THE 30th edition of the Simplyhealth Great South Run was celebrated in fine style as Eilish McColgan smashed her mum’s Scottish record to retain her title and Marc Scott saw off some strong domestic competition to win the men’s race.
In bright and breezy conditions, McColgan dominated the women’s race to become a two-time winner like her mum and coach, 1991 world 10,000m champion Liz, with her record time also moving her to second on the UK 10-mile all-time list, while Scott rounded off a busy few weeks of racing by winning what was his longest ever event.
Behind them, more than 20,000 runners took to the streets of Portsmouth and Southsea for the iconic event, which had a 90s theme in celebration of the race’s first year. After a 90s start line party featuring music from the decade, honorary starters Diane Youdale – also known as Jet from Gladiators – and Timmy Mallett set the fields on their way in front of thousands of spectators.
The weekend had begun with the second staging of the Simplyhealth Canine Run, before the Great South 5km and then the Junior and Mini Great South Run events.
Entries are open for the 2020 run, which will take place on October 18.
Women
EILISH McCOLGAN had been looking to use the Great South Run as a way to end a long and successful season on a high and would later admit that her achievement in doing so left her unable to wipe the smile from her face.
The 28-year-old had been targeting the Scottish 10-mile record of 52:00 set by her mum and coach Liz in 1997 and she bettered the two-time winner’s performances in Portsmouth by smashing that mark with a time of 51:38 to also claim a second win, retaining her title from the year before, while her mum’s first win had come in 1995.
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