after illness

Deeside’s Steph Provan missed last year’s Illuminator head-torch race at Aboyne because of illness but the women’s course record-holder believes she is ready to make amends for that this weekend.

The Scotland hill running international won the top women’s prize at the inaugural race in 2015 when she completed the rugged 15 mile trail through a darkened Glen Tanar Forest in 2hr 2min 38sec.

Provan admits to being in at least as good form as she was three years ago, but isn’t making any predictions as to how she might fare.

She said “”I’m probably not at my best but I definitely feel a lot better than I have for a while and I’ll be going into this winter ready to train properly. I’m at least as fit as I was when I won the Illuminator in 2015 but it’s sometimes hard to tell.

“It’s a great race and I like it so much because it starts and finishes in Aboyne where I live. I know the course very well and I think that’s an advantage when it comes to doing it in the dark.

“I am so familiar with every part of it so I know where I am all the time and I know what’s ahead and where all the climbs are.

“There’s a real fun element to it although I am always very competitive.”

Provan’s rivals include her Deeside clubmate Sara Henry who won the women’s title last year in 2:05:33 and finished second in 2016 in a slightly faster 2:04:33. Henry has overcome health problems to take her place in the race.