The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Delight for Strachan as he smashes time barrier
● 28-year-old is first Aberdeen athlete to post sub-14 minute 5k
Cameron Strachan has taken a big step up in class by becoming the first Aberdeen athlete to crack the 14-minute barrier for 5km – and there could be more to come from the 28-year-old.
The Metro club member recorded 13:58 when representing Scotland in the Armagh 5km road race and helped his country claim victory in the international team competition.
The race through the small Northern Ireland town, 33 miles south west of Belfast, has a reputation for fast times and this year’s event was no different as an astonishing 135 men ran under 15 minutes.
Strachan, whose previous best was 14:41, finished 18th with Adam Clarke (Aldershot, Farnham and District) winning in 13:42.
The previous fastest time by any Aberdeen runner on any surface was Ian Matheson’s 14:18.90 on the track in 1989.
Strachan said: “I was pretty certain I could smash my previous best as my training had gone so well. I didn’t like to say too much beforehand but I knew I was in good shape.
“I believed I could run about 14:10 but certainly didn’t expect to be under 14 minutes. The race was unbelievable.
“You constantly have lots of guys round about you and if you slowed down at any point, the people behind would be pushing you in the back. It was just a blur of runners the whole way.
“It was difficult to know how fast we were going. It was a five-lap course and I was listening to the commentator at the end of each lap as he was shouting out times for the leaders so I had an idea it was going well.
“With about 200m to go I could see the clock at the finish and realised I could get under 14 if I was able to dig in. I’d have been annoyed if it had been 14 as 13 sounds so much better.”
Jamie Crowe was first Scot, ninth in 13:53. Aberdeen AAC’s James Hoad finished 60th, 14:28, a time he shared with Strathpeffer athlete Hamish Hickey.
Megan Keith (Inverness Harriers) was also in outstanding form when setting an under-20 women’s course record of 9:24 in the women’s 3km.
Denmark’s European under-23 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase champion Anna Emilie Moller won in 8:58, while 17-year-old Milburn Academy pupil Keith finished ninth overall with an Inverness Harriers’ club record at under-20 and senior level.
Her Inverness clubmate Jenny Bannerman sliced five seconds off her previous best with 9:34 for 21st position. Teenager Lucas Cairns (Inverness Harriers) finished 18th in the men’s 3km, clocking a PB and club under-17 record of 8:55.