Five Team Scotland athletes from the Commonwealth Games will meet up for a ‘reunion’ on Sunday – as they swap the Hampden track for a 10K on the roads in Leeds.
Governing body scottishathletics is taking two Scotland teams – four men and four women – to the Abbey Dash 10K race in Leeds with hopes high for good performances.
Beth Potter, Steph Twell and Laura Whittle all raced the 5000m at Glasgow 2014 and they will be joined in the Scotland team by Rhona Auckland, who won the Scottish 4K cross country champs at Bellahouston last Sunday. Eilish McColgan, who finished sixth in the 3000m steeplechase at Hampden, will join them as she takes on a 10K road race for the first time.
And Callum Hawkins, who raced the 10,000m on the track at the Commonwealths, leads a strong men’s Scotland team in Leeds with his team-mates GB cross country international Andrew Butchart, GB hill runner Andrew Douglas and Scottish 10,000m track champion Luke Traynor.
‘I like the Leeds race and usually like to run it as preparation for the British Euro Cross Country trial in Liverpool – although this year I am undecided about the that,’ said Beth.
‘I was fourth in Leeds last year and it may even be a stronger field this year because we’ve four good Scottish athletes in the team for a start with myself, Steph and Laura having been at the Games and Rhona running well in cross country.
‘It looks a strong Scotland team and I believe Eilish is running her first 10K on the road, as well, so it is a bit of a get together for a few of the Commonwealth Games squad.’
Potter, who thrilled Hampden with fifth place in the 10,000m final and then represented GB at that distance at the Euro Champs in Switzerland, is adapting to a new life after starting work as a teacher in London.
‘I’m working two days a week in a school near where I live in Twickenham and enjoying it a lot,’ she said.
‘I am teaching science and physics to 11-18-year-olds two days a week and that gives me a bit of time to focus on training. I had a two week break after Zurich and then I’d an illness not so long ago that caused me to miss a few sessions for another couple of weeks. I am in better shape now, though.
‘I don’t feel there’s a huge rush this winter (to peak) and cross country after the New Year isn’t in my plans. That’s why I’m not sure about Liverpool. I need to sit down with my coach, Mick Woods, and have a discussion about it all. An indoor season is on the agenda but, again, I’m not sure yet if that may include races in America.
‘For the moment I’m just looking forward to Leeds on Sunday. It is a race I always enjoy.’
Scotland teams for Leeds Abbey Dash (Sunday 16 November)
Men: Callum Hawkins, Andrew Butchart, Andrew Douglas, Luke Traynor
Women: Beth Potter, Steph Twell, Laura Whittle, Rhona Auckland.
Meanwhile, Butchart’s Central AC missed out on the scottishathletics Cross Country Team Challenge men’s title despite his individual gold at Bellahouston in the 4K Champs.
Inverclyde AC beat Central on the day in the men’s team race and, although the two clubs finished level on points after the three-race series, the Greenock club took the overall award with Bellahouston the decisive event under the rules.
Central AC women, represented by Morag MacLarty, Jennifer Emsley and U20 gold medallist Kathryn Gillespie at the 4K champs, were well clear of Edinburgh AC in the Team Challenge points table after wins at the East District Relays at Peebles, the National XC Relays at Cumbernauld and in Glasgow last Sunday. Individual athletes are now involved in the scottishathletics Cross Country Grand Prix which has an overall prize pot of £4000 with the next races District Championships in the North, East and West prior to Christmas. The Cross Country season in Scotland is this year being sponsored by law firm Lindsays.
