Category: Uncategorized

.

Jim Brennan leading Pat Maclagan up the hill at the Sports Centre, Bellahouston Park in 1968

Bellahoustson Park is a favourite haunt of Glasgow families.   Apart from acres of well kept grass with good smooth tarred paths it has such attractions as a ski slope, the ‘House of an Art Lover’, the sports for excellence centre, and the Glasgow School of Sport plus the sports centre.  For the complete list of attractions you could visit the appropriate Wikipedia page.  It has been used for Pipe Band competitions, pop music festivals and when the Pope visited Glasgow, he addressed the crowds in the park.     In 1938 the Empire Exhibition was held there and was visited by 13 million people.      It was and is also a good venue for cross-country running.   Good running surfaces, one him with many approaches giving different gradients, good vantage points and decent changing facilities.  It is appropriate that we take a look at just some of the events that have taken place there.

Bellahouston Park was the scene of many an epic cross-country battle.   There were club races, county championships, national championships and the world cross-country championship was held there in 1978.  There was also the annual meeting in December of every year when the open races for the Helen Corbet and Richmond Trophies were held there.  Mainly flat grass with a superb long stretch along beside Mosspark Boulevard the main feature spoken of by cross-country runners is ‘the hill’.   Imagine a handkerchief with a pencil pushed up from underneath in the middle.   That’s Bellahouston – all trails lead to ‘the hill’ unless you just run round the outside of the park.   There have been three lap courses in the park with the hill being tackled twice or three times a lap – ferocious.   There was also good changing facilitiues in the centre but, when these became quite expensive, then there was equally good changing in the nearby Cardonald College and on one occasion a nearby secondary school was used.   

The major championships every winter are the National Championships closely followed by the District Championships.   The Midland District Championships were held at Bellahouston for the first time on 21st January, 1967, won by Ian McCafferty from Lachie Stewart and Alex Brown.  There was also a Youths race won by J Cook, Garscube,  and Boys Race won by J Gibson, Shettleston, and a Junior Boys race won by J Gallagher of Clydesdale.   But for an indication of the quality of the field, have a look at the Athletics Weekly report below.       

It wasn’t the only big event held in the Park in 1967 – on 4th March the SWCCU held their national championships there.   Reigning champion Leslie Watson retained her title beating Dale Greig by only about 50 ards with Cathie Kelly of Maryhill third.   Maryhill won the team race from Dunfermline CPE  and Western LAC.   There were also races for Intermediates (won by Margaret McSherry), Juniors ( J Johnstone of Teviotdale) and Junior Girls ( J Devine of Fauldhouse).   

The Districts were held at the Park a year later, 20th January, 1968, and the senior race was won by Pat Maclagan from Jim Brennan, Alex Brown, John Myatt, Andy Brown and Harry Gorman.   The winning team was Shettleston, with Victoria Park AAC and Springburn Harriers second and third.   The duel between Maclagan and Brennan was ferocious throughout – have a look at the photograph at the top of the page and the concentration on the two faces.   Complete results from the AW are below again.

Of course the ‘Big One’ was always the National Championships  and after many years at Hamilton, it was looking for a new venue.   In 1969 it was at Duddingston Golf Course, in 1970 at Ayr Racecourse and in 1971 it came to Bellahouston.   The date was 20th February,  and the race was won by Jim Alder from Alistair Blamire and Dick Wedlock and the team race was won by  Shettleston from Edinburgh Southern Harriers and Edinburgh AC.    Scottish cross-country running was really on a high at the time and even a cursory glance at the results below will confirm that.

The National would not return to Bellahouston until 1978 but the winter season always started with the short relays – County, then District and then the National.   All were held at Bellahouston at one time or another.   Three years after the National Championships, the inaugural National Relay Championships were held on 23rd November, 1974, when 56 complete teams and 13 incomplete teams turned up to contest the championships.   The winners were Clyde Valley AAC from Edinburgh AC and Edinburgh Southern Harriers.   It was a really dramatic relay as the report below shows.

The following year, the venue was chosen for the District Relays which were held on 1st November, 1975, and they were won by Shettleston Harriers from Clyde Valley and Victoria Park.       

