Month: May 2025

2 of our most seasoned road runners have participated in every Edinburgh Marathon since the Edinburgh Marathon Festival became an annual event in 2003. 

Peter Thomson & Jim McLaren make up 2 out of only 12 people to have completed every Edinburgh marathon. 

The Edinburgh Marathon begins in the City Centre & finishes in Musselburgh. Taking in some landmarks such as Royal Mile, St. Giles Cathedral, and Edinburgh Castle, and finishes on a flat coastal stretch into Musselburgh. 

This year Jim completed the 26.2 mile course in 4 hours 24 minutes & Peter in 5 hours 25. 

In 2003 Jim clocked in at 4 hours 8 minutes with Peter 4 hours 10. 

Mallory Park near Leicester is used to hosting motor car racing over its undulating loop, but Saturday 3rd May saw finely tuned athletes in place of finely tuned motors. The Anglo Celtic Plate (ACP) is run over 100k, and competed between teams of runners from Scotland, England, Wales, N. Ireland and Rep of Ireland.
Falkirk Vics very own Danielle (Danni) Callaghan was selected to run, in her first outing in the Scotland Vest, and her first outing over the 100k distance. She was in a team of 3 women and ran a very strong race. Pacing well over a very testing 3 mile course, with a challenging hill each lap and described by a four time ACP veteran as the toughest course the event has been held at, Danni showed the grit and determination needed for such a gruelling event. Working steadily she found a second wind after about 75k and continued to move well until she had finished. She was 2nd counter (of 3) for her team, and Scotland Women won the Silver medal. The event was also used for the SAL 100k championship and Danni won Scottish Bronze.
As well as the SAL management team Danni was supported on the day by coach Grant Matheson and training partners Dougie Hill and Fiona Matheson.
I’m sure the whole club will take pride in knowing that the fine tradition of Falkirk Vics is alive and well, and has now extended internationally to the 100k distance.

Words by coach Grant Mathieson

https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/ultra-special-acp/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6ZMxEtTCXp39EM0IYrLZJkGTK2yaclQCiChIm2X85npbUPxKN9fe516g9nUQ_aem_9RSDBtMPsd0pD-5TNmyZiw

As the big city marathon buzz around Boston, London and Manchester begins to die down Falkirk Vics break new ground as Danielle (Danni) Callaghan is the first club member to gain International selection for Scotland in a 100k ultra event. Danni is donning her first Scottish vest on Saturday 3rd May in the Anglo Celtic Plate, an annual 100k event competed for between teams from the four home nations and Ireland. This year it’s being held at Mallory Park race circuit near Leicester. It’s an undulating 3 mile loop which is run 20.72 times!
Danni is no stranger to ultra running and won the Blast Running 6 hour ultra in Edinburgh last July.
Danni’s is part of the Vics Good Morning Runners training group and her international debut will swell their Scottish representation to four. The squad train on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in public parks around Falkirk. Her schedule has seen many runs of longer than marathon distance and high mileage weeks, including a meet up and session with her Scottish teammates at last year’s venue in Perth.
Picture shows Danni trying on her Scottish kit for size.