The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Capacity field sets stage for Metro man to showcase form
Tom Brian is unable to defend his title in Sunday’s Fraserburgh half marathon but the Metro Aberdeen man is tipping his clubmate Jason Kelly to step up to the mark in the popular race, which has attracted a capacity field of 300 runners
Brian, who is the Metro club’s men’s captain, is recovering from setting a personal best marathon time of 2:30:57 in Frankfurt last month and will miss the Broch run.
In his absence, Kelly appears favourite to win if he reproduces the form which has led to a six-minute reduction in his personal best time over the past 12 months.
The Stonehaven-based athlete ran his quickest time of 1hr 12min 9sec to win October’s Loch Rannoch race when finishing 12 minutes ahead of his closest rival.
He also won the Dyce half marathon and finishedthirdbehindGreat Britain internationals Kris Jones (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) and Kyle Greig (Metro Aberdeen) in the Great Aberdeen Run.
Brian said: “Jason had a really good run at Rannoch and that shows he is in good shape and could probably win. He’s one of a good group at Metro just now, all of whom are improving. The bar keeps getting raised every time someone produces a good performance and that is driving us all on.”
Kelly has never previously competed in the Fraserburgh race but is in confident mood.
He said: “I’d obviously like to win and feel I’m capable of that but I see Tom Roche is also in the field and he has had some excellent results this season and is more than capable of producing a fast time.”
Roche (JS Kintore), from Oldmeldrum, is undoubtedly going to be one of Kelly’s closest challengers. The Scottish masters marathon champion has been enjoying a successful year having won the Peterhead half marathon in a course record 1:16:19 before taking top spot in the inaugural Deveron Valley half marathon.
He also won the Dundee half marathon but his fastest time of 1:13:54 came when finishing second behind Scotland international Robbie Simpson in the Kinloss to Lossiemouth race.
Veteran Keith Buchan will be hoping to roll back the years by producing a competitive performance. The Fraserburgh Running Club member won his hometown race in 2006 but has remained a strong performer in recent years as shown by his victory in the 2017 Peterhead half marathon.
Others hoping to make an impression include the Aboyne Illuminator night race winner Matthew Milne and his Metro Aberdeen clubmate Dwayne Batt.