The Battle of Langside – Sx5 – Queens Park

The Battle of Langside

Queens Park, the finale. South By Five once again comes to a close. But not before another new route and exploration of the heart of Glasgow’s south side, Queens Park.

Named for Mary, Queen of Scots, her opponent at the Battle of Langside, Earl Moray, lined up on Langside Hill, while her forces aligned opposite on what is now Mount Florida train station/Langside College.

Langside Hill now forms the central point of Queens Park, and is the start and finish for South By Five – Queens Park.

Unlike the original Battle of Langside, our protagonists lined up side-by-side.

Head to head

The series head to heads can be complicated to fathom pre-race. Our system of scoring five from six races, whilst maximising involvement by allowing a day off at a busy time of year with Christmas parties, shopping, New Year holidays etc, it does leave you and us wondering right to the last race. Going into the last event the series standings will show all who have completed 4 or 5 events from the previous 5 races i.e. all those still in the running to complete 5 of the 6. One minute you head-to-head with runner 346, but then they don’t show for the final race and drop out the standings, and you left head-to-head with runner 567. You’re up against it and don’t know it!

Up front, the guys have become quite friendly rivals through the series. Chat and Strava stalking abound, and the rumours began to circulate of who would and wouldn’t be making the last race.

With leader, Ruan Van Rensburg, missing the Bellahouston event, he had to show up for Queens Park to remain in the standings, and continue a charge. One slip or slight muscle twinge could leave the series open. Equally super-vet, Richard Cooper would drop out of the standings when he missed Bellahouston and then didn’t report for duty at Queens Park. That left it all to play for in the podium spots!

The female standings were much the same. Early series leader Lindsay Branston had missed Bellahouston, and Karen McQuarrie chasing her didn’t compete at Kings Park. Both needed to toe the battle line at Langside to take the series overall. Who would come out on top? If neither arrived, the series and podium would be blown wide open!!

Who would be our victorious Regent Moray, and who would be Mary?

Race time

All the troops were piped from race brief to the line by the kilt adorned Mark Sutherland. The tune Glendaruel Highlanders, coming accompanied with the words “I wish you were whisky” (not sure what Mark was saying?!). Sutherland a last-minute volunteer to this role would stash his bagpipes after his “warmup” and then take place in the race! Some feat!

The downhill start down Langside Hill, like an infantry charge (waste of a strong position!) and into battle the runners went.

Another new route, less elevation, more trails. Same great finish! Once again, the route took runners into parts of the park many haven’t previously seen or been aware of. One of the things consistent with South By Five routes is exploration of the parks and trails. Hopefully inspiring you for some future runs.

The battles

Ruan arrived….and he was given a real tough battle by Callum Wallace. If Wallace were to win the race the overall series would be drawn. As they passed me 700m from the finish, Ruan was leading but only by a few metres.  Callum looked the fresher of the two at this stage, setting up a great race for the line. I radioed through to Michelle at the finish line to ensure everyone was ready to capture this fight to the line.

Ultimately those pesky Victoria Road steps were to be Callum’s undoing. Ruan still had a little more left in the tank to power up them and extend the lead slightly into the last corner and up the tree lined finish to take the race and series win! Congratulations!

Lindsay didn’t…* The women’s event was there for the taking, and Karen McQuarrie had another excellent race. However spent it chasing down Erica Belcher, who would take the line just 8 seconds in front of Karen. Erica not in the series, enjoyed a race win, with Karen taking the series win.

*Dramatic effect! I realise folk have lots of stuff going on and can’t necessarily make all the events!

Our race podiums:

Male

Ruan Van Rensburg (Ffie AC)

Callum Wallace (Bellahouston Harriers)

Oliver Traynor (Giffnock North)

Female

Erica Belcher

Karen McQuarrie (Bellahouston Harriers)

Ruth Harrison

Full race results here

 

Series

The men’s race results settled the lead for the Series. Ruan squeezed out Callum by 2 points. Richard Cooper’s absence left the final podium spot as another head to head between Ryan Macready (Bellahouston Road Runners) and Lukasz Pudlow (Bellahouston Harriers). The Road Runner showing he’s not too bad on trails as well ultimately edging Lukasz out over the series to take the third podium position.

Karen McQuarrie took the top step in the female series, with a string of strong efforts. Ruth Harrison, the 2024 Princess of the Isles (Heb3 10k series winner) took the second spot, followed by Sharon O’Leary who narrowly edged out Laura Wallace to complete the podium.

