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May282010

Ranelagh Half Marathon 2010

Friday, May 28, 2010 at 05:09AM

A Little history first

I had the pleasure of being at the first Ranelagh Harriers Half Marathon in 1980, writing it up for Athletics Weekly in those days. It was run from Effingham, all on the road, and Bernie Ford won in 64:05. The second year Keith Penny was the winner in 66:05 from Barry Watson 66:11 and one year Grenville Tuck won the race in 67 minutes so, there have been some 'Star' international performers winning in the past. Of course these days a lot of the race is on the Thames towpath as well as on the road section.

The Race

On Sunday the 16th of May, NICK HODGES, I consider, ran one of his best races ever to win the Ranelalgh Half Marathon in 72:08. Hodges of Dorking Mole Valley, is the current Insurance 1500/5000 Champion and Insurance/IFSAA 10k road Champion. He has also gained several Surrey vests for cross country running. Nick lead the half marathon all the way.(It would have been nice if the Athletics Weekly in their 'What's On' had put the start time down as 8.30 instead of 9.30!).

Graham Brook and Stephen Whiting, the first veteran over 40, who said he considered the race 'Multi Terrain' as 50% was on gravel paths' . They ran more than half the race in the next two positions behind Hodges but Brook fell back in the last 2 miles so that Toby Pearson, Stephen Whiting, and Richard Scott were the next to finish.

Brook of the Stragglers commented " I ran 73:50 at Wokingham so it was a bit slower today. It was good conditions for today's race. A bit of a breeze. It felt we were running into a bit of a headwind. I went off with the Highgate runner who came third in the end. We were lying second and that was for quite a long time. I went backwards in the last 2 miles. It was tricky on the towpath but I enjoyed the race."

BECKY PENTYof Highgate Harriers has had her best cross-country season and was 15th in the 'National' and second in he London cross country Championships, as well as being first in the Finchley 20 in 2:4.45. She was also an impressive winner in the Ranelagh race in 79:10 She was the leading woman for the last few miles of the race.

The second woman was Kate Mapham (81:34) in a personal best time. " I did the Brighton in 83 minutes'

She continued ' I have only been running seriously for the last couple of years. I used to be a triathlete but now focusing on the running and I am loving it' She added' The conditions were good and it was a really nice temperature"

Emily Alden of Epsom & Ewell, who has won the Epsom 10k several times, was the third woman in 82:33 " The first 10 miles were good for me. I was first for 9 miles till Becky Penty came past and in the last mile the second passed me. 78:55 is my best for the distance.'

' I like the course and it was a good course. The towpath was a bit hard but quite a fast course."

The first over 50 and 55 was specialist road runner, Ian Kitching of South London Harriers. For his category he was first in the London and Chicago marathons and second in New York and Berlin.

" I was hoping to go a bit quicker than 79:20 but I was quite happy with the run because we had the National Veterans road relay yesterday in Birmingham and I was in the Over 50 team that came third.

Kitching was a good competitive cyclist till 18 years ago. He is now a window cleaner but as a cyclist he was working in an office and cycled for as much as 5 hours a day which you had to do." With running you can go out for 45 minutes and it is worthwhile where as it is much more time consuming to do cycle racing"

Regards Alastair

[X Man] |

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