The sun lit up the hop fields and pasture land that are the ever-present features of the Paddock Wood Half Marathon on Sunday (12 March 2023) as 1,697 runners completed the mainly rural course in 3:35:54, representing a sell-out and a healthy return to pre-pandemic participation levels.

Lambert & Foster property agents – who have an office in Commercial Road, Paddock Wood – had announced an extension of their sponsorship until 2024 and provided their popular "selfie stand" to capture those all-important post-race shots.

The 33rd Paddock Wood Half Marathon has been a staple event in the Kent endurance calendar since 1989 – when the winners were Derek Stevens (Hastings AC, 1:08:04) and Susan Martin (Medway AC, 1:22:16) – and the course records are swift at 1:04:38 by Andrew Lepretre (Highgate Harriers, 2022) and 1:13:25 by Tish Jones (Belgrave Harriers) in 2014.

There were no new records this year, as the wind got up during the morning, but there were still some highly impressive times recorded. The top nine men went under 70 minutes and the best of those were Joshua Grace (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC, 1:05:51), Nick Dawson (Brighton & Hove City AC, 1:07:50) and Dale Seddon (Zero to Hero Running Club, 1:08:55 PB).

There was a runaway winner of the women's race as Chelsea Baker (Bristol & West AC) made her long journey from the South West worthwhile to take the victory in a PB 1:15:38, nearly five minutes ahead of a tremendous battle for second and third between Rachel Brown (Belgrave Harriers, 1:20:10) – on her half marathon debut – and W40 master Helen Gaunt (Tonbridge AC, 1:20:13).

Special awards were made by Race Director James Ridger to the leading under-23 athletes Charles George (Paddock Wood, 1:11:27) and Charlotte Brooks (Maidstone Harriers, 1:30:46) in memory of Paddock Wood coach, athlete, and young athletes' mentor Joe Cartwright.

There were 21 women among the 317 athletes inside 90 minutes on this predominantly flat course. The host club had again provided reliable pacers for 1:30; 1:40; 1:50; 2:00; 2:15 and 2:30 target times.

Among the entries was first-timer Tracey Crouch MP who had her own pacemaker in her colleague Greg Clark MP, finishing in 2:28:06 in what she described: "Just did my first (and last) half marathon". Bet you'll be back, Tracey.

Full results and previous news stories are at the runABC race listing here

Image courtesy Paddock Wood AC on Twitter