The inaugural Catforth Half Marathon

Sunday, 7th February 2010

 

From Catforth Village Hall

 

Scenery: 6 Ran past 6 pubs and a dead pheasant

 

 

Pity I’d volunteered to drive! All real ale pubs apart from Bay Horse, though the Eagle and Child at Wharles always looks derelict! The V50 quad had a time trial to this pub to sort out selection for Sutton Park Relays a couple of years ago.

 

Do it again: Yes

 

Value: 10

Got to give it 10 as Ron McAndrew knocked me a fiver off my entry…… though the best thing in the goody bag was the Mars bar!

 

Organisation: 9

Could have done with a team prize, but suppose quite a small field (235 finishers)……..1 or 2 runners were saying they could have done with a text when the original race was called off as they had quite a distance to travel and one had booked in a hotel. Brian P again started us off and 1 runner called him a comedian!!! Dawn and Bill Lock did a drink station.

 

PB potential: 9

I think Chris Whitlock and Nigel Shepherd got Pb’s. One or two little climbs over M55 bridges and over canal near the finish

 

Atmosphere: 5

Because of the rural nature of the course, not many spectators.

 

Beginner Friendly: 10

 

9 am: Leisurely relaxing at home drinking a coffee when I received a text of Brian Yates… “Don’t forget it’s a 10am start” Whoops! I frantically phoned Pete Cruse who in turn phoned Bev Wright and we all met at Pete’s and drove like the clappers to Catforth. In my defence I hadn’t seen an entry form.

 

I had time for a quick warm up and a look round the race HQ. There was a small First World War memorial at the village hall with perhaps 20 names on. It always amazes me how such a small village could loose so many men – perhaps half the village?  Noticed, (optional?), chips which I knew nothing about. (The same chips as the Brass Monkey race). Quickly strapped it on and took great delight in trying to wind up Pete and Bev as they knew nothing about the chips and there wasn’t enough time left to get one!

 

The race started and Nigel Thompson, Pete Cruse and Brian Yates all disappeared into the distance. Ran briefly with Pete Waywell, but he too disappeared and left me. Apart from a shout of Norman and Anne driving round the course, it was then a bit of a lonely run until I could hear the 3rd Lady (I thought it was Bev for a second) approaching and we helped each other to about the 10 mile marker, (about 64 mins I think), and I decided to try to speed up for the last 3 miles as I was after 1:22. I overtook the 2nd lady Karen Bridge, (nee Heavyside), of Eden and finished in 1:24:21

 

1st Man Alasdair Tatham (u/a) 1:13:40

1st Lady Joanna Zakrzewski (Dumfries) 1:23:57 - (Couldn’t find a picture of Joanna)

 

7th Brian Yates 1:20:40 (6.10 miling) - 11th Pete Waywell 1:22:52 (6.20) - 15th Martin Bates 1:24:21 (6.26)

22nd Graham Cunliffe 1:26:54 (6.38) - 24th Chris Whitlock 1:27:26 (6.40) - 31st Simon Eaton 1:28:50 (6.47)

41st Dave Waywell 1:30:48 (6.56) - 58th Nigel Shepherd 1:33:48 (7.10) - 87th Peter Bartlett 1:39:27 (7.35)

118th Brian Porter 1:45:40 (8.04) - 122nd Andy Divall 1:46:03 (8.06) - 135th Sam Booth 1:47:28 (8.12)

141st Kath Hoyer 1:48:48 (8.18) - 152nd Finlay McCalman 1:51:34 (8.31)

 

My passengers, Peter Cruse (1:18:35) and Bev Wright (1:30:40) both picked up prizes. I was 37 seconds out!  On hearing his name announced, one prize winner dropped his empty plastic cup on the floor and went up to collect his prize. Also more litter outside on the road. Who do they think is going to pick it up???

 

Written by: Martin Bates

Submitted: 9th February 2010

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor