Race report by Dave Phillips.
Literally thousands descended on Albert Dock for the half and full yesterday morning and fortunately the 32 degrees of Friday and Saturday had cooled off and it had clouded over.
The ½ started at 0900 hrs and the full at 1000 hrs and it took the best part of an hour to get all the ½ runners over the start. All the runners in both races were in numbered pens and only 1 pen at a time was allowed to start with a minute or so between the next pen starting. It took over 40 mins from the 1st pen to the last pen in the half to cross the start line. Not so bad in the marathon but we were late starting.
The 1st half was a hilly affair mostly in the city area passing those two well-known soccer clubs en route. Then a lovely trip round a beautiful Scouse Park before we descended to the start area in Albert Dock where at least it was flat. Up to that point it had been very undulating with some severe “ups”.
The 2nd half was flatter and much of it was in and through lovely parks so traffic free, scenic and very interesting.
Then at 23 miles we were on the edge of the Mersey for the final stretch along the promenade walkway to the finish outside the Echo Arena at Albert Dock. A truly fabulous 3 mile finish with the Mersey just a yard or so away. They call this the Rock and Roll marathon and there were about 12 live groups around the course, many playing Beatles music to help us on our way.
Great finish along the prom with the usual Massey Mob there to great us as we plodded in (yes plodded in my case). T shirt, huge medal, food, beer, live music, (Encore medal if you did it last year) plus more goodies than anywhere else. In fact so good that we have booked the Ibis Hotel again for next year but the races are on the 20th May and not the Whit W/E (so the W/E before for some reason).
So that’s it for another week but at least it’s 480 fulls done.
Finally thanks to Ann- Marie and Dave Goodwin for booking the restaurant on Sat eve where 18 Massey bods met and had a great time.
Roll on (or Rock and Roll on) 2018.
Massey time: Dave Phillips 6.06.