The 1970’s was the decade when all roads seemed to lead to Bellahouston.   For instance on 18th January, 1976, the first really ambitious international race organised by Glasgow’s Sports Promotion Council.   The trail was a mile loop which was covered six times by the Senior Men.   Some of the best of Scots runners did not turn out – Ian Stewart was one of them – but there were nevertheless athletes such as Brendan Foster, Tony Simmons, Allister Hutton, Davie Logue and Nat Muir out there doing battle.   There were four Scottish teams of four men each in the race.   The result was a win for Brendan Foster from Tony Simmons by 24 seconds with Allister Hutton a further 21 seconds behind him.   Davie Logue was fourth and Nat Muir fifth.   The team race was won by England (13 points) from Scotland (14) and N Ireland (30 points).   There was also a club race incorporated into the event and there were some red faces among the selectors when a man that they hadn’t selected beat every runner in the B, C and D teams representing Scotland that day.    Phil Dolan of Clydesdale Harriers was 16th in the race and his performance was duly noted by the selectors for future reference.  In the club races for youths and Boys, the winners were Brian McSloy and Graham Williamson.   

The biggest race ever held in Bellahouston Park however was the World Cross-Country Championships which was held there in 1978.

1978 was the big year for men’s and women’s cross-country running simply because the world championships were going to be held there at the end of March.  Both SCCU and SWCCU had their championships there – separately of course because that was the way things were still being done.   The women were first and on a good day for cross country running held their event in February.   The Athletics Weekly report is below.

It was also a rather fraught year for Scottish men’s cross-country running.   The athletes were of a class seldom if ever seen in the country before or since, the national was held there before a bigger crowd than usual and the international world cross-country championships were held in Bellahouston Park.   The problem was that the Union had already accepted and then turned down the offer from Coatbridge for them to hold the event.   Originally accepted and discussed well before the event and Glasgow was the proposed venue.   However Coatbridge had been successfully holding District and National Championships for some years and their offer to stage the event was much better than Glasgow’s which was simply to cover the costs.   The result was that the event was awarded to the Lanarkshire town whose offer was accepted in writing by the SCCU.    They then changed their mind and it went to Bellahouston.    The whole story is told   here   and should be read.

The National was held on 4th March 1978 in Bellahouston Park over the usual hilly course on an unpleasant afternoon of mixed weather.   It was a good race with a  really good field – with the world championships due to take place in a mere three weeks time, the contenders were all ready for action.   Look at the quality of the top 30 runners:

For P McGregor read D Macgregor.   Edinburgh AC won the team race with 102 points from ESH on 110 with Shettleston third.   Bellahouston Harriers were seventh team to finish.   Jim Morton had been the national team manager since 1968 and had held frequent get-togethers of potential team members at Bellahouston over the past two years and the Scots all knew the Park well.   

The team was selected and the international was held at the end of the month, on 25th March, on a day of almost non-stop rain.   The course was well churned up by the Junior race and by the many spectators who followed their favourites around the course.   The Glasgow public as well as the real cross-country aficionados turned out in numbers to support the race which had many of the world’s best men in action.   The top twenty of the 168 runners are below.

In the team race, France won from the United States and England with Scotland 9th out of 20 teams.    Bellahouston Harrier Frank Clement was 67th.   Of the other home countries, Ireland was sixth, Wales 11th and Northern Ireland 16th.   In the Junior Men’s race, Said Aouita was 34th – he didn’t like the rain – in a race won by Mick Morton of England.   The Scottish team (I Brown, I Campbell, A Douglas, N Jones)  finished 9th of the sixteen complete teams to finish.

The women’s race had 99 runners of whom 2 did not finish.   The Scottish team (J Shepherd, M Coomber, F McQueen, J Higgins) was 16th out of 18.   The top ten were as follows.

The top Scot was Judith Shepherd in 22nd place and Margaret Coomber was 69th.    This was undoubtedly the high spot of Bellahouston Park as a cross country venue – Olympians past, present and future galore, world record holders from the past and yet to be in every race and an appreciative crowd who watched to the end on a most unpleasant day.   

It was back to ‘auld claes and parritch’ after that one but the domestic quality was still high.   The women had separate championships at this time and the SWCCU followed the men to Bellahouston Park when they held their own cross-country relay championships there on 7th March 1982.   The winning team was Edinburgh AC (M Gray, A Johnstone, Y Murray) by 51 seconds from Glasgow AC with Kilbarchan third and Pitreavie 4th.   Glasgow’s team of A McDougall, S Trotter and I Reilly won the Juniors race from Victoria Park and in the Girls race Victoria Park defeated Edinburgh AC and Glasgow.   There was also an Under 11’s race which was won by Colzium from Clyde Valley. 

