Race Date: Sunday 20th November 2022

Race Report by: Adrian Good

After a tough few months with knee issues and low fitness level, I decided to give Gainsborough and Morton a try as it was described as a flat, fast and friendly course.

I wake up really not looking forward to it and not feeling it but got ready and waited for my lift there. The journey there was going OK until we discovered the main road into Gainsborough was shut so made it a mad dash detour to get there. We parked up and ran to the village hall to collect our numbers it was then we found out the start had been delayed for 10mins due to the road closure and busy carparks.

Number on we headed for the start line. My realistic goal was 1hr 5min and my unrealistic goal was a sub hour. I decided to set off with the 1hr paces in sight and settled in to a steady pace. The course was like a giant square on closed country roads.  Two miles in with the paces moving away from me was the first water station very early I thought but still took a bottle to sip and wet my head. As we reached halfway the pacers were nowhere to be seen yet we went through 5k in just under 30min.

It was at this point my problematic knee started hurting and I resorted to a jog walk style. I knew my realistic goal was still achievable so pushed on. With 2k to go I glanced round to see the 65min paces catching my quickly and were soon up with me, A few encouraging words from them gave me the boost I needed and I kicked on with them towards the finish. They managed to get away from me with about half a mile to go but the encouragement from the home crowds kept me going and then the 100mt to go sign appeared and I managed my traditional sprint finish and crossed the line in 1hr 04min 41sec chip time. The paces came and congratulated me and I was handed a medal and a sausage roll.

It is definitely a flat and PB potential course (could be a good one for striders Road race in the future) I will definitely do it again.

The winner was Ronnie Wilson from Lincoln Wellington AC in 30:31 and ladies Sophie Wallis also from Lincoln Wellington AC in 33:17.

I believe there were 7 striders there although I only saw 2 and only 6 show on the official results. Here are our results: