SCOTTISH athletics has proven over recent years that the sport is thriving in this country and further evidence of this came with the release of the entry lists for the Lindsays National Cross Country Relays.

The event, which will be held in Cumbernauld next Saturday, has attracted 2534 entries which the governing body, Scottish Athletics, believes is the highest number of Scottish Athletics members ever to enter.

The course will snake round the grounds of Cumbernauld House, where Laura Muir won the women’s individual title the last time the event visited Cumbernauld two years ago.

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Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds will be looking to make it four senior women’s titles in a row this year after completing the hat-trick last year, while Central AC will be looking to continue their good form having won the senior men’s race in 2018 for the fourth time in seven years.

Names to look out for in this years race will be Central AC’s Morag Millar, the former Commonwealth Games athlete who won the Scottish Cross Country Grand Prix title for 2018/19 and in the male race, Lachlan Oates, who won the men’s Grand Prix title last season and will be representing Shettleston Harriers next weekend.

Elsewhere this weekend, Eilish McColgan will defend her Great South Run title that she won last year. The European Championship 5000m silver medallist has had little time off after competing in the recent World Championships in Doha, where she broke the Scottish record over 5000m with a run of 14 minutes 46 seconds to take 10th place.

The Portsmouth race celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and victory tomorrow would see McColgan match the achievement of her mum, Liz, in only her second-ever 10-mile race.

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“I’m excited to be racing back in Portsmouth and it will be interesting to see what’s in the legs after a long season on the track,” McColgan said, speaking to Scottish Athletics.

“Last year it was great to try out a new distance and even better to get the win. With the race marking its 30th year it would make it extra special to match my mum’s record of winning twice – let’s see what happens.”