The heatwave of previous week’s continued to abate as 32 roadrunners lined up for this year’s Isle of Wight Half Marathon at Appley on Sunday. In fact the weather was quite the opposite, with a blustery wind and some drizzle showers in the air.
Famously undulating, the course meanders from the park along Calthorpe Road and along Bullen Road before turning into Attrills Lane and then toward Nettlestone and then up Pondwell Hill.
It then turned back up Bullen Road for the second time before turning onto Beeper Shute before turning onto a welcome bit of downhill in the shape of Carpenters Road and onto St.Helens.
They then turned back onto Attrills Lane, Bullen Road and Calthorpe Road for the equally undulating return journey before they finally reached the finish back at Appley Park.
Cole Pearce was the first Roadrunner across the line in 1.21.52, shaving 12 seconds off last years time to give him a fantastic 8th overall. Next was Sean Williams, he ran a blinder! In his first road half, he managed to take a massive 10 minutes off his previous PB, giving him 12th overall and 1st V45. Stuart Backhouse was our next white vest home but not so much dry, giving him 14th overall, 2nd V45 and giving them the first place team medals.
Ross Wilkes continued his good form with another PB, sneaking into the top 20 under the finishing arch. Steve Rumsey and Matt Fletcher both achieved 3rd place in their age categories with Richard Harvey 4th in his. Pete Sexton was the top dog in his category and newcomer Paul Muffett made a spectacular club debut to finish 2nd in his. Also gaining PBs were Steve Horsey and Darren Dollery. Brian Canning made his debut over the distance
“I hurt…. a lot!” He quips on Facebook later on
For the ladies, Holly Newton was the first across the line in 1.41.14 knocking 40 seconds off last year’s time powering her way to a magnificent 4th female overall. Lizzie Pilcher ran a fantastic race to finish a cracking 10th. Julie Dixon was the third girl from the team in white to cross the line having run the entire race with husband Peter.
“That was a tough run” Pete says on Facebook later “I felt a bit sick in the last couple of miles”
But they soldiered on and got the job done, bagging Julie a 2nd place team medal in the process and 4th in her age category. Besties Julie Salter and Sally Trotman got 3rd and 4th respectively in theirs. Sue Hunter and Lucy Deville powered their way to the top spots in theirs, pictured here with Cherry Owen of West Wight Road Runners, who was the winner of the V70 award.
One by one they crossed the line, all exhausted but all with a sense of triumph. Medals earnt, time for cake.
Cole Pearce – 1.21.40
Sean Williams – 1.24.59
Stuart Backhouse – 1.26.11
Ross Wilkes – 1.27.17
Steve Rumsey – 1.30.04
Matt Fletcher- 1.30.16
Richard Harvey – 1.31.03
Peter Sexton – 1.34.52
David Blake – 1.36.32
Paul Muffett – 1.38.19
Holly Newton – 1.41.14
Richard Bezer – 1.42.08
Tim Keyte – 1.43.34
Darren Dollery – 1.45.08
Lizzie Pilcher – 1.45.08
Brian Canning – 1.47.05
Kevin Rann – 1.49.08
Steve Horsey – 1.53.05
Julie Dixon – 2.02.53
Pete Dixon – 2.02.54
Julie Salter – 2.03.31
Sally Trotman – 2.06.43
Tarnia Eldridge – 2.10.00
George Butler – 2.10.01
Fiona Attwood – 2.14.34
Alison Butcher – 2.22.08
Sue Hunter – 2.25.15
Emma Muffet – 2.29.37
Lucy Deville – 2.43.59
Jo Randall – 2.44.03
Lyn Snow – 2.56.34
