North-east tourism agency VisitAberdeenshire has inspired a new world record for the fastest half marathon ran in a kilt at the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run yesterday (August 27).
Local athlete Jim Tole beat the 90 minute target time set by the Guinness Book of Records, completing the 13.1 mile route around Aberdeen city in 85 minutes 59 seconds. VisitAberdeenshire will now submit an evidence pack to the Guinness Book of Records for verification.
The inaugural Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run attracted 8,000 runners who took part in various routes, which incorporated some of the city’s most notable landmarks. The route saw world record contender Jim race along the city centre’s Union Street clad in an Alex Scott & Co Kiltmakers kilt, before passing Pittodrie Stadium, Marischal College and His Majesty’s Theatre.
VisitAberdeenshire launched the search to recruit the record contender at the beginning of August, and received plenty of applications from North-east runners eager to represent Aberdeen in the Guinness Book of World Records. Chris Foy, chief executive of VisitAberdeenshire says, “The atmosphere this weekend in the city has been amazing and has truly captured the sporting spirit of the first Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run. The fact that Jim has set a provisional new world record is the icing on the cake, and will forever put the inaugural event in the history books. The Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run has raised the profile of the city internationally, attracting runners from Norway, America and Austria, further strengthening Aberdeen’s position as a vibrant and exciting place to visit.”
Jim Tole said, “It’s not every day that you set a new world record, and to do it here in my home city with my friends and family watching is absolutely amazing. As a runner you always want a route to provide variety and to really challenge you, and the Great Aberdeen Run certainly did that. The support from the crowds around the whole route has been fantastic, but the final stretch as we ran along Union Street was just incredible.”
Kerry Simpson, communications manager of The Great Run Company, said, “Not only did we stage the very first Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run today, but thanks to Jim we also entered the record books. Congratulations Jim."JIM TOLE
Jim, a fireman at Aberdeen International Airport was a promising junior runner as a combined services captain in the army, navy and air force. At the age of 23 Jim was however forced to stop running due to an injury, and it would be some 14 years later that he would lace up his running shoes again. In 2012 Jim ran the London Marathon in full fire-fighter gear and breathing apparatus for Aberdeen charities The Archie Foundation and Cash for Kids. He is now a member of the Metro Aberdeen running club, where he has won the proms 3km series and the Round the Castles Cross-country series.