Scotland brings the best out of former Rotherham Harrier Iain Whitaker

FLYING: Iain Whitaker crosses the Forth Road Bridge.

DISTANCE runner Iain Whitaker continues to show a clean pair of heels to rivals north of the border.

The 41-year-old sped to victory in the Forth Road Bridge 10K for the fourth consecutive time and has also secured his Scottish vest after a successful run in the Scottish 8K Cross Country trials.

Born and raised in Rotherham, Iain moved up to Sterling University to study in his youth and apart from two years working in Milan, he has lived in Scotland ever since.

He finished second in the 40-45 age group in the cross country trials in Glasgow, earning a place in the Scottish team for the British and Irish Masters Home International back in the city on November 11. His time over the 8K was 28.55.

STRIDING OUT: Iain Whitaker crosses the Forth Road Bridge.

Iain’s stranglehold on the Forth Road Bridge 10K also continued in some style. His time of 33.18 was his best yet in the event, which he first won in 2019.

The postponement of the race in 2020 due to the pandemic might have denied the former Rotherham Harrier the chance of defending his title, but he has made up for it since, winning it three years on the spin.

Proud dad Malcolm joked: “Credit to Iain, he has kept it going. I packed in playing first team rugby at 40, so I suppose at 41 I he is now going longer than I did!”

Iain used to attend Oakwood School and joined Harriers aged eight. As a junior he won the South Yorkshire Cross Country Leagues and represented Yorkshire.