The 25th Belfast City Marathon

Monday 1st May, 2006

 

 

Martins’ Race Ratings:

Overall Score:                        8

Do it again:                             Only if venue is picked again for Civil Service Championships, but better course than my previous Civil Service marathons -    Manchester and Luton. Rather go somewhere a bit more exotic for my next one!

Scenery:                                  7

Pb potential:                           8 (hilly/windy but Dave Wood got one!!)

Atmosphere:                           9

Organisation:                          5 – let down by last mile in Ormeau Park; we were having to dodge walkers

Value:                                      10!!

Beginner Friendly:                 9 

 

I flew out of Blackpool at 16:15 on Sunday. The day had started badly; I spent the morning buying an outside light for our front door that had fallen off the day before after my son hit it with a football. I was getting stressed at B&Q. Nothing was priced up and the light bulbs on display bore no resemblance to the light bulb required on the box. Levon wanted a sausage barmcake. His back was turned for two seconds and the dog ate it! Michaela asked Peter Cruse if we could borrow his camera but forgot to tell me to pick it up! Dropped of Levon at his grandmas and she chastised me for dropping him off in his school uniform.

 

I got the flight OK except I had some nail clippers confiscated. I met Yvonne Russell at the airport with her mum flying to Majorca. There was a fairly well behaved stag night group on our flight and a few Liverpool fans. I travelled down with Paul Targett (Clayton) and he joined Michaela and me in a taxi to the 5 star guest house. Paul was making his marathon debut. This would be my 36th.

 

I met Dave Wood (North Fylde) at the guest house, hoping Dave had picked up my number, chip, pasta party tickets and fleece as arranged. Dave had stayed the previous night. He had only picked up my chip and number…. “I thought you’d ordered a fleece”. There’s not a lot I could have said. I should have reminded him.

 

Got to Belfast City Hall where the pasta party was and first of all we were shown round the Hall and told about its history. The pasta party was ‘top notch’ and a huge improvement on Barcelona. A marathon official said she’d post my fleece. Poor Paul hadn’t got his number or chip. We had reserved seats for the rest of the Civil Service team avoiding a table where a man was sitting on his own. He had about twenty piercings in his mouth and looked like something out of the “Hills Have Eyes” (where the lucky ones die first).

 I was sat next to a Russian runner, Vasily Neumerzhitskiy – a lovely guy from Siberia. Paul Targett dryly asked him if he’d come on a sledge! A cockney guy, (hereafter called ‘metatarsal man’), was trying to tell him about his injury, but Vasily couldn’t understand a word. How is it a Russian can understand me, but Colin Laidlaw can’t?!!!

 

Michaela, Dave and I adjourned to a nearby, (safe), hostelry for a couple of jars. Our cab driver steered us away from the dodgy areas. We then walked back to our digs passing the Rev. Ian Paisley’s church in the pouring rain.

 

When I checked out our guest house on the internet, it boasted free internet, but Michaela was relieved to find out it wasn’t the case! Peter and Julie Cruse sent us a text to advise us all was well at home; they were looking after Dylan.

 

Had some cereal and toast in the morning and got a taxi to the start. In contrast to Barcelona, it was freezing and I wore old track suit bottoms and a cycling top till about 5 minutes before the start. Kept close to Paul Targett and did the first 10k sub 40 and felt OK. We were behind a fairy and a guy dressed in a tutu (I think they were in the relay!).The city looked normal apart from the Police Stations being bomb proofed and the murals.

The next landmark was the half marathon point and I reached this in 1:30:10. I was disappointed as I knew now I couldn’t get under 3 hours. The second half of the race was downhill. My Hassra colleague, David Vogwell, (his marathon debut), overtook me on a cycle path overlooking some mudflats and was looking good. This was about the 17 mile point and I started with a minor nose bleed.  I think I was still 3rd counter for Hassra.

 

The last mile was in Ormeau Park and was a bit chaotic. It was hard work weaving through the walkers, but I finished strongly after latching onto a relay runner and was pleased with my time – 3:08:22. Dame Mary Peters was amongst the spectators and she was posing for photos with some of the runners.

 

 

 

 

1st Stephen Ndungu (Kenya) 2:16:59

 

Derek Breen (Hassra)          2:55:46

Vasiliy Neumerzhitskiy         2:56:28

            David Vogwell (Hassra)        3:05:14

                                                           Unfortunately no time for Paul Targett, (but it was under 3).

           Dave Wood was about 3:30.

 

I had a massage and walked back to our guest house.   Runners and walkers were still streaming in. I had a shower and rested for an hour and then we all jumped into taxis to the City Centre and let our hair down.  One bar (Dempsey’s International) we didn’t go in:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had a cooked breakfast next day and bought the Belfast papers – there was a good picture of David Vogwell. Had a couple of pints and watched a Samuel Jackson film, ‘Freedom Land’ and then headed for the airport. The return flight was half empty. Michaela and I weren’t the only V.I.P.’s to pass through Blackpool Airport today – Tony Blair and Chelsea also paid the airport a visit!

 

Written by: Martin Bates

Submitted: 3rd May 2006

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Website/Magazine Editor