This year’s theme was ‘community’ and there were many shining examples of the strength of the running community throughout the week.

North Glasgow Clubs Mob Match

Four clubs in north Glasgow – Garscube Harriers, Maryhill Harriers, Springburn Harriers and West End Road Runners – organised an epic mob match at Springburn parkrun. There was an incredible turnout, with over 100 runners (so many that parkrun ran out of finish line tokens!) plus volunteers, bakers and supporters all coming together to raise over £1,300!

West Edinburgh Running Club

One of the newest running clubs in the country, West Edinburgh Running Club, organised a week of activities to celebrate SRW. The highlight was an inter-club paarlauf and bake sale at Cramond Foreshore, with guest clubs Portobello Running Club, Edinburgh Running Network and Davidsons Mains Running Club all battling it out for top spot.

Greenock Glenpark Harriers

Greenock Glenpark Harriers organised a packed calendar of events for SRW, with no fewer than 10 activities throughout the week! These included a family-friendly ginger beer mile, a parkrun takeover at Greenock parkrun, a night run by torch light, and participating in Inverclyde AC’s popular Loch Thom Trail Race.

Greenock Glenpark runners at the Loch Thom Trail Race courtesy of GBR photos 

Fife AC

Fife AC’s 5-day Mini Tour of Fife culminated in a trail race at Craigtoun Park in St Andrews, with 150 children from local clubs and schools signed up to the grand finale of what was a fantastic week of running.  The final day featured a prize draw competition, with all funds raised going towards ATS.

All funds raised will go towards our mission to make athletics and running for accessible for all, with our work focusing on three communities who are underrepresented in the sport: people with disabilities, people affected by poverty and ethnically and culturally diverse communities.

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We have been encouraging the running community around the country to join us from 1-7 June in celebrating the sport we love and fundraising to help us make it more accessible for all.

This year, clubs involved include Cambuslang Harriers, Fife AC, Garscube Harriers, Greenock Glenpark Harriers, Inverclyde AC, Kilmarnock Harriers, Maryhill Harriers, Springburn Harriers, West Edinburgh Running Club and West End Road Runners.

Pictured: Graeme Jack, Chair of ATS, visits Inverclyde AC after the Loch Thom Trail Race in 2025

Inverclyde AC are organising the popular Loch Thom Trail Race at Greenock Cut on Wednesday for the third year in a row.

The event is generously supported by ProTay, which means all funds raised are donated to charity.

Pictured: West Edinburgh Running Club

West Edinburgh Running Club are organising a week of activities, including an inter-club paarlauf and bake sale at Cramond promenade on Thursday and a parkrun takeover at Holyrood Park parkrun on Saturday.

As well as athletics clubs, we are grateful to the individuals, event organisers, jog groups, schools and run clubs that are participating in the celebrations across the week.

All funds raised will go towards ATS’s mission to make athletics and running for accessible for all, with our work focusing on three communities who are underrepresented in the sport: people with disabilities, people affected by poverty and ethnically and culturally diverse communities.

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The event, which took place online on Wednesday 27 May, was generously sponsored by Sound Wealth Planning, a Scottish-based financial advice firm.

Reigning champion Eilish confirmed she is making plans to defend her Commonwealth Games Women’s 10,000m title at Glasgow 2026. The four-time Olympian is already an Official Ambassador for the Games but now has her sights set on being a Team Scotland competitor and medal contender at Scotstoun. While Eilish is mindful four years have elapsed since her iconic gold in Birmingham, the temptation of racing in front of a home crowd is pulling hard on her heart-strings.

“If these Games were being held in Australia or anywhere else around the Commonwealth then I would not be thinking about it,” said Eilish.

“The only reason I am trying to make it happen is because Scotland are the host nation. With it being in Glasgow, there is that big emotional pull to represent Team Scotland and to race at Scotstoun.”

Topics covered on the night also included Eilish’s recent London Marathon performance, body image, the positives and negatives of social media, and their differing experiences as young athletes in the sport.

Discussing the importance of support provided by the likes of Athletics Trust Scotland and their own initiative, Giving Back to Track, Michael acknowledged the impact that the kindness of others had on his own career’s trajectory.

“If it wasn’t for the generosity of others, I wouldn’t be sitting here now probably, let’s be honest.

With sponsorship from Sound Wealth Planning and in-kind logistical support from ProTay Timing & Events, all funds raised will go towards Athletics Trust Scotland’s work to make athletics and running more accessible for all.

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She attends the free community athletics sessions that Athletics Trust Scotland delivers in partnership with Scottish Athletics and the charity Scottish Sport Futures, walking along to the Emirates Arena each week to take part in athletics with 50-60 other local children and young people.

Here, Zara tells us about her enjoyment of the sessions and the impact they have had on her life:

“I’d tried some athletics in school but didn’t get into it properly until Scottish Athletics and Athletics Trust Scotland started coming along to our Monday night session.

