Mum of Five Fiona Sets New Record at Great Scottish Run



Fiona Wins the Edinburgh Marathon

 One result, which seems to have slipped under the radar from the Great Scottish Run 2011, was that of Fiona Matheson who set a new Scottish FV 50 Record for the Half Marathon.
The Falkirk Victoria Harrier, and Scottish Veteran Harrier, has set numerous records, since taken up running at the age of 40. The mother of five already holds the UK records, for her age category, at the: 3000m; 5000m and 10000m track events, as well as the 5k and 10k outdoor events.

Fiona finished 6th woman and 57th overall in the Glasgow sunshine. She was the first European female to cross the line. Ahead of fellow Scot Hayley Haining, who has represented her country at the Commonwealth Games and IAAF World Championships.


Third Fastest Ever in the World?

According to The Power of 10 website, Fiona’s time of 78:26 was the second fastest ever recorded by a British athlete in her category. They have a Carla Ibrahim setting a record of 75:43 at the Sussex Beacon Brighton Half Marathon in 2004. However this result is not included in the World Masters records, which have Paula Fudge as the UK Record holder with her time of 79:39, set in 2003. Not only does Fiona’s time beat this previous UK time but it beats all other times apart from those set by the Ukrainian Tatyana Pozdniakova, who ran 76:07, in New York, in 2006 and Australia’s Beverly "Bev" Lucas, who ran 77:52 in Melbourne, ten years earlier.

First Female Scot at the GSR

So there we have it, a Scottish women sets a new Scottish Record and probably a new UK Record and third fastest ever in the World and it goes relatively unnoticed.  Fiona's performance does really elevate the Glasgow Half to a Great Scottish Run.

The previous Scottish Record of 80:41 was set by City of Glasgow’s Sandra Branney at the Great Scottish Run in 2006.