HRRL Solent Half Marathon and other races
Solent Half Marathon
Keen to make the most of the Indian summer weather, without a cloud in the sky, eighteen Farnham Runners travelled to the coast for the second Hampshire Road Race League event, the Solent Half marathon, organised by Hardley Runners.
The men’s A team of four kept hold of second place in Division Two, coming third on the day. The Farnham B team, in B Division One, took the top spot but lie third on aggregate. Their C team (in B Division Two) is enjoying an excellent start to the season with a first on the day and on aggregate.
None of them though could catch Farnham’s star lady, Sarah Hill, who won the lady’s race by over one minute, her time a superb 1 hour 21 minutes 38 seconds, giving her 18th place overall. This came after her impressive win by half an hour and third place overall in the recent Farnham Pilgrim’s marathon in 3:11:53.
Rob Gilchrist was first back for the Farnham men, just a few paces behind in 1:21:51 with Richard Lovejoy equalling his personal best in 1:22:39. Sean Smith (1:26:45) included the race as part of his training for a forthcoming marathon, with James Clarke not far behind in 1:26:58. An underpar James Warren led in the “B” string in 1:28:00, followed by Stuart Morel, also in marathon training mode (1:29:07), Stuart Haig (1:29:37) and Stuart Williamson (1:30:01). Gerald Wyatt (1:31:12), Alistair Hardaway (1:33:32 PB), Jeremy Skedge (1:35:13, PB) and Chris Cramp (1:37:26, gun time1:37:29) made up the C team. Cramp just outsprinted Ian Marshall (1:36:40, gun time 1:37:31) to the line for this final team spot. In support came Keith Marshall (1:45:01) in one of his first races for the club.
After Sarah Hill’s boost to the team, Eloise Stradling was next in 1:45:41, while Tina Harrison (1:57:26) was pleased to make the A team that placed a very worthwhile 5th of the 10 in Division One. Mary Denise Fitzgerald (2:07:02) was disappointed to have no support for a B team.
South of England A.A. Rell Running Championship 2015
Jane Georghiou came back from the Isle of Wight with the South of England A.A. Rell Running Championship 2015 gold medal for her age group after completing the series of three races over the weekend, totalling approx. 36km and 1,200m ascent (4,000 ft).
Other races
Rob Gilchrist won the Punch Bowl 10km organised by Haslemere Border AC.
Club members came back with a haul of six trophies from the Alton Downland Challenge 10km, organised by Alton Runners and Alton Lions. Charlotte Hanson was first lady and first senior lady, and Mike Anderson was third overall and first M50. Kay Copeland was first in her category, while Kayleigh Copeland and Terry Copeland were third in theirs.
On the same day Ian Carley and Jason East were 5th and 6th in the Rushmoor Wellesley 10k, Martin Billett was 4th M50 and Alice Healy clocked a new PB as third senior lady.
Susie Chan clocked an excellent personal best in the Berlin Marathon (3:23:19).
Stuart Morel was close to his sub 3 hour PB with 3:00:44 in the undulating Bournemouth Marathon, 32nd of 1837 finishers and 4th M45, just 33 seconds off 3rd, while Peter Chapman recorded 3:47:48 and Steve Bailey 3:49:42 in his first attempt at this distance.
James Warren finished 6th in his first ultra-distance – the 38 mile Downslink, also completed by Jane Mezzullo and Shirley Perrett.