If you fancy taking part in one of Scotland’s most historic road races, the date for your diary for the 52nd edition of the Allan Scally Memorial Road Relay is Saturday, 4 March. The race will once again take place at Glasgow Green and offers runners a 4 x 5K relay on an IAAF-certified, traffic free course, making it perfect for all standards of athlete! 

The event honours the memory of Allan Scally (b. 1904), a former world 10 mile champion and coach for Shettleston Harriers. The original Allan Scally route started and finished at St Bridget's school in Baillieston and measured 4.6893 miles. After about five years the changing facility moved to Bannerman High School and the start/finish moved to that point.

The move to a Mount Vernon course was made by demand of the police in 2009 due to traffic problems and the distance there was measured at 4.5853 miles. Like many other road races in Scotland the Mount Vernon course was eventually considered a traffic hazard and shut down.

In 2018 a traffic free course on Glasgow Green was agreed on, but it had to be cancelled due to the so called 'Beast from the East'. The course was used in the 2019 and 2020 editions of the race and then of course, COVID hit! It did make its return this year though and runners were rewarded with 'glorious weather for running'! 

According to Race Director John Mackay, the Allan Scally Memorial Relay is: "One of the few classic races left on our sporting calendar." As such it is an event that has continued to attract ‘the cream of Scottish and other nations’ teams’ throughout its now 50 years (plus) of existence.  

With strong support from local businesses, the prize pot remains one of the most generous in the racing calendar. A total of £1500 in cash awards and £180 in vouchers will be up for grabs. And the trophy is surely one of the most prized awards in Scottish road racing. Indeed it is thought that the trophy was bought for about £200, which was a considerable sum in the 1960s! 

If you'd like to toe the line this March, all details are at the Shettleston Harriers website.

Image: Shettleston Harriers Facebook