Race Date: Sunday 18th September 2022

Race Report by Michael Ingham

As the legend goes, “I cannot tell a lie” associated with George Washington has to also apply to me for the ABP Humber Half Marathon, 5K & Fun Run all held on Sunday September 18th 2022. For me the 5K. I had entered the 5K due to worn out knees and not capable of a half marathon but happy to use a weekend in Cleethorpes to run a Saturday parkrun at the country park then the Humber Coastal 5K on Sunday. I say cannot tell a lie as I’d seen at the club’s 40th anniversary there was a vacant VM70 slot for 5K and thought as this was entered some time ago and an official race with chip timing that regardless of my slow trot around the course it would, at last, give me a club record entry. I have been very close to a number of club records over the years & in various age categories but always had some members who were that bit quicker than me. Grahame Siddall, Rob Leonard and Dave Bonnington to name a few. There aren’t many official 5K races and I imagine that being the reason for no entry in the club’s VM70 records. An entry no doubt that can easily be broken by two VM70 club runners that I know off, Graham Hague & Paul Shelton. There may well be other VM70 members I’m not aware of so I apologise to them. It’s a new record that’s there to be broken. I’m sure you guys can soon take this!

Any way, on to the series of races. The half marathon & fun run started at 10:00 and my 5K at 10:15. The fun run along the promenade with the main road races starting on Kings Road rather appropriate now that we have a new King, Charles III. The half marathon started a few hundred yards or metres (take your pick) further up Kings Road from the 5K start point. As someone who grew up with imperial measurements it’s yards for me ! I spotted 4 Striders passing by, two of them being 2:15 pacers, Cara & Jemma. More later on them.

Inflatable arch problems

It was then into the Kings Road for the 5K, a fair number of runners but fewer than the half marathon. The start was a little delayed as the blow up start line arch refused at first to inflate after being moved down from the half marathon start line. I’m sure the alternate race has been 10K in past years and will be next year so why 5K this year is a mystery. A few minutes late it was a short run down Kings Road to a sharp left onto Meridian Road then a short run to take a large loop of the Meridian Showground Events Arena. Back out of the showground it was down to a short grass section followed to a double back turn for the return along the coastal footpath crossing the Greenwich Meridian Line. The longer return section to the finish line into a noticeable headwind. It must have been much tougher for the half marathon runners as their return journey was 5 miles into the headwind. Across the finish line and the reward was a T-shirt, medal & cake ! After a few T-shirt & medal photos and it was time to cheer home the first of the half marathon runners. Despite a chilly early morning there was some sun but by the time the half marathon runners were heading to the finish the cloud cover had returned and soon made the conditions much cooler again. I decided to keep on the move and headed down to the rear of the leisure centre to catch club members passing by. Attached are a few pics of Cara & Gemma pacing runners to a very accurate 2:15 finish.

Top pacers Jemma and Cara

Excellent organisation with lots of marshals around the courses plus a good number on bicycles too checking on runners.

The first male home in the half marathon was William Strangeway of Lincoln Wellington AC in 1:09:41. The first female was Natalie Burns also of Lincoln Wellington AC in 1:21:49. The 5K was won Matt Spendlove of Cleethorpes & District AC in 15:37 and the first female Evie Brookes another member of Lincoln Wellington AC in 19:25.

275 completed the 5K
613 completed the half marathon

For the record,
22 did not start the 5K
3 were registered as Qry ?
169 did not start the half marathon
5 did not finish the half marathon

Michael displays his medal and t-shirt

Striders Results – 5k