Marathon

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11 runners in finishers t-shirts and medals

April 2023 Race Report

April is traditionally the start of marathon season, and members of Romsey Road Runners have been in action throughout the month competing in the iconic 26.2-mile race.

Mark Judkins and David Morrison kicked things off for the Club in fine style on April 2nd at the Brighton marathon. Mark set a new PB of 4:37, while David finished in a blistering 3:01, also a new PB. Mark said of his experience: “I had a great Brighton marathon in near perfect conditions. Tough course, but I was pleased with a 1 min PB.”

On the same day, Giovanni Buldrini was in action in Italy, completing the Maratona Di Russi in 4:06, while the day before, Romsey’s Hannah Shutt took on the 50-mile Test Way Ultra finishing in 9:37 hours and coming 1st lady.

April 2nd was also Southampton marathon day. This year, Romsey didn’t have anyone in the marathon event, but there were plenty doing the half and 10k. Neil Jennings ran an impressive 1:19 in the half marathon after recovering from a bout of Covid, followed by Penny Jennings (1:55), Alice Lane (1:56), Susie Parker (1:51), Rob Sherringham (1:51), Sue Sylvester (1:58), Lauren Freestone (running her first half marathon in 2:04), and Emma Bailey (1:57). The 10k saw Mark Stileman pace his friend Mitch Robson to 39:21; Andy Brown finish in 40:56; Steve Melligan-Hart, returning from injury, in 43:28, and Bridget W in 1:15. Also on April 2nd, Romsey’s Lottie Budd (2:07 PB) and Molly Maslen (2:15) headed to Kew Gardens to compete in the half marathon.

Dorota Koschmidder-Hatch ran the Bieg Piasnicki 10k in 1:06 on the 15th April, and on the 16th, Romsey fielded runners in the Manchester marathon, Boston half marathon, Pepperbox Chase half and 10k, and the Newport 10k.

Andy Brown set a richly-deserved new marathon PB of 3:02 at Manchester, while Sam Weston completed his first marathon in an impressive 3:18. Sam said of the experience: “I went into it equal parts excited and nervous. The crowds and atmosphere made it a lot of fun and I had the opportunity to high five many children and hit lots of Mario power-up mushrooms which I’m sure helped me come under my 3:20 target time.”

Meanwhile, Alice Lane (2:25) and Tom Wharton (1:59) were in action at the Pepperbox Chase half marathon near Salisbury. Lin Windsor completed the 10k in a solid 1:06. Lottie Budd was back in action in Boston, Lincs on the same day, finishing the half marathon in 2:09 after helping a struggling fellow runner to reach the finish line, and Sue Sylvester was in Newport, completing the 10k in 52:19.

April 23rd was London marathon day and Romsey fielded four runners for the event. Penny Overy (4:53), Alice Lane (4:05), Nigel Hemsted (3:27) and Hayley Weston (3:17) took on the wet conditions to do themselves and the Club proud. Alice said of the experience: “it was a cold and very wet start to the annual London marathon. However, the support from the other runners and spectators really made up for it. It’s such a wonderful event bringing out the very best in humankind.”

As the marathon runners were pounding the streets of London, Mark Stileman was in the slightly more rural environs of the Corsham 10k near Bath, where he set a blistering time of 37:21 to come first in age. Tam Ryan and Sue Sleath were also out in the countryside, this time around Avebury, taking part in the 36 mile Pewsey Downsaround.

Well done to all our brilliant runners.

21 runners mostly in yellow clarendon shirts with 3 in purple london shirts standing in a field

RRR at the London and Clarendon Marathons 2022

Results

Sunday 2nd October was a busy day for Romsey Road Runners. Four members headed up to London to take part in the marathon, while twenty-five opted to stay closer to home and take part in the Clarendon, a point-to-point race offering several distance options along the ancient Pilgrim Way linking the cities of Salisbury and Winchester.

