Grantham Running Club compete in the six hour Hell on the Humber event
Grantham Running Club had two runners taking part in the six hour Hell on the Humber event.
At a time of the year where many races are taking place over more conventional distances, for Vicky Willian and Chris Limmer they chose something a little out of the ordinary.
The format itself was relatively straightforward. Cross the Humber Bridge and back (a total of approximately four miles) as many times as you can in the allotted time.
Despite sounding simple the gradual rise and fall of the bridge coupled with strong winds which whipped up around the towers offered runners a real challenge.
Chris was aiming for about eight laps which he managed with an hour to spare.
The cumulative effects of being battered by the wind and rather sore legs took their toll and his last crossing was more like a walk than a run and he chose to sit out the last hour as the rain lashed those left out there.
For Vicky it was more of a family affair as she completed three laps with her sister and then was visited by another sister during the race to help support and provide some much needed food and refreshment.
Both Vicky and Chris were full of praise for the event and organiser Karl Jackson. Chris is already thinking of possibly returning in the future to try and get that ninth lap.
Three members of Grantham Running Club took part in the Aldi Ashby 20 mile road race.
It is organised by Ivanhoe Runners and its tag line is 'organised by runners for runners'.
Taking place five weeks before the London Marathon, it is a great opportunity for a challenging supported long run before the taper phase.
This year the event started in pouring rain, with the overnight downpours leaving standing water on the grass of Bath Grounds park, which housed the event village and finish.
Fortunately the race is well planned and is all on tarmacked road apart from a final footpath section, so the water was not a problem for the actual event, though it did hamper spectators wanting to be close to the finish.
Peter Bonner and Darren Harley were using it as intended for London Marathon training, while Jo Grace was getting in early for the Edinburgh Marathon.
Jo finished in a chip time of 3:04:36, which is her fastest recorded 20 mile race and she put everything into the event, with her final sprint finish being sufficiently impressive to earn her a spot prize from the organisers.
Jo struggled a bit with the weather, having dressed for rain and then finding that the sun was remarkably strong by the time the second lap started.
Darren is somewhat of a specialist in 20-mile races, having completed Oundle three times previously.
He found the hills made for a tough course but thought it was good preparation for London. Darren was also very impressed by the organisation and finished in 2:38:03.
Peter was doing only his second 20-mile race, having not managed to fit one in during 2023 and he found it much tougher than expected – describing his day as having started hard and got harder.
He also found the weather to be difficult, with the rain cap in particular helping him overheat, which he described as useful learning for London, even if painful on the day.
Despite his struggles, Peter was pleased that his time of 2:22:13 was 10 minutes quicker than his previous 20-mile race and he appreciated the support of the large number of marshals, refreshment providers and other volunteers on the course and at the event village.
There were 1,296 finishers. The first male runner was Jack Dakin (Derby AC) in 1:52:22, followed the first female Amy Lowe (Washlands Women Runners) in 2:11:12.
