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the jogscotland magazine | Autumn 2018
Annual Awards - make your nominations! My RaceRunner brings me freedom and friendship Running right through life jogscotland at the Great Aberdeen Run Plus‌ the best autumn running events for your diary jogscotland.org.uk
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2 Our fun, friendly jogging groups are perfect for people who want to get active for the first time, or more experienced runners. Nobody is “too slow” to join jogscotland – total beginners welcome!
Mums on the Run helps mums enjoy the physical, social & psychological benefits of being active outdoors. You can take your wee one to class with you in the buggy too!
Running has never been so easy! Whatever your age, whatever your ability Morning, noon and night • Towns, cities, villages Parks, pavements, trails, woodlands, beaches, schools and workplaces For more information visit www.jogscotland.org.uk or call 0131 539 7341 www.facebook.com/JogScotty • www.twitter.com/jogscotland
jogworks
Our Junior jogscotland resource pack is full of games to help you show primary school age children that stride physical activity is fun! jogscotland magazine Winter | Winter 2016 jogscotland magazine 2016 www.jogscotland.org.uk/ |
Encouraging employees to be more active makes good business sense. Jogworks can help avoid some of the physical and mental www.jogscotland.org.uk/ health issues affecting the workplace.
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Contents Warm-up: David Langan News and events Great Aberdeen Run jogscotland Awards 2018 RaceRunning freedom SAMH update Running right through life Reaching out Just what the doctor ordered Pride Run David Syme - Jogging along Race directory Cool down
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Just click on a title to go straight to the page!
Design: 3fiftysixmedia.com
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Meet the Jog Crew
Jo Stevens
Sue Gyford
Colin Hutchison
Angie Sutherland
Membership development officer
Digital communications and press officer
Head of Development
jo.stevens@ scottishathletics.org.uk 0131 539 7341
sue.gyford@ scottishathletics.org.uk 0131 539 7350
Coaching administrator (Jog Leader course bookings)
Carol Robison
Andrea Gavin
Laura Kirkland
Membership administrator
Communities project coordinator
Participation project coordinator
membership@ scottishathletics.org.uk 0131 476 7321
andrea.gavin@ scottishathletics.org.uk 07801 634 198
laura.kirkland@ scottishathletics.org.uk 07960 582 838
colin.hutchison@ scottishathletics.org.uk 07983 080 925
coaching@ scottishathletics.org.uk 0131 476 7328
Jog Scotty The Jog Dog! Mascot of jogscotland
Stride – the jogscotland members’ magazine Editor: Sue Gyford
Designer: Adrian Hallam, 3fiftysixmedia Ltd
Photographs: p9 Great Aberdeen Run – some pics by The Great Run Company/Newsline. P11 Awards – Bobby Gavin www.thatonemoment.co.uk Published four times a year by scottishathletics. Copyright©2018 Scottish Athletics Ltd. www.jogscotland.org.uk
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Autumn 2018
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David Langan, Warm-up byjogscotland Kingswells In each edition of Stride, a guest contributor shares their love of running‌
My first exposure to going for a run was getting fit to join the RAF when I was 17. When I joined the RAF I showed promise but I wasted my twenties with an unhealthy lifestyle. Things came to a head in 2008 when I failed my RAF fitness test for the first time and weighed a whopping 110kg! I always had good latent fitness, but my lifestyle eventually caught up with me. I grabbed the bull by the horns, sorted out my diet and started running again. Within one month I passed the fitness test and within six months weighed 80kg and won the first race I entered! I truly had the running bug! After a great 18 months running the next four years was tough with a persistent hip injury. I would start training again and after doing well I would be struck down with same problem. I nearly gave up until a physio eventually sorted me out. I resumed training end of 2013 and have not looked back. Running has given me so much: Fitness, a purpose, a hobby, friends, mental wellbeing‌I just could not live without it! Even if it is a slow tired plod after a long tough day I am grateful the freedom and release running gives me!
