Sodden Santas raise funds for Rowans Hospice
Nearly 1500 runners Believe and Achieve in Portsmouth
There was a magnificent turnout of almost 1,000 distance runners and nearly 400 sopping-wet Santas for the annual Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon, Portsmouth Festive Half Marathon, and Portsmouth Santa Runs on Sunday (18th December).
Top of the bill and first away from the start line in front of Southsea Castle on Clarence Parade was the Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon held on a revised and improved route out to Hayling Island and back. Believe and Achieve Events were rewarded with 541 finishers in 6:47:17 – a long day in the rain for the organisers and ever-cheerful marshals.
Seven men beat three hours and the top three were Stuart Nicholas (Bournemouth AC, 2:42:20), Mike Liddell (Royal Navy AC, 2:42:43) and Tom Adams (2:52:47).
Clare Meraz (Great Western Runners, 3:08:31) took the women's honours from Dawn Godwin (Maidenhead AC, 3:15:14) and Anna Smith-James (3:17:37).
The Portsmouth Festive Half Marathon had 388 classified finishers in 3:13:31 and 144 of those were inside the two-hour mark. There was a tense battle at the front with just eight seconds deciding the outcome. Jon Fairs (Haslemere Border AC, 1:18:10) produced the strongest finish to edge ahead of Allan McKinnon (Andover Athletics, 1:18:18). Richard Murphy (Denmead Striders, 1:19:06) wasn't far behind for third.
Unattached athlete Kerry Riches (1:27:21) was a clear winner of the women's race from a tight finish for the runners-up spot between Louise Razack (unattached, 1:32:31) and Katy Ward (Haslemere Border AC, 1:32:42).
Finally, it was time for 380 sodden Santas to dash along the prom in the Southsea Santa 10K and Seafront Santa 5K with designated turn-round points called the North Pole!
Despite the handicap of their less-than-ergonomic Santa suits, there were some impressive winning times by Stuart Edmonds (Chineham Park RC, 30:26) and Nikki Lawson and Joy Barker (both 35:44) in the 10K and Nick Ward (19:52) and Vickie Smith (24:44) in the 5K.
The Portsmouth Santa Runs was a fundraising event in aid of the Rowans Hospice.
Full results available via the runABC South race listing here
Image courtesy Believe and Achieve Events on Facebook
