Voted the UKs best half marathon for not one but three years in a row, Ealings half marathon has become the biggest race in West London. Runners from over 30 different countries line up together to get that #ealingfeeling. From the humble ideas of a group of runners from the Ealing Eagles Running Club, this race has certainly achieved their original goal of inspiring people from within the borough to run.
Starting in Lammas Park the runners head out on fully closed roads toward Walpole Park, our Harry Vernon amongst them.
“This was the final leg of my family half marathon trilogy. In December I ran the Portsmouth Coastal Half where my mum lives, in March I ran Frankfurt half where my sister lives and now was the turn of Ealing, West London where my brother lives”
Pressing on toward Ealing Golf Course, the field turned South before chucking a right at the rail station and heading into West Ealing for a mostly out and back section and toward Brent Valley Golf Course before returning to the rail station and then continuing back to Lammas Park.
“The atmosphere was amazing! The street were lined with people cheering the runners on, offering us sweets and water. There were cow bells, foghorns and a couple of samba bands to get the heart pumping faster. There was even a live band”
“The race went well and I kept up the runners from my section and the 1.40 pacer was there not too far away in the distance.
At mile 10 my legs ran out of steam but a pb was there for the taking if I could just hold it together for the last three miles. Willpower and encouragement from my family got me through and I collapsed in a happy heap as I crossed the line”
Harry did hold it together and he got his pb knocking a minute off his previous time finishing in 1.40.29.
