Women's champion cruises to victory by five minutes at Inverness Half Marathon
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Fife Athletic Club's Annabel Simpson showed exceptional form to win the Inverness Half Marathon in 73 minutes and 40 seconds, just 19 seconds outside the course record set by Kenyan athlete Cathy Mutwa in 2007.
The University of West Scotland PhD student who scythed close to three minutes off her previous best time when finishing almost five minutes ahead of her closest challenger.
Simpson came into the race in a confident mood after setting a women’s 5k course
record in the Allan Scally road relay the previous weekend and admits to being delighted with the outcome.
She said: “It’s nice to improve my personal best by so much. It has been difficult over the past couple of years with covid, so it’s good to be back competing. After my run last week, I knew something decent was possible today, but you never know.
“I started on my own, but for most of the way I had guys to run with until the later stages when it began to break up again.
The wind was in your face going up the hills so it was tough at times.
"But the crowd support out on the course was brilliant.
“I’m not sure what will be next for me as my university work will take priority for a while.
"Later in the year I’m going to the Valencia half marathon where I’ll be looking
to improve my time again.”
Lauren Wilson (Edinburgh AC) was runner-up in 78:27 while Jen Wetton (Central
AC) was third in 78:38. The Stirling athlete was making her seventh appearance in the race over the past eight years and during that period she has never finished lower than fourth.
She has taken second position on the podium three times and has now been third on two occasions.
Fourth placed Avril Masson (Shettleston Harriers) was first in the over-40 age group in 1:21:20 while fifth-placed Catriona Fraser-Lennox was the leading Inverness Harriers member when placing fifth in a personal best 1:21:27.
Kirstie Rogan, who was sixth in 1:21:28 on her half marathon debut, led Highland Hill Runners to the women’s team prize with backing from Caroline Marwick (1:25:41) and Katie Wilson (1:31:38).
