OUTrun 2016
In August Glasgow FrontRunners (GFR) organised their second OUTrun in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove park. The scenic 5 mile route took runners around Kelvingrove park, along the Kelvin walkway with a return loop at the Botanical Garden’s Arboretum. Notoriously it also includes a ‘small incline’ at mile 4 up to the monument at the top of Kelvingrove park making this course a bit of a challenge. However, this is followed by a fun and fast downhill section all the way to the finish line on the Prince of Wales of bridge.
The event quickly sold out with 350 signing up and 292 completing the run on the day. Runners who registered ranged in age from 18 to 67, and of these 150 were women (43%) and 200 men (57%). We also attracted a healthy number of club and non-club runners. 190 registered under a club (54%) and 160 did not identify being part of a club (46%). 22 different clubs were represented, including runners from all the FrontRunners clubs in Britain and Ireland.
OUTrun began in a happy, party mood thanks to Kerry Murdoch from Troon Dynamic Fitness leading the warm-up on the Kelvingrove Bandstand stage. Runners were then piped to the start line where Richard Allwood on behalf of event sponsor, Queens Cross Housing Association, started the race. Drummers from Sheboom were positioned at the top of the monument hill adding an exhilarating atmosphere to the event. Many runners commented how grateful they were for their drumming which encouraged them to the top!
Each runner received an orange technical t-shirt with the outrun logo on it. Each year the colour will change representing a different colour from the Rainbow flag. When outrun is 5 years old entrants will have a full set of rainbow coloured outrun t-shirts. Everyone also received a overflowing goody bag thanks to the generous donations from local businesses, Left Bank, Cotswolds, the Scottish Fair Trade association, Tunnocks, the Gallery bar, and Luke and Jacks. Every runner was also given a pair of rainbow laces from Stonewall Scotland supporting their equality in sport campaign. OUTrun bakers donated their best home baking which helped to raise £612.58 in aid of the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland. Thanks to everyone for their generous contributions!
GFR club president Jason Bohan awarded prizes, donated by event sponsors Run 4 It and Luke and Jacks, on the bandstand stage to fastest male Darren McQuade from Bellahouston Harriers (28:52) and fastest female Sharon Muir from Inverclyde Athletics Club (31:24); fastest over 40 went to John Muir (29:12) and Julie Gordon from Inverclyde Athletics Club (35:41); fastest over 50* went to Russell Deane from Northern FrontRunners (32:16) and Rosemary Lee from Falkland Trail Runners (43:10), and the fastest runners from any FrontRunner club was awarded to Kenneth McBeth (30:43) and Isla McIntosh (38:19) both from Glasgow Frontrunners. *Kenneth McBeth was the first male over 50 across the line, however our race rules were that there was one prize awarded per runner. Kenneth chose to be awarded the fastest FrontRunner prize.
The event could not have happened without the generous support of the 40+ team of volunteers organised by Andy Monk and Heather Noller. These volunteers gave up their Saturday morning to cheer, marshal, help on the stalls and registration and generally ensure the safety of the event for everyone involved – we are so grateful to everyone who helped!
GFR is a running club supporting runners from the LGBT community and their friends. OUTrun was set up as a way of promoting LGBT participation in sport and to combat the prejudice still faced by athletes from these communities. Entrants came together from all across the running community, local club and club runners alike. The event also attracted athletes from every UK and Ireland-based FrontRunner clubs, which include Newcastle, London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Dublin, and Edinburgh. GFR is grateful to everyone who registered and took part and hope to see YOU there next year!
For pictures of the day visit the OUTrun facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/outrunGlasgow/