GOZO HALF MARATHON

 The forty eighth Teamsport Gozo running day half marathon, 10k,5k, Family runs and Walkathons held Sunday 30^th April attracted 1100 entries from 40 different countries.

Weighing up the choices of either a half marathon or 10k GRC member Stephen Fay decided to enter the half. He felt quite pleased with himself until he read the description: ‘This one is for utterly determined and the physically and mentally prepared’ and ‘Conquer your Fears’.

The half marathon route was designed to cover a long ecological green and costal path, as well as covering large parts of northern and central Gozo. It was also a primary goal of the organisers to allow the event to be sustainable and without damage to the rich environment of notable flora and fauna Gozo is well known for.

A Gozo reenactor in period costume complete with an original musket fired into the air signalling the start. And the runners went off through the square past the impressive Xaghra Church, the cheering crowd and almost immediately downhill into the countryside which presented some really striking views of the island.

The weather conditions were near perfect with a temperature of 22 degrees, with a light wind and the sun playing hide and seek through the clouds throughout the run.

The route was marked out in kilometres and Stephen was pleased to see the eleventh signpost signalling the halfway stage had been reached and he latched onto some runners who had done the half before.

The main spectators along the route were donkeys and goats looking at the runners with amusement.

And then came into sight the 19 km marker which meant a steep incline up to the finish.  Fortunately Stephen had a few runners along with him as they helped each other up Mount Gozo. At the 20km marker he could hear the music being played above and knew the end was near. Up and around the bend the finish line was visible in the distance, with the music thumping.  Thoughts came into his head that he knew that the event was being live streamed via the Xaghra Parish and that the potential millions watching prompted him to sprint the final 400m, cheered on by the crowd to the finish under 2.5 hours.

His chip time was 2:28:31 which he was pleased with considering it was 319 metres of ascent. The winners of the half Female (Ladies first) 1:19:49 and the Mens 1:16:06 which was a new course record. There were 332 finishers, with thirty or so from the UK and the furthest away from Brazil.

It really is a run that he’ll always remember with affection, although his legs wouldn’t have agreed for a few days afterwards.

Longhorn at Thoresby

The Thoresby estate provided the was the setting for the SBR Longhorn Running Event which is run over a multi terrain course of tracks, tarmac and woodland. 

The backdrop to the start and finish to all races was the majestic Thoresby Hall; formerly a private home built in the 17th century for the 3rd Earl of Manvers but more recently a luxury hotel set in tree studded grounds.

Grantham Running Club had 9 members participating this year, with four in the 10k event, 4 in the half marathon and a sole entrant in the marathon distance.

Much rain had fallen over the Saturday night and continued on and off on the Sunday which meant that conditions underfoot varied from wet tarmac to liquid mud.  Runners at times needed to look for better traction in the wooded areas where the grass edges of the route offered some grip.

In the marathon event, Jo Grace who is still fairly inexperienced at trail running and hadn’t laced up her trail shoes since the swampy Belvoir Challenge, was questioning her life choices as she lined up at the start!  Setting off at a steady pace the first lap was fairly pleasant but on the second lap the rain started and the mud levels increased somewhat.  Things definitely took a turn for the better when she switched strategy to use the food stations and uplifting conversations with the amazing marshals.  Though it wasn’t the fastest run of the weekend she was very pleased to finish the distance in 5:19:51 and enjoy the experience. 

Lining up for the half marathon among a field of 159 was Mark Carter.  The routed covered two laps of the 10k route plus a slight detour to make the distance.  Mark followed the 2:10 pacer who was doing a grand job until he nipped off to the loo as they completed a lap.  This was only Mark’s second half marathon, and he was looking to beat his previous best of 2:14:36. He was very happy to cross the line in 2:08:29 in 55^th place overall, especially impressive given the conditions. 

Also taking part in the muddy half marathon for the first time were husband and wife team Judi and Simon Allsopp who crossed the line together om 2:38:12. This run provided Judi with a PB, taking a massive 19 minutes off her previous best set at the Great North Run last year.

Mark Edwards rounded out the half marathoners with a finish time of 2:45:02.

