Stornoway Running and Athletics Club

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Bank of Scotland Stornoway Half Marathon Results
Saturday 24th May 2003 - Photo Gallery - Full Results

The 2003 Bank of Scotland Stornoway Half Marathon was a great success. This year, the entry for the Half Marathon was more than a hundred runners, with another 90 taking part in the accompanying Family Fun Run. Pre-race favourite and past winner Phil Mowbray of Hunters Bog Trotters blew the rest of the field away with a very fast start, opening up a commanding lead that was not to be closed by the chasing pack. However, competition throughout the field was good and keenly contested as runners ran for category placings and all-important Personal Best times!

The local entry was also very encouraging, with several experiencing a feeling of achievement, crossing the finishing line as debutante ‘half marathoners’ and in the process raising hundreds of pounds for charity. Within the first half mile, the crowd watched on in amazement as Mowbray of HBT opened a lead of over 150 metres! At this point there was a moment of fame for one of Stornoway Karate Club’s relay runners. He set off after the leader much to the bemusement of Dave Wright and Simon Axon, both of the now very regular visiting team, HBT. Behind them followed a number of good club runners, including Terry Coyle of Scottish Veteran Harriers and last year’s winner, Graeme Jervis of Forres Harriers. Interestingly in the team category, HBT, Forres Harriers, and Stornoway Running and Athletics Club started and finished the race grouped in packs of three in that order.

Mowbray’s powerful start gave him a halfway advantage of almost three minutes when entering Lews Castle Grounds. Over this undulating part of the course, he stretched his lead over Dave Wright to finish in a winning time of one hour, 10 minutes, and 53 seconds.

The ladies category was also a decisive victory to Megan Clark of HBT, who finished 13 minutes clear of her nearest rival, Heather McIntosh of York. Heather also won the ladies veterans prize. The men’s veterans category was an altogether closer affair, with Simon Axon of HBT taking the prize ahead of Simon Mackenzie.

The closest-fought category was for the first local male runner, with ‘Bom’ Mackay, SRAC, leading club mates’ Roderick Gillies, Douglas Flett and Ruari Maciver (running for Serpentine Running Club, although originally from Laxay). Through the castle grounds five-and-half-mile section of the race, the aptly-named ‘Bom’ once again ‘blew up’, with Dougie Flett overtaking on the Deer Park and Roderick chasing after Flett, overtaking at the Creed Mouth. But the efforts of race organiser Gillies were not to be enough, as Flett ran to victory in a time of one hour, 25 minutes, and 47 seconds. A well-deserved victory after many attempts on the local course.

The race for the first local ladies spot was a little more emphatic, with victory going to Lynn Johnson, ahead of training partner Mandy Murray. Other local participants included charity runners Janet Macleod and Sandra Campbell who raised more than £800 for Macmillan Cancer Relief, and whose joy could not be contained as they crossed the line together, having finished their first half marathon. Another emotional finish was that of Chrisann Maciver, whose family waited for her at the running track and ran the last 200 metres together.

Runners attended the race from all corners of the UK, such as Skye and Lochalsh, Troon, Lytham St Annes and London. The furthest travelled competitor was SRAC runner Amie Dworecki, who flew in from the States especially to run the event. Her efforts were rewarded by a PB time of three and a half
minutes improvement. Other club runners who travelled were busy registering runners
en-route on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry.