Kent Coastal Half Marathon & 10k

Race report by Phil Stevens:

I arrived about 9am and found a parking space not too far from the start.

It was very busy as a boot fair next to Palm Bay Primary School was happening at the same time.

Apart from being quite breezy from the East, the conditions were fantastic, 5 to 10°, beautiful sunshine and clear blue skies.

TRAC marshals were everywhere and there was a real friendly atmosphere.

After picking up my number from inside the school, chatting to a few runners and marshals, I went for a warm up with Chris, Will and Matt. It was windier than I thought and I realised this would be quite tough.

Next was time to change into race shoes, pin on the number and affix the timing chip.

A bag drop next to the lovely looking TRAC gazebo was a bonus and before I knew it we were at the start line. It was a wave start, I was in wave 1 but there was a 5 minute delay due to a long toilet queue.

It was surprising to see a large amount of TRAC vests on the start line as so many club runners had sacrificed racing themselves to marshal (a lot were needed). Lots of TRAC runners were using this race as part of their marathon plans with London and Manchester now just around the corner.

The Half and 10k started at the same time and we were all off. We headed straight towards Botany Bay and even though really blowy I felt good. I’ve been struggling with the dreaded lurgy since before Christmas so this was a race to see where I was at.

Olly Regan, who was doing the 10k went off at a blistering pace and everyone just let him go.

We continued around the coast to the Captain Digby where I started to notice some great signs and as always great marshal encouragement.

The wind dropped off now and was helping us. This was useful as it was down and up a couple of hills with a turn around for the 10k runners at the North Foreland Lighthouse. Just past the Digby I had made a pigs ear of grabbing cup of water and ended up dropping it! Oh well early days and no fluid needed yet.

From here it was a steep hill down to Stone Bay and along the sea wall hugging the Sea.

Next there was a tricky section on the boardwalk at Broadstairs Beach.

Great guidance from the marshals but there were already a lot of sun worshipers and dog walkers making it a bit of a chicane. Staying on the boardwalk and maintaining the same pace was hard as you had to avoid people, dogs and some tight boardwalk turns meaning you couldn’t avoid running onto some deep soft sand.

Still no collisions and no sand in shoes so onwards along the seawall towards Dumpton. I remember seeing a marshal Pam Philpott along here, she was jumping up and down shouting out ‘I’m ******* freezing!!’ The chilly wind was coming straight off the sea here.

At Dumpton Gap it was up a very pleasant slope (NOT). Some more great signs here.

We were now running along the top towards King George VI park.

I was secretly trying to run at my target marathon pace, so was trying to stay behind Dan Grech. I realised with my current fitness, the course and the wind, this wasn’t going to be possible today so Dan was slowly drifting away from me. He was doing a great job of staying on pace.

Next came the park and I was looking forward to this bit as my wife was marshalling at the entrance to the park (Ramsgate end). I found her, stopped for a hug and carried on.

Exiting the park and hugging the cliff edge, we went past some great marshals giving support and much needed water. The turn around point was just past the Granville Theatre and then it was time to head back.

As soon as I turned I thought OMG why is the wind right in my face. I thought it was going to be from the side but oh no. I had to start digging deeper now to try and hold the pace.

Turning around gives you a good chance to see where everyone in front and behind are and gives you the chance to send out some encouragement yourself.

Back at the park I was told off by the wife (nothing new there) for not going the correct way around a bollard.

So now it was a reverse of what I had already done but with wind in the face making it harder. Negotiating the boardwalk was a little harder on tired legs and then I realised I had to run up that slope at Stone Bay (NICE!)

Back to Jans underwear sign which made me laugh then finally around towards Botany Bay and it was WIND ASSISTANCE time.

Everyone was flying along this bit, but then cruelly it was past the finish line and on for another mile towards Margate.

Anna (marshal secretary) was at the start finish and her usual positive full of life attitude gave me a real boost.

The quicker 10k runners had mostly finished by now but with the turn around at Cliftonville you got the chance again to see the quicker Half Marathon runners and how they were getting on. It was a mass of TRAC vests with six of them being in the top 10 including Alex Dugard who was first albeit cruising at marathon pace.

The turn at Cliftonville came and the inevitable full on wind barrage for the last mile. It was just a case of digging deep and getting it done.

Some outstanding performances today in both the 10k and Half Marathon where team TRAC got 1st male in both races.

A shout out to Simon Burton (coming back from illness) and Vicky Burkett (first event in ages).

The biggest shout out though has to go to all the marshals and club members who gave up so much of their own time to make this race happen.

I have to finish by saying what a beautiful route! The views are stunning and this course really does take some beating!

Results:

Half Marathon –

1st – Alex Dugard -01:18:27

3rd – Matt Collyer – 01:23:07

4th – Matt McCarthy – 01:23:22 (1st MV40)

6th – Will Coles – 01:25:03

8th – Chris Brenchley – 01:26:19 (1st MV50)

10th – Mark Croucher – 01:26:56

11th – Dan Grech – 01:28:32

13th – Phil Stevens – 01:31:34

125th – Simon Burton – 02:12:47

212th – Vicky Birkett – 02:31:17

10k

1st – Olly Regan – 00:35:53

3rd – Matt Finch – 00:38:29

5th – Jamie Hipgrave – 00:40:17

61st – Lainey Carter – 00:58:04

133rd – Gaynor Shelvey – 02:00:19