In London, Alice Lane netted herself a Good For Age qualification for next year’s race by finishing in a superb time of 4:03; Liz Prinsep finished in an impressive 3:48; Ben Sharman in a solid 4:14 and Megan Batchelor, who was running in her first marathon, finished in 3:59.

Megan described the experience as: “a real mix of emotions and a mental test. The crowd lifts you the whole way, I’ve never experienced anything like it. Seeing my family just after mile 18 gave me a huge boost and then seeing them again just before the end was exactly what I needed to keep pushing. I even went for a ‘sprint’ finish at the end. I can honestly say the feeling of crossing that finish line almost gives me the drive to want to do it all again!”

London also offered runners the chance to compete virtually, which is what Romsey’s Hayley Weston did, clocking up a fantastic time of 3:34 to secure herself a Good For Age qualification for 2023. Dave Gardner also took the virtual option, finishing in 6:28.

Back in Hampshire, the Clarendon dawned overcast and wet, stirring memories of 2020 and Storm Alex which turned many of the tracks to muddy rivers. With rain forecast throughout the day everyone was prepared for a similarly soggy outing, but it proved not to be the case as by mid-morning the weather Gods were feeling munificent and the sun shone.

Dorota Koschmidder-Hatch was running her first marathon at the Clarendon and did herself proud in a brilliant time of 5:15. Matt Hammerton, recovering from Covid, took fifth place in 3:11 and Ian Ralph finished in a solid 3:51.

Dorota said of her first marathon: “the support from club members was amazing and the scenery truly made it worthwhile. I really enjoyed the first 24miles, but the last 2 were tough. Will I run another one? Maybe after I forget how much my legs hurt!”

In the half marathon, Romsey’s Neil Jennings blasted his way to victory, taking first place with a superb time of 1:27, while Matt Brown came 5th in 1:43 and Sam Weston 12th in 1:49. Duncan MacDonald 1:52; Nigel Hemsted 1:55; Keith Morris 2:14 and Bob Gold 2:35. Sue Sleath was 2nd lady in 1:50; Penny Jennings 2:13; Sue Sylvester 2:19 and Lottie Budd 2:32.

Sam commented: “I went into the Clarendon Half expecting beautiful views and brutal hills and it did not disappoint! The conditions were absolutely perfect and it was a great motivator to see so many members of the club along the way. Everyone I met was friendly and considerate along the sometimes narrow trails. I’d do this again over an overcrowded city race any day!”

RRR also fielded two Relay teams. The imaginatively named “Get in Gear, feel the Burn and Battle the hills in Style” of Steve Geary, James Byrne, James Battle and Mark Stileman took 4th place in 3:19 while team “Us and Him Again” (Derek Kelly, Anna Duigan, Liz Slade and Julia Abab) finished in 4:47. RRR’s Lin and Ray Webb also ran the Relay with friends Frankie Colling and Sharon Ardley to finish in 4:19.

Derek said “conditions on the first leg were slippery in the rain, but by the time I reached the changeover point and gave the baton to Anna, the rain had stopped and the sun came out. It was still shining when Liz started leg three and it continued shining for Julia on the final leg from Farley Mount to the finish at Winchester. It was a day full of fun and camaraderie with cheering, encouragement and support between the runners. We loved it”.

Susie Parker at the Snowdonia Trail Marathon

Race Report – July 2022

Results

July was another busy month for the members of Romsey Road Runners. James Byrne kicked things off in style at the Goodwood Duathlon taking 20th place in a time of 1:19. James said of the run-cycle-run event: ‘having been to Goodwood many times for the motoring festivals it was a unique experience to be competing in an event on the racetrack. Being a (mainly) flat course we could get up to some good speeds on the cycling section (despite the headwind!). It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. We were even treated to a spitfire flypast at the start of the run which was a bonus!’

