Hot Pace On A Cold Day At Farnborough
Touch of class at 2:09 Events first major half marathon of the year
The Farnborough Winter Half Marathon was back to its rosy-cheeked best on Sunday (22 January) with 1,698 finishers in the main event and 154 runners whizzing round in the accompanying 5K race.
The 2:09 Events set-up crew posted a photo (above) on their Facebook page of the temperature at 5:36am, when it was minus 6C, and advised competitors to 'wrap up warm'. Certainly, the Farnborough Winter Half Bobble Hat went down well with everyone!
The traffic-free course for the Farnborough Winter Half Marathon is one anti-clockwise loop of Farnborough Airport and the race starts under the historic Airship Hangar at Farnborough Aerospace Centre. It is one of the flattest and fastest 13.1-milers in the South of England.
There was a touch of international class at the head of the field this year. Gold Coast Commonwealth Games marathon bronze medal winner Robbie Simpson (Deeside Runners) was very close to his 2018 PB (1:04:27) as he raced ahead for victory in 1:05:23.
The sub-2:15:00 marathoner from Scotland was given a warm reception by the crowd as he drew Daniel Mulryan (Thames Valley Harriers, 1:05:39) to a huge PB in a close finish. Alex Pointon (Aldershot, Farnham & District, 1:07:04 PB) was third as seven men went under 70 minutes.
There was another tight finish in the women's race with Hannah Pullen (Aldershot, Farnham & District, 1:18:35 PB) pulling clear of W40 Kelly Edwards (Leamington Cycling & AC, 1:18:59 PB) and Lauren Cooper (Shrewsbury AC, 1:19:02). All 1,698 finishers were home in 3:22:20.
The 5K field may have been small but it was swift at the front with 10 finishers going sub-20 minutes. The top three men were M40 Ross Wallingford (Hart RR, 16:41), Adam Goodman (Ealing, Southall & Middlesex AC, 16:43) and M40 Steve Rule (unattached, 17:17).
The leading ladies were Rebecca Sleap (Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC, 17:39), Caitlin Millar (Fleet & Crookham AC, 17:55) and Laila Hellyer (Worthing & District Harriers, 18:28).
Full results and previous event reports are at runABC South race listing.
Image courtesy 2:09 Events team via Facebook
