Manchester Marathon
Another weekend, another marathon but this time in Manchester, had 10 LERCers taking part in the 37th event first ran in 1909.
Many making their way up on Saturday and staying overnight in this great city, met for a pre race Pasta party followed by an early night with the race starting at 9am the next day.
With a flat and fast course, weather was favourable to lasts years wind and heavy rain, just overcast with chance of showers. PS The showers waited until LERC had finished!
The club had 4 runners popping their marathon cherry, making debuts were runners Rob Allen, Aaran Kirk, Nathan Barnett and Laura Froggatt. This day was particularly important also for Laura, as it was her birthday! Happy Birthday to you Laura!
Along with around 8000 other marathon hopefuls, a few nerves were present at the start line and all eager to get going, the course allowed us to cheer on our LERC team with a couple of out and backs and which seemed okay to most. There was plenty of support along the course with bands, music and crowds of residents cheering you on. Water stops and isotonic drink’s a plenty!
A special mention to our very own support crew as well as our partners and families, we had the LERC flag flying high at mile 9 and 17 with Kevin & Sally Barry, Nicola Bennett, Jill Burton and Mark Argent cheering us on. Then around mile 20, where a section was very quiet on the corner were, yes you could hear them first, the cowbells! Jane Newbold, Carrie Chan, Adam White and Maria White (who was seen in a supermarket buying heaps of jelly babies Saturday morning) shouting and cheering everyone on.
Birthday girl Laura reached mile 20 to have “Happy Birthday” sang to her to lift her spirits.
Our very own VIP, Ian Chant was 1st in for the club making a debut at Manchester in 2:57:47. Rob Allen, 2nd LERC in, with his first marathon ever and was set a challenge of beating Phil Abbott’s time for London, in 3:07:26 he did this and looked on good form even at mile 20. Rachel Argent was next in with a time of 3:52:07 achieving a PB of 17 minutes closely followed by Shaun Burton in at 3:54:15.
Aaran Kirk achieved his first marathon in 4:17:06 and Nathan Barnett also in 4:31:06. Aaran and Nathan were running together until around mile 15 whereby Nathan took a moment to sort out some cramping issues but dug in to the finish to be congratulated by his family.
Laura Froggatt was all smiles to the finish in a spectacular time of 4:35:53, better than her own expectations for her 1st ever marathon.
Well done to our last but not at all least LERC runner, Kathy Crockford who ran this event last year in 5:04:46, Kathy achieved a huge PB of 24 minutes in a time of 4:41:03. Kathy was up with husband Bob who was out supporting and their daughter also running in the event.
With the runners were reunited with partners, family and friends (some of our dedicated supporters) in the race village, we all sang Happy Birthday with cakes, Laura blowing a candle out and making a wish! All then celebrated the day’s results with some bubbly.
A huge well done to everyone, some extraordinary personal bests set on the day and a great weekend with friends met through a mutual love of running.
The support of everyone on the day was amazing, very proud to be a part of such a great club with great people.
This report was brought to you by woolly
Comments:
Foxontherun wrote; Congratulations to all runners, and well done support team.
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