The Boston to Skegness Seabank Marathon Jun 8th 2008
The Boston to Skegness Seabank Marathon took place today, and the first runners home were greeted by the Deputy Mayor of Skegness, Coun Pat Phillips and the Skegness Jolly Fisherman.
The winner of the marathon was Simon Gregory, number 172, who is a member of the Kestrels Running Club, Killamarsh, Sheffield. Dave completed the race in 3hrs 3 minutes and is a premier runner, often finishing in the top five. He is pictured left with the Deputy Mayor who presented him with a medal.
Hi Folks,
Les has asked me to write about my Marathon experience…so here goes!
If you don’t know me I’m the older woman (now 67 years!) who runs in glasses and did that spectacular nose-drive onto the tarmac during a club run last summer.
Now I didn’t start running until I was in my early 40’s. I found I loved the sense of freedom and satisfaction it gives you. Two years ago I joined Kestrels and I enjoy being in this friendly club.
After 5 unsuccessful attempts at getting in the London Marathon, I was accepted for 2008. The thought of 26.2 miles was daunting, I didn’t think I could do it but felt I had to try.
I’m an Aroma therapist and only work part-time, so could do runs during the day. All my long Sunday runs were in the beautiful Clumber Park. Believe me when I say the training is harder than the Marathon.
Gradually increasing my mileage and duration running meant that by the middle of March my long Sunday run was 20 miles over 4 hours. I was now using Lucozade gels and drinking Lucozade Sport whilst running which was a rehearsal for the big day. My Partner Harry was a great support. He always made me a flask of coffee and had a Sunday dinner ready on my return.
Marathon weekend came! On the Saturday I registered at excel, got my number and chip, had a massage and the obligatory pasta.
Sunday dawned bright and sunny, though a little chilly. Once in Greenwich Park the nerves and doubts were replaced by excitement. This was it, all those aches and pains forgotten. The two week taper meant my legs felt fresh.
Support from the crowds was great particularly around Docklands. People offer you sweets, cheer and clap enthusiastically when someone in fancy dress goes by. Time seemed to fly by as I listened to the music and watched the scene unfold.
I passed the girl on stilts and the 101 year old man with his ‘minders’ and Blind Dave who was running his 7th Marathon in a week (I was running for his Charity, Guide Dogs)
A handsome young man in a leopard skin thong got a great cheer, as did the girl in her undies!
At one point I passed a Rhinoceros then later was overtaken by one, was it the same one or were there several?
Reading the poignant messages on the backs of those in front of you was very moving, tributes to their loved ones who had died.
About mile 17 I had a quick stop to say hello to my daughter who, as agreed was waiting with her bright pink umbrella up so I would spot her. She was fed up of runners telling her it had stopped raining now!
There was another heavy downpour about mile 22and this dampened the spirits a bit as I was feeling very tired by now. My first sight of Big Ben was a real boost and I enjoyed the run on the Embankment and to the Finish.
My finish time was 5 hours 20 minutes 11 seconds.
My race plan ‘To finish in one piece’ had been accomplished and in doing so I’ve raised £960:00 for Guide Dogs.
This is just a flavour of what it’s like to run the London Marathon. Is it time for you to see for yourself?
Barbara Carrotte.
Gillian and Howard’s Wedding
Saturday 17th May 2008
I would like to say a great big thank you to everyone at the Kestrels for your generous, thoughtful gifts and good wishes.
Our wedding day was perfect from beginning to end, a day we will remember for a long time. It was touch and go leading up to the wedding because of my illness, but thankfully I recovered in time.
Thank you for sharing our magical day with us and helping to make it so wonderful.
Howard and I are off to Cyprus on Saturday (24th0 on our honeymoon and I hope to be back running soon after
Love to you all.
Gillean and Howard.
To All
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone at the running club who has sent me best wishes and given support while my leg has been recovering over the last few months. It really helped cheer me up and keep a positive outlook during the difficult periods.
The good news is that the consultant has managed to pin and fix my leg extremely well and the outlook for the long term is extremely positive. I have just been instructed to start walking and get in the gym on the static bike which is brilliant news. I've become so good on my crutches I was thinking of entering the "crutch half marathon"
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon and will be taking up my duty full position as steward over the next few months. Excellent news about the cross- country.
Kind regards
Jess
What can I say but very well done and a brilliant team/club effort to everybody who took part in the event. The hard work they all had to put in to run in the atrocious weather condition that you wouldn’t even take a dog out in!
The wind and rain added to all the mud that had to be encountered, when running through the many ploughed fields of this 8 stage relay run around Rotherham.
Everybody did brilliant and I hope they all enjoyed taking part and representing the club in this hard, but good event.
In organising the teams and setting the approx starting times that each member should be running their individual leg and finally setting an estimate finish time of 8hr 30mins, I can say, that in the terrible conditions they all had to encounter, the last runners for each team eventually crossed the finish line in a remarkable overall time of 8hr 29mins
Once again Very Well Done !!! to everybody who took part, and just remember next year can’t be as bad for the rain………I hope.
