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The Welsh 56-year-old was here to watch Jedburgh Running Festival’s annual 10k wheelchair and handbike race, launched by her late friend Jed Renilson, a sports coach and development officer, back in 2004 and said she was heartened to see it still going strong. “The race has just been amazing in two ways,” she said. “Firstly, it’s amazing for me to see it bearing Jed’s name because he was just an incredible person in terms of his views on equality and inclusion and how he managed to bring people together. “It’s also an amazing 10k race for wheelchair and hand-cycle racers in its own right. “He created a race that is one of the fastest 10ks on good roads. “We’ve had Great Britain’s best racers here because it’s become a really important race for all levels of wheelchair athletes and that’s brilliant to see 20 years on from when Jed launched it.” This year’s title went to Cumbrian Paralympian star Simon Lawson for the tenth time in 23 minutes and 17 seconds. “It is always a great start here as you can get up to 40mph down that opening hill, but it’s great then that it’s quite flat and you don’t face it coming back because it can be quite windy,” said the 43-year-old. “I’ve been busy around the world doing events but I love coming back to the Borders because of Jed, who was a great man, as well as the family atmosphere and the way we’re looked after by the organisers. I’ll definitely be back.” Runner-up was Kyle Brotherton, from Port Glasgow, and there was a new face in 17-year-old Ollie Porter from Hurworth-on-Tees, near Darlington, in thkird place. Aberdeen’s Joanna Robertson was the only female entrant this year and she set a new personal best en route to claiming the ladies’ trophy uncontested. Sunday’s hand-cycle race was won by Liverpool’s Ken Talbot. Victory in the same day’s half-marathon went to Northumberland’s Michael Stott. The Blyth Running Club over-40 clocked a time of 1:15:47 for the 13-mile-plus course, finishing almost two minutes clear of Edinburgh’s Gary McLauchlin, runner-up in 1:17:44. Lauderdale Limpers’ Derrick Sloan was the first Borderer home, placing fourth in 1:18:33. Gala Harriers’ Liam Kemp also managed a top-20 finish, making it back 14th out of a field of 126 in 1:28:45. The same day’s 10k race was won by North Berwick Runners’ Richard Kitto in 33:28, with Penicuik Harriers’ Paul Smith second in 39:40. Tweed Leader Jed Track’s Garry Ramsay was the first Borders club runner over the line, placing fifth out of a field of 169 in 41:03, with Gala’s Bob Noble two places behind him in 41:34. Edinburgh’s Hunters Bog Trotters claimed a clean sweep of podium places in Saturday’s 38-mile ultra-marathon, with Charles Houston first of a field of 129 in 4:55:58, Florent Weillaert second in 5:19:59 and Calum Fisher third in 5:21:29.
