Robin Hood (Nottingham) Half Marathon & Marathon

Grantham Running Club’s Matthew Kingston-Lee smashed his long standing PB and set a new club record when he finished 21^st out of 7246 finishers at the Robin Hood (Nottingham) Half Marathon on Sunday 28^th September 2014. Crossing the finish line in a time of 1:15:29 he bettered his old PB, set at Milton Keynes in 2010, by 1 minute 18 seconds, and bettered his old club record, set at Keyworth in December 2013, by 1 minute 32 seconds.

The fast, mostly flat course, is ideal for fast times. It was a still day, but sunny and unseasonably warm, with temperatures soon rising to 20 degrees Celsius and higher. This made the going tough in the closing stages of the half marathon and for much of the race for those electing to run the marathon. 

Behind Matthew in the half marathon for Grantham Running Club, Stuart Sinclair had a fine run to break 90 minutes, clocking 1:29:36 to finish 259^th. Suffering from injury it was a tough day for Wendy Tremain, who valiantly finished in 2:47:16, with husband Marc running alongside in support, who was credited with a 2:51:33 finishing time.

Opting to take part in the marathon, Scott Jones had a cracking run in less than ideal conditions to finish in 3:26:27 bettering his old PB, set earlier this year, also at Milton Keynes, by over 13 minutes, finishing a highly creditable 169^th, with 1495 finishers.

The winner of the half marathon was Matthew Kimutai in 1:04:21; Gladys Kwambai the winning woman in 1:14:22. The marathon was won by Peter Capdevila in 2:28:33, with Kay Walsha the winning lady in 2:54:06.

Equinox 24, Belvoir Castle Estate

Grantham Running Club A Team were thrilled to finish second in their category and fourth overall at Equinox 24, a 24 hour endurance race held on the Belvoir Castle Estate over the weekend of the 20^th and 21^st September.

Although only its second year, Equinox 24 has already established itself as one of the country’s most popular endurance events. Competitors try to complete as many laps of the approximately 10km multi-terrain course as possible from Midday on the Saturday through to Midday on the Sunday. Entrants could choose whether to compete solo, or as pairs, or small or large teams. Grantham Running Club entered two large mixed sex teams, each comprising eight runners.

Conditions were initially good for the early laps of the race, but those running through the night were hampered initially by rain and then by mist, with only head torches to help navigate through the darkness. Thankfully come dawn the mist cleared and runners enjoyed a sunny conclusion to the race.

Grantham Running Club A Team, comprising: Jeremy Page; Stuart Sinclair; Mark Wilson; Gerry Hyde; Rob Howbrook; Matthew Kingston-Lee; Holly Durham; and Ben Mason, overcame the challenging course and night time conditions, sleep deprivation, numerous injuries, and general fatigue to complete 33 laps (approximately 190 miles), finishing second in the Large Team Category behind overall winners Stilton Striders Team A, who amassed an impressive 35 laps.

Grantham Running Club B Team, comprising: Mark Hillson; Marc Tremain; Gordon Geach; Sarah High; John Bainbridge; Helen Brown; Sam Bainbridge; and Catherine Payne, performed equally admirably to finish eighth in the Large Team Category, completing 29 laps and ending up just 25 seconds behind the seventh placed finishers.

There were 46 large teams taking part in the race; 37 small teams; 12 pairs; 25 solo females and 49 solo males. The winning small team (the all-female Har-Kiss Honeys) completed 34 laps; the best pairs (RAF Lossiemouth A) completed 26 laps; Kate Jayden was the winning solo lady with seventeen laps; and Steve Salter was the winning male with 20 laps (over 115 miles) covered in 24 hours.

K42 Adventure Marathon

K42 Adventure Marathon

Grantham Running Club’s Paul Rushworth (picture enclosed) continued his running tour through South America with this mountain epic in Chile last Saturday. In a straight climb of over 7,200’ to the summit Paul had to cope with his fingers swelling as well as the lower oxygen levels at altitude. Despite this he finished in 28^th place in the full marathon in a time of 4:49:38

East Coast Classic 10k

This coastal race along the seafront at Mablethorpe attracted GRC runners Catherine Payne and Robert McArdle. Catherine was rewarded for her trip to the coast with a personal best of 42:40 and first prize in her age category with Robert McArdle claiming a season’s best of 45:28

Newark parkrun #68,

Grantham Running Club had the first male and female finishers at Newark parkrun #68 on Saturday 13th September. As part of an 18 mile long training run, GRC's Matthew Kingston-Lee worked his way to the front of the field approximately five minutes into the five km timed run. He pulled away to come home in 17:58, six seconds outside his course PB and 40 seconds ahead of the second placed finisher.  Finishing first lady, Penny Hodges bettered her old PB set in August by three seconds, clocking 22:23. Further down the field, Louise and Nick Payne made a family occasion of it with their daughter coming home well outside their bests in 38:00 and 38:01 respectively.

Kings Lynn parkrun event #157

Warren Stark of GRC set a new fastest time for this distance with his first visit to the Kings Lynn event with a time of 21:12