National Road Relays 2010 - Part Two

 BEHIND THE SCENES INTERVIEWS BY AA for RUNNERS DIGEST
 
RAYMOND LOUGHRAN President of Shettleston Harriers club and coach THOMAS PATTERSON are two of the men behind the current success of Shettleston and have been a great help to the Eritrean runners.
 They explained how they came to run for the club.
    "They first came over to run Junior races and the Team Managers of their team and Shettleston got together and  talked about them wanting to stay and, after having seen the clubhouse in 2008. They had nothing but their running clothes to wear but the club helped them out to start with and they integrated very well and are popular with the club. They even help some of the youngsters down the club with basic training."
    Thomas Patterson has an interesting background in the sport:
    " I ran with Lachie Stewart, Dick Wedlock, Alistair Blamire and a few good athletes. I was 11th in the Scottish Senior cross country ahead of Ian McCafferty and made the Junior International cross-country in Tunisia"  
 
                   RICHARD WEIR, 26, (Derby AC) 1500/3:43.88 in 2006
    " A couple of years ago I had a major knee operation and now, I am battling back and in the best shape I have ever been. Unfortunately I had a really good run in the Northerns' but got a virus in Mid-Week before the National Six Stage  and my eyes were sore. I obviously had to run today for the club and got round in one piece'    I ran 3:44 mid-season twice for the 1500. One of those races I was seven seconds clear so it was a time trial, that is why I know I can run quite a bit quicker."
 
                 JONATHAN HAY (18) ALDERSHOT FARNHAM AC
  " Probably my best performance was my track 5k in 14:02.9. Next year I want to try and take 15 seconds off that.'
    ' My next target is the Euro-cross trials then the Euro itself'
    'I have been running 9 years now roughly so, it has been a long time. Mick has always been there for me and pushed me forward. He has always been very helpful to me targeting the Euro-Cross this year. Top 3 hopefully--See how it goes! I have been slowly building up to 70 miles a week now."
 
                    MICHAEL GILLESPIE of SHETTLESTON HARRIERS
  " The races this year have been pretty good. Been getting the 5 and 10k times down and done a descent half marathon in 68 minutes. It was my first half marathon in Glasgow'
    'I started running when I was 9, twelve years ago, when my parents took me along to the club'
    'I sometimes train with my brother Mathew but we are at different Unis. I am at Edinburgh and he is at Glasgow but we do train together."
                                     
                PHIL NICHOLLS OF TIPTON HARRIERS (Coached by Lindsay Dunn)
" I started running when I was seven years old and I have been with club 20 years.'
  What was his inspiration then?
" The lads around me. The Team management at Tipton.
   Three people who I was friends with have been 'Great' with Tipton. Andy Holden, Allan Rushmer and Tony Milovsorov!
    " Andy Holden has always been a part of my life as he used to look after me as a kid and coached me. He has always been there for advice. I used to work with Tony as well in a school. Allan Rushmer has been somebody to look up to as well. People like Andy and Tony are always on hand for advice. Last week Tipton had the 100 year Party as it was the Centenary year and old athletes were there. That was inspiring with all the old videos"
      Could he pick out a race that meant a lot to him over the years?
     " Definitely running in he World cross in Africa (2006). That was inspiring. It is always nice when you run against the World's Best and shows you how hard you need to work. Gives you a wake up call. I did not do too bad (74th in Mombasa)
 
                                   MATT JANES OF BEDFORD & COUNTY AC
 
" A bit of a down year. Had a hernia operation in February so missed the Winter and the Summer was sort of average without the background. I did manage to get a Summer season in and so building up now so, hope to have a good  Winter this year'
            As a team Bedford have done well?
        " We have won Mansfield National cross country relay twice'
           His start in the sport?
           " 10 years ago I started seriously after going with my Dad to do the Chicago marathon.I did 3:10 off not much training. I had always run a bit at school but it  was when I went to Brunel University that I joined the cross-country club'
    ' The Mansfield relays are the outstanding memories for me in the last two years and it has been a highlight for the team and me. I  came second int he BUSEF (Bedford 5k 2003) when everyone in the final was faster than me on paper."