Aburezeq and Kosgei Promise Record Breaking Runs at Baxters Loch Ness Marathon

WETTON LOOKS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMEBACK

The battle between Manchester-based Jordanian runner Mohammed Aburezeq and veteran Kenyan athlete Isaiah Kosgei promises to be one of the highlights of the Baxters Loch Ness marathon and running festival which has attracted more than 8,000 entrants from 48 countries for this weekend’s full programme of races.

Aburezeq, who has won the marathon in some style for the past two years, believes he is in the best form of his life and has promised to smash the course record of 2:20:13 set by Kenya’s Simon Tonui  in 2009 if conditions are favourable.

The Altrincham and District club member was only 39secs outside the record in 2016 and recorded 2:22:00 in 2017. He has lost just one of 15 races this year in distances ranging from 5km to half marathon and that defeat was back in January.

He said: “I am more ready than I have been in the two previous years. I have been training hard and I will race smart on the Loch Ness course. You have to be careful on the downhills early on because it gets hard later. If the weather is good I can easily break the record. I am looking forward to it because it is a good race.”

Kosgei also promises to run a much more sensible race than he did twelve months ago when, after setting off at a crazily fast pace, he suffered badly and ended up jogging to the finish in fifth position with a time of 2hr 34min 24 secs.

The 43 year-old African has learned his lesson, however, and now too believes he crack the record. He said:” With that experience (of last year) I have revised my thinking. I will run it smartly and I feel there’s no doubt I can do it in under 2:20. I am ready for it.”

Aburezeq overtaking Kosgei on his way to winning the 2017 Baxters Loch Ness Marathon

Others expected to be involved in the battle for the podium positions include prolific marathoner Adam Holland (Tavistock),Scottish masters champion Tom Roche (Insch Trail Running Club), Highland Cross duathlon champion Gordon Lennox (Inverness Harriers)  and three-time Scottish champion Patryk Gierjatowicz (Hunters Bog Trotters). Gierjatowicz has a remarkable record of consistency in the race having three times finished second and placed third on two occasions over the past five years.

Jenn Wetton hopes to be seriously competitive in the women’s race just seven months after giving birth to her first child. The Central AC runner has won twice before, picking up the Scottish title at the Highland race in 2014 when she recorded a personal best time of 2:46:10 then repeating her success in 2016 when she clocked 2:47:03.

Wetton admits she’s unsure as to how fast she might run on this occasion but feels she is in reasonable shape. She said: “I gave birth to Adam in February and did my first run six weeks after that. Seven weeks after he was born I decided to do a seven mile run and I increased the distance every week after that until I ran 23 miles.”

She regularly took part in parkruns during her build-up, but tackled her first serious race earlier this month, finishing eighth in the Scottish 10km championships at Stirling.

Wetton said:”I was quite pleased with that as it showed everything was going well. I’d like to think I can get under three hours this weekend and I know the pace I’m aiming for, so we’ll see what happens.”

Her opposition is likely to be led by Fife AC’s Sheena Logan who set a personal best half marathon time of 1hr 21min 56secs when winning the Great Aberdeen Run last month. Other contenders include Hazel Wyness (Metro Aberdeen) and Jill Mykura (Carnethy) who were fourth and fifth respectively last year.

Baxters Loch Ness Marathon Course Records

Men: Simon Tonui (Kenya) 2hr 20min 13sec (2009)

Women: Megan Crawford (Fife AC) 2hr 44min 50secs (2015)

WILSON AIMS FOR FIRST WIN IN RIVER NESS 10KM WHILE MACLENNAN CHASES WOMEN’S RECORD

Kenny Wilson hopes it will be a case of fifth time lucky when he competes in the Baxters River Ness 10km on Sunday. The Craigellachie runner, who is to represent Scotland in the Commonwealth half marathon in Cardiff next month, has never won the race, his best performances coming in 2015 and 2017, when he finished third on each occasion. His time of 30min 25secs last year remains the fastest he has recorded for the distance.

Kenny Wilson

Wilson,pictured, will do all he can to win this weekend but isn’t underestimating the significant challenge he faces from Kilbarchan’s Euan Gillham who picked up bronze in the Scottish 10km championships at Stirling earlier in the month when the Moray athlete finished 17 secs behind in fifth position.

Wilson said:”It should be a good race as we tend to apply different tactical approaches and we are both capable of strong finishes. Obviously this is one race I’d like to win but it’s not going to be easy. I was talking with Euan about it and we both reckon we can run fast times, maybe in the low 30min range.”

Other contenders for podium positions include John Newsom (Inverness Harriers) who is also in the Scotland squad for the Commonwealth half marathon.

Newsom won the River Ness race in 2013 and was third in 2013 and 2014.

Stephen Mackay (Inverness Harriers) goes into the race on the back of a victory in the Golspie  10km a fortnight ago while hill running specialist Hamish Battle (Metro Aberdeen) makes a rare road running outing.

Jenny Bannerman who was fourth in the Scottish 10km championships at Stirling, will attempt to defend  the women’s title but her  Inverness Harriers clubmate,Great Britain cross country international  Mhairi Maclennan, has decided not to run.

Jenny Bannerman, Inverness Harriers

Bannerman said:”It’s a shame Mhairi isn’t going to be there as she would have been right up there at the head of the field. I just want to focus on my on performance and I’ll be happy if I feel a lot better than I did at Stirling, which was a big disappointment, and hopefully I’ll get a decent time.”

“It’s my local race and I always aim to do well in it. I haven’t really looked at who  else has entered although I know there’s a few other girls who will be competitive.

Others who should be challenging for the leading positions include Edinburgh AC’s Ella Revitt, Northampton’s Rosanna Andrews, Metro Aberdeen’s Nicola Gauld and Fife AC’s Halina Rees.

Baxters River Ness 10K Course Records

Men: Amanuel Hagos (Shettleston) 29min 35secs (2008)

Women: Cathy Mutwa (Kenya) 33min 46sec (2006)

HUGE FIELD OF RUNNERS OF ALL AGES FROM ALL ACROSS THE WORLD

Race Director Malcolm Sutherland is looking forward to an exciting day at the festival of running which was first held 17 years ago when there was only a marathon and 600 people took part. He said: “It is fantastic to have 8,000 people signing up for the races. They are coming from all over the UK and 48 different countries will be represented including Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, South Africa and United States. Hopefully they will all enjoy the occasion, particularly those doing the marathon which is held over a stunning route along the shores of Loch Ness

“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 86 year-old Helmut Folger from Germany running the 5km while 80 year-old Roger Macmillan, from Canada, is tackling the marathon. There’s also three 80 year-olds in the 10km, one of whom is from Portugal. At the other end of the age spectrum we have a three-month old child in the Wee Nessie fun run. More than 30% of 5km entrants are from schools and youth clubs.

“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.”

Although the marathon and 10km are full, we will be taking limited entries for the 5km and the Wee Nessie Run over the weekend.

Full details at www.lochnessmarathon.com