Les
BENIDORM HALF MARATHON - 25th November 2007
A birds eye view from a Killamarsh Kestrel (Jayne Horry)
This is of course is about more than the half marathon it is also about a week of fun, and of course, not forgetting the full marathon, for the one brave soul amongst us.
Although the morning of the run, started with a chill in the air and a few puddles around from the previous night's rain, the sun came out on cue for the start. The course is relatively flat and takes in the old town, the sea front and the never ending road that runs at the back of Benidorm (ok it did end eventually but on the day it felt like it was never ending). The course winds back on itself several times which provides a number of opportunities to give each other an encouraging shout. Before moving on to tell a few tales of the rest of the fun I have to mention the blisters …….oh yes did I have blisters, talking point of the evening, not a pretty sight and the dash to the start for Simon, as if 26.2 miles isn't enough when the taxi didn't turn up.
Well with the run out of the way it was time to relax. We were introduced to Rocky's Bar the haunt for the conquering heroes and of course the newly formed 'Killamarsh Kestrel's Boy Band' (aka Chris and Richard). But Wednesday is the night to be there in fancy dress, and oh boy, some go prepared and do it with style. That night we spotted Jimmy Saville, Elvis Presley, the platoon from Rourke's Drift, Sharon with her belly dancers, to name a few. Of course there was Killamarsh's own Hawaiian reprobates. Oh and The Boy Band were on the stage, again, will we ever get them off.
It wasn't all about the night life there was the beach during the day. With many hardy souls venturing out into the sea for a swim whilst some of us were content with just getting our feet wet. With the presence of Charlotte and Jonathan we were all given the chance to build sandcastles. We mustn't of course forget Annie the bullet volleyball server.
This short piece doesn't really do the week's activities justice. Next time you see him ask Chris about the horse riding or Simon and Richard about the difficulties in opening their room door on the last night. Although old enough to know better there was much burning of candles at both end that week and I have just managed to stay awake beyond 9pm since getting back. Finally, I would like to thank Jenny and Annie for organising the trip and everyone for my birthday surprise, I wanted my birthday to be different this year, well you all made sure of that.
The Marden to Edale Fell Race 2007.
The lone mad kestrel and the kestrel/dark peak crack pot !!!
We decided back in September to do this 23m endurance fell run, and it looked a good run at that time of year, but little did we know what was to come on the day of the race.
The weather forecast was terrible with wind, rain and sleet expected and on the morning of the run it was worst than that, it was not just rain and wind it was buckets of rain and gales you wouldn’t believe.
The start was from a street in Marsden with no shelter to get changed, so we were wet before we even started the run. But never mind it was only 23m to the finish line.
We set off at a snails pace knowing what was to come and it was a good job because what was in front of us was even worse, we had to cross open moor lands full of peat bogs that at times opened up to nearly eat you alive, then there was stream crossings that were more like river rapids at waist high, where we had to join hands with other runners to get across without being washed away!! On top of this we had gale force wind that if we had not got so much mud on our shoes, would have blown us for miles and miles, but in the wrong direction! At our last check point on the Snake road with just the another 4 or 5 miles to go I could have given up and sat in our back up car and cried, but you know what us fell runners are like we can’t be wimps, so it was off running again with a “smile”!
Well after just over 5hrs of running the village of Edale came into view and the ordeal came to an end. Tired and exhausted sat in the village hall it was all over and the comment of never again, “well until next year” was said
Les (lone mad kestrel) and Kenny(crack-pot)
My name is Helen Drury.
Myself, my brother richard, my aunty and uncle mick and val and
particularly my grandma and mum, would like to thank everybody who took
part in the langdale half marathon, to raise money for cancer research
in memory of our grandad, dad and husband who died a year ago on the
14/10/07.
I myself found it particularly hard as I had not run for a
while, but I am so proud that I did it in just under 3 hours.
Once again, thank you, thankyou
Langdale Weekend
Camping in the Lakes in September, not the warmest of times, in fact it was damp and wet. Good job we spent time in the pub then!
We were woken Sunday morning (race day) to the sound of very persistent rain on canvas – what on earth were we doing?
By the time we had made our way to Langdale for the start of the race, it had stopped raining, thank goodness, but was windy and cold!
We had a team photo and set off on one of the most scenic (and hilly) half marathons in the country. The rain held off until about 30 mins into the race, when it returned with a vengeance. I’m sure it even hailed at one point!
It was very good to see Chris and Jayne at 11 miles ish, halfway up that stupid big hill clapping everyone and shouting encouragement to us Kestrels. Bit late for me though, as my legs had long since turned, first to jelly then to lead!
It took me 2.23 to complete the race, I’m not particularly proud of my time, but hey I finished and still had a smile on my face, but I’m sure it looked slightly more like a grimace!
The half was tough enough, so well done to Les who managed two laps to complete the marathon, he must be mad.
Now that it’s a few weeks after, and I can walk downstairs unaided, I’m actually considering doing it all again next year – I must be mad also.
I’m sure Eric would have been proud of us all!
Jenny