Bright Future for Bella

President Erica Christie

Being founded in 1892, Bellahouston Harriers are one of the oldest and most famous running clubs in Scotland. The Club’s most successful period was perhaps in the early to mid 1980s when renowned athletes including Peter Fleming, Andy Daly and Tony Coyne wore the distinctive vest. However the halcyon days are long gone and it’s now ten years since Jimmy and Sandra Irvine left the club to form Bellahouston Road Runners, since then the Club has struggled to find its way with internal divisions on the way forward. It would appear that whilst some members wanted to reach out and attract new members of mixed abilities others were hamstrung by their belief that the Harriers should remain an exclusively elite club. In the absence of any clear leadership membership dwindled and reached an all time low of eight in 2009. Some believed that the Club was in real danger of folding. However the last twelve months has seen a reversal of fortunes for the South Glasgow club, some members have gone on a recruitment campaign, targeting the Glasgow parkrun and other events with more than a little success. Membership had risen to over 150 by the time the Club held its AGM in September. The meeting allowed the differences in opinion to be aired and for democracy to take its course.
The result is that the Club now has its first female President in its 118 year history, Erica Christie, who is one of three women on the new seven member committee.

Progress hasn’t necessary come at the expense of success though as Erica, Bernie O’Neil and new recruit Suzanne McMahon ran to victory in the recent George Cummings Road Relay veterans’ race.  Once again the future looks bright for Bella.

UPDATE
Perhaps best for all concerned, a number of those opposed to the democratic changes have walked away from the Club and declared their intention to establish yet another club: Cartha Harriers.

Glasgow parkrun 60

Another week, another Glasgow parkrun. The good thing about doing the same run so often is that you can experiment with your tactics. A couple of weeks ago Erica had pointed out that my pace fluctuated and that her’s was consistent. As she beat me on that occasion and on every other occasion that we have participated in the same road race for more than a decade, I decided that I would follow her around the course this week.

I noticed her standing at the front as I positioned myself a couple of rows back, Graeme Aitken approached me and advised me that as I was a better pacer than he was that he was going to follow me around the course! As we set off I maintained my place a few steps back from Erica as we were overtaken by what seemed to be hundreds of runners. I kept my patience though and it wasn’t long until Graeme, Erica and I were running along shoulder to shoulder.

 Myself, John, Erica and Graeme starting patiently - pic by Gill Williamson

However the pace did seem to be slow and Graeme broke away as we reached the top of the glade. A bit later and I also decide to increase the pace and left Erica behind. I was reeling other runners in as I ran down the glade and up the hills. After climbing the last hill in the first lap I was just behind Graeme and he shouted “C’mon Ian” as he sped away downhill. I maintained my pace and as I turned the corner I looked over my shoulder to see that Erica was a good bit and about four places behind. When I reached the glade again, I could see that John Hagemeister was in sight but a good bit in front. I increased my pace and worked hard at catching up with the other runners, including Graeme. Near the bottom of the hill, I decided to push it that bit more and overtake the guy in a yellow top in front of me. I turned left and started my final approach to the hills. I could hear someone breathing just behind me and presumed that yellow jersey had chased after me. I was working hard as I started to lap people struggling up the hill. The competition was on my shoulder though and I had to keep working hard. Over the top of the brae and at the top of the downhill section, I could sense someone on my left trying to overtake me. “No way” I thought, as I increased my speed to hold them off. There was still about 400 metres to go as we raced down hill and towards the finish line, where a final sprint saw me reaching the line just in front. I turned to see not a yellow vest but Stewart McCardle.

Holding off Stewart near the finish - pic by Gill Williamson
As we exchanged congratulations he advised me that he thought that he would have caught me and that he was being pushed all the way by a youngster on his shoulder. I initially thought that the youth would have been James Stanley (one of Mhairi’s sons) but the results indicated that it was another 14 year old, Robbie Barr of Giffnock and that James was even further behind.


The results confirmed that I had completed the course in 21:44, an SB of some 21 seconds and if Garmin is to be believed a final km in 3:32! (4:21, 4:30; 4:57; 4:24, 3:32). I don’t know if that was accurate but I do know that I was shattered and had really pushed myself during that last km. I had also beaten Erica for the first time on a road race, although she is obviously not at her best and I had maintained my third position in the individual points table with 588.

There was yet another new record of those taken part with some 286 runners.

Selected Results:

65 John GILHOOLY 21:08 VM50-54 69.79 % M 59 New PB! 12

66 Marie MCCHORD 21:16 VW50-54 79.55 % F 7 Kirkintilloch Olympians PB stays at 00:21:12 9

70 John HAGEMEISTER 21:28 SM35-39 62.19 % M 63 Bellahouston Harriers PB stays at 00:20:42 27

74 Ian GOUDIE 21:44 VM50-54 68.94 % M 67 Kilmarnock Harrier & A.C PB stays at 00:21:18 36

75 Stewart MCCARDLE 21:44 VM55-59 72.55 % M 68 PB stays at 00:21:15 4

76 Robbie BARR 21:45 JM14 68.35 % M 69 Giffnock North AAC PB stays at 00:21:00 8

77 Dan MAHER 21:48 VM40-44 63.07 % M 70 Bellahouston Harriers PB stays at 00:21:30 43

82 Graeme AITKEN 22:01 VM40-44 62.00 % M 75 Lomond Hill Runners AAC PB stays at 00:21:45 28

87 James STANLEY 22:20 JM14 66.57 % M 80 Garscube Harriers PB stays at 00:22:02 6

90 Erica CHRISTIE 22:25 VW50-54 78.44 % F 8 Bellahouston Harriers PB stays at 00:20:06 28

95 Ros O'SULLIVAN 22:39 VW45-49 72.92 % F 10 Kirkintilloch Olympians New PB! 7

99 Richard LEYTON 22:43 SM35-39 58.40 % M 89 Bellahouston Road Runners PB stays at 00:21:30 11

107 Debbie CONSANI 22:53 SW30-34 65.11 % F 12 Garscube Harriers New PB! 3

108 Campbell JOSS 23:04 VM55-59 67.20 % M 96 Bellahouston Harriers PB stays at 00:18:24 20