Mablethorpe Running Club show their paces at North Lincs Half

A quartet of ladies from Mablethorpe Running Club headed to Scunthorpe for the North Lincolnshire Half-Marathon.
Debbie, Zoe and Andrea at the North Lincolnshire Half-Marathon EMN-190605-114327002Debbie, Zoe and Andrea at the North Lincolnshire Half-Marathon EMN-190605-114327002
Debbie, Zoe and Andrea at the North Lincolnshire Half-Marathon EMN-190605-114327002

Organised by the small team at Tape2Tape, this popular race once again attracted runners from all over the country, as well as other nationalities, for its eighth edition.

Starting from Quibell Park, leaving Scunthorpe, the race is held on an extremely flat course on mainly closed roads which follow much of the Trent River Bank through the villages of Messingham, East Butterwick and Burringham.

Temperatures for the race are usually in the mid-twenties, but in the current colder snap, runners faced unseasonably chilly conditions.

Of the 1,545 finishers, Paula Downing was first of the Mablethorpe group home, clocking 1hr 29min 25secs for 141st place.

Zoe Parkes crossed the line in 1.53.37 (734th), followed by Debbie Jinks in 2hr 00min 26secs (961st), and Andrea Mettam in 2.04.26 (1,027th).

William Strangeway (Lincoln Wellington AC) won in a time of 1hr 07min 53secs, while the first female finisher was Laura Kaye (Lincoln Wellington AC) in 1.23.01 (50th overall).

* This was the fourth year of the Boston Marathon (UK) which is arranged to run around the same time as the world-famous Boston Marathon over in the United States.

The Boston Marathon (UK) also incorporated a half-marathon and 5km fun run, and the event was, once again, sold out, with 635 successful finishers in the full marathon, 563 completing the half-marathon, and 109 in the fun run.

It was made possible thanks to a year of preparation by the Boston Marathon Association Committee, a small army of volunteers and marshals, along with sponsors who included Boston Seeds, Lidl, and Drayton Motors.

The half-marathon started from the Market Place out towards Freiston, Butterwick and Freiston Shore, heading back to Boston via Fishtoft and Skirbeck for the finish.

The 5km race used the same route, but a little under 2km out before circumnavigating Skirbeck for the return leg of a further 2km.

Mablethorpe Running Club did not have any entrants in the full this year, but one of their ladies completed the half and another ran the 5k.

Paula Downing had taken some time out to recover from injuries, but showed no signs of lapses of ability as she gave yet another sterling performance to finish 48th in 1hr 32min 35secs and win the 1st Female Vet 50 prize.

The race was won by Sean Fitzpatrick (Kent AC) in 1.13.04, and leading female runner was Emma Hodson (Oxford Uni) (12th overall) in 1.21.34.

Felicity Berry, who joined Mablethorpe RC via their Couch to 5k programme a couple of years ago, continues to go the distance.

She had a great run in the 5k, finishing 38th in 34min 22secs for first female vet 60.

The 5k winner was Carl Endersby (unattached) in 22.19, and first female home was Paige Elding (unattached), fifth overall, in 24.12.

* Mablethorpe Running Club meet on Mondays at Sutton-on-Sea Social Club from 6.30pm.

The club welcomes anyone with the slightest desire to run, whatever your interest, capability or motivation. There will be no pressure to join straight away.

To find out more, visit their website at www.mablethorperunningclub.org.uk