The Men’s National Relays were back at Bellahouston again in October 1988.   Greenock Glenpark Harriers were the champions this time.    The team, pictured above, had already won the McAndrew Road Relay, the Renfrewshire County championship and the West District Championships.  None of these had been easy races to win  but nor was it easy to get in to the Glenpark first team at this point with the club operating at a high level in depth.  Result below.

It was four years before the District Championships returned to Bellahouston and on 18th January 1992 there were big fields in all age group races, eg 295 Senior Men finished.   Results for the top places in the Senior Men’s race are below.

Into the 21st Century and almost immediately it became a venue for a National Championship.   From 2001 to 2015 inclusive it was where the new National Short Course Cross Country Championships were held.   It had only been held twice before that – both years in the nearby Pollock Estate.   The championship was held in January through to 2011 when the date was changed and the event was held in November.   There were races for Under 15, Under 17, Under 20 and Senior age groups and for both men and women.    The national veterans short course championship was also incorporated into the event.   Individual results for the Bellahouston Park Years are as follows.

These were the big events that took place in the park but there were many ‘bread and butter’ races held there.  For many years the races for the Helen Corbett Trophy (Youths) and the Richmond Trophy (Senior Boys)  were held in nearby Nether Pollock.   They were quality races and attracted not only big fields but the top quality young runners in the country with names like Frank Clement, Dave McMeekin and Hugh Barrow all appearing on the trophies.   You only need to look at the prize lists on the two forms here to see that.   The notion of the winner holding the trophy for a year but also getting a replica of the trophy to keep was a nice one – with a gold medal for second place it had to be attractive.   It is often said that it’s the second place award that determines the quality of the field and in that case, gold helps!   In time the races moved to the Park where they grew to include a senior men’s race.   

There were many other races held there.  For instance Bellahouston Harriers held their 6 mile road race there.   

Currently, the very popular Jimmy Irvine 10K Road Race is held there Park every November.  Jim was a respected athlete in his own right at a time when standards of Scottish distance running were high.  He ran for decades in the colours of Bellahouston Harriers.   The race itself, very well supported by members of both local clubs (Bellahouston Harriers and Bellahouston Road Runners) it is an open road race contested by runners from all over Scotland – and at times from further afield.    This is perhaps the major race regularly run in the Park at present:  a tribute to one of Bellahouston’s finest.    

.

..

..

Note that in a a book printed in 1943 under war-time constraints, some pages are very closely bound or printed close to the edge, and there will therefore be pages not properly centred.   This does not of course affect the content at all.

When talking about the history of professional athletics, particularly the running events, it is not long before the book ‘Powderhall and Pedestrians’ comes up.   Published in 1943 and written by DA Jamieson it is not only a classic but it is a mix of information and statistics dealing with a much misunderstood branch of athletics as well as an account of a particular stadium.   There are all sorts of myths about The Games none of which do the sports justice.   

There are those engaged in the sport, either as athletes, former athletes, officials or administrators who see the professional side of the sport as the purest form of our traditional sport and look down on what they see as the hide bound, rule bound amateur athletics sport with its petty restrictions.   On the amateur side of the sport, they look down on the village sports and games, the races on uneven tracks of differing dimensions, the lack of any national standards or championships as not real athletics.   Ironically there is a perception of the professional sport as more amateur in its organisation while the amateur side of the same sport is run in a more professional way.   

In the midst of this confusion, there is Jamieson’s book about Powderhall which treats the serious subject in a serious fashion.   Ten years before this book appeared on the scene, the same DA Jamieson had written, or edited, ‘Fifty Years of Athletics’ which was the history of the first 50 years of the SAAA which, as well as dealing comprehensively with the history of the amateur body and its championships, spoke of the interface with professionalism in the various parts of the country.   Between them, the two books tell us a lot about athletics on both sides of the divide at the start of the 20th century – and for those who will look closely, they tells us a bit about athletics as practised today.   Links to the various chapters and results pages are at the foot of This page.

You can read all of   ‘Fifty Years of Athletics’     by clicking on the title but this page looks at the excellent ‘Powderhall & Professionalism’   The book is out of print and unlikely ever to be reprinted.   We will reproduce some of the chapters but since the book runs to 320 closely typed pages it will not appear in its entirety.   You are urged to get hold of a copy, borrow a copy if your local library cannot get one for you, if you are at all interested in the topic.     We can begin however by looking at the List of Contents followed by the introductory remarks.

Read it through at least twice – won’t take long because it is so short – because there is so much there that you will almost certainly miss something the first time through!    The second part, about Powderhall Grounds is now up and just reproduced without comment.

