Great Britain international Jamie Crowe will attempt to repeat his remarkable 2023 triple crown of victories when he competes in this weekend’s 25th anniversary Run Balmoral races which have attracted more than 5,000 entrants.
The Dundee-based athlete was flying high 12 months ago when he set a course record time of 14min 20secs to win the Harbour Energy 5K before going on to take top spot in the Stena Drilling 10K little more than one hour later.
He completed his hat-trick the following day with an emphatic victory in the Bristow 15-mile trail race.
The reigning Scottish cross country champion has once again signed up for all three races but isn’t sure if he is in peak form after sustaining a nasty head injury a few weeks ago.
He said: “I’ve been doing a bit more running in the hills lately but I fell one day and landed hard on my face.
“The impact was just above my eye and I had to go to hospital to get it checked out.
“I was off running for a while because I was feeling dizzy and sick but everything is fine now.”
Having set a record time in the 5K last year, Crowe hinted that he may aim at a different target on this occasion, with former Banchory athlete Robbie Simpson’s 10K record of 31min 17sec, which has stood since 2014, in his sights.
He said: “I fancy having a go at the 10K record but we’ll have to see how everything is on the day.”
Crowe faces some formidable opposition with Aberdeen AAC’s Scotland international Sean Chalmers also planning to tackle all three races while Great Britain mountain and trail running stalwart Andy Douglas (Inverclyde AC) has entered the 10K and 15 mile runs. Chalmers won the 5K in 2022 and finished second behind Douglas in the 15 mile race that same year.
Douglas, who is based in Edinburgh but comes from Caithness, has been a regular competitor at Run Balmoral having notched four 10K and three 15 mile victories since his first success in 2010.
Bannerman one to watch
Jenny Bannerman hopes to have shrugged off recent fitness worries by delivering a strong performance in the women’s 5K. The Inverness Harriers club member is another athlete with an impressive record at Balmoral, having achieved six podium positions, including two wins, over the past 10 years.
Gemma Cormack (Moray Road Runners), the 2015 champion, should also be in the reckoning for the top 5k prize after finishing second last year.
The Moray Road Runners athlete has been competing with distinction at Balmoral since she was a teenager, winning the secondary schools 2.5K in 2006. This year she plans to add to her range of honours by competing in the 10K and 15 mile trail races as well as the 5K.
The ultimate test over the Run Balmoral weekend, however, is the John Clark Devil of Deeside Challenge in which competitors tackle the 5K and 10K on Saturday, followed by the Apollo duathlon and Bristow 15 mile trail race on Sunday.
One hundred hardy athletes will take this on, with Sam Milton bidding to lift the men’s title for the third year in a row. The Hopeman athlete, who represents Moray Road Runners, set a record time of 3hr 47min 47secs for this gruelling event last year.
Aberdeen-based Polish competitor Estera Zak defends the women’s title, while Huntly’s Jacoline Dey (Insch Trail Running Club), who was third in 2023, challenges for a podium spot again. Sally Wallis (Deeside Runners), winner of the women’s 15 mile trail race in 2022, is another who is more than capable of taking top spot.
Alex Henthorn, from Aberdeen’s Harlaw Academy, returns to defend his title in the NFU Mutual 2.5K secondary schools race in which he’ll again be challenged by his Aberdeen AAC clubmate Struan McKay (Hazlehead Academy) who was runner-up in 2023.
Another Aberdeen AAC runner, Nathan Lawson (Aberdeen International School), could be also a strong contender for the title following his clearcut win in the P&J RunFest 5K earlier in the month.
The top two from last year’s girls’ race, Jessica Needs (Aberdeen AAC/Peterhead Academy) and Emily Christie (Falkirk Victoria Harriers/St Mungo’s High), will renew their rivalry.
Banchory Stonehaven AC’s Eilidh Murdoch (Braemar School) will attempt to win the MPH primary schools 1.5K girls’ title for a second time while Cullen Bowie (Young Meldrum Runners/Old Rayne), who was second in the boys’ race 12 months ago, will hope to go one place better in the absence of title-holder Patrick Kennedy (Banchory Stonehaven AC).
All finishers will receive the fourth in a series of specially designed medals featuring well-known landmarks in and around the estate. Previous medals have shown Lochnagar, Balmoral Castle and Albert’s Cairn. This year’s medal showcases Crathie Kirk. Devil of Deeside participants receive an additional special ‘Devil’ medal.
