HADDINGTON HALF MARATHON
Haddington Half Marathon
Only 3.5 (?) Lothian Runners joined the 225 others runners to brave the testing Haddington half marathon on Saturday 10th August 2013. This race was classified as an East Half Marathon Championship Race. I am not quite sure what this actually means but it made the race sound more daunting. Lothian runners were Mike Lieberman, Jocelyn Moar, Brian Reid and the 0.5 being Lyndsey Fraser who joined Lothian Running Club this Year but hasn’t quite managed to detach herself from Edinburgh Athletic Club
The course follows B Class country roads to the South, out-skirting Haddington and is a very scenic, undulating route with a sharp hill at 0.25 miles, a long hill at 3.5 miles and a sharp hill at 7 and 9.5 miles. There are long flat sections. Although the course is described as undulating it boasts one of the fastest times in the country with a course record of 63 min 31 sec.
Although there was a slight breeze the air was warm and conditions were almost perfect.
This was Jocelyn’s first ever half marathon and she decided she would start off at donkey pace then see how she felt at half way. Mike and I also decided to start slowly but like donkeys we got caught up in the moment and started like thoroughbreds.
Lyndsey, who ran 5 miles before the race even started, was in training for the Dublin Marathon so she set off with the intention of running at marathon pace.
Mike continued to the finish line, like a stallion, in a time of 1hr 34 and 32 secs, the 57th finisher and 2nd M60+
Brian turned into a donkey at around about 11 miles and plodded the last two miles while Jocelyn cantered past him finishing in 1hr 36 and 28s, 64th place, and 6th FS.
Brian finished just over a minute later in 79th place and 11th M50+
Lyndsey finished strongly less than a minute later, 84th overall and 7th F35+.
A really well organised run, with lots of marshals giving their support on the way round and at the end lots of sandwiches, cakes, scones and biscuits to fill the nose bags and keep us going until the next race meeting.
Brian Reid