Brentwood Half Marathon 2013

The Start of the 2013 race and the snowy winter scene

The Brentwood   Half Marathon and Fun Run is now live and on line here:

http://bit.ly/Brentwood-Half-2013-Photo-Gallery

In what was the snowiest coldest expedition by us in a long time 6 of us braved the journey to Brentwood through snow drifts and standing snow on the M25 to Brentwood and the annual Half marathon.

Tony Clark and the Rotary put on another great event with help from Scouts, the School, Cadets, and volunteers including the main sponsors LV= . The pre-race saturday check at 6pm had crucially had no ice on the course, and despite being on the edge of the Met Offices Severe weather warning zone for heavy snow - everything was given the go ahead early on Sunday morning after another course check.
Given that at least 7 other major races were cancelled on Sunday - it was great achievement to get everyone to the start line.

With over 2000 people finishing the main race and just over 630 in the fun run - it was as well attended as ever, the Siberian wind cutting through the air failed to put people off raising money for Rotary and the charities the race support. Profits from the photo sales go towards the Rotary - so please help us raise as much as possible - and you get a nice race photo memento to share and keep for life too... just buy your race photos and make sure your friends get theirs too - and then stick them on facebook, just giving, or wherever else you can to show people what you've been up to, prove you did it despite the cold, and give Rotary and the charities some well earned support !

Bizzarely - the actual temperature out of the wind was above freezing - but with the air temperature being so low and with wind chill - it was vicious. I wouldn't have wanted to be struggling out at the 6 mile mark - it must have been very hard going around that point - so big respect to everyone making it around the course.

It was also good to see Paul from Run247.com - and his report and race video is available here which gives a good feel for the atmosphere at the finish line.

The full race results for both races are available here: http://www.brentwoodhalf.org/results.htm

Sophie Riches won the fun run by a distance

I'm sure he's shouting encouragement, and I 'm sure that's his son.. beating him :-)

Good finishing from the LV= team members

Hazel Vuvi won the women's race in 1:22:27 - a top class time

The 1:30 pacer was a mere 5 seconds fast, but I don't think that made too much of a difference to the people behind him...

Broken away at the finish - Ryan Prout closed home in 1:09:47 away from Paul Molyneux  after he had lead most of the way

victory finish

good teamwork round the course

The Mayor ready to get things under way. (my other caption got sub-edited out).

Most appropriate T-shirt competition winner - it was Brutal

Main race start - the leading three took it out from the start - although Crispian as a local still only just turned up on time !

The New Photography. Frame the shot first before considering the light.  Glass Plate cameras will be the next vogue.

"Yeah,hot soup and a start running the bath , I'll be there in 5 minutes I'm on the last corner"

It was busy out at the 12 mile mark

741 taking emergency action after this spectator just stood in the way (edging out further) for about 3 minutes "to get a better view" on the last corner ignoring the pleads of the crowd to move back. Look at the writing on the road and gauge just how far out she was - standing about two yards into the road by our reckoning. Crowd barriers are there for a reason, as are the marshals. 741 was lucky she wasn't taken out. So was the spectator. Very Lucky.

The Fun Run course went along the winter paths

Looking determined from the start for Sophie.

Cold ? Who cares !!!

Exodus from Narnia

Always good to keep warm 

That kick on the last corner from Ryan Prout to leave Paul Molyneux

Determined finishing

Eh ? that clocks broken...

Great Family Support always gets you through !

So - since people have asked - how do you survive days in the office like sunday ?, sitting still for 3h30m in temperatures where spilt coffee on your camera bag freezes and brushes off ? well the answer is you wear this:

Hannah, getting a well deserved cuppa to warm up after covering the race finish.

See you all at the Richmond 13.1 Half on Easter Sunday - places are still available: http://bit.ly/richmond13-half-2013-entry if it's not any warmer I'm going to have a word with the boss about the temperature in the office because this is getting silly now.

And if any of you think you are faster than my kids over 800m or fancy a nice 10k in the Sussex Countryside - then the Lewes 10k and Fun runs are for you on Easter Monday then go here: http://bit.ly/Lewes10k-race-entry

Very well done to all of you completing the race the Brentwood Half Marathon and I look forwards to seeing your choices from the gallery soon,
http://bit.ly/Brentwood-Half-2013-Photo-Gallery

until next time, when hopefully my feet will have thawed a bit,
Anthony