Worcester City Half Marathon – 16.9.18

Race Report by Dave Phillips 

Well the organisers of this cracker certainly know how to put on an event-plus there was a wheelchair race, a 10k and kids’ race.

They all started just outside the race course where there was parking for everyone and for all races there were huge numbers, each starting at different times. I have to say the first 6 miles were fabulous all through the old historic town, along the paths by the Severn, over it and back on the other side, round the cathedral and virtually no hills. What was even more unbelievable was that all roads were closed on both sides and the city was virtually traffic free. Wonderful.

Then at around 6 miles our 1st hill started-a really long drag (again traffic free). Then coming down towards us were the leaders racing down on the other side with half a mile to go. I’ll be there soon (well soonish) I thought.

Eventually we got to the top of the hill and for the next 5 miles we were in the most beautiful country side, again on completely closed roads. In the distance were the Malverns but fortunately we didn’t have to scale these.

What was remarkable was that many of the houses in the country side on the 2nd half had bollards and Road Closed signs at the end of their drives on the road. Never seen this before.

Well this part was a real slog with many uphill drags with the Malverns keeping a close watch on us all the time.

Eventually we got back to the place where we saw the leaders a long time ago so we knew the end was in sight-and it was as you could hear the loudspeaker welcoming us across the finish line-just over the Seven by the railway viaduct. Fabulous course and despite all my praises of the Kenilworth ½ this course beat it hands down. Sorry Kenilworth but you are 2nd!

Then at the finish were medals, T shirts, huge goodie bags with all the usual stuff so what more could I want on my 1st City ½ on this course?

So not a bad week because on Thursday evening the category winners from the Leamington half the other week were all invited by the organisers Raceways Events to a Wine Tasting Event at Majestic Wine in Leamington. Why me do I hear you ask? Because I won the prize and certificate for the Most Mature Male Finisher (oldest old fart running in a simple translation). So Robina and I went-and only 5 turned up to sample the 8 wines so it was “booze a plenty FOC”.

So what a week.

Massey time at Worcester:

Dave Phillips 2hrs 52 mins.