Paddock Wood Half Marathon
Incorporating the British Masters Half Marathon Championship 2025.
Report by: Dot Kesterton.
Race Date: Sunday 9th March 2025.
Tunbridge Wells is quite a long way to go to race a half marathon. It involves negotiating lots of potholes on the London Orbital route and a breathtaking trip over and under the Thames at Dartford. However, that’s where the British Masters Half Marathon Championship was located so I decided to go to sunny Kent for a run round Paddock Wood last Sunday.
Unusually for March anywhere in the country temperatures hovered at around 18’. A month earlier I’d run Farnborough in freezing fog. A leisurely warm up and a chat to folk from southern counties before the start and then a jostle to find an inch of space along with 2500 other runners at the start line and at 10:00 sharp we were away.
Irritatingly for older runners Paddock Wood only recognises women up to age 65. I really don’t know why older women are treated differently to older men other than that historically men outnumbered women which is often no longer the case. So an extra layer of difficulty lay in trying to compete meaningfully against women possibly seven years younger than me. My plea to race organisers is the recognise competitors equally so this antiquated rule is consigned to the bin of history.
I knew my arch rival Yuko Gordon, W70 would be in the melee but had not seen her. This was unsettling because if I knew where she was I could adjust my pace accordingly with a view to a podium finish. What I didn’t know was that a superb athlete, Sue Haslam, from Scarborough AC was also there. My medal hopes were far from secure in such illustrious company.
The route was rural and fairly flat with only one hill of note near the start. The conical rooves of the Oast houses of Kent popped up at intervals to provide a little interest. I ran the first eight or nine miles at around 4:50k pacing as planned. I tried to get into my gel around mile nine but failed to find the tear off part so ended up having to re pocket it and rely on the three water stops for fuelling. Approaching mile ten I saw Yuko ahead, her blue and white striped club vest standing out among the runners. I reckoned I could use the last three miles to level and then race the final section with a clear target. That was when the heat of the day finally got to me and my pace began to slow. Yuko finished strong and I followed a couple of minutes behind at 1:45:50 chip, scarlet faced and breathing hard.
Sue Haslam appeared fresh and smiling as the W65 winner at 1:38:06 securing W70 BMAF gold. Yuko took the Silver and I was pleased to make a podium place with W70 Bronze and a 93.12% Age Grading.
British Masters Half Marathon Championships, Paddock Wood, March 2025. Sue, Haslam, W70, Gold; Yuko Gordon, W70, Silver; Dot Kesterton, W70, Bronze
The race was won by Cole Gibbens, SM, Tonbridge AC in 1:05:00.
First woman was Lucy Jones, SW, Herne Hill Harriers in 1:12:26.
Full results here.
I didn’t see any Steel City Striders but do shout up if you were there.
My thanks to my wonderful supportive team for all the help and advice they so generously give: John Rothwell, coach; Donovan Blake, Strength and Conditioning coach; Sally Fawcett, Running Rehab and Matt Rimmer at MyracekitNorth for help with kit.