THERE are easier footsteps to follow in than those of Laura Muir but Jemma Reekie is giving it her best shot. The 18-year-old Kilbarchan AC athlete might have been unable to live with the blistering pace of her world class training partner on the last leg of the 4 x 1000m Stewart Cup cross country relay over the Holyrood Park course on Saturday but she still brought Scotland 'A' home for a creditable third place on her maiden appearance in the Scottish senior ranks and shared the billing when Muir claimed a record at the Glasgow Athletic Association miler meet at the Emirates Arena last midweek. Reekie had just recorded a new Scottish indoor mark for the 3,000m by the time she took her place at the side of the track to roar her pal on to break Liz McColgan's 25-year British indoor record for the 5,000m. The contribution of this teenager, who is also a clubmate of Callum Hawkins, to another stunning week for Scottish athletics should not be discounted.
"I have improved a lot since I first joined the group," said Reekie, who has been training overseas with Muir in South Africa under the tutelage of Andy Young. "It was really good to be out in South Africa, seeing her doing her training and seeing how she lives. We got on really well as well. It is good to see myself moving closer and closer to her and doing more sessions like her. I see how she is training and know that I need to do the same stuff.
"Wednesday was a really special night," Reekie added. "Knowing that Laura was doing the 5k herself I was really excited to get finished so I could cheer her on to get the British record. There was a really good atmosphere in the crowd. I did my first 3k ever and I got the Scottish record during the week."
It says something for the efforts of her team-mates Jake Wightman, Mhairi Hendry and Neil Gourley that Reekie actually took possession of the baton in first place. Gourley, who is student at Virginia Tech, revealed yesterday he delayed a return trip to the States to help Scotland make the Stewart Cup podium for the second year in succession. He produced a storming third leg to take Scotland 'A' from seventh to first, laying the ground work for Scotland 'A's third place finish behind GB & NI and the USA, but first there were negotiations to be had with his university coach to make sure he took his place on the start-line at all.
"I enjoyed it and it is a fun event," said Neil, who represented Scotland B a year ago. "I ran last year and the atmosphere was great so I wanted to do it again when the invitation came through. But first I had to negotiate with my coach, Ben Thomas, because they wanted me back in the United States on January 2. The college are supportive, though, and hopefully the run I’ve managed will convince them it was worth it me being here!
"I think it was a real team effort because Jake had a strong run and Mhairi, too," he added. "Then, on the last leg, for Jemma to run like that against very experienced athletes and get us to third place was great for her and for us."
No fewer than 14 athletes in the past two years who have now pulled on a Scotland vest and had the opportunity to run in a televised, international event in front of a home crowd, and Gourley’s immediate focus now on the indoor season in America. "I go back now for the indoor season in the NCAAs," said Gourley, who flew out of Scotland early on Sunday morning. I am trying to get into the mile final in the NCAA but you need to be in the top 16 times for the season. I ran 3.59 last season but still missed out on it. I am guessing I might need 3.57 or something like this time around. It will be tough, because every meet that happens across the States, people are checking times and seeing where they are ranked. I’ve another 18 months at Virginia Tech studying Chemical Engineering and then I will see what happens after that."
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