Saturday the 11^th February saw the last Glasgow Endurance Session (GES) of the winter season take place at the familiar surroundings of Tollcross Park. A favourite of many of the attendees of the Glasgow Endurance Sessions, and a good opportunity to compare form with the last time they ran the course back at the start of December.

Perfect weather conditions and another healthy attendance of forty five athletes set a positive tone before a single step had been run. There was definitely a buzz in the air as athletes looked to put the final touches to their fitness levels in the lead up to the National Cross Country Champions taking place this Saturday at Callendar Park, Falkirk. It will be interesting to see how these athletes fare after all the hard work that has been on show all the way through the year.

The session involved between six to ten by four minute efforts with 90 seconds recovery. A progression on the two minute recoveries the athletes had the last time they ran the undulating loop at Tollcross Park.

It was the juniors leading the way as Luke Traynor and Lachlan Oates led the group setting an impressive pace with many athletes stepping off the course with a confidence boost ahead of next weeks race.

As we come to the conclusion of this years programme it was easy to reflect on how the project has developed and to see what benefits are on offer.

Attendance this year was significantly up on previous years with an average of over 45 athletes regularly turning out, and with over 200 athletes experiencing the benefits that group training can provide. Quickly making the GES a must for athletes and coaches when planning their training/competition schedule.

Boasting such healthy numbers it would not be a stretch to say that the Glasgow Endurance Group has created a project that has become the envy of the rest of Britain. A point demonstrated when athletes from England and Ireland made sure to make an appearance when on holiday in Scotland over the Holidays. All returned home with positive experiences.

It has been particularly encouraging to see some of the younger athletes progress through the pack and push the pace at the front. Something that may have been aided by a successful trip to the IAAF Lotto Cross meet in Belgium. The athletes returning home with medals and contributing their experience to the overall group.

One of the biggest success stories from this years programme is the significant increase in female participation. This may be down to Elspeth Curran, giving the girls something to aim for with her success at last years European Cross Country Championships bringing home a team medal.

With the prospect of rubbing shoulders with several (medal winning) Great Britain vests alongside Scottish champions and Commonwealth Games athletes alike, its very hard not to be inspired on every effort run. The benefits extend beyond this with many of these experienced athletes more than happy to share thoughts, and advice both in an official capacity at one of the athlete education presentations that the GAA put on or in an unofficial capacity during warm ups and cool downs.

Athletes are reminded that the session’s remain open to athletes of all abilities and often provides a good mix of talent and usually gives everyone someone of similar ability to train with to get the most out of their workout.

It is clear to see that the GES have become an important cog in the conveyor belt which main task is producing quality athletes and performances in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014 and beyond.

On behalf of the GAA I would like to thank all of the athletes and coaches who have supported the sessions throughout the winter and we look forward to seeing you in the future. If you have not been before, you can find more information at http://www.glasgowathletics.org.uk/ or you could add yourself to our mailing list by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

We also now post a report and the pictures of each session on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glasgow-Athletics-Association/131911086885981

A special thank you goes out to the Glasgow Athletics Association Endurance group. Their continued hard work behind the scenes help make the sessions as successful as they are.

We can also announce that plans are now underway for the Glasgow Endurance Sessions to continue on the track throughout the spring time and announcements will be made soon. Watch this space.

Glasgow Endurance Sessions for winter 2011 / 2012