Chester Marathon

Andy with his medal at the racecourse after the finish

Grantham Running Club had two athletes complete this year's multi-award winning  marathon from the historic City of Chester. Now in its tenth year it is widely regarded as the "runners" marathon of choice has been selected as a qualifying race for the 2021 Abbott WMM Age Group World Championships! Although not the fastest of courses it gives a fair challenge to those who don't mind a few hills.

Andy looking good early on

 
Going into the race in good form Andy Atter was determined to have a crack at not only setting a PB but in going sub 3:10 to earn a coveted UK ranking to match the ones he has already obtained for 10k and the half marathon. Andy started strongly with a first 10k split of 45:31 which included the sharp rise for the racecourse up and round the old city before accelerating through the second 10k in 44:46, he was inside target at half way. With gritted teeth he stayed with the pace in the third 10k despite a mile long hill in mile 18 but then found the next section a bit too testing and dropped almost five minutes between 30 and 40k. In the final 2k the last thing he needed on tired legs was a wet and slippy cobbled stone path beside the river but unfortunately recent flooding meant the usual racecourse finish has been substituted for a tougher and must twistier park and riverbank section. Andy finished in 3:17:07 within five minutes of his PB.

Also taking part was veteran Robert McArdle running this race for the second year in a row, despite feeling unwell in the build-up he decided to start the race regardless no doubt spurred on by the thought of one of the best goody bags in British Marathons but by 2k he knew it wasn’t going to be his day, going through 10k he was already two minutes adrift of his target time which had slipped to 6 minutes by half way. Reduce to walk run by 16 miles he was able to enjoy the final ten miles joking with other runners and enjoying a nice day out in the English and Welsh countryside. By the end he was just pleased to finish in 3:51:42 around half an hour slower than his best but still good enough to secure at top 250 UK Ranking in his Age Group.