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Warm-Up continued
In 2016 I decided to get my Jog Leader qualification as I am so passionate about running I wanted to help others experience its transformational effects. I started helping at JogScotland Blackburn assisting my good buddy Ross Leitch with the groups he started up. Unfortunately, my job moved and I worked away from home during the week. When that work finished I decided to start my own jog group in neighbouring Kingswells. Our first session was the first Thursday of 2018, running through the chill night of a new year. The response I had was amazing and soon a good core of regulars formed. The commitment they showed running through all those horrible winter nights - rain, wind, freezing temperatures and blizzards - made my job so worthwhile. I said to them all: “If you can run through this, you guys can do anything,” and they have! It didn’t take long to smash through the 5K barrier and now the same group are out for an hour every Thursday. Some now have the confidence and belief to tackle local races,and one lady even tackled the full Tough Mudder! We had lots of members do their first 10K at The Great Aberdeen Run and join the jogscotland wave. I have got so much out of helping the joggers I recently got qualified as a Personal Trainer as that seemed like the logical step to take. Such has the interest been from the group running through the streets of Kingswells I have now started another beginner class (these guys have it a wee bit easier starting off in the Indian summer we’ve had!) and as I write this have completed the first two weeks of their journey into running. With regular 5K time trials and our first trail run imminent from Kingswells up to Brimmond Hill this jog group is maturing into a real tight knit group of runners. It is an absolute pleasure helping them and I am sure most of them are now runners for life. I am lucky to receive plenty of thanks from the group, but it is me who must give out the biggest thanks to them for showing so much commitment and determination to the group and taking ownership of their health and well-being.
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News and events Jog Leader Conference – save the date! We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be holding a one-day event for Jog Leaders in Glasgow later this year. The conference will take place at the Emirates Arena on 3 November – the same day as our Annual Awards Dinner, so anyone coming to the Awards can combine the two. Sessions will include updates from both jogscotland and SAMH, with guest speakers and practical workshops through the day – and it’s also a great opportunity to meet other Jog Leaders and share your experiences. More details will follow, but put the date in your diary now!
Dame Kelly joins us in Glasgow We’re delighted to announce that double Olympic gold winner Dame Kelly Holmes will be guest of honour at this year’s FPSG scottishathletics and jogscotland Annual Awards dinner. The event, at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel on 3 November, will also offer the chance to rub shoulders with the cream of Scottish athletics talent, in a superb year for the sport. For details of tickets, and how to nominate for the awards, see p10.
Active Girls Day We’re making preparations to get involved in a new initiative from sportscotland, called Active Girls Day. For the day, on 5 October, we hope to help more girls moving and understanding how good it can feel to be active. We hope to involve a junior jogscotland group, a Mums on the Run group, and possibly also hold a women only jogscotland session. The day falls within Mental Health Week, so the sessions will focus on the positive impact getting active can have on your mental wellbeing. If you’d like to be involved, or just want more information, contact Andrea Gavin on andrea.gavin@scottishathletics.org.uk
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News and events continued
OUTrun Glasgow Frontrunners welcomed hundreds of runners to Kelvingrove Park on 18 August, for their annual 5 miler, the OUTrun. The LGBTI+ running group’s event saw members of other Frontrunners clubs from as far afield as London, Leeds and Newcastle taking part, as well as scores of runners from across Scotland. They were joined by a piper and drummer, while our very own mascot, Jog Scotty, posed for photos and helped see them off. The day raised funds for SAMH. * Edinburgh Frontrunners have also been busy – see p22 for details of this year’s Pride Run.
Sammy’s Road Trip We’ve been getting loads of brilliant feedback from groups as our three pups continue to tour Scotland, in our latest initiative with our partners SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health). Sammy, Agnes and Lee have visited 21 jog groups so far, inspiring each to hold a session focussing on mental health and wellbeing. Their tour continues – read more on p14.
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jogscotland start area at the Great Aberdeen Run!
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We had our first ever jogscotland start area at the Great Aberdeen Run 10K on 26 August. Lots of jogscotland groups gathered together to start the race, and our very own Laura Kirkland talked to the crowds about what jogscotland is, encouraging people to join up! It was great to see everyone there, and jogscotland Hazelhead had provided lots of the marshals, which only added to the atmosphere. We all got to toe the start line together at the head of the blue wave, and a great day out was had by all.
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Awards 2018 Join us at the jogscotland awards! This year’s awards on 3 November promise to be a fantastic night out, with double gold Olympic medalist Kelly Holmes as the Guest of Honour. Last year’s scottishathletics and jogscotland FPSG Awards Dinner was a complete sell-out, so snap up your tickets now to make sure you don’t miss the chance to celebrate the very best of jogscotland – and brush shoulders some of the country’s top athletics talent into the bargain!
CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS
Nominations for the awards are open until 5pm on Friday 14 September, in four categories: SAMH Mental Wellbeing Award – Nominees could be individual jogscotland members, jog leaders, or jog groups, which/who have used jogging to improve their own, or others’, mental wellbeing. Whether someone has tackled their own mental illness through physical activity, supported others through difficult times, or made their group a welcoming environment for people to open up about their experiences, we’d love to help you celebrate them. Achiever of the Year – will be presented to a jogscotland member who has made incredible improvements this year: A beginner jogger who has made great strides towards a new active lifestyle; a more experienced runner who has reached a challenging goal, or someone who has really overcome the odds to stay active. Leader of the Year – At the heart of every jogscotland group are the Jog Leaders. It’s their planning, enthusiasm and vision that help thousands of people get active with jogscotland every year. We’d love to hear about Jog Leaders who have gone above and beyond to help their joggers change their lives and achieve their goals. Group of the Year – Our Group of the Year might be a tiny village group or a huge city network; It might be supporting local charities, going the extra mile to help members achieve, or making an impact in the wider community.
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Click to nominate now using our online form!
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If you’re in need of inspiration, here’s a reminder of last year’s winners… Achiever of the Year - Yvonne Douglas, Alness jogscotland Yvonne began Couch to 5K with Alness jogscotland in August 2016. She lost six stone, and knocked an incredible 16 minutes off her original 5K time of around 50 minutes, despite battling injury. Her nomination described her as “a total inspiration”. Leader of the Year - Arlene Botha, Galavanters Arlene was described as “A Mrs Motivator, a very good friend as well as a leader” who leads multiple sessions every week – while training for an ultramarathon herself. Her sunny personality was praised as an inspiration to all her members, who range in age from 16 to 72. She puts huge amounts of energy into every session, and makes everyone feel good about themselves, helping them set and achieve their own running goals. jogscotland Group of the Year - Tain Joggers Also known as Team Purple, the group was relatively new, having formed in April 2016. Founder and leader Cynthia Duncan is the driving force behind the group, pre-running session routes to check their suitability, keeping in touch with members who have taken time out, and leading two sessions a week. One nomination said: “We are like a big family and support each other so much. Everyone has been on such a journey since we started in 2016.” SAMH Mental Wellbeing Award – Jenni Rees-Jenkins, jogscotland Kintore Jenni joined jogscotland when she was mum to a sick baby and toddler, battling chronic tiredness and ongoing depression. Within eight months she had lost five stone and become a Jog Leader. Jenni said: “Some days I don’t cope with planet Earth very well but a run in the woods or up a hill gets it all sorted”. She ran London Marathon for mental health charity Heads Together and met Princes William and Harry to discuss how running helps mental health.
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RaceRunning freedom
by Elaine Boyd
Elaine Boyd has cerebral palsy and usually uses a wheelchair to get around. But with the help of her RaceRunner, she can run for the first time, with jogscotland group Edinburgh FrontRunners for company… Let me introduce you to my RaceRunner, Zara. She is like a bike but has no pedals – so to make her go, I have to put on foot in front of the other and hopefully RUN. Sounds simple. RaceRunning is for people like me with cerebral palsy or similar disabilities. I found RaceRunning through a friend who said I should give it a go. So I did, bearing in mind I had never been on a bike before or even walked, it was totally amazing. Then of course I got my own after fundraising and now I could not live without Zara. RaceRunning is an athletic specialist sport, done on running tracks throughout the UK and the world. I have competed for Scotland in two international camps and cup games as well in Scotland. RaceRunning comes from Denmark - the first RaceRunner was built in 1991 by Connie Hansen and Mansoor Siddiqi. I, however, use Zara on and off the track. A few years ago I needed to find someone who would be willing to run alongside me, as my hands don’t do what I want them to do so they are strapped onto my handlebars with gloves, which makes using the brakes a bit tricky. That is why I need someone to run alongside me to be my brakes. The staff that support me to do the day-to-day boring stuff of life don’t always fancy a run. I was getting more and more depressed so I decided to google running clubs near me and I was lucky enough to meet Al from Edinburgh Frontrunners, and now I look forward to my Wednesday evening runs with the EFR. It gets me out the house, meeting new folk and EFR are accepting me for who I am. Having the EFR has certainly helped me make more friends, as I have slight depression. People think because you have support workers coming in to help with day to day necessities, that you shouldn’t be lonely. But I am.
