Abu-Rezeq Faces Tough Challenge in Quest for Marathon Record

Pirie is favourite to land women’s title

Winner of the 2016 Loch Ness Marathon, Mohammad Abu-Rezeq in a time of 2:20:52.

Twelve months ago Jordanian runner Mohammad Abu-Rezeq, left, produced an impressively composed performance to win the Baxters Loch Ness marathon then vowed to return and break the course record in 2017.

The Altrincham-based athlete gets the chance to live up to that promise on Sunday when he lines up alongside thousands of other enthusiastic competitors in the 16th edition of the Highland race.

Abu-Rezeq was only 39secs adrift of Kenyan athlete Simon Tonui’s 2009 record when winning in 2hr 20min 52secs last September on his debut at the distance. He claimed that had it not been for a slight injury picked up on a training run prior to the race he would have bettered Tonui’s time.

He said: “I hoped to run faster, but I hurt my leg which was a problem for me. It was painful after about 10 miles and slowed me down. I went through halfway in about 68mins, so I know if it hadn’t been for the injury I would have easily broken the record. I know I can go much faster.”

Abu-Rezeq hasn’t run another marathon since then but has been showing good form over shorter distances during the year with victories in the We Love Manchester 10km and in half marathons at Leeds Chester and Wilmslow.

The Jordanian faces a potentially strong challenge, however, from veteran Kenyan athlete Isaiah Kosgei who has set his sights on making a winning comeback after a decade’s absence from top level competition.
Kosgei, 42, is excited about making his first trip to Scotland and although he knows he will not get close to his best time of 2hr 12min 48sec, he is confident of challenging the course record.

Aberdeen runner Myles Edwards, who along with fellow athlete Peter Wilson, has helped bring Kosgei over for the marathon, is excited about the Kkenyan’s prospects. He said:”Kosgei was a top class competitor until about 10 years ago and he raced successfully in 10kms, half marathons and marathons all over Europe. He has been preparing specifically for the Baxters Loch Ness marathon and although he knows he can’t emulate the times he achieved in the past, he is confident of running close to 2:20. He says he’s in decent shape and, as he has gained fitness, he has become increasingly motivated. He is really focussed on the marathon and wants to do well.”

Patryk Gierjatowicz (Hunters Bog Trotters) returns for another attempt at taking top spot. The Edinburgh-based Pole finished second last year. It was the fourth year in a row that he has featured in the top three but that first win has so far eluded him. He was second behind Tarus Elly in 2013 and second behind Tomas Abyu in 2014 before taking third position in 2015.

Kyle Greig (Metro Aberdeen Running Club) should also be in the mix. The Aberdeen Sports Village Health and Fitness Manager was third last year but has been in fine form since making his Great Britain debut in the world ultra-trail running championships earlier this summer.He completed his preparations by winning the Crathes half marathon last weekend.

Central AC’s Jenn Wetton will not defend the women’s title for a very good reason. She said: “I am 18 weeks pregnant so decided a marathon might be a bit much. I had hoped to come up for the 10km but my parents are retiring at the weekend so we are having a family get-together.”

Stirling marathon champion Lesley Pirie (Victoria Park Glasgow), who has a best time of 2:41:04 set at the 2016 London marathon now appears to be favourite and she could test the women’s record of 2:44:50 set by Fife’s Megan Crawford in 2015

The Inverary athlete showed good form to win the Stirling marathon earlier in the year when clocking 2:47:36 over a relatively challenging course.

Hazel Wyness who recorded her best time of 2:56:28 at this year’s London marathon, when she was a member of the Metro Aberdeen side which won the British team title, should also be among the front runners. Wyness was 16th at Loch Ness two years ago, but has improved significantly since then.

Other contenders for a podium position include Joanna Murphy (Carnegie Harriers), who has a best time of 3:01:32 from London in April, and American runner Laura Bowman from Mammoth Lakes in California who has run some fast 10km times this year.

Cambuslang’s Erica Christie is one of five runners to have competed in all 15 previous Baxters Loch Ness marathons and she’ll be there again on Sunday with three of the others – Fiona Rennie (Carnegie Harriers), Kenneth Stewart (Perth Road Runners) and Lucy Mackay (Bellahouston Road Runners).

Christie finished second in the women’s division of the inaugural Baxters race in 2002. Her quickest Loch Ness time of 3:06:51 was set when finishing fourth in 2009 and her slowest of 3:18:47 came in 2013 when she was second in the over-50 age group. She was first over-50 in 2014, second in 2015 when recording 3:16:00 and first again last year in 3:16:33. That’s impressive consistency.

Local competitors in the marathon will be competing for the HSPC Gerald Cooper Memorial Trophy which is presented to the first Highland runner across the finish line. It was won last year by Inverness man Paul Smith

The race boasts a generous prize kitty with £1,500 on offer for the first man and woman to complete the course while cash prizes are available for the top five finishers. There’s also generous voucher awards for leading masters runners in the over-40, 50 and 60 age divisions.

