With the World Cross Country Championships heading for Edinburgh this weekend it is interesting to ponder that on one occasion this event traversed the playing fields of Anniesland
In the early 1900s the Scottish Cross Country Championships were regularly held from Scotstoun Showgrounds- in a time when the West End of Glasgow was still mostly fields
Scotland who had hosted the original event in 1903 at Hamilton Racecourse again hosted it in1907 this time at Scotstoun Showgrounds
The race over a four lap 10 mile course for the benefit of the 2000 spectators whom attended the event..the race was won by A Underwood of England in 54 m 26.4 s
The intensively developed West End of Glasgow where Scotstoun Showgrounds (now reinvented as Scotstoun Leisure Centre) is located was very different in 1907.An old Maryhill Harrier George Dallas recalled seeing the competitors streaming over the fields which are now Anniesland playing fields to the small cross roads at Anniesland Cross(now one of the busiest traffic junctions in Europe) before running down Crow Road to finish on the track at Scotstoun

To bring our interest in this old and challenging activity up to date it was noted that in the recent Glasgow Schools Cross Country Championships the Glasgow Academy acquitted themselves rather well On investigation it was revealed that the teams had been partly coached by a former Scottish Schools cross country participant in the colours of Glasgow High School-- one Ally Maclay
You wonder how this archetype mesomorph ever competed with the ectomorphs of the running world over the hills and dunes surrounding Irvine Beach Park,but there you have it

This article was originally posted on 24-Mar-2008, 20:51 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 25-Mar-2008, 08:29.