Scottish Trail Race Returns
Scottish Running Week is back for 2026 and local clubs like Inverclyde AC are supporting the Loch Thom Trail Race in Greenock as part of a push to engage new runners ahead of Glasgow hosting the Commonwealth Games (runabc.co.uk). Organizers are using community races like Loch Thom to encourage entry-level trail participation and grow local club involvement this spring (runabc.co.uk).
Scottish Running Week is scheduled for June 1–7, 2026 and this year’s programme carries a “community” theme aimed at fundraising and club-led activity for Athletics Trust Scotland. (scottishathletics.org.uk (scottishathletics.org.uk)) Inverclyde AC’s Loch Thom Trail Race has been staged as an evening event during the week in past years — for example it ran on Wednesday 4 June with a 7pm start and offered 4km and 7km options. (greenocktelegraph.co.uk (greenocktelegraph.co.uk)) Entry arrangements for recent editions capped the field at 200, set a minimum age of 17, and priced entries between £4–£8 with a £2 non-Scottish Athletics levy; organisers have also used the race bib as a raffle ticket. (protay.co.uk (protay.co.uk)) Inverclyde AC donated £1,000 from race proceeds to Athletics Trust Scotland in a handover led by club captain and race organiser Sean Gaffney to ATS ambassador John Bell and ATS chair Graeme Jack. (athleticstrustscotland.org.uk (athleticstrustscotland.org.uk)) Participation figures from the event’s early editions show more than 100 finishers in the 7km, with Inverclyde’s Elisha de Mello posting a winning time of 24:00 in the 7K race. (inverclydeac.org (inverclydeac.org)) Organisers and partners have been encouraged to link Scottish Running Week activities to Glasgow 2026, including Commonwealth Games-themed fundraisers as the city prepares to host the Games from July 23–August 2, 2026. (runabc.co.uk (runabc.co.uk))