Baxters Loch Ness Marathon Course Records
Men: Simon Tonui (Kenya) 2hr 20min 13sec (2009)
Women: Megan Crawford (Fife AC) 2hr 44min 50secs (2015)

JONES AND GYURKO HEAD TOP CLASS FIELD IN BAXTERS RIVER NESS 10Km

Welshman Kristian Jones appears to be the favourite to win the men’s title in the Baxters River Ness 10km which has attracted a top class domestic field.

The Tayside-based runner, who represents Dundee Hawkhill Harriers, enjoyed a successful summer season during which he won the Scottish 5,000m and 10,000m track titles. He set his fastest 10,000, track time of 29min 5.66secs at Highgate in May and represented Great Britain in the European Cup 10,000m at Minsk, but failed to finish.

There’s no doubt Jones has the potential to threaten the course record of 29:35 set by Shettleston’s Amanuel Hagos in 2008, but only if he has fully recovered from taking third position in last weekend’s Ring of Steall 29km mountain marathon at Glen Coe.

There are a number of other runners who are capable of challenging for top spot.
Neil Renault (Edinburgh AC) has won for the past two years and he is keen to complete his hat-trick, while Logan Rees (Fife AC), who was silver medallist in the Scottish 10km championships at Stirling earlier in the month, will be another strong contender.

Great Aberdeen Run 10km winner Kenny Wilson (Moray Road Runners), who was fifth at River Ness in 2016, is aiming to improve on that after setting a personal best time of 30:46 for fourth position at the Scottish championships.

John Newsom (Inverness Harriers), who is working back to full fitness following a serious injury earlier in the year, will be aiming to maintain his record of consistency in the race. The Nairn-based runner won in 2013 and was third last year and again in 2014.

Aberdeen AAC’s Will Mackay, a two-time Scottish 10,000m track champion, is another regular in this race, having finished second in 2015 and fourth last year while Ali Hay (Central AC), a Scotland Commonwealth Games 1500m representative in 2010, is another who will be hoping to make an impact.

Fanni Gyurko 
Picture: Paul Campbell

Scotland-based Hungarian international Fanni Gyurkó (Central AC),left, will defend her title in the women’s race but she faces some formidable opposition led by Jenny Bannerman (Inverness Harriers).

Bannerman won the River Ness race in 2014 but was beaten into second place by Gyurkó last year. However, the Inverness runner posted her fastest time for over a year, 35:42, when picking up the bronze medal in the Scottish 10km championships at Stirling recently when Gyurkó was 54secs behind.

Bannerman warned, however, against reading too much into Gyurkó’s Stirling performance. She said: “Fanni is training for the Frankfurt marathon in October and she told me she had run 30km the day before the Stirling race, which is incredible.”

Bannerman heads a strong Inverness squad which also includes teenager Emily Andrew,15, who is tackling her first 10km after winning the River Ness 5km last year.

Aberdeen AAC’s Nicola Gauld, who was fourth at Stirling in 36:12, has never won the River Ness race but is never far away when the prizes are being distributed. The 2017 Scottish masters 5,000m track champion was second in 2012 and 2013, third in 2015 and fourth last year.

English athlete Dani Nimmock could, however, pose a threat to them all as she has a best time of 35:29 set when winning a 10km in Norwich earlier in the year.

Cash awards go to the top three men and women in the Baxters River Ness 10Km with voucher awards to the leading three over-40,50 and 60 age group men and women.

Baxters River Ness 10K Course Records
Men: Amanuel Hagos (Shettleston) 29min 35secs (2008)
Women: Cathy Mutwa (Kenya) 33min 46sec (2006)

Race Director Malcolm Sutherland is looking forward to an exciting day at the festival of running. He said: “More than 3,800 people have signed up for the marathon while in excess of 2,500 are doing the 10km, including 24 teams in the Corporate Challenge.

“We have more than 1,300 other runners of all ages in the accompanying Baxters River Ness 5km and the Wee Nessie run. We expect additional numbers in these two runs as we’ll take some entries on the weekend. It’s all a far cry from our first year when there were 600 runners taking part and we only had the marathon at that time.

“The marathon is held over a stunning route along the shores of Loch Ness and runners travel from all over the world to take part with 45% of our marathoners coming from outside Scotland, 13% of whom are from overseas.

“USA, France and Germany are the most represented overseas countries in the marathon but we have competitors travelling from across Europe as well as from Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong.

“We are delighted to see runners of all ages taking part in what is truly a wonderful family day out. Our oldest marathon participant is 79 and the oldest in the 10km is 84. We try to cater for participants of all levels of ability and experience. Everyone is treated in the same friendly and supportive way and they’ll all enjoy a wonderful Highland reception.”

“There’s a superb atmosphere at the races with huge number of people turning out to watch and cheer on the competitors, particularly at the finish in Bught Park where the Event Village is located. As usual there will be plenty of activities at the Village to keep everyone entertained and there is always a fantastic atmosphere around the finish area.”