.Introductory      Powderhall Grounds 

Part One    Part Two        .Part Three 1    Part Three 2        Part Four 1   Part Four 2   Part Four 3   .Part Four  4   Part Four 5      Part Five 1   .Part 5 and the last   

Results  1870: to 1890   Results: 1890 – 1014    .Results: 1914 – 1943

BMC Grand Prix, Scotstoun, 1999

As we all know the facility first hosted athletics at the start of the 20th century when Clydesdale Harriers held their prestigious 7 miles individual and team cross country event from it.  They also ran 100 yards races to entertain the crowds when the runners were out in the country.  Although Scotstoun Showgrounds was developed by the Glasgow Agricultural Society as a venue for agricultural shows, it was soon being used as a venue for sporting events and as a result the Grandstand was erected.   Located as it was in the country to the west of Glasgow, it was a good venue for cross-country running and the national cross country championships were held there every year from 1903 to 1913 with only one exception (1907 when they were held at Portobello in Edinburgh.

The facility underwent a huge renovation in the 1990’s and a further development in 2008 and on completion was re-opened on 14 January 2010 by the Princess Royal.   

That renovation was a great improvement on what had gone before and when it was opened nearby clubs and coaches were invited to a guided tour of the track and facilities – the track was blue and would show up well on televised events, it sloped inwards to aid drainage with drains all round the track on the inside and there were all sorts of modern touches that made it a pleasure to use.   Big events were held there including major international fixtures with Olympic and Commonwealth champions in action.   It followed in the tradition of the great Glasgow stadiums of Ibrox, Parkhead and Hampden.   One of the best in Britain, monthly users groups meetings were held in the main building.   

The history of the venue is impressive   – see this  link   – but the new track  was appreciated by runners from all over Great Britain.   The elite British Milers Club had Grand Prix meetings there in 1999, 2000 and 2001 with athletes from all over the British Isles taking part, setting personal best times, stadium records and BMC club records.   British Olympians ran there as did Irish, Commonwealth and European Games medallists ran there and the best coaches were there too.    The track was very well received.   

 The Scottish Senior Track and Field Championships came to Scotstoun at the start of the new century and stayed until 2007.   The stadium saw Senior Championships, Combined Events Championships (2002), Combined East and West Championships (2005 and 2007), Masters Championships (2006) and Under 20 and Under 23 Championships (2006).    There were three GB international matches – on 2nd July 2000 Great Britain & Northern Ireland took on the might of the USA, on 29th June 2003 it was Great Britain & Northern Ireland v USA v Russia, and on 5th June 2005, the same three nations took part in another triangular fixture.   There were also international meets with stars from all corners of the globe appearing at the track.  

Meanwhile the SRU  was competing at Partick Thistle’s ground, Firhill Park, but it was looking for alternative accommodation.   They started training at Scotstoun from 2009 and started playing their matches there from 2012.   Immediately their presence was felt by the athletics fraternity.   There was a feeling among coaches of athletics suddenly becoming subsidiary to the newcomers.   A small example: one coach used to train sprinters inside on a Saturday morning.   Hurdles were used for hurdle stepping, starting blocks were used, etc and in particular the boxes in the store cupboard were used for plyometrics.  Then one Saturday the boxes were no longer there.   On enquiry the coach was told that they had been placed behind the area taped off for exclusive rugby club usage.     There was no question of the athletes being allowed to use them.   A small thing but indicative of the Warriors sense of entitlement.   

Things accelerated to the point where for big matches, ‘temporary’ stands were placed across the ends of the track and encroaching on to the track.   The pitch was extended by corners poking out on to the track.   These were usually done in the April/May period just when the athletes needed to put in serious training for their main competitive season and national championships.   The next demand by the rugby club was for a new surface on the infield to be made of artificial grass.   This would mean that none of the throwing events could be held there – no shot, no javelin, no discus and certainly no hammer!   There could be no full scale international athletics held there from that point.   

The arena still belongs to the local authority but it seems that the local authority simply does the bidding of the club.   The advantages of the club being tenants rather than owners are obvious  but recent developments seem to indicate that the authority has given up all responsibility for management of the venue.   See the article at this link:   

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10163640363905237&set=a.281172240236&type=3&theater    

or this one

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18568851.jordanhill-residents-accuse-glasgow-life-cover-up-scotstoun-stadium-plans/

and note the comment: 

“Plans involve the rugby club entering a long-term occupancy agreement with the council, estimated at 25 to 30 years, with Glasgow Warriors as the primary tenant with exclusive use and management of the stadium.”

