Senior/U20 Event Report 21st December 2025

And just like that, Christmas is nearly upon us – how did that happen?  Since our last report there has not been as much racing as normal, but what is low in quantity is more than made up in quality with some great results to share with you all!  As ever, if we have missed you then please let me know (jenniferb_36@hotmail.com or PM me on Messenger or Insta) – we love to share all of your results with the wider Harriers community.

We start off this week at a very cold and soggy Erskine for the West District XC championships on the 6th of December.  Our initial team of ten athletes entered was decimated due to various illnesses and injuries, and in the end up only 3 senior/U20 athletes competed on the day.  However, it was definitely a good day for the club regardless, with Eve Starritt finishing 11th U20 in the U20 women’s race, Morgan McBurnie finishing 55th in the senior/masters women’s race, and then the icing on the cake – Jonathon Downey taking 3rd and the bronze medal in the senior/masters men’s race.  We are not sure when the last time a senior man medalled individually at Wests for Kilmarnock but it certainly wasn’t recently – great to see the blue and white vest on the podium at an event of this calibre!  This also guarantees Jonathon a spot on the West Team for the Inter Districts in 2026.  Well done to all 3 athletes on the day – it looked super tough out there!

Our next club championships race was the Cyclists v Harriers race held at Irvine on Sunday the 14th of December.  For a number of years the cylists have prevailed in frosty conditions, but with the weather leading up to the event being pretty wet and grim but milder than normal, it appeared to be the perfect conditions for a runner to take the spoils.  And so it was to be, with Jonathon Downey taking the win outright and John Speirs also having a strong run to finish 9th overall.

Thursday just gone saw the return of the Christmas handicap for our senior/U20 runners.  Sadly the weather was not kind to us this year, so a huge thank you to all of the volunteers who stood out in the pouring rain to ensure that the event could go ahead safely and of course to John Gebbie and Alasdair Murray for all of their hard work in organising and managing the event.  Our overall winner in the handicap was Eilidh Ballantyne and our fastest runners on the night were Jonathon Downey for the men (15:39) and Sasha I’Anson who ran 19:32 despite having a little lie down on the grass at one stage…  Some great running out there from all 29 runners who braved the conditions!

From a league perspective there have been some changes after the last 3 races, and a whole host of new names on the tables which is great to see.  In the senior men’s league, Jonathon Downey maintains a strong lead with the maximum available points currently (79).  Greig Glendinning is in second with 48 and John Speirs is in hot pursuit with 45.  In the senior ladies table, Morgan McBurnie now tops the table with 47 points, with Jennifer Beattie still hanging on to second with 44 and Amanda Bryden waiting to pounce with 38.  There are also two athletes on 34, so lots to play for still with a few races still left to go.  Our U20 leagues are still 1 horse races with only Eve Starritt for the women and Jamie Work for the men having recorded points this season, but this should not take away from the quality of the efforts these young athletes have put in so far with some great results. You can see the full results here – winter 25.6 tables

Our next Championship league events are the Ayrodynamic Turkey Trot 10k on the 27th of December and the Beith 10k – hopefully we will have a great Killie turnout at both events!  We are also looking forward to the start of the indoor campaigns for some of our track athletes – watch this space. Have a fantastic Christmas break whatever you are all up to!