Organisers delighted with increase in race entries

ORGANISERS say the Gloucester Marathon, half marathon and 50K race was a major success with an increase of 400 entries for the half marathon from last year’s inaugural race over that distance.

The half marathon winner was Phil Burden of Taunton Athletic Club in 1:12.28, while the first woman home was Kirsteen Welch from Sidmouth Running Club in 1:24.18.

Mark Whyman of Tewkesbury RC was 34th in 1:24.37, with Cheltenham Harrier Fee Maycock the fourth woman home (1:26.31) with Cirencester’s Corinne Clark sixth woman in 1:27.41.

Daniel Brook of Stroud AC was 65th in 1:29.34, with Mark Garret (Running Somewhere Else) 80th in 1:31.46,Phillip Jukes of Almost Athletes 101st in 1:34.20, Dursley AC’S Kevin Jackson 102nd in 1:34.46 and Tom Cooper of Running Somewhere Else 104th in 1:35.19.

The marathon winner was Ian Clark in 2:45.43. with Marie Shirley of Colchester Harriers the first woman home in 3:15.07

Angie Sadler of Tewkesbury AC was 14th woman home in her 200th marathon, while clubmate Nigel Tillott was 73rd in 3:43.34.

Ian Coggin of Almost Athletes was 109th in 3:50.55 with Dursley AC’S Quentin Somerset 126th in 4:22.13 and Lizzie Figgins of Cotswold Allrunners’ time of 4:53.33 saw her finish 57th in the womens’ race.

There was a course record of 2:59.58 in the 50K race for Charles Harpur of Mid Essex Casuals, who was followed in second by Jon Barnes of Cheltenham Harriers in 3:06.56. This performance is likely to get Barnes selected to run for England in the Anglo Celtic Plate Home International Team Race 100k.

Another course record was set by first woman, Samantha Amend of Belgrave Harriers, who clocked 3:28.07, which also a personal best.

Stroud AC’S Darren Jewell came home in 3:40.47, while Dursley AC’S James Hobbs was 11th in a 4:11.07 and Clive Poole of Gloucester AC was 14th in 4:45.07.