1985 Dundee Marathon runners battled the course & the elements

The Courier

28-04-2025

These images document the agony and ecstasy when thousands hit the streets for the 1985 Dundee Marathon.
More than 30 runners suffered hypothermia when winter returned with a vengeance.
Driving snow fell for six hours.
The Courier said the 2,215 'soaked' and 'freezing' runners overcame the 'most atrocious conditions in the three-year history of the event'.
The City of Dundee People's Health Marathon became an annual fixture from 1983.
And 1985 was the most dramatic race.
Entry forms came out in September 1984.
Completing the form and parting with the £5 entry fee was the easy bit.
The Dundee Runner in Logie Street stocked the souvenir marathon t-shirt.
Many of the marathoners ran in running shoes which were purchased from David Low in Commercial Street and Sports Locker in the Overgate.
There would be a change on the podium.
Don Macgregor, the 1983 and 1984 winner, decided not to run in 1985.
Charlie Haskett from Dundee Hawkhill Harriers was the favourite after finishing second to 1972 Olympic Games runner Macgregor in 1983 and 1984.
The Courier said Murray McNaught from Dundee and Don Ritchie from Lossiemouth 'should also be up among the leaders'.
The Black Watch pipe band performed before the start of the marathon.
A record number of runners took part.
There were 1,994 men and 221 women at the start line.
Each had a different reason for running.
Most were running for sponsorship.
More than £400,000 was raised for good causes in 1985.
One of the main beneficiaries was the Tayside body scanner appeal.
The 26-mile course started at 10am from Dundee High Street.
There were 12 medical points and eight sponge stations around the course.
The Courier said: 'Snow began falling heavily only an hour into the race, causing untold misery for the majority of competitors and creating the major medical problem of the day, with four runners requiring hospital treatment.
'Over 30 people were treated for hypothermia, but, to the relief of everyone, they all responded to the treatment of the course medical staff and not one had to be sent to hospital for this reason.'
Three people were taken to Ninewells Hospital suffering from exhaustion.
They were allowed away after treatment.
One man was taken to the Royal Infirmary with an Achilles tendon injury.
The runners rose heroically to the even greater challenge and many came home in astonishingly fast times, smashing previous personal bests.
The unseasonal weather did not affect the determination to finish.
Only 65 dropped out of the race.
That was around the same number as failed to finish in 1984.
The Courier said the severe weather 'spoiled for the spectators what has come to be regarded as a great family day out'.
The numbers turning out to cheer the runners was down because of the snow.
They were still impressive.
More than 12,000 lined the route to add encouragement.
Broughty Ferry and Lochee were the most popular vantage points.
Hero of the day was Dundonian Murray McNaught.
He came through the tape in two hours, 20 minutes and 25 seconds.
It was his 13th marathon and his first win.
The 36-year-old was running for Fife Athletic Club.
Charlie Haskett and Craig Ross from Dundee Hawkhill Harriers made him work for his victory and both took turns to try to make the break at various stages.
The Courier said: 'Ross made the first move, obviously deciding that his only chance of beating last year's second and third-placed men, Haskett and McNaught, respectively, was to get away from them early on.
'His spurt came around the 12-mile mark.
'Slowly but surely, however, Haskett and McNaught got closer and a couple of miles later it was clear that Ross was not going to be able to hang on.
'Haskett then started to pull away, but McNaught clung on like a terrier, keeping Haskett in his sights and looking for his chance.
'By the time they crossed Kingsway at Clepington Road, McNaught was level and it was in Strathmore Avenue that Haskett met his Waterloo.'
McNaught started to pull away and never looked back.
Haskett fell back to fourth place behind Ross and Dougie Hunter from Edinburgh.
Hawkhill Harriers managed to take the team title.
The first woman home was 31-year-old Ann Curtis from Edinburgh.
She crossed the finishing line in two hours and 48 minutes to claim a first title.
'I knocked a full five minutes off my personal best time,' she said.
'Up until 10 miles I felt great.
'Then the snow started and I started to get cold.
'I forgot all that once I got to the 20-mile mark and knew I could break two hours 50.'
Tricia Calder was the second woman to cross the finishing line.
Dundonian Jill Danskin was third.
Dundee District councillor Jenny Wood was the oldest competitor.
She was competing for a third time at the age of 73 and took 30 minutes off her previous best by finishing in four hours, 21 minutes and 35 seconds.
She went on to complete more than 50 marathons and earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest female finisher, aged 90, in London in 2002.
The race was also notable for its novelty performers.
Dundee University medical students Alistair Nicol and John Mann completed the marathon three-legged for Action Research for Multiple Sclerosis.
They clocked a time of four hours and six minutes.
Alistair and John raised £200.
Dundee College lecturer Ian Ball was dressed in a gorilla costume.
Another favourite with the crowd was Phil Barker.
The Newport runner was dressed as 'Auld Nick' with red horns and trident.
The Courier delivered the final word on a Dundee marathon like no other.
'Praise has to be heaped on the legions of 'fun' and not-too serious runners who battled round the course, many of them struggling on through driving snow for over six hours to complete the distance, even although it was outside the time limit,' it read.
'The crowds had gone home by the time they reached City Square, soaked, freezing but jubilant.
'They broke no records but their courage and determination was equal to that of the most successful athletes who sprinted to the finish.
'Once again, even taking account of the unexpected and incessant snow, the Dundee Marathon proved an unqualified success and has prompted many on the side-lines to take up the challenge for next year.'
The Dundee Marathon became an annual and colourful fixture until 1991.