Published: Thursday, 10th June, 2010 8:30am

Race is on for Dunfermline half marathon

by Matt Meade

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THE "euphoria" of completing the Auld Toun 10k last week has led to an entry surge for this Sunday's SignPlus Dunfermline Half Marathon.

Runners of all abilities have caught the buzz ahead of the race - arguably Britain's best half marathon - to give it the largest number of entrants in recent years.

And the message to anyone still dithering on competing is clear: 'go for it!'.

Event director John Martindale said, "Anyone can turn up on the morning of the race at the Glen Pavilion and enter to receive their race chip and number.

"People are becoming more aware that Pittencrieff Park is a fantastic venue.

"Wednesday night was a lovely cool evening for the 10k and though it's a tough course the runners enjoy it because the reward is the great atmosphere and crossing the finishing line.

"We know that the euphoria of finishing the 10k was part of people's decision to enter the half marathon and we saw even more entries in the days following the race."

A total of 381 runners competed the Auld Toun 10K - a testing course in and around the Glen.

Murray Strain (Hunters Bog Trotters) smashed the course record he previously shared with John Newsom by around half-a-minute, finishing in 31:36.

Keith Hood (Corstorphine AAC) came second in 32.16 with Martin Gore (Lasswade AC) third in 33.57.

First local male was Jeff Farquhar (Pitreavie AAC), who finished fourth overall and was the leading M50 in 34.06.

Archie Duncan (Pitreavie AAC) won the M60 award, placing 69th overall in 43.19.

The men's team award was won by Carnegie Harriers (22 points), followed by Pitreavie AAC (34 points) and Kinross Road Runners (87 points).

The ladies' team award was also won by Carnegie Harriers (20 points), followed by Kinross Road Runners (49 points) and Fife AC third (66 points).

Katherine Brownlee (unattached) won the ladies' race in 38.23. Eilis McKechanie (Hunters Bog Trotters) was second in 40.20 while Fife AC's Alison McGill was third in 40.49.

Siobhan Culleton (unattached) was fourth in 41.10 and Carnegie's Kristin Lownie was fifth in 41.27.

Gail Murdoch (Carnegie Harriers) was the leading F40 and seventh overall in 42.36 while club mate Isobel Burnett won the F50 award, placing tenth in 43.55.

For those not fit enough to complete the "fast" 13.2 mile half-marathon course on Sunday there's the chance to run the I & H Brown Pittencrieff Park 5k on Saturday at 2pm.

As an added incentive, all runners who complete the race will enter a draw to win £1000 to spend at Sandy Wallace Cycles in Inverkeithing. The draw takes place after the race in the pavilion.

There will also be prizes for the most finishers by 'postcode community' with an award for the first four finishers from the winning community.

The three-day Run Dunfermline event also includes the Step Up fitness centre family run and the Active Fife Expo featuring a wide range of exhibitors in the Glen Pavilion.

There is also the Winning Time International Science in Sport conference on Saturday 12th at 6pm.

Now with sporting eyes firmly fixed on the 25th SignPlus Half Marathon, more people are spreading the word about the biggest sporting event in Dunfermline.

Mr Martindale added, "My neighbour was sitting near to people on the train to Edinburgh and even they were talking about the new half-marathon course saying it was fantastic and fast.

"It's the mixture of the country lane that goes to Oakley and the roads which allow the sharp-end runners to really race.

"It's an international class event and there's a lot at stake - an international trophy and Scottish championship medals."

Online registration is available until Friday at www.dunfermline-half.co.uk or in person from 8am at the Glen Pavilion on the morning of the race, until race limit is reached.

Next week's Dunfermline Press will include an eight-page results special souvenir of the Run Dunfermline 2010 weekend, featuring photographs from all the weekend's races, including the family fun run, and full results and times from the half marathon and 5K race.