Major breakthrough for Inverness athlete over 3000 metres
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Stephen MacKay celebrated a major career breakthrough with a silver medal, also placing as first Scot, in Friday’s Scottish indoor 3000m championships at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.
And after the race, where he set a 14-second personal best, the 27-year-old Inverness runner paid tribute to summer training partners, Olympians Laura Muir and Andy Butchart.
Leader from the start in this open championship was English runner James McMurray of St Albans. With the gold settled early, the battle was then on among a group of five home athletes for the silver medal and the accolade of top Scot.
First to break for home, with 1000m to go, was Dundee’s James Donald but with 600m remaining, which he covered in 92 seconds, Scottish outdoor 800m silver medallist MacKay stepped up a gear and swept past his opponent with a final 200 metres of 30 seconds.
“It was really good,” said MacKay. “
“It was 66 seconds per 400 for the first 2k and then I just moved on into that last 1000m. That was the race plan, so it felt very good.
“My personal best before was 8:27. That was a big chunk off and I was expecting a decent personal best here.” MacKay is now reaping major rewards after a nightmare 2017 with a series of injuries.
His current run of form began last summer when he took Scottish outdoor 800m silver in 1:51.04 and then broke the 36-year-old Inverness Harriers 1500m club record when he ran 3:47.59 to reach the final of the British Championships.
Three build up races for this 3000m championship at 800m, 2000m and 3000m included his previous 3000 best of 8:27.56 in Cardiff last month.
He was also quick to acknowledge the input of Muir and Butchart, for whom he acted as a training partner in Switzerland in May and in the Pyrenees in September respectively.
“I’ve had a big change in mindset,” he said.
“I went away to St Moritz with Laura and that was a big eye-opener as to what hard training really is and how much you can push yourself.
“Then I had another spell with Butchie in September and I’ve just built on that and my runs have been getting better.”
In the age group championships there was under-17 silver for Lucas Cairns a week in advance of his appearance for Scotland in that age group in Stirling. Cairns ran a 10-second personal best of 9:10.99.
Julie Wilson took over-50 women’ gold in 11:51.89.
