Druridge Bay Full and Half Marathons 2012

[Sun 20th May] 

 

It was decided by the organisers (North East Marathon Club) that if someone could sort it out a half marathon could be staged at the same time as the full marathon. So duly I was appointed to get on with it!

 

This is the second year of the marathon, this year though we changed the route, same course but backwards compared to the previous years.  This should have given a slightly faster course overall.

The course consists of tarmac; trail paths and sand, racing shoes/normal road shoes were more than ok.  Usually on the beach you run headfirst into the wind, this year it was fairly calm and overall a very warm day.  The marathon consists of four laps the half two laps.

 

As we organise it all with the minimal assistance on the day from a marshal point of view, I do a recce run to show anyone a lap of the course a few weeks before.  You do have to be fairly careful as you go around, but it is well signposted if there is not a marshal at a given point.

 

One week after the Bowderdale Wild Race and just two weeks after the Sunderland Marathon, this was always going to be a difficult marathon to do.

 

The winner (male) of the half marathon did it in 1:23, Susanne and I completing the full came in 12th/13th in 3:31.  Susanne was only a few minutes behind the first lady, coming in second lady and first female veteran.

For your £ 10 entry fee you get a memento of the race, water/juice en route and at the end, biscuits, gels and a voucher from a running shop.  As it’s only about 20 minutes from Blyth, it is very convenient.

 

A note for our ladies, the female winner of the half completed the course in 1:50, although the first two marathon running females were faster over the half, they didn’t count!  So enter next year ladies!!!!

 

Iain