Athletics: Lauren takes Highland Games’ laurel

Oct 1 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

LOTHIAN Running Club ace Lauren Arbuckle is set to pick up a prestigious award later in the year.

The Addiewell youngster, a regular amongst the honours at the tender age of 12, has been rewarded for her consistency on the Highland Games circuit by being named as the Scottish Highland Games Association’s Female athlete of the Year.

Lauren was also the winner of the SHGA’s season-long points league for youth’s in races over 800m.

This will be the second time this award has been won by a Lothian club athlete, after the accolade went to Sarah Inglis in 2005.

Meanwhile, the Lothian Club’s Scott Fraser was an excellent winner of the 26th meet of the Two Breweries race.

Having begged the loan of a map, Scott successfully completed the 18 mile (4900ft ascent) from Traquair to Broughton in two hours 47 minutes and 30 seconds.

Also representing the club were Robin Galloway, Tosh Brannan and John Malcolm.

A total of 110 runners completed this gruelling event.

There was also a large turn-out of runners from the club at Sunday’s Linlithgow 10k Race.

First back in 22nd place was Alistair Robertson, in 39 mins 23 secs.

Next across the chalk for Lothian Running Club was Scott Nelson, 33rd place, 40.36.

Other Lothian runners to finish were Alan McIntosh, Matt Richardson, Alan Robertson, Peter West, David Mabon, Jill Horsburgh, Saran Jones, Jim Salvage, Colin Banham, Robin Lickley, Mary Little, Pauline Hughes, Carol Mabon and Grainne Kelly.

Elsewhere, David Berril finished 14th (38.47) in the Pitlochry 10k, while in Fife Peter Weeks came home 58th (42.51) in the East Neuk 10k at Anstruther.