It would seem from that that athletics has had its day at the grand old stadium with the patronising remarks from the authority that they were sure they could offer something to athletics.”   

The Proclaimers could maybe come up with new version of their famous song:

Scotstoun No More

Westerlands No More

Meadowbank No More

And as far as athletics is concerned – no more Hampden, Ibrox, Celtic Park ….

Meanwhile, where is Scottish athletics?   Comments on social media and in private emails ask the same question: why has the governing body not asked to be involved in the negotiations, or at least offered some comments on the situation – after all the area is one of the best in the country for competitive runners and jumpers with capacity on the outfields for the throws.     The local authority receives a lot of correspondence on this issue dealing with the concerns of local residents in a tightly packed area which really cannot deal with either increased parking – even big athletics meetings had difficulties parking in the streets around the grounds – or impinging on other local facilities but they seem almost impervious to criticism.   

The picture below says it all – rugby and money.   A car on the track, new stands in the back straight and on the bend making running a full lap difficult and not a runner to be seen.   Let’s hope that the planning committee takes the appropriate decision.

The Warriors informed everyone in receipt of their newsletter in late July that they were returning to their home to start training.   Have a wee look at it here –   https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/return-to-training-at-scotstoun-confirmed

The ‘home’ is mentioned several times and the air is one of ownership although that is not the case.   The rumours of a ‘green field site’ probably in Ayrshire or Lanarkshire have now ceased.    There is no note of thanks to Glasgow Life or anyone else for the use of the stadium.

More of Graeme Orr’s photographs of the Edinburgh to Glasgow Relay in 1967.   We have seen some of them before but not this clear, well I don’t think so.   They are also because of the clarity enlarged and we can see more – eg the car doing the dodgy U-turn round the island on the Pat Maclagan photograph.   Remember that he was following mainly the Glasgow University Hairy Hounds so there are a lot of University pictures.   Note the Beaney twins on the first stage.  They were Springburn Harriers and the club had three sets of brothers at the time: the Beaneys, the Pickens and the Lunns (Kenny was running for GUH&H and is also featured here).

Ronnie. Beaney of Glasgow University

A. Beaney of Springburn

J Raeburn of Teviotdale Harriers and I Mitchell of Strathclyde University

J Clare, Aberdeen AAC

A McKean, Edinburgh University

K Lunn, Glasgow University

J Black, Strathclyde University

McFarquhar to McIver for Strathclyde University

Scally to Meneely for Shettleston Harriers

Fergus Murray of Edinburgh Southern Harriers

J Docherty, Strathclyde University

Willie McDonald, Glasgow University

Gareth Bryan-Jones, Edinburgh University

Pat Maclagan, Victoria Park AAC

Graeme Grant, Dumbarton AAC

Bobby Blair, Strathclyde University

X the unknown but I think it’s John Myatt, Strathclyde University, on the 7th leg.

Mark, the son of Charlie Haskett, was a talented, successful young middle-distance athlete, who now, in his early thirties, is showing promise that he can improve personal bests at longer distances. There is no doubt that, over 800m and 1500m, he can claim to be the fastest Haskett yet.

Mark was born in Dundee on the 14^th of September 1988; and reckons that he took up running at the age of nine! Certainly, he joined Aberdeen AAC and was coached by Joyce and Ken Hogg for several years.    He raced for AAAC between 2001 and 2016, although from 2006 and 2010, he also represented Edinburgh University (and was coached by Dave Campbell). From 2013 to 2017 he was a member of Thames Valley, before joining Corstorphine in 2017. He has continued to run for the Edinburgh club since then.

Despite strong competition from many precociously-gifted teenage racers, Mark ran for Scottish Schools in the Home Countries Schools International Cross-County; and – at under 13, under 15 and under 17 – competed for Scotland in three London Mini-Marathons.   At 800m, Mark won Scottish Schools under 17 bronze in 2005 and under 20 silver in 2006; as well as under 15 silver in the 2003 Scottish National championships.

At 1500m, he collected Scottish Schools under 15 bronze (2003), under 17 bronze (2005); and under 20 silver (2006). In addition, he was victorious in the Scottish Junior 3000m (2006). Another fine achievement was silver in the 2006 Scottish National under 17 Cross-Country championships. Coincidentally, his Dad Charlie also won silver in the same age group back in 1975!

