Marathon Project place can improve Maryburgh runner in bid for Commonwealth Games place at Birmingham in 2022
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Maryburgh runner Sean Chalmers is one of seven new additions to Scottish Athletics’ Marathon Project.
The programme’s aim is to develop runners at marathon level and improve standards as Team Scotland look to extend their marathon squad selected for the Commonwealth Games which take place in Birmingham next year.
It will provide both financial support and advice to athletes and coaches, in the form of physio costs and educational seminars on nutrition and strength and conditioning, among other topics.
For Chalmers, who represents Inverness Harriers, it is recognition of his progress over the last year where he has broken multiple club records.
By taking advantage of the extra support now on offer though, he hopes to kick on even more.
“It’s been going well for me the last four or five months,” the PE teacher, now based in Aberdeen said.
“I’ve got a few races in and chipping away at my times, so I’ve been getting a bit more recognition.
“Hopefully this will push me on a little bit more and help me get into some bigger races, so that will definitely help going forward.”
The prospect of a Commonwealth Games in the distance will only strengthen Chalmers’ motivation too, and he thinks it is an achievable goal.
“This time last year it wasn’t on my radar,” Chalmers admitted.
“It wasn’t until around July that my coach said I had been doing a few good longer sessions, so maybe we should be looking to fit in a marathon leading up to Birmingham.
“We gave the half-marathon a go, and it went pretty well. When the qualifying standards came out, we thought it might be one to shoot for.
“I could probably do with another year to prepare for it, because I’m not quite at the mileage I’d like to be yet, but it’s one of the favourable standards to go for.”
