Maryburgh athlete runs into the Inverness Harriers record books again winning 10k at Forres
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SEAN Chalmers set a new club record on his way to winning the Back to Basics 10k Road Race at Forres.
The Inverness Harrier claimed victory with a time of 29 minutes and 55 seconds, going under the 30-minute barrier for the first time in his career.
He beat Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Robbie Simpson of Deeside who had to settle for silver 12 seconds behind with 30:07 after both men were in front together early on.
Scottish internationalist Kenny Wilson of Moray Road Runners claimed bronze as he finished a distant third in 31:22.
Chalmers took second place in the previous weekend’s Scottish Athletics short course cross country national invitation race at Scone Palace.
He was more than content with his first foray below 30 minutes for 10k.
“I’ve been training hard for that for a long time, trying to get it,” he said.
“I feel I’ve been in sub-30 shape for a few months.
“I was just trying to get the right race.
“It was good to have Robbie and Kenny out here today which made it a really quality field for a sub-30.
“That’s three races on the trot now.
“My legs are beginning to feel it a bit now with all the travelling and the racing.”
Meanwhile, Inverness Harrier Jenny Bannerman was the top performing female athlete, crossing the line in 35:08.
She just missed the women’s record by six seconds and her own personal best by 16 seconds.
She was over two minutes ahead of Catriona Fraser of Inverness who ran 37:22 and Kirstie Rogan of Moray in 37:36.
She said that she was happy to produce a fast time in an event so near to home after such a lengthy period of sparse competition.
“Normally I would have been racing the Telford 10k today, but it’s brilliant to get such a good event so close to home,” she said.
“It was a bit of a lonely race towards the back of a group of very fast men but I just dug in and was pleased to get so close to my best.
“I knew I was close to the course record but as I came round the last corner, I realised that I was just going to miss it.”
The free-to-enter event was the product by the organiser, Paul Rogan of Moray Road Runners who, apart from the normal problems of race organisation, also had to meet a wide range of Covid protocols.
He hopes that the event marks another step towards the return of competition.
He said: “Road racing is definitely on its way back.
“We’ve got this framework now, and we’ve proved that we can put these events on safely.”
