October 14th and 15th 2006 saw the long-held dream of an Aviemore running event finally come true. Outstanding warm, clear and sunny weather helped to herald the launch of this new weekend event and duly welcomed the 250 fun runners and 600 half-marathon runners, who came from all over the UK and beyond, to the ‘Strath’ to take part in this inaugural event in arguably one of the most scenic and beautiful landscapes in Great Britain.

It was an incredible joy and brilliant sight to see all the fun runners (especially the purple dinosaur!) going through their upbeat aerobic warm-up routine led superbly by Samantha Bain before the start of their Saturday mile run around the Aviemore Highland Resort. Right from the start of the fun run, there was an amazing enthusiasm and turn of speed from the huge amount of kids taking part and it was genuinely uplifting for all the spectators and marshals to see them sprinting over the finish line and collecting their well-deserved medals – great hopes for their sporting future if we make the effort to nurture this zest! The fun run really does gives an opportunity for kids, families and everyone to take part in doing something together, regardless of ability, and to achieve something for themselves; hopefully it is good fun to run too!

A fantastic Cairngorms scene of hazy sun, dew and shimmering highland mist greeted the half-marathon runners as they arrived on the buses from the Aviemore Resort at the Badaguish Centre start in Glenmore forest. After enjoying a welcome cuppa and biscuit provided by the local WRI, competitors were able to warm up around the centre surrounded by stunning mountain views. With the help of the Badenoch & Strathspey pipeband leader John McIntosh, the runners were led and assembled at the forest start and the race got off around 10mins late to allow for some bus delays.

Pre-race favourite Simon Pride from Forres Harriers set off at a blistering pace and from the very start opened a gap that was only to widen as the race went on. It was another fantastic and heart-warming vision for everyone involved at the Speyside Trust Badaguish Centre to see 600 colourful, smiling and incredibly friendly and diverse competitors pass through the Centre and head off on this new course set within the Cairngorms National Park. The 13.1 mile course passes through some of Scotland’s best and outstandingly scenic landscape all set below the imposing northern corries of the Cairngorm Mountains; including Glenmore Forest, Rothiemurchus Estate, Loch Morlich and the River Spey. The first 7.5 miles allowed the runners to enjoy this wonderful feast of spectacular views whilst running on excellent forest tracks with water stations at 4.5 miles by Loch Morlich beach and then at 7.5 miles at the eastern end of the loch and with a great deal of support and encouragement along the route from both visitors on holiday and local residents.

Joining the tarmac ski road at 8 miles, the runners were very grateful for a long downhill stretch into Coylumbridge and to Inverdruie for the last water station at 11.5 miles. As they crossed the Spey River and up into Aviemore, the first strains of the 'Carrumba' drum band and enthusiastic cheers from the huge crowd of family, friends and supporters at the finish line were heard for the last mile (which has since been described as a wee sting in the tail!). As the runners entered the final finish lane in the Aviemore Highland Resort and within the shadow of Craigellachie Hill which overlooks the village they were treated to a wonderful greeting by the hundreds of spectators surrounding the finish area and each runner was individually welcomed back over the line via the PA system to tremendous applause; every single one a winner!

Sincere congratulations go to everyone who took part and of course to all the various individual and team category winners. In-form Simon Pride never lost his lead through the race and finished first home in an incredible time of 1.09.19 which sets a most challenging first male course record for the future. Runner up in the men’s section was veteran Steve Reeve of Moray Road Runners (1.15.42) and third place went to Robert Turner of Harmeny AC (1.16.50). Winner of the ladies race was Mari Todd from Munlochy in a great time of 1.25.03, followed by veteran Lyn Humphries from Invergordon (1.29.31) and Marie Rennie of Kintore (1.31.32). Mens team winners were Harmeny AC and Ladies team winners were Garioch Road Runners. First local male was Rothiemurchus Fish Farm Manager Alan Riach (1.22.24) and first local lady was Penny Lawson from Nethybridge Pottery and former Badaguish Centre staff (1.37.06). Special mention and well-done goes to local stalwart Patricia Cruickshank and friend who ‘speed-walked’ the whole route in a time of 4.26, which included two picnic stops!!! Full details of all category winners and all results are contained within the website.

Once their race was complete, runners could either bask in the sun for a wee while or enjoy the fantastic food and drink available at the accompanying Highland Feast Celtic Fayre in the resort Osprey Arena. This featured music from three bands, the Cairngorms Farmer Market, cooking demos, food stalls and a host of other things that made the day as entertaining as possible for runners and their families and friends.

As with any big event, it takes months of planning, lots of support and a massive team of people to make it happen; this is even more crucial for a new event. I have been incredibly fortunate to have had the most amazing support and back up from a truly huge amount of enthusiastic people, agencies and businesses whom have all played a most significant role in making this first Aviemore Highland Half Marathon weekend take place so successfully. There is a real buzz around the Aviemore area at this time and it has been very exciting, refreshing and enjoyable to be part of the genuine team spirit and joined up thinking from all areas of the local community and beyond that has made this first event so enjoyable and attractive.

I would like to take this opportunity to personally and genuinely thank every single person and organisation who supported both events in any way whatsoever and also everyone who came along and took part and has helped to make this first event go so well. Please have a look at the web pages that lists all the wonderful support we have had.

One objective of this new event was clearly to raise funds for the Speyside Trust Badaguish Centre and I thank everyone most sincerely for their help in doing that; your efforts make a vital difference to the facilities and services we can provide for people with special needs who come to Badaguish and who enjoy taking part in outdoor activities just as much as anyone. The other objective was to host a first class and spectacularly scenic running weekend event in Aviemore and encourage people to come and stay in the area and savour for themselves the buzz, the hospitality, the landscape, the facilities and the welcome that the new Aviemore can offer. Hopefully we have been able to do that and I hope that everyone who took part enjoyed their time with us.

As I said on the day, I am really keen to get as much feedback as possible from every source so I know what went well, what didn’t work and what needs changing or improving. It has been great to get so many positive and constructive responses already (see the web page) – thank you and keep them coming (plus any photos you might have too). There are a few areas already that I know we need to look at including the number and timings of buses to the start, the road cones, the 12 mile mark, the finish line recording and results, position of water stations, more loos for the start, later times for registration and better signage at the resort. These points will all be addressed in the future…

… which of course means that there will be a second Aviemore Highland Half Marathon and Macdonald Mile Fun Run!!! In fact we now hope to make it an annual event and after further review and consultation hopefully increase the entry numbers for 2007. Next years date is October 13th (Fun Run) and October 14th (Half Marathon) and entry details will be published in due course.

In closing, I would just like to once again reiterate my sincere thanks to everyone for making this first event go so wonderfully, so friendly and so enjoyable for all. See you next year!

Paul Corrigan MBE
Event Organiser 2006