.Cambuslang Harriers with the AT Mays Trophy in 2019.
Presented by Leslie Leslie Roy with team manager Dave Cooney.
The photograph above is notable, not just for Cambuslang but because Mike is second from the left in the second row from the front as a club man despite the fact that he had already done so much for Scotland, for instance working at endurance coach at four Commonwealth Games, at two fell and ultra championships and twice for GB teams. And he’s standing there as one proud club member among many. The following summary and tribute is by Dave Cooney, a man who himself has done a power of work for the club as runner, administrator, official and team manager. Dave has also taken the step of asking some of Mike’s young club athletes to add their own comments.
Mike Johnston joined Cambuslang Harriers in 1983. His main interest at that time was squash and he hoped that some endurance running would benefit his squash performance. However, he quickly caught the running bug and his loss to the sport of squash became both Cambuslang Harriers’ and Scottish Athletics’ gain. Fast forward 43 years on and he is still very much a highly respected and prominent figure within Cambuslang Harriers and Scottish and UK Athletics.
Mike focused on his own running for the first 4 years of his time as a Cambuslang Harriers before developing an interest in the coaching of younger athletes. He gained his assistant coach badge in 1985 and from 1988 on he embarked on his senior coaching courses until he achieved UK Endurance Level 4. While still continuing to run himself coaching had become his real passion and he and the club were to reap the rewards in the decades ahead on an individual and team basis.
Mike’s contribution as a coach to Cambuslang athletes for over almost 40 years has been immeasurable. His stable of former young athletes and current athletes is impressive. Names which come to mind in the former category are Scottish XC medallists such as Mark McBeth, Eddie McCafferty, David MacPherson, Craig Cleland, Alan Reynolds, Iain Reid, Iain Munro, the Kealey brothers Joe and Kevin, Jasmair Pal, Iain MacCorquodale, Chris McLew, Katie Bristow, Alex Lamond and Eve MacKinnon. Both Graham Ferguson and Iain Reid also lifted UK track medals as U20 athletes. Mike along with fellow coaches Owen Reid and Robert Anderson played an important role in amassing multiple Scottish XC team medals over the age groups and in regularly winning the AT Mays Trophy awarded to the most successful male club in the Scottish XC Championships.
His current training group of Cambuslang athletes includes Katie Clubb, formerly Bristow, Eve Mackinnon, Chris McLew and Gavin Smith who have been coached by him from early in their running careers. Craig Jardine and Jamie MacKinnon have also been under Mike’s wings for a number of years while more recent members include Stefanie Tucker, Zoe Pflug, Andrew McGill, Callum Tharme and Rory Muir. All mentioned have progressed well under Mike’s watchful eye. In the last year Andrew broke the 4 minutes barrier for the mile and now has a sub 8 minutes 3000M and a sub 14 minutes 5000m to his credit. Jamie too has also broken 14 minutes for the longer distance. Stefanie has just broken the club’s female record for 3000M road when clocking 9.19 for 6th place at the Armagh International Road Race and then a few days later achieved 5th place with a time of 9.13 at the UK 3000M Indoor Championships.
If he was to be pushed his 3 most satisfying club achievements would be attracting and developing women athletics at Cambuslang, winning and twice breaking the senior men 3 x 800M title/record and the lengthy coaching association with Katie Bristow, now Clubb, since 2010.
Mike himself has aptly summed up his philosophy as a coach which still holds true today.
“I just enjoy coaching. I like to see people improve. It doesn’t have to be winning medals. I like to see people get the most out of athletics and just enjoy the sport. That is the key thing.”
Mike spoke to me several years ago of a young male athlete who made an inauspicious start to athletics. He was however keen and persistent and gradually began to improve. Mike predicted he would be “a slow burner” and was proved correct. This athlete now has pb times of 8.52, 14.49, 30.58, 70.52 and 2.24.21 for 3000M, 5K, 10,000M, half marathon and marathon. Well done to Mike and Andrew Carey.
Mike’s training group is not just confined to Cambuslang athletes. His thinking is that others are welcome as they can contribute to the quality of sessions thus benefitting club and non club members alike.
Although Mike religiously attended all the club AGMs from 1984 onwards he did not join the committee until 1992 and then stayed in post as an ordinary member until 2008. His balanced and measured opinions and responses were always highly valued by the committee. Even after leaving the committee to focus on his wider demanding job as Scottish National Endurance Coach, a position he held from 2004 until 2014, he still worked closely with the Cambuslang committee and coaches. For example, he set up and chaired a coaches’ forum within the club and worked with Owen Reid and Iain MacCorquodale in drawing up both summer and winter club training sessions. He has also mentored new aspiring coaches such as former athletes Jim Orr and Carol Anne Thomson, former protegees Iain MacCorquodale and Iain Reid and parents of Cambuslang young athletes Colin Stephen and Iain Crawford. The latter two have now obtained their UK Level 3 Endurance Coaching Award. He has organized and chaired too several club question and answer sessions with invited guests such as the late Ron Hill, Bobby Quinn and Clare Gibson and during covid he delivered a club coaches forum via zoom so that they did not feel isolated. When it comes to selecting Cambuslang teams for senior men and women district and national relay road and cross country teams he is central to any discussion given that the majority of possible contenders are coached by him and therefore he is very much aware of their current fitness. Therefore, he is still a very influential member within Cambuslang Harriers.
