Forres runner selected for Scotland race
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THE TOUGHER the terrain, the better Forres mum Kirstie Rogan gets at finishing high up the rankings in her athletic pursuits.
She ran numerous international hill races as a junior, but at the age of 25 she was thrilled to make her first senior outing for her country.
Kirstie was selected to run for Scotland in the senior home international hill running championships in England's Lake District on Saturday, after impressing in a trial event in Manchester.
"I got home on Sunday from the trial and I got an email that night saying I might have a chance for selection," she said.
"I was waiting and waiting for the email to come through and it was last Wednesday that I finally heard I got in."
Saturday's race was also a British trial for GB and NI teams for the European Championships.
Proud of his daughter's efforts is dad Paul, a top Moray runner who has competed for Scotland as a veteran.
"He was so excited. He couldn't wait to tell everybody. I think he was more proud because he knows how much work I did put in," Kirstie said.
The Rogan family's international pedigree is very evident, as Kirstie's brother Andrew was part of Scotland's orienteering team as a junior.
"It was my dad who got me into (running), and my brother. It was just something we did at the weekends, either at a running or orienteering event, and I focused on running," she said.
A top-class field took part at Sedbergh, including English star Emma Clayton who has appeared on the world and European championship podium in the past and won the Manchester trial Kirstie raced in.
She took to hill running with her first club Forres Harriers after running up Ben Rinnes and being bitten by the bug.
"I don't like road running. Anything muddy, hilly, wet, stuff that nobody else likes, I love it," she said.
Kirstie combined tough training sessions with her duties as a mum to her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Isla.
She switched from Forres Harriers last October to Moray Road Runners, who also have a current Scotland international in Kenny Wilson in their ranks.
