Brindley turns in Capital show to rule the hills

The 32-year-old Linlithgow-based athlete had plenty to spare despite coming fifth in a gruelling mountain run in Italy only eight days before the Capital City Challenge.

Brindley’s win - which is believed to be her personal best time but still to be issued officially - also confirms the waste management consultant as the Scottish 10k champion.

She has a heavy programme to come before Christmas and Brindley (Carnethy club) has already won three races in the hill running series having competed in Wales, the Lake District and in Fort William. And she has an event lined up in the Borders as she sets her sights on winning the Grand Prix title.

She sprinted over the line well ahead of Edinburgh-born Sula Young of London’s Highgate Harriers after leaving the Anglo behind on a hilly stretch in the later stages of the wind-lashed course. "The hills suit me given my background," said Brindley who took the title for the second time after winning in 2001 and coming second 12 months later.

Young, whose 58-year-old father, Archie, also competed, raced for Great Britain in a biathalon in Bavaria in the weekend prior to the Edinburgh event and said: "Tracey’s hill running experience was crucial."

The athlete, who was third in 2003 and second this year, added: "I aim to be first next time."

First man home was pre-race favourite Allan Adams who pulled away from two Fife club runners in the final kilometres as he approached Meadowbank Stadium to claim the title for the first time.

The Glasgow-based racer led at half-way and came home in 30 minutes 56 seconds, ahead of Stirling University sports studies student John Newsom (Pitreavie club) who clocked 31mins 10secs and Andrew Liston (Fife) on 31mins 55secs.

Adams celebrated his 32nd birthday on Saturday and said: "I’m now going for the Great North Run in two weeks and I also intend to go in the Great South Run two weeks after that."

Newsom, 19, who defends his under-20 Scottish Road Running title next month at Perth, admitted: "I stayed with him for a long while but his final surge beat me."

Aberdeen’s Kenny Herriot, 42, won the wheelchair event in 23mins 13secs, and Scotland’s leading athlete, who is in the top ten in the world, was delighted to be in the winner’s frame after missing the race last season.

Former Scottish international rugby player Scott Hastings, a keen fun runner, competed and

globe-trotting TV journalist Martin Guisler, who lives in Craiglockhart, ran with his wife Teresa, a supply teacher. The former STV journalist, who works for News at Ten, said: "I take my running shoes wherever I am.

Teresa took up running some weeks ago and I said I would also run. I’ll be back next year."