In the 10k, the first finisher back for GRC was Daniel Wallace in a time of 54:57 which gave him an overall position of 54^th.  Closely following was Robert Pask who crossed the finish in 57:08 and 7^th place.

 Debbie Bennett and Catherine Wallace finished the race within seconds of one another at 1:02:03 and 1:02:09 respectively. 

 As always SBR once again put on a terrific day’s racing with each entrant receiving medals (and a pork pie)and.  The marshals were friendly and encouraged every runner and great event photos were provided for free, making it a favourite event for many GRC members.

 

London Marathon

 The 23^rd of April saw the 43rd running of the London Marathon.

The mass participation event is a highlight in the sporting calendar where the whole nation watches elite athletes and ordinary people take part in the same gruelling event over 26.2 miles through the streets of the capital.  The route takes in some of London’s best-known landmarks including Big Ben, Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, finishing with the iconic home straight on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.

18 members of Grantham Running Club gathered in a soggy Greenwich Park in various start waves in the morning.  Driving rain wasn’t the best condition to stand around in running gear waiting to go but thankfully it subsided to gentle drizzle which was perfect for running in (apart from the large puddles that had formed). 

Team GRC were enthusiastically supported by a large contingent of fellow club members who took the train down bringing with them banners, jelly babies, pork pies, t-shirts and (loud) words of encouragement.

First back for GRC was Russel Whittaker in his second go at the marathon distance following Manchester in 2022 which earned him his Good For Age place.  His meticulous approach to training which included dedicated track sessions alongside the long runs paid dividends and he felt strong and happy throughout (apart from the downpours).  The atmosphere and crowd support more than made up for the weather and he romped round in a spectacular 2:53:05, knocking 5 minutes off his PB and he’s looking forward to doing it all again.

Dean Riggall who has been working hard towards the magical sub 3-hour mark did it in style in 2:57:35, giving him a new PB.  What made this result even more astonishing is that only a week before he flew around Manchester Marathon where he broke the 3-hour mark for the first time.

Next back for GRC was Joe Diggins.  After coming agonisingly close to breaking the 3-hour mark at Manchester in 2021 where he missed out by a matter of seconds, then smashing his PB (and 3 hours) at Manchester again in 2022, Joe improved even further to knock more than a minute off his previous time, setting a shiny new PB of 2:55:43.

After starting to run to raise money for Fight For Sight UK, inspired by a friend and her journey with sight loss, Mikey Brain ran the virtual London Marathon in 2020 during Covid. This year he was lucky enough to be invited by Fight for Sight to run the London Marathon for real. He described it as an amazing experience with so many people with inspiring stories giving it everything. He enjoyed the first 20 miles and got stuck in, with the last 6 a blur.  He posted a fantastic time of 3:32:05.

Mark Angeloni was taking part in his first London Marathon, running for the charity Young Lives vs. Cancer.  Having raised a staggering £16,580 in a combined effort he was very happy with his time of 3:41:28 and is looking forward to taking everything he learned and applying it to his 2024 campaign.  He noted that the event was an absolute blast with amazing support from family, friends and the spectators on the course.

Matt Fryer, in his long-awaited marathon debut, had previously been forced to defer his place due to injury.  He finally got his chance to join the historic event and crossed the finish in a fantastic time of 3:49:38.

Seasoned marathon campaigner Caroline Davis was the first lady back for GRC and comfortably broke the 4-hour mark with a time of 3:55:03.  Amazingly, this was on tired legs from the Manchester Marathon the previous weekend.

Warren Stark, clearly a glutton for punishment ran at Manchester the week before where things didn’t quite go to plan.  As the winner of one of the club places, he pulled it out of the bag with an improved time of 4:03:28.

Hannah Whittaker followed soon after Warren.  Sadly, Hannah suffered with feeling poorly during the race which meant she didn’t get the result she deserved from her training.  Though her finish time was a little adrift of her previous best, she battled hard and still posted a very commendable 4:04:56, no mean feat.

Marathon stalwart Sarah High had earned her Good For Age entry with a sub-4 hour marathon at Manchester last year.  Despite some misgivings before the start, she finished in an excellent time of 4:11:27.

Closely behind was Tony Boyle who was running in his first ever marathon.  He certainly felt the magic of the day and the privilege of getting a ballot place and trained hard to post an impressive debut time of 4:11:47.