One of the things I like most about the sessions is the social aspect. I’ve made lots of friends here and I’ve become a lot more confident, so much so that I decided to join my local club. I’ve been going down to club training for a while now and I’m determined to keep improving. Sometimes I’ll even come into the Emirates outside of scheduled training to practice on my own or with friends I’ve made at the club.

I enjoy chatting away to the staff and volunteers as well. They’re all very helpful and approachable. I get on well with (Local Community Impact Leader) Kebba – we have a laugh and a joke and sometimes if I see him out and about I’ll stop him for a chat.

Competing makes me happy, even though I can get nervous! I’ve been to competitions like the Scottish Cross Country Championships in Falkirk, the Young Athletes Road Race Championships in Greenock and school races. My favourite events have been the javelin and any of the jumps. The cross country was hard but it has made me more confident to try new things though and show myself I can do more than I sometimes think.

I’ve noticed that lots of girls at school don’t do any sport and I think that’s a shame. My advice to other girls my age would be ‘just be yourself, be brave and get involved – you won’t regret it!”

Zara’s story is a brilliant example of how collaborative working between Athletics Trust Scotland, Scottish Athletics, local delivery partners and athletics clubs can help encourage more children and young people from underrepresented communities to get into the sport. The families we support through our free community athletics sessions face a multitude of barriers to being active – including the cost, lack of confidence and language barriers – and are therefore unlikely to join a club without specific and targeted support in their own community.

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Zara!

*a pseudonym

Photos: Bobby Gavin

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• Location: Online
• Date: Wednesday 27 May
• Time: 6.30pm-8pm
• Price: £7

Purchase your tickets HERE.

Eilish McColgan is one of Scotland’s best ever distance athletes. While she is perhaps best known for her iconic gold medal in the 10,000m at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, she is also a 4-time Olympian, 4-time European medallist and multiple British record holder. She recently finished first Brit at the London Marathon for the second year and now plans to tackle the 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games when it returns to Glasgow this summer.

Eilish winning gold at Birmingham 2022. Photo: Bobby Gavin.

Michael Rimmer is a 3-time Olympian, 7-time British Champion and European medallist over 800m. His 800m pb stands at an astonishing 1.43.89, despite being set in the days before super shoes and super spikes! He has retired from athletics and now plays a key role in Eilish’s coaching team.

Michael representing Team GB at London 2012.

Topics discussed on the night will include:

• Eilish’s recent performance at the London Marathon
• Her hopes for Glasgow 2026
• The positives and negatives of social media as athletes
• Their progression in the sport as young athletes
• The importance of grassroots athletics
• Their Giving Back to Track initiative

There will also be the chance for the audience to ask questions of their own at the end of the Q&A.

Eilish and Michael’s Q&A is generously sponsored by Sound Wealth Planning and supported by ProTay.

Sound Wealth Planning is a Scotland-based financial advice firm supporting clients and their families across the UK. The team specialises in retirement planning, savings and investment strategies, protection for loved ones, and tailored mortgage solutions designed to meet individual needs.

Founded by Graeme Oudney, a former Scotland and Great Britain 800m athlete, the business is built on principles of discipline, performance, and long-term success. Graeme also serves on the Board of Scottish Athletics, reflecting a continued commitment to excellence both on and off the track.

The event follows the successful Commonwealth Games-themed Q&A with Eilidh Doyle, Melanie Woods and Megan Keith at Scotstoun in February.

All funds raised will go to Athletics Trust Scotland’s work to make athletics more accessible and enjoyable for all.

The post Eilish McColgan & Michael Rimmer Q&A appeared first on Athletics Trust Scotland.

As well giving children and young people the opportunity to try athletics for the first time, the sessions aim to increase wellbeing, boost confidence, create social cohesion and offer positive activities for them to channel their energy into. Delivered in partnership with Scottish Athletics and Scottish Sport Futures, they play an important part in Athletics Trust Scotland’s mission to transform lives through the power of athletics and running.

Here, Kebba tells us about the impact sport has had on his own life and why he thinks opportunities like these are needed for communities like his own.

“Sport has shaped my own life – it’s made me more confident, I’ve made friends with lots of people I never would have met otherwise, it makes me happy. It’s had such a positive impact on my day to day life that I was excited to help other young people get the same enjoyment out of it.”

“The sessions are so important for children and young people round here. They get them out of the house doing something active, something sociable, something outdoors in the fresh air. Nobody ever gets their phones out – they’re so engaged for the full two hours that they don’t even think to look at them.

I’ve noticed a big change in lots of the young people since they started coming along to sessions. Some of them who were quieter are more willing to speak up now. Others who were causing trouble and getting into fights have calmed down. We’ve created a culture of taking part, so now everyone just spends the full two hours having fun throwing themselves into activities without getting bored or distracted.”

“It’s important that someone like me leads the sessions – I’ve grown up in the area, I’ve gone to the same school, and I understand the challenges lots of the children and young people around here face. When they see me, they see someone who is just like them. They can relate to me, which means that roles like these are something that they can realistically aspire to.”

