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Gosport Half Marathon - HRRL #4


Sunday 20th November 2022 was another Super Sunday for Totton Running Club as a sea of blue took on the Gosport Half Marathon, the 4th race in this seasons Hampshire Road Race League. Always a popular event this is a fast and pretty flat course that is great to target if your chasing a PB at this distance, its superbly organised by Gosport Road Runners with great pre race communication, fantastic marshals and the great goodie bag at the end. A special thank you to Emily (Mummy EM) once again for taking the team photo and all the photos of us on the course that help make up these race reports. Come rain or shine Mummy Em is on the side lines cheering us at every race - thank you xx.



We have been relatively lucky with the weather at Gosport in the past few years with only a slight headwind to deal with on the way out. Pre 2017 there were a few years where it was held in torrential rain, gale force winds or one year both together mid storm, there have also been years when the word cold just wasn't strong enough to cover people turning to icicles. So this year we were super lucky with a nip in the air pre race and the head wind on the way out that was then blissfully behind us for the return leg.


The course is two lapped and despite the name is actually run in Lee-on-the-Solent effectively running along the seafront on the main road before dipping down onto the actual seafront path and coming back on yourself before turning to do it all again. Bonus of a course like this is you can see you team mates and wave, shout and pant heavily at them on the way past. You also know what's coming the second time round so you can adapt your pace accordingly in parts you know are tough. There's also the brass band of drummers on the course which is great for that little boost along the way. And, this year they had actual bottles of water and not the infamous water sacks that took you to about mile 12 to work out how to get water from them.


Pre-race saw the team huddled together for warmth in the school bandstand for the usual gossip. This was the first time many had seen Vicky and Bec to offer congratulations to the newly engaged couple (yey) who were also suffering with jet lag after their trip to Thailand. Poor Dean had a wardrobe malfunction involving the destruction of his socks leaving him to run the race with no socks and finish with no skin on his heels (eek). And I heard many people stating they were not going for PB today they were just running to see where they were at fitness wise....who then came home with a PB!


We were very fortunate that there was only a small wind noticeable on the way out only, barely noticeable on the first lap when we were all in big groups having just set off, it was much more noticeable on lap two when the crowds had thinned out. Off we went to the sea front moving onto the pavements as the roads were still partially open. The course is a simple loop along the road at lee on the Solent to the end, then a short downhill to the turn back and run along the sea front path all the way back towards the start. Then a sharp turn around to complete the loop again. Along the way there is a small gravel section and a band to help keep spirits alive! No one has ever claimed the course to be exciting but it is perfect for a PB when the weather is good, which for the time of year it was this time!


Another Benefit of this race is you get plenty of time see other runners, you may be so knackered all you can do if huff or look like death at them but you do get to see them. Apologies for anyone who just got some god awful walrus noise from me as they went past, I was no capable of anything else.


Everyone put in a Steller effort this event and we had a massive turnout with amazing times and personal records broken. Well done to Caroline Orchard on completing her first half marathon and over coming a lot on the day to get there!


RESULTS


Carl Shirley 1:22:22 PB

David Ullett 1:29:46 PB

Helen Herman-Bonaer 1:30:16 PB

Graham Bungay 1:32:24

Neil White 1:33:11

Adrian Hayes 1:36:00

Rob Kendall 1:37:07 PB

Mark Jones 1:38:19 PB

Dean Lucas 1:39:00 PB

John White 1:40:40

Rob Barlow 1:41:10

Terry Greening 1:41:07 PB

Patricia Spodzieja 1:43:47

Sophie Coady 1:43:15

Kirsty Macbeth 1:49:14

Neil Cameron 1:49:15

Chris Barnes 1:49:43

Mike Gordon 1:50:24

Hannah Renyard 1:50:30

Carly Lucas 1:57:10

Mel Green 1:58:48

Amanda Jones 2:03:24

Elizabeth White 2:03:24

Louise Henning 2:04:05

Michelle Price 2:05:46 PB

Rachel Mcculloch 2:08:16

Sarah Gordon 2:08:16

Virginia Collins 2:12:56

Donna Pike 2:14:48

Caroline Orchard 2:16:28 PB

Craig Taylor 2:17:20

Ann-Marie Vanderplank 2:21:38

Rob Barlow 2:28:44

Victoria Couzens 2:28:52

Rebecca Chambers 2:48:42 PB

Sohini Keya 2:55:21 PB

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Many of the photos used on our website were taken by local photographer, Paul Hammond. You can see more of his pictures here, but please ensure that you credit him if you use them and consider making a donation to his charity.

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