Back home on a flying visit, Giffnock North’s most successful male metric miler Neil Gourley took time to further inspire the upcoming generation, when he dropped into track sessions at Eastwood and Williamwood High. His reward was a perceptive grilling by the juniors (high quality questions included below) and discussion about the Daily Mail article (4/11/25) describing Neil as the Third Man in the outstanding trio of current Scottish 1500m running – along with Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr. Full article is available here.

We’re not too sure of the Graham Greene/ Vienna / Cold War allusion with its themes of friendship, betrayal and ‘the moral complexities of post war Europe,’  but we are very sure that he’s not the 3rd Man to us & will always be Number 1 in that estimate at Giffnock North.

His Number 1 status was evident again as he visited the troops at training sessions tonight at both Eastwood and Williamwood . Starting with the youngest club athletes and moving on to the older distance squads – all before he returns to the states to join his training squad in Arizona.

Fielding questions, Neil chatted to the athletes, coaches and parents alike, patiently bending down to sign autographs for upwards of 40 youngsters.
The questions were superb. On his last visit, among the more serious queries, one 9 year old had asked if he had ‘a jet plane?’

Tonight the questions were equally on point definitely on the serious front and coaches were impressed with the depth and breadth.

• How did you get into running.
• Do you like Sprints or distance.
• What is your  Favourite track.
• Whats your best PB.
• How did you learn to pace yourself
• What’s your age
• What Age were you at the Olympics.
• Do you get Nerves in races
• Were you nervous at the World  Championships
• What’s the Longest distance you have ever run (16miles) .
• Where do you train.
• Why do you train in America.
• Are you American.
• Do you know lee McConnell
• Will you ever run a marathon

Thanks very much again Neil. We hope your rehab goes well from your knee injury and you return to full training soon. We can’t wait to see you compete in the mile at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2026!