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13 I have completed one 5K colour run, two 5K Supernova runs and our very own Pride Run. The thing that I like running with Al is that they are also my coach as I have high hopes to complete a first 10K. So we can see how I progress over the year. See Elaine in action in this brilliant video. What is RaceRunning? RaceRunning is a sport for people with disabilities who have impaired balance. The custom-built tricycle, without pedals, makes it possible for people who might never have been able to walk, let alone run, to experience the joy of selfpowered movement, sometimes for the first time in their lives. The discipline was accepted into World Para Athletics for the first time earlier this year, and featured at the Para Athletics European Championships in Berlin. Scotland is at the forefront of RaceRunning’s development – Scottish representatives of the sport were among those who led the campaign to have it accepted as an official Para sport, and three world-class Scottish athletes Gavin Drysdale, Kayleigh Haggo and Hannah Dines – competed in Berlin, with Gavin and Hannah both scooping gold medals in their events, while Kayleigh took silver. Read more – Hannah Dines recently wrote this great article about RaceRunning in The Herald.
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update
We’ve had breakfast with Sir Chris Hoy, three pups touring Scotland and a whole lot of stairs – just another few months in the jogscotland and SAMH partnership!
Our work to promote running as a great support for physical and mental wellbeing has continued to go from strength to strength, with the enthusiastic help of our joggers and leaders – thanks to everyone who has embraced it so wholeheartedly in the past few months. Breakfast with the stars We were delighted to share breakfast with Sir Chris when he helped SAMH celebrate their Mental Health Charter for Sport and Physical Activity. jogscotland and scottishathletics were among the first signatories to the charter, so we were invited along to the event, which also featured European, World and Olympic Swimming Champion Adam Peaty. Both spoke about their own highs and lows in their sporting careers and emphasised the need to break down more barriers to participation. Sir Chris, a SAMH ambassador, said: “Everyone should have the chance to get active and learn to use physical activity and sport to help live a happier, healthier life and we need to ensure funding is in place to deliver initiatives to support this. “I myself have truly benefitted from the positive impact of physical activity and there should never be barriers to prevent anyone from getting active.” We were really proud that the great work jogscotland has done was highlighted during the event in a speech by SAMH Chief Executive Billy Watson. As part of our work under the charter, we’ve now submitted our action plan, which lays out the specific actions we’ll take to promote, educate and raise awareness of mental health.
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15 Among those is the continuation of Sammy’s Road Trip (below right), which launched in May. Our three toy pups, Sammy, Agnes, and Lee, are touring Scotland with a toolkit of ideas to help jogscotland groups hold sessions that open up conversations around mental health and wellbeing. The Road Trip is into its second half and over the coming weeks the pups will travel further north, before heading back to jogscotland HQ in time for Mental Health Week in October. To follow the pups’ journey, go to https://www.facebook.com/SammysRoadTrip Jog Leader training We are also stepping up our mental health training for Jog Leaders - as of September, all new Jog Leaders will complete the Mental Health Awareness online training as compulsory before they attend their Jog Leader training (previously available as an option to existing jog leaders). We are committed to equipping our Jog Leaders from day one on the mental health benefits of running and encouraging them to start more conversations around mental health. If any Jog Leaders would like to access the training contact Jo Stevens, Membership Development Officer, on jo.stevens@scottishathletics.org.uk Stomp! We’re also working hard in the build up to this year’s SAMH Stomp, which sees participants ploughing up and down the steps of Murrayfield Stadium to raise funds for the charity. Jo, and Robert Nesbitt of SAMH, have signed up for the Extreme STOMP event and will be climbing more than 7,400 steps up and down the stadium! They’ve been having a lot of walking meetings, chatting through the progress of our partnership as they make their way up and down the steps of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
SIGN UP! We will host a Mental Health Workshop in Galashiels on 22 September for Jog Leaders. Robert Nesbitt, Physical Activity Lead for SAMH, and Jo Stevens, our membership development officer, will offer updates on both organisations and a workshop on common mental health conditions, myths and facts, and how to support people in your role as a Jog Leader. If you would like to take part, please contact Jo on jo.stevens@scottishathletics.org.uk
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Running right through life… Running right through life… Join us here, and overleaf, as we meet two jogscotland members who prove that age is no barrier to being active
