Over 500 runners took on Dundee’s Half DRAM race on Sunday (8 August), marking a welcome return to larger-scale urban racing in the area.

With the gradual easing of COVID restrictions, organisers released 200 extra places for the half marathon, one of Scotland’s most popular, at the end of last month. 

The race followed a scenic multi-terrain route along the northern half of Dundee's Green Circular, from Camperdown Park to the Esplanade at Broughty Ferry. There was no option for the marathon-distance ‘Full DRAM’ this year. 

Runners sang the event’s praises, calling it ‘fantastic’ and ‘well organised, [with] great support’, with organisers even having ‘paid the weatherman’ for good conditions. 

The hard work of the marshalls and the police – who assisted with many of the crossings – came in for particular praise.

Even runners whose day didn’t turn out as they wanted came away happy. One wrote, ‘My race didn’t go as planned, but I wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone. Marshalls were so very kind and encouraging and full of great banter. THANK YOU so much!’ – to which another replied, ‘It’s the getting out there that counts!’

First across the line in a fantastic time of 1.13.36 was Allan Christie of Metro Aberdeen. Two unattached runners, Gordon Lennox (1.14.54) and Andrew Kirk (1.16.26) took second and third place in the chip-timed race.

First female home was Nicola MacDonald (1.23.10), making it a clean sweep of the top spots for Metro Aberdeen. Jennifer Harrison (1.24.42) and MacDonald’s Metro clubmate Chloe Gray (1.29.00) rounded out the podium. 

Full results for the Half DRAM are available from runABC Scotland.