Robin Hood Half Marathon

Nine members of Grantham Running Club took part in the Robin Hood Half Marathon on Sunday 29^th September. The race, beginning and ending on Victoria Embankment in Nottingham, is one of the largest races in the region with over 6000 finishers. 

The race marked twenty years since GRC member Tony Johnson ran his first ever race at the 1999 Robin Hood Half Marathon. The course has changed many times in the intervening years and the current route is probably the most challenging in Tony's opinion with a number of testing climbs, the most testing coming in the opening half of the race as runners pass Nottingham Castle at two miles and run through Wollaton Park at six miles. Very wet weather in the build up to the race and on race day itself made the race village soggy and puddle ridden. The finish in particular was a challenge with some runners likening it to a muddy cross country course.

First home for GRC was Piers Pye-Watson (1:28:33) who ran well to break the ninety minute barrier considering his training has been limited over the course of the year and has raced just once at the Stathern 10K in June. Next home was Tony Johnson who, since that first race back in 1999, has gone on to race a staggering 266 further half marathons! Half marathon number 268 saw another solid performance from Tony, who clocked 1:32:34.

Ian McBain enjoyed the atmosphere along the race course despite the damp conditions, clocking a season’s best 1:39:54. A fine 1:48:12 from Michelle Parczuk saw her take 25 seconds off her half marathon personal best set earlier in the month at the Newton’s Fraction Half Marathon. She was thankful for the shower of rain ten miles into her race that cooled her down and echoed Ian’s enjoyment of the good atmosphere on the course that was bolstered by good crowds, a live choir performing en route and a ‘Purple Party’ at eleven miles.

Having battled injury in recent months Clive was well down on his best but did well considering to finish in 1:59:26 - lacking race fitness but relieved that he was free from pain.  Behind Clive, Hazel Dunthorne ran 2:09:11, her legs ‘dead’ from mile eight onwards and lamenting the fact she had no idea Nottingham was so hilly! Steven Green closely followed Hazel in 2:09:49, while Paula Ebbins completed her first half marathon in 2:45:38 with the support of Emma Weighill, who officially finished just a second slower.

The race was won by Anthony Woodward of Notts AC in 1:12:19 with club mate Samantha Harrison sixth overall and winner of the women’s race in 1:14:39.