St Valentines 30K

Some of the runners after the race

Grantham Running Club had more entries than any other club for the 26th Stamford 30K with 31 members registering in advance. This event  is pretty much regarded by most of them as a "B" race to gauge what kind of shape they are in for the Spring Marathons ranging from Barcelona in early March through to Edinburgh in late May with the popular Manchester and London ones in April. The undulating course benefited from a brisk tailwind for the first half only for it to painfully test runners for the second half of the race as a body and soul destroying headwind as runners headed back south to Stamford. With only a brief respite at the 13.5 mile Great Casterton turn towards Ryhall, the damage for most was already done, with even some of the quicker runners resorting to walk the constant hills. The final test was provided at the 16 mile point leaving Little Casterton, where a seemingly never ending hill was made doubly difficult by the familiar headwind leaving runners no longer interested in time, only getting back as strong as conditions would allow. 

The first Grantham Running Club member to finish was Jonathan Palmer, who finished seventeenth in an excellent 1:57:29. It was particularly impressive considering Jonny, who is training for an upcoming ultra race, had run twenty miles the day before.  

Andrew Pask was next to cross the finish line at Stamford Welland Academy School.  Hopeful of beating his 2018 time, Andrew was a touch disappointed to finish 44 seconds shy in 2:11:08, but training is still on track for a good performance at the London Marathon.

Next home was 30k debutant Grant Davies. Grant went out hard for the opening half of the race, taking just under an hour, only for a lack of endurance training to take its toll later on, crossing the line in 2:13:44. Grant was followed by Matt Kidd with 2:18:35 who knew that beating his 2018 time of 2:09:20 was unlikely due to a lack of long distance training.

Rob was second MV60

The men’s performance of the day came from Robert Howbrook, who ran one of the few PBs at the race with 2:18:26, finishing an impressive second in the V60 age category with a progressive run as he worked his way through the field from a steady start. Robert now heads to the Barcelona Marathon in March with high hopes of a new PB. Darren Harley returning after a decade out clocked 2:18:47. Next was another runner heading to Barcelona, Gav Meadows, with 2:19:39, some way off his best but hopeful of a better performance in kinder conditions.

Tony Johnson (2:24:58) limped the final four miles after setting off at a pace that would have seen him finish inside 2:10. Tony admitted that a lack of fuel caused cramps leaving him with a time of 2:24:48. Still looking at the positives, Tony will be happy with a good training run in the bank. 

The first lady home for GRC was Catherine Payne in 2:25:28,  four minutes off her previous best but good enough for second in the FV50 age category and just piping Rob for the club's highest WMA grade of the day.

Following on was Holly Durham (2:25:47), Chris Limmer (2:28:23) and Robert McArdle (2:33:05). Chris, who is training for a 100 mile ultra race in May, would usually be looking to finish this race in under two hours. Using the event as an opportunity to put in a quality long run, he opted to run some 25.5 miles from Grantham to Stamford before the race. Completing the race meant he had clocked over 44 miles for the day. Thankfully he was given a lift back to Grantham after the race!

Ben, Sam, Gordon and Caroline running together

Caroline Davies had a fantastic race with one of the few PBs on the day, smashing her previous best by six minutes with an impressive 2:41:54. Liam Vincent will also be happy to have beaten his 2018 mark by over four minutes with 2:50:13. 

There was 30K debuts for: Joe Diggins (2:24:59), Simon Smith (2:34:25), Samuel Jepson-Rivers (2:36:55), Harriet Siebenaller (2:41:10), Craig Drury (2:42:25) and Jack Dodwell (2:58:46).

Other GRC finishers were: Ben Mason (2:46:06), Gordon Geach (2:47:06), a heavily limping Warren Stark (2:53:12), and an ill Sam Clark  in 2:59:03.

In keeping with the Valentines theme, finishers were rewarded with a pink t-shirt, a love heart shaped medal and the obligatory pack of Love Heart sweets. 

The race was won by David Hudson of BRJ Run and Tri in 1:44:36 with Jordan Foster of Nene Valley Harriers the winning woman in 2:03:38. 

JONATHAN PALMER	SM	01:57:29
ANDREW PASK	SM	02:11:08
GRANT DAVIES	SM	02:13:44
MATTHEW KIDD	SM	02:18:35
ROBERT HOWBROOK	MV60	02:18:26
DARREN HARLEY               GAV MEADOWS	MV45 SM	02:18:47 02:19:39
TONY JOHNSON	MV50	02:24:48
JOE DIGGINS	SM	02:24:59
CATHERINE PAYNE	FV50	02:25:28
HOLLY DURHAM	FV35	02:25:47
CHRIS LIMMER	SM	02:28:23
ROBERT MCARDLE	MV55	02:33:05
SIMON SMITH	MV50	02:34:25
SAMUEL JEPSON-RIVERS	SM	02:36:55
HARRIET SIEBENALLER	SF	02:41:10
CAROLINE DAVIS	FV45	02:41:54
CRAIG DRURY	MV45	02:42:25
BEN MASON	MV40	02:46:44
GORDON GEACH	MV55	02:47:06
LIAM VINCENT	MV45	02:50:13
WARREN STARK	MV40	02:53:12
JACK DODWELL	SM	02:58:46
SAM CLARK	SM	02:59:03