It was a busy weekend in the distance running world across the UK as we bring you our latest round-up.
OYSHO CARDIFF HALF-MARATHON, South Wales, October 5
Cardiff Castle provided a scenic background to some stellar performances, led by Yismaw Dillu who ran well under the one-hour barrier with 59:23.
The 20-year-old Ethiopian set a new course record in the process, bettering Leonard Langat’s mark from 2019 by seven seconds in the Welsh capital.
Dillu finished more than 40 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Ismael Kiprono, who placed second with 60:05, with Dillu’s compatriot Fikadu Liche third in 60:34.
Jake Smith, who lives just up the road in Pontypridd, was the leading Brit in 62:50, finishing five seconds clear of Callum Hawkins.
Last year’s champion Miriam Chebet defended her title, with the Kenyan knocking five seconds off her 2024 mark to finish in 66:36.
Ethiopia’s Alem Nigus was second in 67:33, with Ethiopian debutant Wudinesh Alemu third in 68:08. Back in ninth, Charlotte Taylor was the leading Brit with 72:31, just ahead of Natasha Wilson’s 72:58.
It was the 22nd edition of the 13.1-mile race in the Welsh capital, with more than 29,000 places allocated to the masses.
Men (6x3km): 1 Y Dillu (ETH) 59:23; 2 I Kiprono (KEN) 60:05; 3 F Lihe (ETH) 60:34; 4 B Murkomen 60:48; 5 S Kimutai (KEN) 61:32; 6 M Ako 62:23; 7 A Gashahun 62:24; 8 A Kangogo 62:27; 9 T Admasu 62:47; 10 J Smith (P’pridd) 62:50; 11 C Hawkins Kilb) 62:55; 12 K Chirchir 62:56; 13 J Too 63:45; 14 B Morka 63:49; 15 D Nash (P’pridd) 64:28; 16 L Smith (Norw) 64:36; 17 E Jennings 64:49; 18 S Jamaal 65:18; 19 D Williamson (Col H) 65:25; 20 D Bersee 65:57
M40: 1 C Jantz 69:35; 2 R Purchase (P’cawl) 72:18
M45: 1 R Fuente 73:34
M50: 1 D Orchard (Newq RR) 73:33
M60: 1 S Watmough (Warr) 81:59
M65: 1 D James 87:37
M70: 1 D Gibson (Tri Hard) 90:14
Women: 1 M Chibet (KEN) 66:6; 2 A Nigus (ETH) 67:33; 3 W Alemu (ETH) 68:08; 4 E Chemtai 68:09; 5 M Alemeyehu 69:36; 6 M Soler 71:01; 7 C Taylor (B&W) 72:31; 8 N Wilson (M Morris) 72:58; 9 T Barlow (TVH, W40) 74:26; 10 F Kiplagat (KEN, W35) 74:29; 11 L Hall (AFD) 74:41; 12 J Craig (N Down, W35) 75:44; 13 A Domville (T Bath) 74:56; 14 O Tsim (P’pridd) 75:02; 15 Y Van Vlerken (W45) 76:37; 16 H Lewis (AFD, W35) 76:38; 17 S Pennycook (Leeds) 76:58; 18 M Cordon-Lloyd (Belg) 77:41; 19 M Frith (Chelt) 78:04; 20 E Powell (W Tempo) 78:13
W40: 2 L Flynn (Les C) 80:03
W50: 1 H Ibbottson (Vets) 83:50; 2 N Rodriguez 84:27
W55: 1 S Graville 98:24
W60: 1 S Harris 92:29
W65: 1 L Geyer (TROTS) 95:40; 2 S Masters (W’bury) 1:41:46
BIDWELLS CAMBRIDGE 10km, October 5
Overall: 1 B Jones (C&C) 31:56
Women: 1 E Hodson (Camb U) 35:56
CHESTER MARATHON, Cheshire, October 5
Josh Griffiths won the men’s race in 2:17:16 after a close battle with Alex Carter and Conor Sarsfield, while Sammy Antell triumphed in the women’s race with 2:44:22.
Deep in the field and making her first outing on the roads for six years, was three-time former London Marathon age group winner Vicky Perry. Here the Altrincham runner was top the W65 athlete in 3:46:00. Back in the years from 2011 to 2013, Perry topped firstly the London W50 lists and then the W55s.
