Vale of York Half Marathon 2017

VALE OF YORK HALF MARATHON,

Sherburn-in-Elmet, York, Sunday 10 September.

Whilst the Great North Run may have been grabbing all the media attention on Sunday, in an event a little closer to home, and one a little less congested, Alison Shooter, Adam Standeven and Shaun Casey were representing the Northowram Pumas in the must-do, sell-out Vale of York Half Marathon.

Adam Standeven and Shaun Casey appear all cheery under York’s grey, cloudy skies.

This event starts on a race track and ends by a runway and takes in scenic closed roads on the way. Setting off in Sherburn-in-Elmet, the route heads south-west before doubling back, going past the start line then veering off left up Lennerton Lane before turning right and continuing along Bishopdyke Road for almost a mile. The route then swings right into Scalm Lane; this may be the longest section but it’s also the most picturesque, with fields and woodlands to your left and right at any given time. At the crossroads with Broad Lane, the route turns a left then completes a clockwise loop, taking in Broad Lane, Windgate Hill Lane (the halfway point) and Long Lane, which winds its way around to eventually reach the Broad Lane-Scalm Lane crossroads, with just over four miles to go. Then it’s a case of retracing the route back along Scalm Lane and Bishopdyke Road, before completing the last mile by turning left into New Lennerton Lane.

An event such as this wouldn’t be complete without a Pumas’ pre-race selfie, and here Alison Shooter doesn’t disappoint!

The BBC cameras may have been conspicuous by their absence, and conditions slightly overcast, but the field of 1,621 runners soon warmed up after they were set on their way at 9.30am.

The Vale of York Half Marathon is depicted as fast and flat, and therefore reckons to be the perfect course to lower a runner’s personal best. Here, as far as Adam and Shaun were concerned, it didn’t disappoint. A little over an hour and half after setting off, Adam was #FPH, completing the course in 1hr 33:53, his fastest time to date over this distance – just. Two years ago, he completed the Liverpool Rock and Roll Half Marathon six seconds slower! A little further down the field, Shaun Casey must have been satisfied with his new PB, finishing in 1hr 41:44 (at Liverpool in 2015, Shaun finished in 1hr 42:31). It’s hard to imagine that while they were finishing, many runners in the Great North Run in Newcastle wouldn’t even have reached the start line! Adam and Shaun only entered the race on Wednesday, wanting to be part of Strava’s attempt to create a world record (and helped in no small way by those using the app at the Great North Run) for the most half marathons run in a single day.

Adam Standeven finished in time to whip out his camera and capture Shaun Casey crossing the line.

As for Alison Shooter. Well, she didn’t quite manage her own personal best (achieved, incidentally, at the Humber Bridge Half Marathon in June), coming home in 2hr 20:39, but she was, nevertheless, still proud to be a Puma!

Northowram Pumas’ positions, finishing times and category positions;

286 Adam Standeven 1hr 33:53 (M40, 41/175)

482 Shaun Casey 1hr 41:44 (M45, 63/143)

1,490 Alison Shooter 2hr 20:39 (F50, 53/62).

 

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