As an under 20, Mark finished a good 9^th in the Scottish Cross-Country championships. At under 23, he was 7^th in the Scottish Universities XC, having previously represented SU at the 2007 Celtic Universities event. In 2010, he won a bronze medal in the Scottish under 23 1500m; and was 8^th in the Scottish Senior 4k Cross-Country. On the road, Mark was first under 23 in the 2009 City of Aberdeen Baker Hughes 10k (and twice finished third overall in that prestigious event).

Mark remembers taking part three times (2007, 20010, 2011) in the televised January BUPA Cross-Country races in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh. Twice, it was against not only Scottish District opponents but also World Class International Athletes like Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele. They may have looked small, skinny and unimpressive, but Mark was amazed at their speed!

Having (as an under-23) been a Scottish Senior 1500m finalist twice, when he made his debut as a genuine Senior Athlete, Mark improved to 5^th place in 2011. This was a particularly successful year, with fourth in the Scottish Indoor 3000m and a very respectable 21^st in the Senior National XC.

In 2013, Mark produced one of his finest performances when he won bronze in the Scottish National Indoor 3000m, recording a personal best of 8.29.68. (His 800m PB – 1.53.85 – was set in August 2010 at Linwood; and his 1500m PB – an impressive 3.53.55 – in June 2011 at Watford in the BMC Grand Prix.)

After many years of hard, speed-based track training, Mark Haskett found that he became physically unable to continue that regime. A nagging hip flexor injury made increasing training mileage difficult, which meant less progress than he had hoped for at 5000m, 10k, 10 miles and half marathon.

However, now that he is married to his wife Alex and settled in Edinburgh, a sensible weekly mileage has led to good basic fitness. Since he is self-coached, every session is run on his own, because training with others might lead to strong competitive instinct taking over – and more injuries occurring.

Just before Lockdown, on March 7^th 2020, Mark was encouraged by recording a new 10k PB (32.34) at the Jack Crawford Springfield Cup race. He is optimistic that further progress will be made in future – and he may even make a good marathon debut.

He looks back with justified pride at several of his youthful achievements and is content that he fulfilled his potential at middle-distance track running. His father Charlie (who is still running well in his early 60s) has always been a great inspiration to Mark; and it will be interesting to find out how Mark’s career, at longer distances, develops in the near future.

                                                                         Mark and Charlie Haskett after they both ran the 2016 Vienna Half Marathon

Gordy Haskett, centre, with some of his runners

Gordon ‘Gordy’ Haskett is the son of Ralph Haskett, the youngest of the four Haskett brothers who emigrated to America.   Gordon was a talented runner himself before settling in to being a coach in San Diego.   The first race result I saw with his name attached was the La Jolla Half Marathon in 1991 wwhich began at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and ended at La Jolla Cove.  Won by James Sheremata in 1:11.43. John Butler of Long Beach finished second with a time of 1:12:14, and Encinitas’ Gordy Haskett was third, coming in at 1:13:13.   Not bad on a hilly trail in Californian heat.   We now know that he was a runner in the Haskett tradition.   There is more about him as a coach at the following extract from an online article at  

https://www.encinitasadvocate.com/sdea-encinitas-sda-cross-country-haskett-2016sep08-story.html

The Mustangs open the 2016 season on Sept. 10 with the Bronco Roundup, hosted by Rancho Bernardo High at Kit Carson Park in Escondido. Haskett says this event will get the athletes’ feet wet, while it’s the Sept. 17 Mt. Carmel Invitational at Morley Field — the same course the Mustangs will run the section championships on in November — where he’ll really get a gauge on his teams.

The much larger SDA boys squad (there are 60 boys running as opposed to just 25 girls) has talent at the top with senior Ross Urbina and sophomore twins Zack and Conner Edwards. And with a lot of youth making up the rest of the team — Haskett says he has 23 freshman and 12 more sophomores — almost any one of the youngsters could step up as a surprise contributor.

“We have this wave of freshman and sophomores, some of them haven’t even raced cross country before, so we’ll have to see,” Haskett said.

On the girls side, junior Sarah Lavake leads the pack with a trio of seniors in Veronica Ness, Kyra Benowitz and Vicky Van der Wagt also in the mix. However, the Mustangs will be without the top two runners from the 2015 group that posted its best finish ever.

“If the girls can run as a very tight pack, they have a chance to sneak in there,” Haskett said.

Haskett knows of what he speaks as he could have run in college following a stellar career at San Dieguito, but chose to attend a culinary academy instead. Through culinary school, working as a pastry chef and even living for a year in England, Haskett, who was born and raised in Encinitas, never stopped running.

While in the process of opening a wholesale bakery in Carlsbad, he also ran for Grossmont College and fulfilled his dream of joining the prestigious San Diego Toads running club. Haskett has run all over the world and raced in more than a dozen marathons.”

Mark Haskett, Charlie’s son, reported as follow about Gordy: “I managed to get in touch with Gordy; turns out he was quite an impressive runner!

His PBs were:
Mile- 4:17

5k-  14:55

10k-  30:47

1/2 marathon-  1:09:23

Marathon-  2:23:57

IronMan World Championships Hawaii- 10:10:58

He said that he has never run the London Marathon, but confirmed he has been a high school athletics coach in San Diego for 18 years. Also said he has been running for 45 years in total now and is proud to be part of the Haskett Clan!”

Charlie Haskett running the Edinburgh to Glasgow Relay, 1983

Charles HASKETT (born 8.09.57) Dundee Hawkhill, Bolton United.

Personal Bests: 3000m 8.24.0 (1985); 5000m 14.11.9 (1985); 10,000m 29.57.68 (1985); 3000m Steeplechase 9.34.9 (1982); Marathon 2.18.29 (1986).

Charlie Haskett was a Scottish International athlete on three surfaces: cross-country, track and road.

As a Junior, he ran the World Cross twice (1975 Rabat and 1976 Chepstow). He remembers that, in Rabat, he and his older sister Christine both raced for Scotland, as did Ian Stewart and his sister Mary. Two sets of siblings! That was the year when Ian Stewart became Senior World Cross-Country champion.

As a Senior, Charlie ran the World Cross four times between 1984 and Scotland’s last appearance in 1987. The venues were: East Rutherford, USA; Lisbon; Colombier (Switzerland); and Warsaw. Carlos Lopes of Portugal won the first two years; and John Ngugi of Kenya the next two. Both were superbly impressive runners, Charlie remembers. Charlie himself was a team counter in the Nine-Man Scotland collective twice: 6^th in Lisbon; and a very good third in Colombier. He ran for Scotland in another six XC events, including: Gateshead (1985) when he was fourth and final scorer for the first team that finished second to England A, but beat Wales, Belgium, Northern Ireland and several other combos; London (1985) when he was second Scot to Nat Muir but in front of Terry Mitchell, Allister Hutton and the B team; and Fermoy (Ireland 1986) when he finished 6^th and second Scot behind Adrian Callan but ahead of Eddie Stewart.

On the track, Charlie ran 10,000m for Scotland at a 1984 match in Hungary. He finished second, only ten seconds behind Terry Mitchell but well ahead of the Hungarians. Just as well: although Scotland won the men’s team contest, the women lost – and Scotland beat Hungary overall with a combined score only two points better than the hosts!

Charlie (47) running in the 1985 Glasgow Marathon – in good company with Murray McNaught, Jim Brown, Andy Daly, Donald Macgregor and Evan Cameron

He ran for Scotland three times on the road: Aberdeen International Marathon 1984, when he was fourth but second Scot, 33 seconds behind George Reynolds. The team finished second to England. In the Stafford Half Marathon 1987, Charlie was only two seconds behind the winner, Steve Brace (Wales). The Dundonian’s time was an excellent 65.11 – and he beat his team-mates Graham Crawford and Tommy Murray. Scotland won the team contest against Wales. In the 1988 Livingston Half Marathon, Charlie was fourth, behind Peter Fleming but in front of Hammy Cox. Scotland finished second to England but defeated Northern Ireland and Wales.

10 Senior Scotland vests on the country (plus two as a Junior); one on the track; and three on the road. Charlie Haskett and his illustrious older sister Christine have undoubtedly raced middle or long distance for Scotland considerably more often than any other siblings in history!

Charlie Haskett (aged 12) was a spectator at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh (in which his sister Christine raced). He was inspired by the feats of Lachie Stewart and other Scottish stars and, before long, was running well himself.

Charlie won the East District Senior Boys CC in both 1972 and 1973, followed by East District Youths Cross Country in 1974 and 1975.  

Then in the 1975 National Cross Country, he won a silver medal in the Under-17 age-group behind the peerless Nat Muir. In 1976 he finished eighth junior. Charlie represented Scotland in the IAAF World Junior CC in both years. He also ran for Scottish Schools in the 1974 International in Ireland; and raced 3000m in a Track International.

Charlie Haskett qualified as a Civil Engineer at Abertay University. Between 1985 and 1987 he lived in Bolton and worked in Manchester. Due to intense competition in that area, he ran personal bests for 5000m, 10,000m and 10k, as well as marathon. After that he lived with his young family for several years in Aberdeen – and in fact became Aberdeen AAC President, while always preserving his allegiance to Dundee Hawkhill Harriers.

His consistency in the Scottish Senior National was outstanding: seven successive top ten performances between 1984 and 1990. His best placing was sixth in 1985 and 1986.   

 Charlie in the 1984 Senior Scottish National Cross-Country Championships, leading (left to right) Alex Gilmour, Callum Henderson, Peter Fleming, Eddie Stewart, Alan Wilson and Graham Williamson

On both Country and Road, Charlie Haskett contributed a great deal to Dundee Hawkhill Harriers teams.

In the Senior National XC, Dundee won team bronze in 1990, silver in 1991 and bronze in 1993. Then, in the Scottish XC Relay, Charlie won a bronze medal in 1989 and silver in 2000.

Between 1981 and 2001, he ran the E to G 18 times, including 1989 team gold and 1990 silver.

Charlie finishing the Edinburgh to Glasgow Relay in 1988

The Six Stage Road Relay yielded 1989 silver, 1990 gold, 1991 silver and 1994 gold. In 1994 DHH were invited to represent Scotland in the European Clubs Road Races in Porto. Unfortunately, the organisers did not make clear what distance the runners were expected to race – they were assuming 10k or less. It turned out to be a Half Marathon! This was bad news for anyone whose best event was 1500m. Not only that, but the course featured laps of the river-side, up and down steep hills. Nevertheless, Charlie finished first Scot and broke 70 minutes but others had to drop out. Never mind, post-race refreshments helped to cheer everyone up.

On the track, Charlie won the East District 5000m title in 1982 and 1983.

He won silver medals in the Scottish Marathon championship in Dundee 1984 (only 25 seconds behind Don Macgregor); and, on a very hot day in Dundee 1987 – Terry Mitchell won.

Charlie’s PB in London 1986 (2.18.29) earned him a place in the Scottish team for the Glasgow Marathon – but he had to prefer the British selectors’ invitation to compete (with Terry Mitchell) and represent Great Britain in an International Marathon that started in Buffalo, USA and finished near Niagara Falls, Canada. In heatwave conditions (95% humidity), Charlie ran sensibly and,  despite being hampered by a cold, finished in a very respectable 7^th place, with Terry 4^th.

As a veteran, Charlie continued to feature prominently in Dundee Hawkhill Harriers teams. In the Scottish Masters Cross-Country, he won individual bronze (M45) in 2006. Dundee Hawkhill Masters finished third team in 1999; 2000; 2002 (when Charlie was 8^th overall); and 2006.

After 2007, apart from his Civil Engineer occupation, Charlie was doing a lot of officiating for Aberdeen AAC, so that he kept on training but only took part in a few local races like the Baker Hughes 10k and the Proms 3k series. Then he and his wife Fiona moved to Edinburgh in 2011, since their son Mark and daughter Lia had settled there. He started training a bit harder in that hilly city and returned to Masters racing in his early 60s.

In both 2018 and 2020 he finished third M60 in the Scottish Masters Cross-Country. The latter was a particularly good run behind the peerless Colin Donnelly and past champion Eddie Stewart, but in front of World Veteran 10k champion Alastair Walker (having overtaken him with 800m to go).

Charlie and Fiona enjoy a yearly holiday which includes a foreign half marathon. For example, they have been to Prague, Toronto, Vancouver and Eindhoven. Recently, Charlie ran 86.14, which is certainly a good time for someone in his age category – and now his target is to break 86 minutes!

On the first Friday of every month (unless Lockdown is in force) Charlie Haskett enjoys a beer or two with former London Marathon victor Allister Hutton and Allister’s Edinburgh Southern Harriers team manager during that club’s glory years, Ian Mackenzie. The venue is either Edinburgh’s Café Royal or Milne’s Bar (The Poets’ Pub). Memories of races past are sure to feature in the conversation!

Looking back at his peak racing years, Charlie Haskett states that: his favourite event was cross-country; he was someone who trained hard but raced harder; and that he always tried to do his best for Dundee Hawkhill Harriers teams and Scotland. Well, there is no doubt that he was – and continues to be – a true stalwart, who has enjoyed a long and successful running career.