The same weekend, Matthew Hammerton took part in the 3000m elevation UTS (ultra-trail Snowdonia) 50k, which is part of the UTMB (ultra-trail Mont Blanc) World Series. Matt came an impressive 3rd in a time of 5:51, qualifying for the OCC UTMB 50k race in Switzerland in the process. Meanwhile, Alice Lane and Nigel Hemstead travelled down to Dorset to take on the Charmouth Challenge, a hilly 8-mile run along the coast near Golden Cap. Alice finished in 1:26 and Nigel in 1:18. Alice then headed up to the Lake District for Derwent Athletic Club’s midweek Lambfoot Leap, a 10k fell race, which she completed in 55:25.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and it was time for the Snowdonia Trail marathon which coincided with a heatwave. Romsey’s Susie Parker proved she was more than up to the challenge of both mountain and weather, completing the 27-mile, 1865m elevation route in a superb time of 6:49. Susie described the run as ‘beautiful but brutal.’ She went on to say that ‘the heat pushed me to my very limits and I really struggled at times, but I got through it, met some incredible people and feel proud to have conquered it!’

The weekend after Snowdon, Ian Ralph and Matt Hammerton took on another tough challenge in yet another heatwave, this time the Wendover Woods night 50k. The route consisted of three ten-mile laps with an accumulated elevation of 1800m, so it was not for the faint-hearted. Matt took first place with a new course record of 4:27, while Ian, who was returning from a knee injury, completed the route in a solid time of 6:20 to take a well-earnt 34th place.

Matt summed up the event as ‘tough but fantastically well organised,’ while Ian commented that ‘on the face of it, a night race on the hottest weekend of the year should have been ideal, but the temperature never got below 15 degrees all night, and it was tough and sticky going for all the runners. It was a case of surviving up the steep climbs then trying to stay on your feet as you got running again while navigating the trails in darkness with only your head torch to show you the way.’

Lottie Budd was also racing on the hottest weekend of the year so far, completing the Dorney Lake half marathon in 2:17 to take 25th place, coming second in her age category. Roll forward a couple of weeks and Lottie was in action again, this time at the Piggy Plod, a hot, hilly 10.5k race set on a cider farm in Dorset. Lottie finished the race in 1:08, taking first place in her age category.

Race Report – April 2022

Results

April has been a busy month for Romsey Road Runners. Ryan Snell kicked off proceedings with an accomplished performance at the Brighton marathon on April 9th, taking 7th place in a blistering time of 2:35. Ryan said of the event: ‘conditions were pretty perfect – sunny but with a gentle cooling crosswind coming off the sea. 8000 runners started in 3 staggered waves and there was plenty of vocal support along the route. All the volunteers and marshals were super-friendly and helpful. I ran to feel rather than HR or pace and felt strong through halfway in 78:04 in about 20th place. I spent the second half working my way through the field and came back in 77:21 for 2:35:25 and 7th place. The last 3 miles were very painful (as normal!) but the big crowds definitely helped.’

On the same day, Lottie Budd took part in the Kew half marathon. Lottie only started running in August 2021 after encouragement from her daughter. She had the Winchester half, which she completed in September 2021, as her initial goal. At Kew, she knocked 26 minutes off her half marathon best by finishing in a time of 2:11. Lottie said of the experience: ‘Kew Gardens is the perfect setting for a half marathon. We ran in the gardens at first, then out along the river Thames and back. It was perfectly flat and very scenic in the beautiful sunshine; the loveliest place to achieve a personal best! My family and I finished off with a picnic in the garden. Being very new to running, it’s days like this that make running perfect.’

Angela Milln also ran the Kew half, finishing in a new PB of 2:17. Angela said: ‘I managed a new half marathon PB (by all of 48 seconds – nothing if not consistent!). I thoroughly recommend the event. The venue is beautiful. It is a flat course and well organised, and there is the added the bonus of being able to stay on in the gardens afterwards.’

Fast forward a couple of weeks and Southampton Marathon Weekend arrived. RRR traditionally fields a strong line up of runners for the four events of 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon, and this year was no exception.