Ruth Toller returned to her running passion later in life. Now in her sixties, she has completed the Corrieyairack Challenge, and did the John Muir Way Ultra Relay with a friend – combined team age 124! Recently jogscotland shared a great article on facebook about older athletes, showing age is no barrier to participating in sport, and I quite agree. I ran a fair bit in my thirties, when my children were too young do much hill-walking, but as they got older the running got less and I probably did no more than 5 miles a week. Then, in my late fifties, I discovered parkrun, and this was a real incentive to get back to the running. I decided to do a 10K race in a beautiful part of highland Scotland and surprised myself at how much I enjoyed it and that was it, I had to keep going – but said 10K was far enough! I joined Ardler Ladies’ jogscotland in Dundee which helped me run more regularly, do a few more miles each week and I also entered more races and became a parkrun tourist when away. Our local parkrun is mainly off-road and I found I much preferred this and about the time of my 60th birthday my husband entered us in a 10K trail race in the Lake District. I knew the route and knew I would have to walk some of the steep hills and that was liberating, I could run as my body wanted to – and I also discovered I wasn’t bad at the downhills, years of hill-walking being a definite advantage. You can probably guess what happened after that, the trail runs got longer and longer and two years ago, almost exactly 28 years after my previous half marathon
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Running right through life… Running right through life… and on a similarly baking hot day, I ran another. This time it was on trails and, given the weather, I was delighted just to finish and not be last. I did a road one that autumn and was only 7 mins slower than I had been 28 years before. A few days after this had to go into hospital for surgery and the diagnosis turned out to be a bit more serious than initially thought and required longer post-surgery treatment (though it could have been worse). However, encouraged by the medical staff, I continued to run, though shorter distances, throughout the treatment and less than a week after I’d finished I was back running a trail race and a few weeks later did the trail half marathon again. The weather was perfect running weather for me and I knocked 11 minutes off my previous time. This was just preparation for the Corrieyairack Challenge – 13+ off-road miles with 800m of climbing followed by a 40 mile bike ride. I thought it was a bit of a mad exploit for someone in their sixties who’d never done anything like it before, but that didn’t deter me and as the doctor saw no reason why I shouldn’t do it, I entered, and my friend joined me. It was tough but I got the age group prize and went back this year to (successfully) defend it. I ran my furthest ever – 16 miles – in March, in the first half of the John Muir Way Ultra Relay on a very cold and windy day and our team pair, with a combined age of 124, are thinking of doing it again next year. If all is well with my health I don’t intend giving up running any time soon – or the hillwalking and, cycling – and I took up kayaking last year. Age is no barrier to sport and new challenges. I might not be the oldest out there, nor the fastest but as long as I can get out and do it, why not? Never mind if people think I’m a bit mad! By Ruth Toller
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Running right through life… Running right through life…
Jim Mortimer celebrated his 70th birthday this year by running Ellon parkrun – and firmly believes fitness is a state of mind, whatever your age. I am 70 and a runner. I would never have thought this 30 years ago or even 10 years back. I never ran at school but was in the Territorial Army for 25 years so developed a reasonable fitness, but this diminished when I left the TA at 46. There was a gap of some 10 years until my wife spotted an advert for jogscotland in Ellon. I soon became a regular runner with the group. In 2005, myself and two others from Aberdeen area’s jogscotland, won a raffle to compete in the Amsterdam 10K or half marathon. I ran the 10K in 51.51 at the age of 57. It would be great to do that time now. That particular group folded when the leaders became involved in other pursuits but the members continued to run as a group for the next 7 or 8 years and then I discovered the new Ellon JogScotland (EJS). I presently run with EJS and Ellon parkrun. I ran Aberdeen half marathon last year in a time of 2 hours and 15 minutes on a hot day. My worst time over four half marathons. I was dehydrated and medics were called. I received a thorough check over and was told what I already knew. I was knackered. Next time I should perhaps train for the run. As a joke I turned up at the following EJS evening attached to a drip swearing I would never be dehydrated again. I had my 70th birthday on 27 January and as it was a Saturday I decided to run parkrun but had mentioned my birthday on the Facebook pages of EJS and Ellon parkrun. Social media has a lot to answer for. Loads of people turned up to join me and wish me a happy birthday. I received a card signed by many jogscotland
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Running right through life… Running right through life…
