From 1900-1902, he fought with the Highland Light Infantry in the Second Boer War, serving much of that time under Major General Sir Hector MacDonald.

After the war, Curran trained Halswelle, who went on to compete in the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, and at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, winning silver and bronze medals at the former, and a controversial gold at the latter.

[1] On returning to Scotland Curran won the prestigious Hawick Border Mile Championship, competing as an amateur for the Gala Harriers.

In that time he coached four more Olympic champions - Ted Meredith, Allen Woodring, Bill Carr, and Charles Moore.

Notably, the two athletes he considered to be the finest he ever trained - Albert Robinson and Henry Thresher - never made it to the Olympic Games.