Doncaster Half Marathon

Five members of Grantham Running Club joined over 1200 runners on Sunday 9th June for the first Doncaster Half Marathon in, what the organisers Curly’s Athletes claim, over twenty years.

Russell

Unlike previous editions, this was the first to begin and end at the relatively recently built Keepmoat Stadium. The mostly flat course took runners from the stadium out of the city on a fully closed dual carriageway before turning onto the Great Yorkshire Way. Following a U-turn at just after five miles, runners ran through the towns of Rossington and New Rossington, where the original Doncaster St Ledger Half Marathon used to start. The course then made its way back onto the Great Yorkshire Way and back mostly the way it came for a finish inside the stadium itself.

PB for Sam

Based on the results and feedback of the GRC quintet there may be more attending future editions. Three of the five returned with new personal bests and all commended the great race organisation and support from the crowds along the route, completed with a great finishers’ medal and complimentary cupcake at the finish line. 

Wayne Baxter - sub 2 hours

First home for GRC was Russell Love in his first race since completing the Brighton Marathon in 3:30:19 in April. His time at Doncaster of 1:31:12 was nearly three minutes quicker than his previous best set at Loughborough in February. Closely following Russell was Matt Kidd, his 1:32:51 was a little shy of his PB set last month at Sleaford. 

Sam Dodwell pushed on from his 10K PB and brother beating performance at Woodhall Spa a week earlier to clock an excellent 1:38:58. This was his first sub 1:40 clocking and a huge seven minute improvement on his previous HM best set just a month earlier at Milton Keynes. Katie Bland, coming home in 1:54:57 took just under a minute off her PB set last month at Sleaford, and Wayne Baxter broke two hours for the first time in 2019 with 1:59:13.

The race was won by Jonny Reep (unattached) in 1:14:31 with Tina Wilson (Real Fitness Race Team) the first female in 1:24:34.