Stevie Wylie’s career before he became a vet and eligible to run in Masters races was remarkable, but he has given a considerable amount of time and effort since then to ensure the continuing success of Cambuslang Masters runners.  He has done this by advising and training with developing athletes like Kerry-Liam Wilson; and also by playing a vital part in winning teams.   Before he reached M35 status, Stevie had been part of Cambuslang’s team victory in the 2003 Scottish 10K Road Championships. In 2015, as an M45 competitor, he contributed to Senior gold for Cambuslang in the Scottish 10 Miles Road event.   A rundown of his exploits:

• In the Scottish Masters Cross-Country Championships: in 2008 Stevie finished third  (second M35), leading Ronhill Cambuslang Harriers to team victory. In 2009 he was second (but Scottish M35 Champion) behind the outstanding M40 Robert Quinn, and led RCH to team gold. In 2012 Stevie finished sixth but the consolation was that Cambuslang won the team title again. They repeated this feat in 2015, when Wylie secured M40 silver. In 2018, Stevie finished third M45.
• British Masters Athletic Association Cross Country Championships: The Scottish Veteran Harriers hosted the event at Bathgate in 2007 and Cambuslang swept the board in the M35, M40 and M50 events.  The M35 representatives were Kerry-Liam Wilson, Greg Hastie, David Rodgers and Stevie Wylie, while the M40 runners were Ross Arbuckle, Dave Thom, Benny McLaughlin, Robert Lyon, Gerry Reid and Colin Feechan with Freddy Connor, Archie Jenkins, Frank Hurley and Frankie Barton making up the M50 quartet.
• In the 2010 British and Irish Masters International Cross-Country Championships, in Dublin, at Santry Demesne, on a deceptively tough, increasingly muddy lap course near the Billy Morton Stadium, Stevie Wylie, running for Scotland, did very well to finish fifth M35.
• BMAF 5K Road Championships at Horwich, 2018. Kerry-Liam Wilson was first Cambuslang runner home in fifth place and first M45 (for the third successive year). Stevie Wylie just missed out on M45 individual bronze but, with Wilson and Justin Carter, gained a decisive team gold in the M45-54 category.

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These results as a vet and team member in vet competition were very good but they did not mean that Stephen had retired from mainstream racing and competition – far from it.    His 2007 record was up to his usual standard: Victories included Ayrshire cross-country championship, Girvan Cross-Country, Stranraer half marathon in 68:53, Kilmarnock 10K, Calderglen trail race plus a second in the Dunfermline half marathon in 69 minutes – 7 seconds slower than his victory at Stranraer.    In 2008  he won the Ayrshire cross-country championship. his third place at East Kilbride on 29th November placed him 24th for 1oK with a time of 31:52, and on 1st November he won the Stranraer 10K in 32:42.   Into 2009 and on 21st February Stephen finished 14th overall and first Cambuslang man home for the team that finished fourth.  Then he was third in the Tom Scot Road Race in 51:21 for the 10 miles course making him first  vet  and then went up a distance or two to finish the London Marathon in 2 hours 34 minutes. 

In 2010 he was first in the Ayrshire cross-country championships but it was in 2011/2012 that he really showed his ability.   in the National Cross-Country Championships in  he finished in thirty third position  (two seconds behind  Robert Gilroy) to be last counter for the Cambuslang team that finished third.   Next was the Six Stage Road Relay where the vets team of Thom, McGregor, Hastie, Wylie, O’Hagan and Ramage was eighth and won team gold.    

In 2014, he had earlier in the year, November, run the classic Brampton to Carlisle 10 miles in 53:12.  The West District Championships were on 6th December and Stephen in twentieth place was first vet across the line.   He was first vet the following year in the Tom Scott 10 miles in 53:45.   In Masters competition, in addition to the team silver at Birmingham mentioned above, he was third in the M40 masters indoor 3000m,  and in the National 5K Road Running championships he was second vet in the M40 class.   Finally in the Six Stage Road Relay at Livingston he was in the Cambuslang line-up of Reid. Wilson, Harrow, Hastie, O’Hagan and Wylie that again took the team gold.  

Like all Masters athletes, Stephen now rations his races but when he does turn out, he makes it count.   The photograph below shows him winning the Balfron 10K in 2018.