Overall: 1 J Griffiths (Swan) 2:17:16; 2 A Carter (Y Bath) 2:17:22; 3 C Sarsfield (Helsby) 2:17:37; 4 J Cornish (HW) 2:20:54; 5 T Charles (Chorl, M40) 2:24:27; 6 R Elphic (Kent) 2:25:29; 7 P Coates (Brain, M40) 2:27:21; 8 J Bromley 2:27:53; 9 B Draper (Lough) 2:29:00; 10 O Kovalchuk 2:29:02
M50: 1 D McDonough (Kirkby) 2:50:04
M55: 1 W Felton (Spect) 2:45:36
M60: 1 R Burn (Bux) 2:55:01
Women: 1 S Antell (Bide, W35) 2:44:22; 2 A Gidey (Ex’mth) 2:44:52; 3 M Gibson (100 Mara, W40) 2:44:59
W50: 1 J Bentley (Velo) 3:06:44
W60: 1 J Masterman (Goole) 3:34:30
W65: 1 V Perry (Alt) 3:46:00
LINCOLN HALF-MARATHON, October 5
Overall: 1 S Roberts (Retford) t68:06; 2 W Strangeway (Linc W) 69:32
M50: 1 S Green 77:23
M60: 1 M Dillon (L Goat) 87:11
Women: 1 C Knowles (Abbey) 78:45
W50: 1 P Downing (100 Mara) 94:30
GREAT CUMBRIA RUN HALF-MARATHON, Carlisle, October 5
Overall: 1 M Brown (Salf) 68:12
Women: 1 E Neil (Eden) 82;27
W50: 1 T Medley (Border) 92:03
HASTINGS HALF-MARATHON, East Sussex, October 5
Overall: 1 A Clark (Hy AC) 68:38; 2 R Boorman (Hast) 71:32
M45: 1 J Baker (Chich R) 75:01
M60: 1 S Mills (Uck) 85:16
Women: 1 P Barker (Ton) 80:15; 2 G Baker (Hast) 80:59
W45: 1 H Gaunt (Ton) 87:57
W60: 1 C Crathern (Bex) 1:44:28
W75: 1 S Marzaioli (Hast R) 2:16:51
KIELDER MARATHON, Northumberland, October 5
Run over tough terrain and trails, the Kielder Marathon is always a test for those competing at it. Due to Storm Amy the weekend’s action also took place over one day, with the 10km moved from the Saturday to the Sunday.
In the M55 age group and on his marathon debut, former junior international and 1989 English Schools 3000 metres under-17 fourth placer, Ceri Rees won overall in 2:46:53.
Steph McCall won the marathon in 2:59:32, while double Olympic medallist Laura Muir – fresh off competing at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo – topped the podium in the 10km – her first race over the distance since 2011 – with 37:16.
Overall (26.2M): 1 C Rees (Tav, M55) 2:46:33
Women: 1 S McCall (Clap) 2:59:32
Overall (13.1M): 1 N Lawson 73:46
Women: 1 C MacDonald 85:56
Overall 10km: 1 C Gunn 34:17
Women: 1 L Muir (Dund H) 37:17
KINGSTON HALF-MARATHON, Surrey, October 5
Tom Austin took two minutes from his previous best when winning overall in 65:30.
Overall: 1 T Austin (Herne H) 65:30; 2 U Alan (Belg) 67:48; 3 C Bowen-Jones 70:38
M50: 1 P Middle 77:36
M55: 1 J Moore (Rane)) 79:22
M60: 1 C Smith 87:02
M65: 1 M Townend 90:49
Women: 1 G Billings (Camb U) 77:55
W50: 1 R Smith (Camb’ly) 93:34
W60: 1 F Malin (Yeo) 98:03
SAXONS 5, Saxmundham, Suffolk, October 5
Overall: 1 O Rees (Ips P) 27:00
Women: 1 D Glover (Fram) 28:10
W50: 1 C Carter (New J) 33;34
SONNING COMMON 10km, Berkshire, October 5
Overall: 1 R Corney (Read RR) 31:10
Women: 1 N Lee (Read) 38:10
SOUTHEND 10km CLASSIC, Essex, October 5
Local runner Adam Hickey, the 2019 Inter-Counties cross-country champion, took his tenth victory in this race in 31:39, although it was his first here since 2017.
Overall: 1 A Hickey (S’end) 31:39; 2 T Jones (S’end) 31:51
M50: 1 A Mussett (Col H) 33:18
M55: 1 R Lowe (Harl) 37:08
M60: 1 C Ridley (Col H) 38:05
M65: 1 P Mingay (Col H) 37:55
Women: 1 H McGowan-Jones (Vegan) 36:36
W40: 1 K Creak (Col H) 38:18
W45: 1 Z Oldfield (Lought) 38:19
W60: 1 R Pitman 46:57
STANDALONE 10km, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, October 5
Overall: 1 O Adeji (NEB) 72:04
M60: 1 A Leach (NHRR) 35:49
M70: 1 C Lamont (Stops) 46:01
M80: 1 R Bloom (Herts P) 53:02
Women: 1 F Weddell (St Alb) 35:03
W45: 1 C Lathwell (Stops) 40:18
W55: 1 V Simpson-Thomas (B Stort) 42:18
STANDARD CHARTERED JERSEY MARATHON, Channel Islands, October 5
Overall: 1 S Kwarat 2:17:01; 2 G Ruel 2:19:20; 3 O Menbar 2:24:22; 4 H Hart 2:25:29
Women: 1 A Braham (W40) 2:40:47; 2 D Morris (W40) 2:49:35
W50: 1 D Godwin 3:08:11
VICTORIA PARK 10km, London, October 4
Overall: 1 G Findlay 32;35
Women: 1 A Lawson (Clap) 35:33
