GREENOCK Glenpark Harriers' Lyle Mile event had to adapt due to the current coronavirus restrictions.

However, organisers can safely say that this year’s version of the challenge proved to be an enormous success!

Instead of the New Year’s Day mass race, the club adapted the rules and allowed people to have a go at the challenge over a three-day period from January 1 to 3.

The Lyle Mile route remained the same, but runners could do it when they wanted, record their time and submit a result.

Runners still started the challenge at the railway bridge at the bottom of Lyle Road, and followed the winding pavement all the way up to the beacon on top of the Lyle Hill.

The course is exactly one mile long and takes on about 400ft of elevation.

Some of the times were incredible. Inverclyde AC’s John Bell smashed the race record with a time of 5.59, beating his own 6.26 set at the inaugural race in 2017.

John is one of the top runners in Scotland, and it's hoped that he will be fulfilling his promise at some big races this year.

It was an Inverclyde Athletic Club one-two with Dylan Crawford taking second place in an amazing 6.18, which any other year would have been good enough for the win.

First Greenock Glenpark Harrier was Neil Lafferty in an amazing 6.22, setting a new GGH record for the race, beating Chris Mooney’s 6.36 from 2018. It is a shame that these runners were not able to go head-to-head this year, as a race always gets a few more seconds off the time.

Andy McCall was second for GGH in 6.54, and Daniel Doherty just pipped Kevin Craig for fourth place in a real battle of the Port boys.

The Glenpark juniors always impress in this race, and this year saw Ava Beaton defend her GGH ladies crown in 8.04, finishing ahead of fellow junior GGH athlete Summer Taggart.

It was a dead heat in the GGH senior ladies category, with newbie Liza Brydon tying with Fiona MacFarlane on 9.30. Jude Dolan was once again the fastest GGH junior male, and he took 14 seconds off his previous best at the same time. Ruari Trainer had a great run in 8.30, and Euan Johnson narrowly missed the nine-minute barrier.

There was an option to run the Lyle Mile elsewhere, as travel restrictions put pay to some people being able to attend in person. The club were delighted to see that two Helensburgh AC athletes took on a one-mile stretch of Ben Bowie that was similar elevation gain to the Lyle Mile itself.

Another runner from Helensburgh did it too, and one as far away as Ireland taking part and donating to the cause.

A number of Couch to Club Runner group members took part. Margaret Bryce felt the benefit of a few practice runs at it, and there were great efforts from Emma Sinclair, Lynne Fulton and especially Aidan Coyle.

Glenpark Harriers thank CM Autos for their continued sponsorship of this event and to everyone who donated, with this year's entry fees going to Ardgowan Hospice.

Results: John Bell 5.59, Dylan Crawford 6.18, Neil Lafferty 6.22, Andrew McCall 6.54, Daniel Doherty 7.04, Kev Craig 7.05, Jude Dolan 7.23, Stephen Hanley 7.32, Andrew Osborne 7.35, Oliver Reilly 7.43, Paul Beaton 7.57, Ava Beaton 8.04, Rhys Crawford 8.08, Robert Dolan 8.16, Ruari Trainer 8.30, Ian McKee 8.32, Graham McGrattan 8.36, Stuart Clark 8.37, Stephen Harrison 8.40, Graeme Boyce 8.42, James Doherty 8.46, Summer Taggart 8.56, Paul Monaghan 9.00, Euan Johnson 9.01, Greg Turner 9.06, Malcolm McLean 9.06, Eric Lindsay 9.09, Stuart Austin 9.09, Ross Slater 9.11, Ross Paul 9.12, Richard Newsome 9.22, David Holmes 9.28, Stephen Reid 9.29, Fiona MacFarlane 9.30, Liza Brydon 9.30, Mick Harrington 9.31, Erin McEleny 9.35, Sean Macfarlane 9.40, Sophie McGinty 9.40, Craig Canning 9.42, George McCallum 9.47, Rich Jow 9.58, Debbie McKenzie 10.03, Marianne McKay 10.06, Cheryl Thomas 10.08, Alex Paterson 10.17, Gary Keogh 10.19, Lesley Weber 10.23, Lynsey Mooney 10.26, Claire Monaghan 10.27, Lynne Harrison 10.29, Paul Murtagh 10.32, Heather Lafferty 10.33, Stuart Crawford 10.34, Lesley Weber 10.53, Aimee McEleny 10.58, Aidan Coyle 10.58, Robin McAuslan 11.09, Elaine Medinelli 11.12, Lynsey McLaughlin 11.12, Kirsten Arthur 11.23, Ian Hanley 11.26, Fiona Cushnaghan 11.48, Helen Crawford 11.48, Jennifer Boyd 11.48, Liz Ness 11.49, Simon Hutton 11.55, Lorna Coyle 12.01, Emma Sinclair, 12.02, Bethany Atkinson 12.18, Owen Atkinson 12.20, David Benstead 12.25, Islay Newsome 12.36, Sandra Devine 12.38, Beccy Gibson-Knowles 12.54, Matthew Ross 13.00, Angeline Austin 13.02, Kate Austin 13.02, Neve Austin 13.02, Jenni Murray 13.06, Grace Salton 13.06, Jen Turner 13.09, Charlotte McKay 13.10, Margaret Bryce 13.29, Angela Nelson 13.29, Orla Trainer 13.46, Andy McIntyre 13.54, Claire Melville 14.09, Lynne Fulton 14.09, Carol Thompson 14.25, Julie Morrison 14.58, Linsay Miller 15.00, Emma Benstead 16.16, Karen Jamieson 16.18.