John Newsom (Central AC) tuned up for next weekend’s Inverness half marathon by scoring a clearcut victory ahead of a field of 326 runners in yesterday’s Nairn 10km road race.
The Nairn-based athlete completed his local course in 32min 29sec to finish 37 seconds ahead of Graham Bee (Inverness Harriers), while holder Gordon Lennox (Forres Harriers) had to settle for third position in 33:27.
Paul Miller (Inverness Harriers) set a personal best 34:38 to collect the over-40 age group prize in seventh position, while Stan MacKenzie (Forres Harriers) won the over-50 award when finishing a further 6 seconds and one position behind.
Bee and Miller pocketed further awards when joining forces with fourth-placed Dean Cunningham (33:30) to win the team prize.
Jenny Bannerman knocked 13 seconds off her previous best 10km time set at Elgin last March when winning the women’s race for the second time in three years. The Inverness athlete, who was 20th overall, recorded 36:39 to finish 89 seconds ahead of Gemma Cormack (Aber- deen AAC), while Catriona Fraser (Inverness Harriers) was third in 40:21.
It was Bannerman’s fifth appearance in the Nairn race and the fifth time she has set a personal best time on the course. She said: “The Nairn 10km is always an important race since it comes right at the start of the road season, so tells you just how your winter has gone. That’s why it’s so good to get another personal best this year.”
Inverness Harriers collected another team prize with Bannerman and Fraser joined by Roma Shepherd, (fifth, 41:57) in the winning line-up.
Nairn’s Maureen Mackie was the top over-40 runner in 45:57, with Sarah Houston (Moray Road Runners) the first over-50 in 46:59.
Stephen Mackay, 21, was first home in the accompanying 5km with a time of 16:57, while Mary Macintosh, 15, was first girl in 19:44.