members, and a cake which we devoured at the post run cup of tea. A great memory with a write up in the local paper. At the end of my run, a lot of people came up to me congratulating me on my birthday and the fact I was still running at my age. However one gent approached me and it turned out he is 79 and still runs with parkrun most Saturdays. There’s time for me yet! On 24 June this year I took part in my 12th Ythan Challenge which is a 11-13 kilometre multi terrain obstacle course including a river crossing. I had declared that this was to be my last. However, I won a trophy for 2nd Vintage Male home. Fantastic - until I was told it entitled me to a free entry to next year’s race. Oh no! I posted my quandary on Facebook and all my well-meaning running friends suggested I run again. Decision made for me. I think we run for different reasons. For myself it was to retain a level of fitness but for some I think it is to reduce weight and for some it is a way to meet people. I firmly believe that fitness is a state of mind. If you believe you can do it then you can do it. Some older people may feel that they cannot run at their age. I would say to give it a go. Perhaps start with parkrun on a Saturday where you can walk the 5k course, and then progress to jogscotland at a beginners level. I have seen articles mentioning the benefits of running at a more mature age. It seemingly helps to maintain bone structure and helps against dementia. I recently heard of a 93-year-old running parkrun in England who finished the 5k in 32.50. Good grief - I thought I was old, but he is old enough to be my dad! By Jim Mortimer jogscotland magazine
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Reaching out – News from our participation and communities projects Andrea Gavin and Laura Kirkland lead our participation and communities projects, trying to help jogscotland reach places it has not previously been. We’re delighted to say their time with us – originally due to come to an end in the summer – has been extended, and they’ve been making the most of it.
Andrea Gavin
Laura Kirkland
Andrea says: “The last few weeks seen us visiting the groups that we set up and enhanced, offering support as they continue. This was a brilliant opportunity for me to take Lee from Sammy’s Road Trip along to the groups and talk about how mental wellbeing is helped by physical activity. Lee and I also went to visit the SAMH tent during Go Live! On the Green, while the Euro Championships were on in Glasgow (pictured). Here we stopped to chat to folks about SAMH’s 5 ways to better welllbeing. “It’s great that we’ve had our work extended and at the moment we are gathering information for what people want or need to create a jogscotland group in their area - especially people from a black and ethnic minority backgrounds - if you wish to take part in a survey about this please click here.” Laura added: “I’m excited that we’re going to see Dundee Frontrunners – a new LGBT+ running group – ready to launch in September, with the support of our fitness and retail partners DW Sports. There’ll be an instore running event at DW Dundee at 6.30pm on 19 September to help launch the group - all are welcome. “If you’d like to go along, drop an email to jo.stevens@scottishathletics.org.uk “Of the groups set up so far, I am particularly proud of Jog Con, a group inside Perth Prison. We trained two officers and eight inmates as Jog Leaders, with weekly sessions attracting men of all abilities to join them. There is a huge focus on mental health and wellbeing at the sessions, which take place both indoors and on the prison grounds.”
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Just what the doctor ordered‌ By Gozde Ozakinci
Gozde after the London 10K at the Olympic Stadium
L-R Research team members Kathryn Cunningham, Rayna Rogowsky, Frank Sullivan, Gozde Ozakinci.
Gozde Ozakinci is a health psychologist living in Fife. When she joined jogscotland group Leven Las Vegas, she realised there was a great opportunity for doctors and nurses to link their patients with jog groups to encourage them to become active‌ I first became involved with a jogscotland group in the beginning of 2014 when I joined Leven Las Vegas Running Club. Feeling quite unfit, I found the group’s supportive nature quite a hook. Soon I became a regular and after a while had the courage to be a Jog Leader. I was struck by the success of these groups in getting people like me physically active. Being a health psychologist, I design programmes that aim to change behaviour for better health and here there was a community-based and volunteer-led programme achieving just that! I believed that health care professionals, particularly those in general practice, would be ideally positioned to introduce jogscotland. The opportunity to apply for research funding from NHS Fife Endowment Fund came along last summer, and I prepared a proposal together with Prof Frank Sullivan, an academic General Practitioner in Fife, and in collaboration with Jog Leaders. We were fortunate to be funded and started the project in July this year. Increasing physical activity is a challenge and the suggestion to do so by a health care provider needs to be done sensitively and in a way that makes the link with a jog group easy on both the individual and the clinician. Our plan is to interview those registered in general practice to ask their views on how a jog group could be introduced during a general practice visit and preferred way to link with a jog group. Similarly, we will interview general practice professionals on approaching the topic of physical activity and jogscotland with their patients. Following these, we hope to develop pathways for linking primary care patients to jogscotland in a way that is acceptable and feasible. In building this partnership in Fife, we hope to show that it is possible and adaptable across Scotland.
