{"id":5614,"date":"2019-05-07T17:51:15","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T17:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/isleofwightroadrunners.net\/?p=5614"},"modified":"2019-05-15T15:25:39","modified_gmt":"2019-05-15T15:25:39","slug":"southampton-races-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/isleofwightroadrunners.net\/?p=5614","title":{"rendered":"Southampton Races"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In it’s 5th year of running, the Southampton races are growing in success year on year. With a 10k and a half marathon in addition to the full course on offer, the event is accessible to all ages and all abilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bright sunny sky prevailed as the team congregated in the Race Village  outside the Guildhall. Numbers collected, bags dropped off it was time already to get over to the start line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With the half and the marathon starting together it was busy and buzzy as the race starter counted them down for the off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The half course took in some of the landmarks of the city. Passing by the QE2 Anchor, running through St Mary’s Stadium and of course up and down the Itchen Bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From the start in the city centre the runners made their way along Town Quay before tackling the Itchen Bridge over to Woolston. A little loop around the area took them through the grassy Rolling Mills before returning across the bridge. A right turn and they continued toward Southampton Football Clubs, St Mary\u2019s Stadium. The runners entered the stadium and ran down one side of the pitch before emerging into Northam. They crossed the bridge there,taking them into Bitterne and through Riverside Park. The temperature was surprisingly warmer than expected as they made their way around the undulating course. A sharp turn onto Cobden Bridge then took them across to St.Denys then Portswood. A long drag upto the common drained the legs in the final stages as they made the turn for home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not for the marathon runners though as they had 2 laps of the course to complete. They had to watch the half runners dip under the finishing arch as they were shepherded to the left lane knowing they had to do it all over again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was all joy and relief for the half runners though as they came in one by one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Randall was first home in a tidy 1 hour and 25 minutes taking the 10th place in his age category. Richard Harvey bounced across the line in 1 hour 37 minutes with George Butler coming down the finishing straight less than 5 minutes later to a shiny new PB, showing his time out due to last year\u2019s back operation is behind him and he\u2019s back to his best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so good to get a PB!\u201d he tells me \u201cwe were all working hard out there\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New member Andy Tickner was next, beating the 2 hour mark with ease, taking 4 minutes off his PB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe support from the IWRR cheer squad in the last mile was great. It really helped me to find a final push and break 1.55\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Julie Salter was the first of the girls home having run the whole way with Nick Carter.  Carolyn Littleton was home next in under 2 hrs 10 in her debut in not only the distance but for the club too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat a brilliant day!\u201d She tells me \u201cI\u2019ve really enjoyed it\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another new member Kelvin Mansfield ran a steady race with father and daughter Steve and Sarah Morris close behind him having run the whole course together, crossing the line in unison, demonstrating they are making a great team as that was their third event together in as many months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Supergran Lucy Deville cruised home in her usual inspirational manner, Gill Shaw wasn\u2019t to far behind earning herself a huge 7 minute Pb in the process. Lyn Snow came home 10 minutes later with Penny Downer pushing her limits to complete her first ever half marathon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the 10k, team IWRR had 4 runners out on the course. Following most of the first few miles of the half course. They turned off before St.Marys Stadium, to return back to the Guildhall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike Kimber got his medal first in under 45 minutes, just pipping Olympian Iwan Thomas on the line. Alison Batchelor dipped well under the hour mark, with Callie Hatcher just over. Coral Leach was a welcome addition on the startline having not raced for a while.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt felt really good to be racing again. I was very nervous beforehand, but felt good once I got there\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Meanwhile in the marathon, they were still plugging away. As already mentioned, the marathoners had 2 laps of the half course to negotiate. They finished their first lap with fantastic support from the Roadrunners cheer squad<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI loved seeing our noisy lot at halfway\u201d said Sarah Holmes \u201cI was losing the will to live on that first lap so to see them all there screaming at the top of their voices was such a lift. I got around the corner though and stopped. I wanted to cry. I felt like I\u2019d bitten off more than I could chew with this one, but I couldn\u2019t bear the thought of letting the support crew down\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no surprise that she was tired, along with Glen Jones and Zoe Sherwin they\u2019d run the London Marathon only a week previously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was tough\u201d said Glen \u201cI think that\u2019s the hardest thing I\u2019ve ever done\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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All three of them battled through the fatigued legs and self doubts on that second lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andy MacArthur was the first Roadrunner home taking the bull by the horns finishing in 59th overall and 3rd V50 whilst smashing his PB by 3 minutes to gain himself a coveted Good for Age time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI so pleased\u201d he informs me whilst on an extended celebration \u201cit felt tough on the second lap but it should feel hard when you are pushing yourself. I\u2019m over the moon\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Speaking of pushing oneself,\u00a0\u00a0the indomitable Hayley Baxter absolutely stormed her way round to finish in a massive 10 minute PB having run the whole way with club legend Stuart Backhouse. As if the PB wasn\u2019t enough of a cause to celebrate she also took 5th lady overall and the pole position in the V40 category.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe second lap was so hard. I\u2019m so grateful to Stu for his support. He kept me going at times\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Next to complete the 26.2 mile journey was Michael Coultrup followed by a delighted Kev Rann in a well earnt PB of 2 minutes <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m more than happy with that. It was great to see the support crew\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The back to back marathon crew were next home with Zoe arriving back first, then Glen, then Holmsie. All relieved to have completed this big ask. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was in a world of pain. I couldn\u2019t wait for it to be over!\u201d said Zoe \u201cBut I\u2019m so glad I did it\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to quit about 3 miles in\u201d said Glen \u201cI won\u2019t be trying that again in a hurry\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had to put my big girl pants on and just get on with it in the second lap\u201d said Holmsie \u201cIn fact I\u2019m pleased with how the second half went really, I tried to maintain pace and I did\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Closing the bidding for team IWRR was stalwart Karen Phillips. Having run a solid race, she suffered from tight hamstrings in the latter miles and was forced to run walk. But in true Karen style, she battled her way to the finish with a fantastic flourish for the support crew.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Great running by the whole team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marathon <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andy MacArthur – 3.14.38<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hayley Baxter – 3.26.00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stuart Backhouse – 3.26.00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Coultrup – 3.39.07<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kev Rann – 3.52.24<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zoe Sherwin – 3.53.52<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glen Jones – 4.11.44<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah Holmes – 4.18.35<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karen Phillips – 4.22.07<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half Marathon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Randall – 1.25.22<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Richard Harvey – 1.32.51<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George Butler – 1.41.34<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andy Tickner – 1.54.46<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julie Salter – 2.00.23<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick Carter – 2.00.25<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carolyn Littleton – 2.09.19<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelvin Mansfield – 2.10.09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Morris – 2.12.57<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah Morris – 2.12.58<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucy Deville – 2.22.21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyn Snow – 2.44.13<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Penny Downer – 2.51.31<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10k<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike Kimber – 44.31<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alison Batchelor – 58.23<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Callie Hatcher – 1.02.41<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coral Leach – 1.19.22<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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