Next up was Sylv Hull who was running for the charity Brooke Hospital for Working Animals.  She massively enjoyed the event and atmosphere and was pleased to run consistently to finish in 4:36:53 and raise over £3,000 for her charity place.  She was especially appreciative of friends and family that turned out to support.

Jonathan Whittaker chose the best possible event for his debut at the marathon distance and completed in a very creditable time of 4:48:07.

GRC’s very own ‘Spice Girls’ Julie Gilbert, Ros Sadler and Rachel Pattison were running in the colours of the charity Young Lives vs. Cancer, a cause close to their hearts that they have supported for several years.  This year’s marathon was Julie’s 9^th, Rachel’s 7^th, and Ros’s 5^th (including the virtual events during the covid years) and their phenomenal fundraising efforts over the years have raised an astounding £48,000 and counting.

Their philosophy with this event is not about a fast time, but a great time and they gambolled their way round enjoying the support, atmosphere, and their reason to run.  They crossed the line together in 5:21:38. Julie paid tribute to everyone who took part and is totally ready to do it all again. Ros commented that she is “still knackered”.

For Emma Hopkinson, the aim was just to get round and enjoy it after her training plan went to pot, after illness meant her longest training run was 16 miles.  She was running for Cancer Research UK, so she knew she had to drag herself to the start after a little snooze on the train, then getting soaked before the off!

After her legs felt like lead for the first 5k and a loo stop, she then started to feel really good all the way to 40km where she did slow with a few walk breaks. She was very pleased to beat her previous London Marathon time set in 2011 by more than 20 minutes, crossing the finish in 5:10:09.  Her takeaway from the marathon is that running is a mind game and there is nothing wrong with taking a walk break.  She was also very happy to exceed her fundraising target with over £2,000 raised.

Vicky Willan rounded off the GRC contingent having gained her place through the club draw.  She improved on her 2022 time by more than 10 minutes in a time of 6:11:18 and dedicated her run to the memory of a dear friend.

Once again, the event was one to remember with a superb medal, incredible support from friends, family, and thousands of complete strangers.  Apparently, the elite racing was quite exciting too.

Manchester Marathon

This year, 11 members of Grantham Running Club made the journey North to Manchester to test the months of hard, long training and early mornings.

With near perfect running conditions on Sunday 16th April, the runners joined nearly 28,000 others at the Old Trafford Cricket stadium where they set off in waves. From the stadium, the runners made their way through the city centre, on to the suburbs of Sale and Altrincham before they turned around and headed back to the stadium finish line. Throughout the 26.2 miles, the streets were lined with cheering friends, family and members of the public who provided an endless supply of sweets, power ups and high fives. The usual banter from the club members who had turned up to support them was very well received and provided some much-needed encouragement en route.

First home was Dean Riggall in an amazing time of 2:57:52, closely followed by the always impressive Peter Bonner in a time of 2:58:38 giving him an incredible PB of 21 minutes.

First GRC lady home was experienced marathon runner, Caroline Davis in a time of 3:46:00. This incredible time was only 1 minute 39 seconds off her current marathon PB set in Manchester in 2019. 

 Next home and completing his first marathon, Russell Maksymiw experienced the joys of hitting the wall at mile 21 but rallied himself to make it over the line in 3:48:53. Happy with a sub 4-hour was Simon Smith, who said he found the last bit "tough", came in at 3:57:18.

Suffering from illness the night before and during the run made this a tough race for Warren Stark. With London only a week later Warren is hoping to improve on his time of 4:18:52.

Returning to Manchester for the second time and after a string of improved race times, Dale Towning was expected to beat his previous marathon PB. He certainly delivered by knocking a massive 1h 5m off his previous effort - finishing in 4:20:37. Hot on his heels was Naomi Rivers. Having only previously run the distance once as part of the Virtual London marathon in 2020, this was Naomi's first official measured marathon. Her training, the atmosphere and the incredible support from family, friends and other GRC members had Naomi smiling the whole way round and she was over the moon with a 20-minute PB finishing in 4:25:49.

Completing his debut marathon in a time of 4:45:14 was Mark Rice whose goal was to complete the distance and enjoy the experience, both of which were achieved. 

