Dumfries Running Club hosted their inaugural One-Hour Track Race last weekend at the David Keswick Athletics Centre.
Unlike standard races with a set distance, the challenge here was to complete as many 400m laps of the track as possible in 60 minutes, plus any additional metres covered. Â
 Two races were staged, one for novices trying the One Hour challenge for the first time and a race for Masters hoping to achieve UK Best Performances.
Ten runners participated, representing clubs from Southwest Scotland, Glasgow, Falkirk, Greenock and Scottish Veteran Harriers.
Neil Lafferty (M46) of Greenock Glenpark Harriers set a blistering pace in the Masters race, completing the most distance with 16536m, falling just short of a UK Best Performance.
Several groups and pairings evolved at times, running at similar paces. Most notable were Lisa Finlay (W54, Dumfries Running Club) and Fiona Matheson (W63, Falkirk Victoria Harriers), who ran excellently paced efforts across the hour – both setting UK Best Performances, with Fiona adding an enormous 4500m to the previous best!Â
 Running 30 to 40 laps can be a daunting challenge, both physically and mentally. However, the presence of lap counters, race marshals, and enthusiastic spectators provided a constant stream of support, lap times, and encouragement.
The atmosphere reached a crescendo at 59 minutes with the ringing of the ‘cow bells’, signalling the final sprint before the horn blast at 60 minutes. Marshalls marked the finishing positions while the measuring team finalised the completed distances.Â
  Current UK Best Performances are on the BMAF website (https://bmaf.org.uk/british-age-best-performances-for-the-one-hour-track-run/).
Several big distances remain from the 1970s. Of note is Bill Stoddart’s (Greenock) M40 distance of 18900m, run in Edinburgh in 1971. Only Nick Rose and Mo Farah’s world record better this! Le
With thanks to Jim Buchanan
Tags:
Dumfries Running Club, Fiona Matheson, Lisa Finlay, Masters Cross Country
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