Cover photo – club members at Scoonie Golf Course for Tuesday night training

Tuesday night training and Couch to 5k

Jog leader Tricia took the main group to Scoonie for a session of sprint hills while jog leader Ross led the Couch to 5k group on a 25 minute continuous run as they began week 6 of their training programme.

Strathkinness to Blebocraigs (Fife AC Midweek Series)

Race results:

• Bryan McLaren – 18th 28:17
• Alan Davie – 25th 28:58
• Iain Wallace – 35th 29:34
• Jeff Taylor – 102nd 36:05
• Peter Rieu-Clarke – 137th 44:50

Beveridge Park 5k

Race results:

• Iain Wallace – 13th 19:28
• Barry West – 38th 21:54 PB
• Jim Dunstan – 45th 22:37

Parkruns

At the Saturday morning parkruns there were personal best times for Stephanie Barclay at Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy and Kenna Orkney at Craigtoun Park in St Andrews.

Loch Leven Half Marathon

This mass participation event took place on Saturday morning when over 450 runners gathered at Kinross for the Loch Leven half marathon. Representing Leven Las Vegas were Kevin Hughes, Iain Wallace, Mark McLean and Robin Pate with all four putting in excellent performances to finish within the first 50 competitors. Annie Gibson was representing Falkland Trail Runners on the day.

Race results:

• Kevin Hughes – 24th 1:28:59
• Iain Wallace – 34th 1:31:53
• Mark McLean – 36th 1:32:13
• Robin Pate – 43rd 1:33:58 PB
• Annie Gibson – 362nd 2:14:23

Smokies 10

On Sunday morning a group of lady runners from Leven Las Vegas Running Club travelled north to Arbroath for the Smokies 10 mile race. With entries restricted to ladies only, the event is a popular fixture in the running calendar and was celebrating its 30^th anniversary with a large field of 300 runners in attendance.

First of the Leven runners to finish was Jemma Guild, followed by Karen Richards, Lorraine Davie, Bex Oakenfull, Tracey Millar, Claire Doak, Lynsay Bell, Dawn Watson, Josephine Lenachan and Lorna Hughes. For Lynsay and Dawn in particular it was a tremendous achievement as the race was their longest distance event so far since graduating from the Leven Las Vegas Couch to 5k jogging course in October 2017. Both ladies continue to provide tremendous inspiration to all the joggers taking part in the current beginners’ course with LLV.

Race results:

• Jemma Guild – 99th 1:30:10
• Karen Richards – 155th 1:36:27
• Lorraine Davie – 167th 1:38:31
• Bex Oakenfull – 200th 1:43:37
• Tracey Millar – 203rd 1:44:25
• Claire Doak – 205th 1:44:52
• Lynsay Bell – 206th 1:45:09
• Dawn Watson – 232nd 1:48:43
• Josephine Lenachan – 278th 2:01:58
• Lorna Hughes – 291st 2:22:27

Dalkeith Country Park ​Bluebell 10K Trail Run

Two of LLV’s recent recruits, Vhairi Walker and Angela Small, took part in a 10k trail run around Dalkeith Country Park in aid of MYPAS, a charity which provides support to young people in the Midlothian region.

Race results:

• Angela Small – 146th 1:07:43
• Vhairi Walker – 147th 1:07:43

Upcoming Events

• Self Transcendence 2 mile race @ Edinburgh Meadows – Wednesday 16 May
• University of Dundee Botanics 5k – Wednesday 16 May
• Kinnoull Hill Race – Thursday 17 May

Further ahead:

