THOUGH technically now through winter, members of Irvine jogging and running group Ron's Runners are already travelling far and wide in order to enter events.

Last week members were at Aberdeen Inverness and Callendar and this week saw members visit Alloa, Loch Catrine and slightly nearer home Drumchapel and Glasgow Green.

Drumchapel 5k Park run was the event chosen by Sylvia Mulholland as a recovery run following last week’s ultra and is another event new to the club.

Regarded as being one of the toughest, perhaps the hardest, Park run in Scotland the three clockwise laps on paths and gravel within Garscadden Woods certainly contained steep hills which got steeper during each lap. Sylvia spent no time admiring the splendid views on offer and her time of 26 minutes was good enough to claim second lady over the finish line.

Andy Stewart went to Loch Katrine for a half marathon Starting and finishing at the Trossachs Pier the race is run on a quite private road on the shores of the loch.

Andy, now in his mid-50's, had a super start to the season, returning with 1hr 33mins and 30secs.

Travelling with Andy, John Owens now focused on the upcoming London Marathon, eased round with a comfortable1:53:49.

Andy brilliantly ran 1:33:30, after starting 23 minutes later than the other Ron's Runners recruits. It was a challenging course with a few killer hills.

On a return visit to Alloa Half Marathon, where she was extremely disappointed with her effort last year, having worked hard during training, saw a determined Gemma Davison finish delighted to take over three minutes from last year’s time, recording 2:04:39

Another lady delighted with her result was Jennifer Shaw who, when running the route for the first time, set herself a new personal best for the distance finishing with1:53:06 confirming her sparkling winter training form. Jennifer was accompanied by her brother who posted a creditable 2:14:40.

The fourth member to make the trip, Mark Garton also finished happy with his performance crossing the finish line well under his target time of 2 hours when posting 1:55:32. The four thought it was a rather hard route to run especially as in some parts a strong head wind was encountered.

Gayle Burnside was the sole member to venture to Glasgow Green when, on a flat course through the park and along the riverside she recorded 37:07 in the Resolution Run 5k

Arrangements are now almost complete for the club’s 5k race on April 19, which is held at the Beach Park with a 7pm start. All bar the finishing touches are now in place for the event which is run under Scottish Athletics.

Another happy lady was Pamela Porteous was presented with the ladies trophy for the most consistent runner over the last year. Unless busy elsewhere Pamela normally enters the 5k held in Eglinton Park on Saturday mornings and is a well-deserved winner.

At the weekly Park 5k, Pamela took her turn as a steward as did Anny Hay Cameron Miller and William Goggans. Bringing his club mates home was Andy Stewart, posting 20:01 this week followed by a cracking 20:48 John Owen claimed a new personal best and benefitting from long distance training runs.

Hugh Hood, now over 60, was another to set a personal best at 22:26, as did Jennifer Shaw, claiming 23:04. Another fine run saw Neil Kyle return 21:24, followed by Mark Garton 23:27 then Sylvia Mulholland eased round with 23:48 ahead of Paul McCallum 24:53.

Pamela - acting as a pace maker for others - timed 25:03 then Fiona Wyper running carefully took 25:21,Hazel Anderson 27:34, Graeme Shaw 28:03 and Carol Rome 28:18. Only a second split friends Lynne Shearer 29:54 and Liz Fairbairn 29:55 then came Eric Pearson 31:27. Still smiling but in her first run for some time Astrud Gibson returned 31:43 and Mary Huggan - on the course where she sustained a bad injury some months ago - happily finished with 37:43.

Acting as tail runner, Mary’s sister, Ann Hay crossed the line with 45:53.