It is with sadness the club has learnt that Hugh Mitchell , a long-term Shettleston member and Honorary Life Member, passed away last week aged 94 years old.
Hugh (Hughie) Mitchell joined the club in the 1950’s from the Glasgow Nightingale Cycling club. He went along to the Gartocher Road club while recovering from an arm injury sustained in a cycle road race and never left. At the age of 28 he was late starter in terms of running but his abilities would soon be acknowledged.
Hugh’s talent for distance running soon become apparent, though as he said himself “I always got left at the sprint to the finish” His training routine emulated the routine he used as a cyclist: distance at the weekends and speed and hills during the week. He ran regularly in road and cross-country races and was in the teams for the National five times between 1958 and 1968 and the Edinburgh to Glasgow team 1959,1962,1964,and 1968.His best distances performances however ,were achieved at much longer distances.
Two second place in the Scottish marathon championships of 1964 and 1969 was to lead to much longer races. The high mileage of 200 miles a week would prepare for a number of high profile ultra- races including Two Bridges 36miles, Edinburgh to Glasgow 44miles, Liverpool to Blackpool 48miles,London to Brighton and the Isle of Man 40miles .Often placing in these classic races .He was also a keen member of the Scottish Marathon club who organised many of the longer races in Scotland and as he moved in the masters age group achieving more medals, national individual and team medals for the club .
He was key in recruit a talent group of athletes from the Bathgate area in West Lothian for the club. These included his good friend, Jock MacDonald, Willie Russell, Peter Cowan, Hughie Hogg, George Blair. Billy Watt, Vince Ezzi and future Scottish Marathon Champion Brian Carty.
Hugh and Jock Macdonald were key supporters of the Allan Scally Memorial Relay and even in his late 80’s he would be along to help and share stories .
The club would like to express their condolences to Hugh’s wife and family on the passing of Hugh. He lived the club motto -Nihil Sine Labore – Nothing without effort!
Hugh’s Funeral will be on the 24th March 2023 at 12.15pm at the Brodie Funeral Parlour, 10 North Bridge Street, Bathgate EH48 4PS