Comrie man ran every day for a year

Jan 11 2013 by Lynn Duke, Strathearn Herald

A run in the hills above Comrie completed a year-long test of endurance for Strathearn Harrier Grant Carstairs

The 58-year-old ran on each day in 2012 and was joined by fellow Harriers Gordon Morrison, Fiona and Finlay Downie, John Davidson, and Seonaid and Catriona Roberts in finishing off his mammoth achievement on Hogmanay.

He told the Herald: “I did a minimum of 30 minutes each day, but I’d do over an hour maybe five or six times a month. I didn’t measure the distance, opting for time spent running instead.

“Most of it was on tracks, paths and hills as I haven’t got the knees for sustained road running any more.

“Highlights were 40km from Comrie via Ben Chonzie to Aberfeldy one day in summer, lots of Strathearn runs with and without fellow Harriers, running for a week in snow and ice in Austria and blistering sun for a week in Spain and the 73km John Muir Way in East Lothian.

“And, of course, the finishing line at our back door and the memento given by my family on finishing my run on Hogmanay.” Asked whether he would do it again, Grant said: “Unlikely, although I’ve only got 51 weeks left to do in 2013!

“I’m really pleased to have completed a whole year’s running, which isn’t really what I set out to do, although I think that I’ll look for a different challenge this year, like taking up embroidery!”

The Harriers’ Tony Wayte said: “Keeping fit to be able to run every day, regardless of the weather, is an outstanding achievement, and the club is delighted to have such an inspirational character as Grant in its ranks.”