His contribution to Scottish Athletics is also considerable. For example, as the National Scottish Endurance Coach he delivered numerous training sessions and seminars throughout Scotland. Further he has been involved with the Scottish team at 4 Commonwealth Games. Currently he is the current Scottish Road and Cross Country Convenor. His services to Scottish Athletics was popularly acknowledged in 2017 when he was presented with the Tom Stillie Award and UK recognition came his way in 2023 with a British Writers Association Award.
It is fitting that the final words on Mike should come from some of his current athletes.
What his athletes say about Mike
Katie Club formerly Bristow
“Mike came into my life at a transitional point, leaving Shetland at 17, moving to the mainland of Scotland, starting university and navigating the change from junior athletics into my senior running career. His brilliance is evident when you take a second to think through his athletics coaching achievements – old and new – the Scotland/GB vests , the times, records, team performances etc. But what we get to experience is so much more. His kindness, unwavering support and genuine regard for our health and well being as people is what propels Mike from a great coach to an exceptional person.
For the last 15 years I have thanked my lucky stars that I have the privilege of being coached by Mike and also having him as a guiding light in my life.”
Eve MacKinnon
“I feel incredibly lucky to have Mike as my coach and I have no doubts that the other athletes Mike coaches feel the same way. He has been and continues to be a constant and extremely significant figure in my life and has helped me to develop not only as a runner but as a person. Mike is generous with his time and knowledge and the impact that he has on athletics in Scotland extends far beyond the Glasgow Green on a Tuesday night. I look forward to going to training every week and the training environment we have as a group is testament to Mike’s character. He cares deeply about his athletes and is committed to supporting each and everyone of us to reach our goals. Most importantly Mike ensures that we enjoy it, both training and racing, and I can’t thank him enough for his support over the years. It is a privilege to be coached by him.”
Stefanie Tucker
“I have been working with Mike for the past 3 years since moving to Glasgow. Having him as a coach is an absolute joy. Mike has an abundance of knowledge, patience and experience and it is a real pleasure to benefit from all 3. I feel incredibly fortunate to work with a coach who takes pleasure in learning from his athletes, continually adapting sessions and plans so that each person can fulfil his/her potential. His own interest, enjoyment and passion for the sport is abundantly clear in every way.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be the beneficiary of his decades and wealth of experience in the athletics’ world and hope to continue benefiting for years to come.”
Gavin Smith
“For the past 10 years Mike has been my coach. In that time he has been an extremely important figure in my life on and off the track. He has guided me to heights in running I thought were unattainable and given me confidence that I have brought into other areas in life. I’m sure there are many other athletes who would attest to this in their own experience.
Mike is caring to all his athletes, no matter their ability or where they are in their running journey. There is a feeling that he genuinely loves the challenge of seeing his athletes achieve their goals regardless of that level. Above all of this, he asks nothing in return.
He has been a massively positive influence on so many young people’s lives and been one of the top coaches in Scotland.”
Jamie Mackinnon
“From my time in running Mike has been the best coaching influence I’ve worked with. On the technical aspects of running he is incredibly knowledgeable, but what sets him apart from anyone else I ‘ve worked with is how he cares for his athletes as people. Mike coaches 30 plus athletes and has a genuine interest in in everyone’s racing and work/life schedules. He is equally capable of coaching elite athletes competing at the highest level in the UK as he is of athletes competing at club level in Scotland while working stressful jobs.”
Andrew McGill
“When I say that Mike is a very special coach, I know I’m not just being swayed by my personal regard for him as an individual – I am speaking the objective truth about his coaching ability.
I’ve been working with Mike now for 4 years and in that time, despite his decades of experience in the sport, he has never stopped trying to learn more about me as an athlete. Rain or shine you can count on him being there on a Tuesday evening or a Saturday morning observing us all closely and then afterwards pouring over the heart rate data, splits and comments we’ve left on our uploaded runs.
What is particularly special about him is that he wants to take the athlete along on the journey with him too. His influence has definitely rubbed off on me and working together these past few years we have been able to learn a significant amount about what training works for me.
Mike once said to me that he believes a good coach can make a 10% difference to an athlete. I believe I’m getting every one of those per cents with him in my corner”.
Dave Cooney adds: ” Andrew McGill, who features in your piece on Mike and who comments on him, set an indoor 1500M pb and indoor Scottish native record of 3 37.69 breaking the old one by 3 seconds in the Emirates Arena on 2nd March, 2026.. A further testimony to Mike’s coaching ability.”
Dave himself finishes with:
In conclusion, having known Mike since 1983 he has dedicated himself to his athletes, Cambuslang Harriers and Scottish Athletics. The awards he has won as a coach and the glowing comments from his athletes are richly deserved. He is not only a coach to his athletes but is also a fatherly figure whose only desired reward is to see them become the best that they can be.”