Jamie Crowe will line up against a highly competitive field at this Sunday’s Inverness Half Marathon, as he aims to claim his first Scottish men’s title. The Central AC runner has a strong half marathon record, with a personal best of 1:04:19, but admits he is uncertain about his form heading into the race.

The event, celebrating its 40th edition, will once again host the Scottish and North District Championships, attracting some of the country’s top distance runners. Among Crowe’s biggest challengers is 2022 winner Sean Chalmers (Aberdeen AAC), who recently showed great form by winning the Nairn 10K in a course record time of 30:03. Shettleston Harriers’ Taha Ghafari, an Iranian refugee with a 1:06:16 best, is another strong contender. Meanwhile, defending champion John Bell (Inverclyde AC) remains a doubt due to injury but has expressed a strong desire to race.

In the women’s event, Nancy Scott (Edinburgh AC) starts as the favorite, despite this being only her third half marathon. The 1:12:51 runner will face competition from Naomi Lang (Carnethy), a Great Britain mountain running international, and Kirsty Walker (Edinburgh AC), making her half marathon debut after a strong 10K season.

Race Director Malcolm Sutherland is expecting an exciting day, with a record 4,855 runners taking part across the half marathon and 5K events. The event has grown in prestige, and with course records standing at 1:04:27 (Robbie Simpson, 2018) and 1:11:47 (Mhairi Maclennan, 2024), there is anticipation that this year’s high-quality field could challenge those marks.

With a vibrant atmosphere expected and strong local support, Sunday’s race promises to be one of the most thrilling editions in its 40-year history.

If you'd like to know more, visit the Inverness Half Marathon website.

Image: Inverness Half Marathon Facebook