Gretel Hardwick (3:59), John Turner (3:28) and Giovanni Buldrini (4:44) all completed the marathon. Alice Lane (2:01), Paul Kennedy (1:58), Sue Sylvester (1:59), Penny Jennings (1:54), Matt Harris (2:03), Neil Jennings (1:21) and Tim Parker (1:22) completed the half marathon. Tim, who set a 7-minute new PB at the race said: ‘it all came together on the day and I was really spurred on by the amount of support on the course,’ while Alice noted ‘it was a wonderful community atmosphere with incredible support from all the locals coming out of their homes on a sunny spring day to support us.’

Elizabeth Prinsep was 6th placed woman on the 10k in a time of 44:57, with Angela Milln (59:20), Richard Vie (1:07) and Sarah White (57:20) also completing the 10k. Amy Spencer ran the 5k in a solid 28:45.

Results Roundup

Results

The Test Way Relay took place on 14th September. Organised by Totton Runners and transcending the Test Way, this off road event is very popular with local running clubs. A total of 8 runners; male, female or a mix team complete 8 legs of distances varying between 7.1 km to 11.2 km. The event starts at Inkpen Beacon early in the morning and runners head south, finishing leg 8 in Totton.

The Romsey mixed team finished 3rd in a total time of 5 hours 40 minutes and 59 secs; behind Stubbington finishing 2nd and Totton who were the winners.

Taking part in the New Forest half marathon a week later were Christopher Stocks, completing the course in 1:49:33 and Max Dawson in 2:21:34. Finishing the full marathon was Elaine Armstrong in just over the 4 hour mark in 4:06:51. The weather was warm and humid; with little breeze, perfect for a long Sunday run with friends through the picturesque New Forest. This undulating route starts and finishes from New Milton with loops out to Sway and Burley on-route.

Lynda Brown ran the Eton Man 10k – a fast flat course around Dorney Lake, at the Eton Rowing Club in a personal best. Lynda finished in 44:12, securing her in 3rd place lady and 1st in age category.

Also out competing, Jimmy Hunt finished the New Forest Middle Distance Triathlon (half Ironman) in 4 hrs 55 minutes, finishing 19th in a field of 230. Hunt completed a 1.9km open water swim, followed by 56miles on 2 lap route around the northern part of the New Forest, taking in Fordingbridge, Rockbourne and Sandleheath and ended with a tough and undulating out-and-back run of 13.9 miles on bridleways.

Results Roundup

Results

20 Romsey Road Runners and partners headed to Plymouth over late May Bank Holiday for the club’s annual weekend away, which coincided with the final event in Endurance Life’s Coastal Trail Series.

Members competed in the 10k and half marathon races, which were held at the private Flete Estate in South Devon near Ivybridge. On a glorious day with a cool breeze, the half-marathon course followed the spectacular Erme Estuary and took the field through woodland awash with wild garlic and flowers, along the clifftops and fields before finishing by wading through the estuary (fortunately at low tide) before a 1.5 mile climb to the finish. Continue reading →

Results Roundup

Results

This weeks news is all about the London Marathon which took place took place last Sunday. There were 5 Romsey Runners who headed to capital for the famous race, the highlight of many runners calendar.

The weather was perfect, staying dry and pleasantly warm. Somewhat of a surprise to those who has been preparing in unusually cold and wet conditions.

All the training and preparation paid off for all Romsey Runners on the day. First to finish was Jimmy Hunt. Jimmy impressively dipped under the three hour mark, finishing in 2:59:58. Jimmy has been running consistently well lately and he truly deserved to break three hour barrier. Continue reading →

Results Roundup

Results

Committed Romsey Road Runners Anna Duignan, Gill Callus and Wendy Couper travelled to the wilds of north Devon to compete in the Exmoor Endurance Life 10k. The run was hilly, as you might expect along the rugged coast, with runners climbing 1,300 feet in windy conditions. All three were glad to finish and were pleased with their efforts. Anna was rewarded with coming first in her age category – in a time of 1:43:45. Wendy and Gill finished together in 1:55:31.

