Jonathan Poole and Isabel Clark win 6th Ealing Half Marathon
Thousands of runners and spectators took to the streets of West London, for the sixth Ealing Half Marathon. It proved to be a beautiful autumn day of outstanding sporting achievement and community support under blue skies and with unseasonably warm temperatures, and another huge success for this multi award-winning race.
The race was started by Jonathan Martin, a Friend of Ealing Half Marathon competition winner, and endurance runner Susie Chan, and saw the runners set off from Lammas Park. The closed road route went around the West London borough, taking in Central Ealing, Montpelier, Pitshanger, West Ealing, Hanwell and St Stephens before returning to Lammas Park, and enjoying superb support from spectators, residents and local businesses all along the course.
The race is a firm fixture in the autumn running calendar and the field welcomed runners of many nationalities who had come to soak up the famous #EalingFeeling, alongside plenty of local runners, charity runners, and a team of 275 Ealing Eagles club runners.
The Ealing Mini Mile had kicked race weekend off in style on Saturday 23rd September, welcoming its biggest ever field of young runners to the one-mile route around Lammas Park. Five separate races for 6-16 year olds took place over the course of the afternoon and it really set the scene for the half marathon event on the Sunday, with a real buzz about town and a celebratory atmosphere for all to enjoy. Full results for the Ealing Mini Mile can be found here.
Jonathon Poole (handicap -4.1) of Serpentine Running Club and Austin Roth were battling it out for the winning title of the 6th Ealing Half Marathon, and after running neck by neck for the majority of the race Poole took the lead in the final part and won the race in an excellent time of 1:08:05, seventeen seconds ahead of Roth. Alex Milne (handicap -3.6) took the third spot on the podium after crossing the finish line in 1:09:22.
The women’s race was dominated by Isabel Clark (hanndicap -0.1), also of Serpentine Running Club, who won the title in 1:17:55 with a gap of over six minutes ahead of Isobel Rea (handicap 3.7) of West 4 Harriers, who finished in 1:24:01. Mandy Dohren (handicap 4.8) of Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC claimed third place in a time of 1:24:33.
Race Director Sandra Courtney commented, “We are absolutely thrilled with the turn-out for the 2017 Ealing Half Marathon and would like to thank all our runners and supporters for making it such a wonderful success! It was once again a huge community event that brought everyone together, which is exactly what we were aiming for when we launched the race six years ago. It is now a key date in the diary for runners all over the UK and abroad, and we’d like to congratulate all those who crossed the finish line this weekend.
“This was forecasted to be our best and biggest event yet and I think it’s safe to say that this has been achieved from the feedback received so far. It was a fantastic weekend of running for athletes of all ages and abilities, and thousands of runners crossed the finish line in Lammas Park.
“Our sincere thanks go to all the volunteers, marshals, sponsors, partners, local businesses and residents for making the Ealing Half Marathon what it is. As many people are aware, we are a Community Interest Company and all profit raised from this year’s event will be invested straight back into the community, as part of our commitment to make sport and fitness available to all.
“Entries to the 2018 Ealing Half are open,so don’t miss out on our special early bird rate for early entrants!”
The Ealing Half Marathon won the Silver award in the Best Half Marathon category (≥ 5,000) at The 2017 Running Awards, and was voted the UK’s best half marathon at the same awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Voting is now open for the The 2018 Running Awards and anyone wishing to vote for the Ealing Half can do so quickly and easily; the shortlists will then be revealed in December.
Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK were the Lead Charities for the 2017 Ealing Half Marathon and support for these two worthy causes was terrific. The Ealing Half Marathon has always been a brilliant platform for charity fundraising and it is hoped that the 2017 event will top previous fundraising figures.
Sponsors and partnersof the 2017 Ealing Half Marathon includedFuller’s, ASICS, Up & Running, Mercedes-Benz Brentford, Portdevon, Elan, Inspiring Insights, The New Inn,Ealing Eagles Running Club, Breathe Unity, marathon-photos.com, Xempo and Ecowood Moves. The Ealing Mini Mile was sponsored by St Augustine’s Priory.
The 2018 Ealing Half Marathontakes place on Sunday 30th September and early bird entries are now open.
Go to www.ealinghalfmarathon.com for further race info.You canalso like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/ealinghalf and follow @EalingHalf #EalingFeeling on Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest news about the Ealing Half Marathon.