The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Athletics: Hudson joins Far a has best of British in Chicago.
● Inverness Harrier elated to match Farah as top Brit in Chicago
When Inverness athlete Amy Hudson stepped on to the starting line for the Chicago marathon she had no idea that by the end of the day she would have something in common with Britain’s greatest distance runner Mo Farah.
Farah, the quadruple Olympic track champion and British marathon record holder, finished eighth in 2hr 9min 58secs while Hudson achieved a lifetime best of 2:58:48 to place 181st in the women’s division of the race and 1,722th overall from a field of 45,000.
Farah was disappointed with his performance, but he was the first British man to finish. And Hudson matched that by being the top British woman.
The Inverness Harriers club member was elated with a performance that saw her dip under the three-hour barrier for the first time. Her previous best was 3:10:30 at Edinburgh in May.
She said: “I was beyond ecstatic when I saw my time. Just sheer joy, satisfaction and emotion. I couldn’t believe I’d got it.
“Getting 2.58 was the A goal, the dream number I had in mind. I wanted to properly clear the three hour mark in my mind, to feel like I really got it.
“I believe I got the best out of my race. The course is completely flat, so that’s why I wanted to go out at pace and keep it even for as long as I could.
“I knew it was as perfect a course as I could get for a PB attempt. But it was cold and we got a strong head wind from mile 18.
“I dropped my last gel, my hands were numb from the cold and I couldn’t hold the water cups very well. I started to wobble a bit but picked it up again.
“I found out the next day that I was first British female across the line and I was so happy. I also got the Inverness Harriers club record and I’m now ninth in Scotland this year for the women’s marathon.
“I can’t describe how exciting that is to hear. I only started running four years ago and didn’t
“I’m now ninth in Scotland this year”
know it was going to be something I could do well.
“And with Mo Farah being first British man and me first British woman makes it really special. It’s the icing on the cake.”
Hudson had a sunshine break in Arizona after her run but is already planning her next marathons.
She said: “I have signed up for Milton Keynes in early May 2020 and will head back to the Edinburgh marathon again at the end of May.
“I don’t know the course for Milton Keynes but I’d love to dip under 3 again. I know the Edinburgh course and if conditions are good I’d like to get close to 2:55 or just under if possible.”