Stornoway speedster Connor Maclean wows in Kirkcaldy

Connor Maclean galloped home to break the tape with a massively impressive top ten finish in the Lindsays Short Course XC Champs at Kirkcaldy at the weekend.
Connor Maclean in action for the Western Isles in Gibraltar in the summer.Connor Maclean in action for the Western Isles in Gibraltar in the summer.
Connor Maclean in action for the Western Isles in Gibraltar in the summer.

In a race with so many top calibre athletes, the list could have been displayed in ten foot neon lettering, Connor shrugged the fatigue of a heavy cold out of his limbs to hold his own and pass a number of rivals in the Scottish cross country race.

“I was quite surprised with how I ran to be honest,” admitted Connor to the Gazette.

“I had been struggling with a bit of a cold all through the week before hand and because I hadn’t been feeling too well I started the race quite conservatively and it worked in my favour as I was able to pick a few runners off late on.”

Olympian Andy Butchart took gold over the 4K course in 11:54, just one second ahead of Glasgow Uni student Sol Sweeney. Connor crossed the line in 12:20.

“It was quite muddy but it was a good course and one I really liked,” continued Connor.

“It is difficult to gauge if it is a good time or not as cross country is so different to track and it can depend on so many other things but I would say the conditions and mud were the same as last year and I ran a faster time this year which was good.”

Connor said: “I enjoyed the race but I have to confess I do prefer track running and I’m looking forward to some big races over the coming months. I have one in Armagh in February which is a 5K road race I am working hard towards. There will be a lot of fast runners taking part so I hope they pull us around there to post a quick time. Before that I am running in Liverpool in a couple of weeks before I have most of December off.”

But it won’t be all chocolates and turkey for Connor despite it being the holiday season.

“I’m sure I will get a Christmas dinner but not too much as I can’t take too much of a break from training,” he laughs.