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Pride Run By Al Hopkins This summer Edinburgh Frontrunners (EFR) celebrated the return of our 5K Pride Run on 16 June. While last year had organisers and participants struggling in the heat, this second outing saw everyone sheltering in slightly soggier fashion under the marquees, damp and shivering, but definitely still smiling and just as colourful as ever!
EFR is the city’s only LGBTI+ running club, and is about providing the most inclusive environment we can while increasing the visibility and participation of LGBTI+ people in sport. In 2017 we were proud to have the honour of holding the first ever scottishathletics permit for non-binary entries in a race. This meant that in addition to holding prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd male and female runners, we were able to offer the same for those who identify as non-binary. One year on we were delighted to see how this change had been embraced by this hitherto invisible running community - with 9 of our 105 entrants competing for the non-binary podium. We were also delighted to welcome three wheelchair athletes, one of whom is a club member (see p12!). Other racers included Frontrunners from Glasgow, Dundee, Manchester, and Newcastle, local club Project Awesome (who also organised a colourful and noisy cheering squad), and many more. We had a new Meadows course this year; flat, fast and wheel-friendly. The fastest woman was Sophie Mullins in 19.42, with Maggy Hoelvold taking the non-binary podium in 19.51, and EFR’s own Liam Warren was the fastest man in 19.52. EFR and Pride go together: We had our usual wide selection of Pride flags and many flags and entrants joined us on the Pride march an hour later, by which time the sun had come out. The cake and bake sale raised £280 for LGBT Health & Wellbeing, so many thanks to all our volunteer bakers, as well as everyone who contributed in any way!
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Jogging along by David Syme Put us on the podium! If you lay out your running kit for an early run the next day, but wake up to the sound of rain battering against the window, it is very tempting to decide to run later… perhaps. What you need is a race! Once you have paid the fee and put it in the diary the race will get you up and running, whatever the weather. Why do we enter a race? Well, it’s an event; we get a buzz from lining up and running with like-minded people, we have a chance to lower the PB, and we compete against all other entrants. Few runners will have Overall Race Winner in their sights, but many more will be eyeing the age categories; First, Second and Third in Age Group are podium finishes, and they come with pats on the back and bragging rights. A runner aged 39 will look up running events which take place just after his or her 40th birthday to find a race where there is a 40+ category and a possibility of Age Group Glory. Some race organisers lose interest in older runners and lump anyone over 60 into a category they might call “Super-vet” or “Vintage”. I don’t feel that my running merits the word “super”, and “vintage” implies former glory and mint condition: that’s not me either. If they want a word to describe me (and probably many others) it should be “mellow”. I consider myself to be a mellow runner. Frankly it doesn’t matter if there is not a catchy word to describe us grizzly, knobbly-kneed pensioners, but please can we have categories simply called 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+… We are frequently told that we will live longer, so why not give the growing number of old runners a wee shot at a podium finish? Then we would be out running in the morning, even in the worst of weather conditions.
David has produced two collections of short stories about running world-wide: “Running Away From Home” and “Running Home and Away”. All proceeds from sales go to support Tong-Len UK, a charity for street children in Northern India.
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Autumn 2018
OFFIC & RETA
DWFITNESSFIRST.COM
OFFICIAL FITNESS & RETAIL PARTNER
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WE ARE RUNNING As a member of Jog Scotland you’re entitled to exclusive DW Fitness First deals and promotions, fitness content and workout plans with the Core app. Download the Core app for free at the App Store and Google Play.
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SAMH is the Scottish Association for Mental Health. Scottish Charity No. SC008897
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Race Directory There’s an event for everyone, go to events.scottishathletics.org.uk for full details.
