Southwell Running Club
Completing a Victory Lap
There is an understanding in the running community, that arriving at race day in one piece, and then completing the event is like running your victory lap. Last month, several members of Southwell Running Club finally completed their victory laps following months of endurance training during the summer.
Tracy Polak achieved her aim of completing the Atlantic Coast Challenge. The route for this amazing accomplishment began near Padstow and took runners along a 78.6 mile route over 3 days finishing at Land’s End. The challenge tests both mental and physical prowess against some of the wildest and more remote coastlines in Britain. Tracy who completed the challenge in memory of her dad said that she encountered some of the hardest terrain she had ever run including hundreds of steps amid rocky outcrops, sand dunes and long stretches of beach.
Participating in the far more crowded London Marathon, Adam Smith achieved a PB in a time of 3:18:52. Adam said ‘This is my second marathon and the first time I had run London. The crowds were amazing and the atmosphere just carries you along. I felt really good at mile 18 and just kept pushing. I am overjoyed to gain a new PB and I am already looking forward to my next marathon.
A little further north Carol Hayward ran her 5th marathon in Manchester in a time of 4:45:21. This year’s new, undulating route took runners into the city centre and then out through Sale to Altrincham before returning to Old Trafford. Despite the late start times Carol said it was a great event with fabulous support along much of the course.
Finally, following their PBs achieved on the Robin Hood Half, Anthony Gorman and Steven Rice decided to try their legs on a the Thoresby Leaf kick half marathon. Even though it was a wet, muddy and slippery 13.1miles they managed a joint 3rd place finish in a time of 1:29:21.
If you are currently training for your ‘victory lap’ why not join us one evening.
Ruby Runner
www.southwellrunningclub.org