• West Lothian College 5k Road Race – Wednesday 23 May
• Livingston AC Open Graded Track Meeting – Wednesday 23 May
• Ravenscraig Park Mile – Wednesday 23 May
• Chacefield Trail Race – Thursday 24 May
• Black Rock 5 – Friday 25 May
• Edinburgh Marathon Festival – Saturday 26 May and Sunday 27 May
• Beveridge Park 5k – Friday 1 June
• Alloa Half Marathon (rescheduled date) – Sunday 3 June
• Chariots of Fire Beach Race – Sunday 3 June
• Errol 10k (rescheduled date) – Sunday 10 June
• Glenrothes 10k – Sunday 17 June
• West Highland Way Race – Saturday 23 June
• Benarty Gala – Sunday 24 June
• Sandy Slither – Wednesday 27 June
• Balbirnie Duathlon – Thursday 28 June
• Chacefield Trail Race – Thursday 28 June
• Trail Busters Series Race 1 – Sunday 1 July
• Crieff 10k – Sunday 8 July
• Tour of Fife – Wednesday 11 July to Sunday 15 July
• Donkey Brae Run – Sunday 29 July
• Trail Busters Series Race 2 – Sunday 5 August
• New Gilston 5k – Sunday 12 August
• Trail Busters Series Race 3 – Sunday 2 September
• Scottish Long Coastal Relays – Saturday 6 October

Cover photo – the Couch to 5k Sunday morning session at Shell Bay

Tuesday night training and Couch to 5k

Jog leader Allen took the main group to King George V Park in Leven for a variable speed session while boss Ian led the Couch to 5k group on their first 20 minute continuous run along Wellesley Road in Methil.

Scottish 5k Championships

A high quality field of around 500 runners gathered at Silverknowes in Edinburgh on Friday evening for the prestigious Scottish 5k road championship race. Representing Leven Las Vegas Running Club at the event was Bryan McLaren of Windygates who was looking to improve on his performance in the 2017 event. And the speedy youngster did just that by setting a new personal best time for the 5km distance and finishing ahead of some well-known athletes from Scotland’s top athletic clubs.

Race results:

• Bryan McLaren – 192nd 17:49 PB

Parkruns

There were several impressive performances at the Saturday morning parkruns.

Chris Russell achieved first place at Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline to add to his recent record of race victories.

At Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy Donna Rodger and Gayle Moran set new PBs. For Donna it was her fourth successive PB over the course and for Gayle it was her third PB in a row, with both ladies showing that their commitment to training is paying off.

Also posting the latest in a string of six successive personal best times at Craigtoun Park in St Andrews was Dawn Watson. Dawn was a graduate of an LLV Couch to 5k jogging course for beginners only a few months ago and along with several of her fellow graduates is providing tremendous inspiration for the new class of beginners who are currently midway through their fitness journey with Leven Las Vegas.

Upcoming Events

• Strathkinness to Blebocraigs (Fife AC Midweek Series) – Wednesday 9 May
• Beveridge Park 5k – Friday 11 May
• Loch Leven Half Marathon – Saturday 12 May
• Smokies 10 – Sunday 13 May

Further ahead:

• Kinnoull Hill Race – Thursday 17 May
• West Lothian College 5k Road Race – Wednesday 23 May
• Chacefield Trail Race – Thursday 24 May
• Black Rock 5 – Friday 25 May
• FTR Dirty Weekend – Friday 1 June to Sunday 3 June
• Alloa Half Marathon (rescheduled date) – Sunday 3 June
• Chariots of Fire Beach Race – Sunday 3 June
• Errol 10k (rescheduled date) – Sunday 10 June
• Glenrothes 10k – Sunday 17 June
• West Highland Way Race – Saturday 23 June
• Benarty Gala – Sunday 24 June
• Sandy Slither – Wednesday 27 June
• Balbirnie Duathlon – Thursday 28 June
• Chacefield Trail Race – Thursday 28 June
• Trail Busters Series Race 1 – Sunday 1 July
• Crieff 10k – Sunday 8 July
• Tour of Fife – Wednesday 11 July to Sunday 15 July
• Donkey Brae Run – Sunday 29 July
• Trail Busters Series Race 2 – Sunday 5 August
• Trail Busters Series Race 3 – Sunday 2 September
• Scottish Long Coastal Relays – Saturday 6 October