Freya is new queen of the half marathon

Capital star Freya Murray (Edinburgh AC) has shot to the top of the Scottish half marathon rankings for the season in her first ever attempt at the distance – and her first race after being out for six months through injury.

Murray clocked 72 minutes 44 seconds in finishing behind Great Britain stars Jo Pavey and Helen Clitheroe in the Great North Run on Tyneside.

“It was my first race since the Scottish (Cross Country Champs) and I’m a bit sore after it but it was nice to be in a race again,” said Murray, who celebrated her 28th birthday yesterday.

“I’ve been back training for a month.”

Murray ran both the 5000 and 10,000 metres for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last October but picked up shin splints shortly after returning and running in the Great South Run ten miles race.

She recovered in time to retain her National cross title at Falkirk last March but suffered a recurrence shortly after and missed the entire track season.