The age category prize winners all put in amazing series performances proving that age is no barrier! With age category overall winners in the series podium spots, we cascade our prizes downwards.

Full series results

Female

F40 Laura Wallace (Ayr Seaforth)

F50 Isobel Macfarlane (West End Road Runners)

F60 Catriona Gourley (Giffnock North)

Male

M40 Mark Cumming (Celeros)

M50 Eddie Neilson

M60 Andrew Cruickshank (Glasgow Triathlon)

 

Other awards

South By Five comes with a plethora of awards, not just the podiums. Some voted for by you guys, others selected by the Acorn team.

Best Newcomer – Karen McQuarrie

Be Seen – Be Heard – The Milmore Chlidren

Biggest Smile – Lynn Connor

Flying Feet Award – Blythe Lindsay

‘Cos He’s Brilliant – Kev the P*rnographer

Bringing the Rainbow and running even though she doesn’t like it – Kathleen McGee

Best Boy – Jim the Dog

Outstanding Support for Runners – Ryan Macready

For Getting Caked In Mud – Mags Meehan

Best Hi-Fives – Calum Roach

Overcoming Adversity and Inspiring Others – Alex McMillan

Most encouraging and persuasive friend – Anna Deboub

Most encouraged and persuaded friend – Caroline Arshad

He’s not a runner – he is now!! – Mark Higgins

Raising money for FOLP – Maureen McKeown and Gordon Harper

Losing shoes and carrying on – Karly Walters-Smith

Spectacular falls – Laura Wallace

Knocked down and get back up – Kate McCabe

Colourfulness makes me smile – Michael Devlin

Encouragement – Pamela Clark

Best Comeback – Ruth Harrison

 

Sponsored by Migo Sports

Runners Runner – Callum Wallace

Runners Marshal – H

Bellahouston Harriers Membership – Two annual memberships for the club awarded to the fasted male and female who currently don’t represent a club.

Ruth Harrison and Eddie Neilson

Spot prizes

Fastest Chairperson– Dorothy Buchanan

Muddiest Bib – Mags Meehan & Stuart Simpson

Dedication to the results – Lukasz Pudlo

Klinsman Cup – awarded for dedication to the duck pond 🦆

Callum Wallace and Craig Brown

Spirit of Sx5 – Chosen by the Acorn Team and awarded to a person who has embodied everything that South By Five means to us.

Gillian Phillips (Cumbernauld AAC)

Good causes

During South By Five together we’ve done some fantastic things for good causes.

Three foodbanks, Glasgow SE, Glasgow SW and East Ren Larder, all benefited from an amazing amount of donations. They are particularly helpful over the busy Christmas and winter period.

ShoeShare Malawi received well over 100 pairs of shoes to be shipped out to Africa and carry on their intended life!

ReRunIt, a brand new start up CIC, attended their first ever event and collected your pre-loved apparel. They will be back for more at our future events.

Rewilding – a total of…….were paid for, and will be planted in due course.

Give a Dog A Bone…..round up by Acorn Trails, we together donated an amazing £500 to this fantastic local charity.

Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice – over £100 was donated to the hospice located in the adjacent to the race route in Bellahouston Park. This in addition to the £500 raised mid race series by the pop-up Migo Mile race we held to celebrate 15 years of Migo Sports.

Friends of Kings Park and Friends of Linn Park received donations of £75 each.

Thanks

For the Queens Park race event we would like to thank: Lynn Connor, Cedric Moreux, Dorothy Buchanan, KMAC and Sophie, Karis McDermott and Skye, Mark Sutherland, Callum Wallace, Magda Thomas, Steven Prentice, Steven Gilligan, Angus Robinson, Zuzana Rencova, Mikey Gowans, Calum Roach, H, Liam McGregor, Alison Wright, Kay Cee, Sam Hampton-Smith, Liz Deans, Heather Foster, Garry Smith, Tina Kinsey, Dad, Wellcroft Bowling Club, Lukasz Pudlow.

For the photos: George Wilson, Ian Cochrane, Bill Oliver, Blythe Lindsay, Kev Queenan, Laura Lennon

The list of thanks throughout the series is too long to repeat here, but as with those above your kindness, help and generosity is all part of what makes South By Five so special to us as race directors and to the runners participants.

Lastly thanks to all of you who turn up to each event and take part. There would be no point in the hard work and time we put in if you guys didn’t show up, and (hopefully) enjoy yourselves.