9 September
16 September
Stirling 10k & 2K Fun Run
Around Cumbrae 10 Mile Road Race
Kilmacolm Running Festival – toddle, 3K, 10K and half marathon
Pitlochry Running Festival – 1K, 5K, 10K
Run Portlethen Women’s 5 Mile Run and Family Mile Dash
Cumbernauld 10K
Deveron Valley Half Marathon
23 September
Inaugural Harray Half Marathon, Orkney
Baxers Loch Ness Marathon, 10K and 5K
Islay Marathon
Scottish Half Marathon & 10K
Gateway to the Glens 10km
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29 September
15 October
Dandara 5K, Aberdeen
Strathcarron 10K Race and 2.5K Family Fun Run
30 Setpember Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run – 10K and half marathon
28 October
6 October
Ruby’s 5K Race and 1 Mile Fun Run, Kilmarnock
Dunbar 10 Mile Trail Race
Jedburgh Running Festival
7 October
11 November
Linlithgow 10K & Junior Fun Run
Jimmy Irvine Bella 10K
Giffordtown 5K Road Race
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10 M A R C H 2 0 1 9 ½ MARATHON | 5K E A R L Y B I R D E N T R Y AVA I L A B L E
½ marathon, total achievement www. invernesshalfmarathon.co.uk
Free parkrun events (5K) every Saturday at 9.30am Aberdeen Alness Aviemore Ayr Bressay Camperdown Crichton Drumchapel Dunfermline Edinburgh Eglinton
Elgin Ellon Falkirk Fort William Ganavan Sands Girvan Prom Greenock Hazlehead Inverness Kirkcaldy Kirkwall
Lanark Moor Linwood Livingston Loch Leven Lochore Meadows Montrose Perth Plean Pollok Portobello Ruchill
Springburn St Andrews Stonehaven Strathclyde Thurso Tollcross Troon Victoria Vogrie
Junior parkrun events (2K) for four to 14-year-olds every Sunday at 9.30am Barshaw Dumfries Duthie Helix
Inverleith Jacks Road Loch Leven Perth juniors
Prestwick Oval Rouken Glen Stirling Strathmartine
The Meadows Victoria
Find out more at parkrun.org.uk stride
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Cool down by Sue Gyford I was incredibly lucky this summer, and had the chance to travel to Berlin with scottishathletics, filming video interviews with Scottish athletes competing the European Championships. It was a real privilege, especially at an event with a record 17 Scots on the team – certainly no shortage of work for me! I arrived in a sweltering hot Berlin just in time for a furious three days of finals at the end of the competition. It was my first time in the city, so I had to pause and take in the view as I stood in front of the Olympic Stadium for the first time. It was made famous – or infamous – by the 1936 Olympics. It was here that black American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals and delivered a clear message to Hitler, who had intended the event to celebrate all that his Nazi regime stood for – including supposed Aryan supremacy. After German reunification, there was debate over whether the stadium – built specifically for the 1936 Games – should be demolished or renovated. Renovation was chosen, and it is now a stunning place. There’s no doubt that looking at it brings hugely mixed feelings: It’s impossible not to reflect on what it was built to glorify, but also what it now represents – unity, togetherness, and the meeting of nations in sport.
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And meet they did, this summer – in style. It was a terrific championships, a superb audience – the Germans really get behind field events as much as they do the track, which meant there was always excitement of some kind, somewhere in the stadium. I certainly racked up my fair share of steps, dashing up and down between my desk at the back of the stands and the ‘Mixed Zone’ (interview zone) down below ground. As Eilish McColgan won her superb silver medal in the 5000m, I had just surfaced from the Mixed Zone to find myself, meerkat-like, eye-to-eye with the finish line, giving me the chance to snap her as she crossed the line…. before I descended back into the depths to await an interview opportunity with Laura Muir, the brand new European Champion at 1500m. An evening that will last long in the memory. It’s a tremendous honour to meet such world-class athletes in their moment of glory. It was particularly great to chat with Laura, who graduated as a vet from the University of Glasgow this summer, and so has been frequently training and racing at home. She said she’d rarely been out for a run without someone saying hello and wishing her well, and it was brilliant to think that this iron-willed, top-class athlete ran her championship race knowing she had the whole country – and its running community – behind her. At the other end of the athletic scale, I took the opportunity to do a little run tourism while I was away. With the temperature tipping 30, it was definitely not a medalwinning performance that I put in as I ran around the Tiergarten, the beautiful, shady park in the centre of Berlin, leading up to the Brandenberg Gate. Certainly not a way to rack up a PB, with the number of times I stopped to work out where I was going – but what a brilliant way to explore. You can cover more ground than you would walking, and in your running kit you feel just a little bit less like a tourist and more like a local (until the tenth time you pull out the map, of course!). I hope whatever you got up to this summer – at home or abroad – you had a little bit of adventure on the way. If not, don’t forget to pack your trainers next time you’re away and see where they take you! jogscotland magazine
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