 

Boston UK Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km

Ten athletes from Grantham Running Club travelled to the fens to take part in the Boston UK Marathon. Originally held on the same day as the iconic World Marathon Major of the same name, the lesser known Boston UK Marathon boasts to be the flattest marathon in the country with full, half, 10km and relay options and cash prizes in each category.

 The race was the pinnacle of months of training for many club members, with the recent rain clearing the way for favourable conditions and minimal breeze, which can hamper race conditions across the flat lands of the course. The grey conditions made way for bright sunshine and climbing temperatures later in the race, which hampered mid-race performance for many of the participants.

 Balint Beni and Andrew Macallister took on the challenge of the full marathon distance. First-time marathoner, Balint was proud to complete the race in 03:54:50 after encountering difficulties with leg cramps at mile 20 which meant maintaining pace was a challenge. Balint reflected that the race was a memorable experience with a scenic course, and the volunteers and spectators providing fantastic, encouragement and aid throughout the race. Long distance expert, Andrew Macallister crossed the line in a solid 04:37:58.

 The first of the GRC’s seven half marathon runners home was club favourite Robin Atter, running the race for the third year and continuing his upward trajectory in a respectable personal best of 1:31:12, securing a fifth in age group placing. Robin was followed home a few minutes later by fellow club member Penny Hodges, who ran a well-paced race and was delighted with a personal best of almost two minutes, landing her a top ten overall finish position, as ninth female. Club member Ian Burridge was next home in 1:56:06.

 Injury blighted GRC’s second lady home, Zane Wojtowicz, who experienced problems after 10km with her foot but despite this managed to secure a time of 02:02:57. Zane was followed home by Richard Urquhart, Joni Goodband and Rachel Deans, all running the half marathon distance for the first time. Joni was pleased to get to race day after a never-ending battle with injury and finished in a time of 2:13:31, recommending the race for first time half marathon runners as being great value. Joni was chased in by Rachel Deans, who found the race tough after mile seven due to the lack of shade on the flats, but commended the regular water stops and the enthusiasm of the marshals.

The 10km race option attracted only one GRC runner, Tracy Webb, who enjoyed the race and was pleased with her finish time of 1:02:51

The marathon was won by Richard Ollington of Thames Hare in a time of 02:30:00 with Johanna Oregan of St Neots Riverside Runners taking the female top spot in a time of 02:50:21. Unattached runner Thomas Sargeant took the HM first in 01:12:26, with Anya Culling securing third overall and the female first place in 01:14:41. Kristian Watson of Mansfield Harriers won the 10km race in 31:36, with Nicola Curtis winning the female 10km in 37:16.

 

Full Marathon GRC Results:

Balint Beni 03:54:50

Andrew Macallister 04:37:58

 

Half Marathon GRC Results:

Robin Atter 01:31:12
Penny Hodges 1:37:41

Ian Burridge 1:56:06
Zane Wojtowicz 2:02:57
Richard Urquhart 2:04:34
Joni Goodband 2:13:31
Rachel Deans 2:15:46

 

10km GRC Results:

Tracey Webb 1:02:51

 

Belvoir Half Marathon

Six members of Grantham Running Club made the short journey to the village of Hose in the Vale of Belvoir for the fourth round of the club’s own Grand Prix Series.

The event has taken place in the Vale since 1982 and follows a gently undulating, scenic route taking in the villages of Harby, Langar, Colston Bassett and Long Clawson. 

Conditions at the start were good, though overcast and quite chilly. However, the sun emerged from the clouds after around 45 minutes and bathed runners in its early Spring warmth until the finish. 

The GRC contingent were led away by Piers Pye-Watson who settled into a strong position toward the front of the field of 200 runners. After the 13.1 mile loop it was Piers who was the first GRC competitor to cross the finish line in a fine 34th place and a time of 1:29:48.

Next back, after a huge effort, was Paul Davis in 80th place and 1:44:26 followed by Peter Jennings (88th) in 1:46:02. First GRC lady to finish was Caroline Davis in 1:48:43, with Jo Grace 1:53:56 and Simon Allsopp, who was a last minute entrant, crossing the line in 2:04:42.