Photo credit: Alex Thomson

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Athletics Trust Scotland’s annual week-long celebration of athletics and running returns this summer and this year the theme is community. We’re encouraging running clubs and jog groups around the country to join us in celebrating the sport we love and fundraising to help us make it more accessible for all. 

Clubs, groups and individuals can organise their own fundraising activities or take inspiration from our ideas. Whatever you choose to do, you will be helping to transform lives through the power of athletics and running!

Last year saw clubs up and down the country take part in a range of fun activities, from parkrun mob matches to trail races to ‘come and try’ weeks.

Pictured: ATS Chair Graeme Jack with Inverclyde AC, who raised a fantastic £1,000 through their Loch Thom Trail Race in 2025.

Everything you need to know about Scottish Running Week – including fundraising ideas, examples of what clubs have done in previous years, and how to register your event – can be found in our handy fundraising guide.

The post Scottish Running Week returns in 2026! appeared first on Athletics Trust Scotland.

The Glasgow 2026 Festival will be a celebration of sport, culture and community taking place between 23 May and 9 August 2026, in the lead up to and during the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The funding will enable us to host a Commonwealth Games-themed celebration event at Crownpoint in the lead up to Glasgow 2026 for the children who attend our free athletics sessions across North East Glasgow. The weekly sessions currently take place in a variety of community spaces – from football cages to sports halls – so this event will give the children the opportunity to come together to experience athletics on an outdoor 400m track for the first time.

Jenny Selman, Head of Fundraising and Development at Athletics Trust Scotland, said:

‘It’s going to be a super Scottish summer of sport and we’re thrilled to be part of it. The funding will enable us to engage children from some of Glasgow’s most deprived communities with a home city Commonwealth Games and hopefully leave them feeling excited and inspired. Events like these are vital for ensuring that the impact of Glasgow 2026 extends beyond the walls of the athletics track or velodrome into the local communities that will help bring the Commonwealth Games to life.”

A huge thank you to the Glasgow 2026 Festival Fund for its support!

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The funding will enable children and young people who attend our free athletics sessions in Dalmarnock to access the athletics track at the Emirates Arena.

The sessions are a safe and supportive space for local children and young people affected by poverty to get active in their own community with role models they trust.

The delivery model has been designed to enable coaches to take athletics into the community and teach the fundamentals of run, jump, push, throw in any setting – whether that’s a sports hall, football pitch or playing field. However, the opportunity to experience athletics on the track each week could have life-changing benefits for the children and young people who attend, especially in a year where the Commonwealth Games will bring some of the world’s best athletes to their home city of Glasgow.

A huge THANK YOU to the Get Active Glasgow partnership of the London Marathon Foundation, sportscotland and Glasgow Life for backing grassroots athletics and enabling us to transform lives through sport.

Photos by Alex Thomson

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Scottish Government visitors had the opportunity to see the impact that our free athletics sessions are having on local children and young people when they joined our Dalmarnock group for the second of their Mini Commonwealth Games events.

Kebba Sanneh, our award-winning Local Community Impact Leader, put Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy and Sport, Maree Todd, and around 50 young people through their paces at the Emirates Arena.

The project is a partnership between Athletics Trust Scotland, scottishathletics and Scottish Sports Futures, with support from local clubs Shettleston Harriers and Red Star AC. Each week, the Dalmarnock session attracts around 50-60 children and young people who take part in athletics-based activity around run, jump, push, or throw movements.

Participants are all from the local area, where over 35% of children are growing up in poverty compared to 21% of children nationally. The project is part of our drive to make athletics and running more accessible for communities who face barriers to taking part in physical activity.

Representatives from all three partners took the opportunity to discuss with the Minister the need for community projects like this across Scotland to create sustainable and accessible opportunities for people to take part in athletics and reap the physical, mental and social benefits of a more active life.

Athletics Trust Scotland’s Head of Fundraising and Development, Jenny Selman, said: “The sessions are a safe and supportive space for local children and young people to get active in their own community with people they trust. Many of them previously didn’t think of athletics as an option for them, so it has been wonderful to see how much they have thrived in the sessions.

We’re creating pathways into clubs for those who want to try athletics out but might not have the confidence or knowledge of opportunities to go along themselves. We’ve seen several young people start attending training at local clubs and, more recently, take part in events like the Scottish XC Championships and schools competitions.”

Minister for Sport, Maree Todd, said: “I’ve had a wonderful evening with young people taking part in a mini-Commonwealth Games in Dalmarnock.

The programme demonstrates how sport can be so much more than physical activity — it can be a powerful driver of social change, helping to open-up opportunities for communities who often face barriers to being active.

‘Ensuring that people can easily access a wide range of sport and physical activity programmes is central to our aim of improving both mental and physical wellbeing. It also supports our wider government priorities to tackle health inequalities, strengthen community resilience, and ensure every young person — regardless of background, disability, or cultural identity — has the chance to thrive.

I look forward to seeing this programme continue to grow and reach even more communities across Scotland.”

Photos by Alex Thomson

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