Report by Mike Gill
Keswick Half Marathon is billed as one of the most scenic ones in the country so that was one good reason for a squad of runners and supporters making the drive over to the west. After parking in the rugby club grounds it was only a short walk across the rugby field to the club house bar to be met by Dave Best with a pint in his hand (obviously knows what proper training is) Anna had been holidaying in some luxury pad in the Lake District and had driven over to join us for the race.
By now it had started to rain. Number pick up was unsophisticated and easy. The numbers were laid on the ground in number blocks, tell a guy with a clipboard your name, he told you your race number, then go and get your number off the pile, simple really. High tech they didn’t do.
The temperature wasn’t too bad, neither too hot or cold and dry by now. It’s a 10/15 minute walk from the rugby ground to the start which was a good way of loosing up the legs before the off. We got there and attempted to get together for a team photograph and as we were getting into pose mode the klaxon went off to start the race. Most of us were not quite at the start so the finish times recorded later would need some time taking off for our actual run times (but we’ll just go with what the results say for this report)
The start is downhill for a while and gives you a false sense, easy you begin to think but not so, the climbing starts very soon. Brian and Gordon were just in front of me stuck in running traffic but Brian was having none of it and started pushing off weaving in and out of the runners, obviously after a fast time!!
Dave B, Dickie & Stephen 1&2 had already vanished into the distance. Nice day to run, temps spot on, just the ups and downs to contend with as we hauled our way around the route.
The course tracks the lake for a while then you go off into a loop of the Newlands valley before returning to track the lake for the rest of the run. Fantastic scenic views as we ran around. There was plenty of water stations if you felt in need of a liquid top up, I contented myself with a swig at a couple of them but as the temps were ideal liquid wasn’t a necessity for most.
(Special mention of Mr Best’s beer assisted finish time)
David Best 1.25.01
Stephen McDonald 1.31.03
Stephen Collins 1.37.55
Robert Dickinson 1.42.56
Brian Richardson 1.46.55
Dave Mitchell 1.50.41
Mike Gill 1.55.42
Gordon Hindson 1.59.33
Kevin Lee 1.59.34
Peter Carson (aka Garry) 2.05.03
Caroline Panting 2.05.55
Anna Vasey 2.06.15
Dave Clark 2.06.16
Mike Swainson 2.10.32
Winner on the day was James Buis of Heaton Harriers in 1.12.53. First lady was Sharon Bulman of New Marske Harriers in 1.30.33
There were 501 finishers.
None running Bounders supporter crew who were with us in Keswick, Stephen D, Lesley + daughter, Christine, Erin, Craig and Steve M
Interestingly during the presentation of the prizes the MV70 prize category was won by a guy with a time of 1.30 (no one came up to collect it)…….a very fast pensioner or a bandit!!!
Back into the rugby club house after for a pint and then we all trooped off to the ‘Orange Box’ tapas bar where more rehydration carried out (with tapas of course)
For those with endurance it was a meet up again in the evening at ‘Spoons for more rehydration (sad to say I showed my face briefly but wasn’t feeling well so supped 1 pint and went off to bed) Here we were joined by more Bounders who were in party mode.
So ended another good Bounders day of sport and social interaction (boozing to you and I)
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