Nairn 10k champion is hopeful he can produce a performance good enough to be in the running for title
DEFENDING champion James Wilson says he is going into the 2025 Nairn 10k hopeful he can produce a performance worthy of retaining his crown.
The 30-year-old from Aberlour picked up one of the biggest wins of his career when he claimed victory 12 months ago.
Now the Moray Road Runners athlete is looking for a repeat performance that is good enough to defend his title.
The trainee packaging technologist won the Nairn 10k title for the first time in his career when he recorded a winning time of 31 minutes and 57 seconds in 2024.
He was 32 seconds ahead of James Tole of Metro Aberdeen in second place who finished in 32:29 with Shaun Cumming of Highland Hill Runners third in a time of 32:36.
Now Wilson says he is happy with how he is feeling as he prepares for this year’s race which takes place on Sunday.
He said: “It is my plan to be on the start line on Sunday and I am looking forward to getting back on the roads.
“I haven’t thought about defending my title too much as I am not sure who is entering the race.
“I do know that one of my training mates, Lachlan Oates from Shettleston, is planning to enter the race.
“He is a guy that will definitely be in the mix as he has ran sub 30 minutes and I have a long way to go before I can catch him.
“I might need to hope he has an off day if he does.
“My personal best is 31:42 when I ran it in 2023 and I would like to run close to that.
“Winning the Nairn 10K was one of the best wins of my career, I had ran it for so many years and finished in the top-three but never got the win before last year.
”To finally win the race was really good and it put me in a good place for the rest of the road season.
“Hopefully I can do something similar on Sunday and go into the rest of the season confident.”
Wilson had mixed results during last year after winning the Nairn 10k, but is happy overall with how the last 12 months have gone.
He said: “I had a mixed bag of results towards the end of the year where a few cross country races didn’t go too great.
“There were a few road races that went really well for me. But it has also been a case of trying to get as much training as I can and my times down which is always tricky when looking to go sub 31 minutes.
“Going under 31 minutes would be my ultimate goal, whether that will happen this year depends on how training pans out.”
Wilson also confirmed that he will be taking part in the Inverness Half Marathon on Sunday, March 9 and he will also be taking part in the Scottish 5K Championships in Edinburgh in May.
Race organisers have also confirmed that Inverness Harriers athlete Caitlyn Heggie will be defending her women’s title she won last year.
The Muir of Ord athlete claimed victory by 16 seconds as she recorded a winning time of 36.09.
Halina Rees of Highland Hill Runners took the silver medal with a time of 36:25 with 2023 champion Jenny Bannerman of Inverness Harriers in third place in a time of 37:14.