Haweswater Half Marathon

sUNDAY, 7^th March 2010

Records

Men: Rodri Jones 1:10:02 Women: Sarah Carson 1:19:15

Directions: 15 minutes drive from J39

Scenery: 10

Do it again: Yes this is my 3^rd one.

Value: 10 £13.20 to enter on line (Race gets full). Mug, £5 New Balance voucher and banana at finish and free//tea coffee supplied by Wilf’s. Race profits are used to help to improve and create opportunities for junior athletes in Penrith and the surrounding area. Last year saw the unveiling of a new athletics pavilion at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith and this year saw the refurbishment of the long jump pit at the same school and the start of a bursary scheme to help young/gifted runners – suppose that counts me out!

Organisation: 10 - The cheer leaders at the finish deserve 10 on their own!

PB potential: Nil (unless it’s your 1^st half – 600 feet of ascent)

Atmosphere: 8 It’s an out and back course, so you see the leaders coming back to you and everyone encouraging each other

Beginner Friendly: 5 Though not a beginner, Wesham’s John Butler likes to do no training and do this one every year……….then always says never again!! The last runner did 2:46:04

I was my turn to drive (again) and I took Finlay and Michaela with the customary stop on the way at the New Balance Shop at Shap. Finlay tried on every shoe in the shop, and then decided to leave it.

I stood quite near the front at the Start and ran with Horwich runner, Paul Boardman for the first half of the race. Views were magnificent.

We were running towards the Kentmere Horseshoe where tragically a runner died once of hypothermia and Paul did the race that year. Chorley Harriers were well represented today and their Dominic Raby was battling it out with ex Wesham 2^nd claimer, Julian Mawson. Barry Norman and Peter Cruse were also well up.

Paul was saying how well Pete Cruse was running and how he used to beat him at the Tour of Horwich. So did I! Paul got a slight lead on me going down towards the head of the Lake, but I started to gain on him and overtook him on the uphill climb back to Brampton. The two leading ladies, Karen Bridge and Gudrun Ravetz weren’t far behind me and I could hear their friends cheering them on. It wasn’t long before they overtook me…….then I overtook them……..then they overtook me again! It was fascinating to watch them battle it out and it helped me to keep my momentum.

I finished with 1:26:42, my fastest time on this course. I’d say you could perhaps knock maybe 2 minutes off due to the severity of the course, so still not as good as my York time. I stood with Bev Wright cheering the rest of the Wesham runners in, but then became a bit stiff and couldn’t join Michaela and (Cross Country champ) Sarah, for a warm down. It was all I could do to struggle to the Mardale Inn at St Patrick’s well for 2 pints of Grassmoor!

We then adjourned to the Punch Bowl at Askham for some delicious food…. Pete Cruse keyed in Askam on his Satnav (this is 46 miles in the opposite direction)

http://www.mardaleinn.co.uk/

1^st Dominic Raby (Chorley) 1:14:07

2^nd Julian Mawson (Otley) 1:14:15

1^st Lady Karen Bridge (Eden) 1:26:21

2^nd Lady Gudrun Ravetz (u/a) 1:26:52

Wesham:

9^th Barry Norman 1:17:52 (5:57 miling!!!!)

47^th Martin Bates 1:26:42

157^th Sarah Sherratt 1:37:42

161^st Michaela Dempsey 1:38:15

316^th Barry Edwards 1:49:13

380^th Finlay McCalman 1:55:19

468^th John Butler 2:05:37

Other links:-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/h/haweswater/

Photos from Sportsunday – CLICK HERE

Written by: Martin Bates

Submitted: 12^th March 2010

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor