ELITE runners from across the country will be among the 3,000 competing in this Sunday’s half marathon.
The race starts and finishes at Cantley Park in Wokingham and the 13.1 mile course takes in much of the borough’s countryside. The starting pistol will be sounded at 10am, with the first runners expected back just over an hour later.
Course record holder Phil Wicks will be defending his title, while facing challenges from Nicholas Torry from Serpentine Running Club, John Beattie Newham from Essex Beagles, and runners from Ireland, Kevin Seaward and Paul Pollock.
Race spokesperson Peter Evans said: “All are expecting to run sub 64 minutes and Paul’s record of 63.14 may be challenged. The leading local runner is No. 271 Daniel Thorne from Reading AC who we expect to be very near the front.”
A number of women will compete in their own category.
Mr Evans explained: “In the ladies event, Sonia Samuels is expecting to run 71 mins and may well challenge Liz Yelling’s record time of 71.09. She should be chased by Caryl Mair Jones from Swansea Harriers.”
The course record – set by Mr Wicks – is 1 hour, three minutes and 14 seconds. If it is smashed on Sunday, organisers will be offering a £500 cash prize. There are also smaller prizes for the first three runners home in the men and ladies race and the category winners together with trophies. All finishers will receive a medal.
With thousands of runners taking part, there will be a large number of spectators on the borough’s roads. Mr Evans said that a number of spots have become favourites for people to watch the runners go by.
He said: “Spectators are able to catch up with the race at the junction of Forest Road and Warren House Road, with the leaders getting there at just after 10.05am or both ends of Darvills Lane, with access from Sherlock Row. Here the leading runners should be approaching around 10.15am.
“Another popular place is the cricket club in Hurst, which is about seven-and-a-half miles into the race where the leading runners are expected shortly after 10.30am.”
Race sponsors include Mizuno, David Cliff, Zone Securities, Mazfit, Roger Duckworth, and Mitsubishi Motors, and there is also support from Wokingham Borough Council.
