Run Loch Lomond is a festival of running organised by West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust. The event consists of the Loch Lomond 10K, 5K and Fun Run. The 10K and Fun Run have been in existence for over thirty years with the 5K being added to the event in 2022. All races start and finish in the same location within the picturesque village of Balloch and take in the stunning surroundings of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
The Loch Lomond 10K replaced the Vale of Leven 10k in 2019. The Vale of Leven 10K was managed by Polaroid Eyewear from 1986 until 2016 with West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust taking over the event in 2017. WDLT continued the event in it’s same form until changing the route, rebranding and further developing it in 2019. CPR Resurfacing Ltd has been the Gold sponsor of the event since 2018.
The previous winners over the years have included John Hanratty 1987, Peter Fleming 1990, Nat Muir 1991, Chris Robison 1993/94, Keith Anderson 1997/98, Kenyans Benson Masya 1999 & Stephen Ariga 2001. In 2000 local athlete Glen Stewart took the honours.
The first female winner in 1987 was Melissa Wylie, other winners have included local athlete Janet McColl 1988/89, Sandra Branney has four wins under her belt in 1990/91/92 and 1996 as well as a 1st lady veteran in 1993 and 2000, English internationalist Heather Heasman won in 1997 with Scotland’s own Yvonne Murray-Mooney was successful in 1998.
Current course records include Keith Anderson’s 29:31 in 1997, Yvonne Murray-Mooney holds the ladies record with 34.04 in 1998. The men’s veteran record of 30:54 is held by Brian Kirkwood from 1995, however Tommy Murray was only 5 seconds outside it in 2001! The female veteran’s record is held by Sandra Branney in a time of 35:08 in 1993.