In Brighton, Tam Ryan and Sarah Thorn both put in stonking performances in the 4th Brighton Marathon. Tam, who has been running well all season, completed the 26.2 miles in an impressive time of 3.28.28, averaging 7.57 mile splits for the distance, whilst Sarah, who was running her first ever marathon, put in an excellent performance of 3.46.27, proving her strong return to running.

This is becoming a popular marathon with runners, with a record number of participants taking part. The weather stayed dry, and even the sun made an appearance at lunchtime. Many spectators turned out to cheer on the runners, especially along Madeira Drive towards the finish line.

We wish all those Romsey Road Runners who will be taking part in this weekends’ Virgin London Marathon, all the very best.

Results Roundup

Results

Freezing conditions and chilling winds met runners at a local level when eight Romsey Road Runners took part in the annual Eastleigh 10k, with several of them managing a personal best. Runners completed a single lap through Eastleigh, finishing on the damp grass outside Fleming Park Leisure Centre.

Romsey finishers included Ian Ralph 39:45(PB), Wayne Windebank 41:08(PB), Paul Burnage 43:10, Hannah White45:43(PB), Heidi Godfrey 48:29, Christopher Stocks 49:02, Alice Lane 51:49(PB) and Dave Evenden 1:01:31.

Three RRRs also braved freezing conditions to take part in the Cranleigh 15/21 last Sunday. Lynda Brown and Di Cross, both training for the London Marathon, tackled the 21-mile route, while Mark Adams ran the 15-mile event with Di, leaving her to complete the final six-mile lap on her own. He finished 72nd overall in a time of 2:10:42. Lynda finished 153rd overall in a great time of 2:49:18, she was the 27th woman to complete the course and 11th in category (VW35). Di followed in 3:01:19, 244th overall and 12th in category (VW45). Continue reading →

Results Roundup

Results

The Bramley 10/20 mile road race took place on Sunday 17 February, organised by Reading Road Runners. The route is entirely on road, mostly flat, with a couple of undulating sections, using Bramley Primary School as the start and finish point.

This is a key event for all those preparing for a spring marathon and is used to indicate how training is progressing. The conditions were perfect for the longer distances; cool and sunny. There is a choice of a single 10 mile lap, or two laps making 20 miles.

Max Dawson completed 10 miles in 1:48:21. Tackling the 20 miles were: Jimmy Hunt, finishing in 103rd position in 2:15:27, Tam Ryan 2:28:51 (PB), Lynda Brown 2:38:17 (PB) and Sarah Thorn who completed her first run at this distance in 3:02:38. Continue reading →

Results Roundup

Results

The 30th Abingdon Marathon took place on Sunday and a team of 5 Romsey Road Runners entered the event. The autumnal morning gave chilly and foggy conditions but this did not deter the 732 runners from lining up and completing the flat course, which included a two lap section around the villages of Drayton, Milton, and Sutton Courtenay, before becoming back through the town and into Tilsley Park for a finish in front of the grandstand. The well-organised event received excellent support from local residents.

Continue reading →

Results Roundup

Results

Sunday 14th October saw both the Liverpool Marathon and Oxford Half Marathon take place. Romsey runner, Lynda Brown took part in the Oxford event with her brother, Michael Todd. The race was started by Oxford resident Sir Roger Bannister, from the Kassam Stadium. Over 4,000 participants raced through Oxford’s streets, taking in the sights of the Thames towpath and the Cowley car factory, whilst being cheered on by supporters. Both siblings ran the event together, finishing in an impressive 1 hour 41 minutes – a good sub 8 minute mile pace. This was a 4 minute improvement for Lynda, 1:41:24, and marked the first ever half marathon for her brother,1:41:37, – PB’s all round! Continue reading →