2008 Race Analysis (Part 2)

A slightly alarming aspect noticed a few minutes before the 'off' , was the narrowing of the course just after the start by many bystanders (including small children) edging onto the road. Combined with a row of empty deckchairs seaward side and a beach hut and stack of deckchairs the other side, there was the possibility of an incident to mar the start of the race. Fortunately, Marshals quickly cleared the standing deckchairs and moved the crowd back to the side.

Then exactly at 9. 30 am, the 1200 plus field surged forward, preceded by a phalanx of Cycle Marshals. From his perch on the commentating gantry, Race Director David Hyde breathed a sigh of relief. After months of planning, numerous meetings, many sleepless nights, it was now down to his team around the course.

The two one mile laps of Paignton Green saw the cream of the field establish themselves at the head of the field.

The first test of the course was the turn by the harbour second time round as the front runners came to lap the tail enders. This year a set of railings had been put in place in the centre of the road to keep the main field to their left and allow free passage for the leaders. It worked!

Streaming off the Green, the cycle formation peeled off to take up their pre-assigned stations, leaving myself at the head of the race and three 'ultra' lead cyclists some 250 metres further ahead as sweepers to give advance warning of the lead runners approaching.

Passing Corbyn Head and the sweep down on to the Torre Abbey promenade, I glanced back to see that the race pattern had already been well established. After a fast start and a short sharp tussle, Toby Lambert had struck the front and was just in front of one of the Kenyans, Zak Kihara, a 2 hour 15 mins marathon man - and a formidable opponent for Toby seeking his fifth consecutive win. The pair had drawn some way clear of the next Kenyan Joseph Mbithi, who was running well considering that he had only arrived from Nairobi on the Friday evening previous.

By the turn at the Torquay Pavilion, Toby had a slender lead over Zak Kihara with over 150 metres back to Joe Mbithi but in fourth place and running noticeably comfortably was fourth placer Adrian Marriot from Yeovil.

For a brief moment Kihara headed Lambert on the run back to Paignton but on looking back a half mile later, the die had been cast.....with Toby clear and running very strongly indeed.

In the ladies race, the Tanzanian import, Banvelia Katesigwa was comfortably clear approaching the turn but Torbay's Helen Parkinson was herself well clear of the rest in second place and closer to the hugely talented leader (2 hrs 25 performer) than anticipated.

Even with the gusting wind - the bane of all runners - it looked like a fast run race and Toby Lambert simply pulled further and further ahead and was clearly enjoying himself.

In the last five miles, Adrian Marriott moved from the third place he had taken before half way to close down and pass Zak Kihara to take second place at the finish.

Zak, who found the Torbay hills somewhat of a shock to his system, finished a highly creditable third.

Approaching the finish in fourth place, Joseph Mbithi was unexpectedly diverted onto the loop back to Torquay and officials chased after him to redirect him back to the finish. Unfortunately, he ran an extra 700 metres or so and lost three places. The reason for this regrettable incident was that he was wearing a 'fun run' number which he and the other Kenyan runner had mistakenly worn.

Storming onto the Green, Toby, who had been cheered on throughout the race by onlookers and competitors alike, was clearly set to demolish his own course record - and he did so in style, crossing the line in 67 minutes 21 seconds.......a remarkable time for the windy conditions.

Ominously for his opponents, Toby was quick to say that he would be back next year!

Part 3 to follow: Reflections

2008 Race Analysis (Part 1)

A sunny day but interspersed on some exposed parts of the course by a significant gusting wind.
The introduction by the sponsors Mizuno of two male Kenyans and one lady Kenyan runner certainly added spice to this year's race.

On paper, the times of the male Kenyans made them significant threats to Toby Lambert and his bid to win the race for a fifth year in a row. However, after a 2hour 18 minutes clocking in this year's London Marathon, Toby was clearly still improving and his course experience would undoubtedly stand him in good stead.

With a record race entry of 1600, the race officials were bracing themselves (Del Boy style) to see how the course would stand up to the extra influx of numbers. The Mid Devon Cycling Club formed the majority of an extra strong cycling marshal contingent.

However, for varied reasons, 'only' about 1200 runners started on Sunday and the course was not tested to its limit.

A major part of the smooth running of the 2008 race was the discipline and awareness of all runners throughout the race. On course cyclists reported that athletes moved over immediately to let overtaking runners past on narrow parts of the course and were every bit as 'professional' as the marshals....as lead cyclist, it was a great relief to see this....huge thankyou to ALL athletes. PART 2 - The race itself to follow...

'Second' lady crossing the line, BUT....

...it's NOT! She's NOT run the complete course AND she's wearing a male race number (someone from Hove in Sussex)..... after being scanned, she quickly disappeared into the crowd. This sort of behaviour causes many problems with results collating and takes up valuable time of officials who are trying their hardest to get the results out as quickly as possible on the day.

Toby Lambert makes it Five Wins!

..and smashes his own course record in the process, breasting the tape in 67 mins 21 secs after a fierce tussle with Kenyan Zak Kihara. Report from the lead cyclist and pictures later today.

It's shaping up for an epic!

There will almost certainly be a record number of starters for this Sunday's Half Marathon. Entries were closed some time ago at 1600.

The quality has been in no way diluted either, with already four time winner and course record holder Tony Lambert toeing the line once more. However, this year he has formidable opposition not only from last year's runner up Kairn Stone from Torbay, but also from two Kenyans brought in by the sponsors, Mizuno. Another Kenyan lady will, inevitably, have a big say in the ladies race.

Info/stats on leading contenders:

Zak Kihara Kenya/Bichfield (29) pb 63-45

Loch Ness Marathon winner 06/07

Edniburgh Marathon winner 05 2-15 pb

Nottingham Half 06 Winner

Redcar Half 08 Winner

Joseph Mbithi Kenya (32)

Winner Istanbul Marathon 05

Winner Edinburgh Marathon 06

2nd Dubai 05 2-11 pb

Half pb 64-08 Eldoret Kenya 07

3RD EDINBURGH HALF 07

Banuelia Katesigwa Tanzania (30)

Marathon pb 2-25 Tokyo 04

Winner Edinburgh 05

Loch Ness 06

Runner Up Plymouth 08

Half pb 70-26 probably in 74/5 shape right now

Winner Kilimanjaro Marathon -Tanzania (altitude) 08

in a time of 2-39

Toby Lambert No1, 1.08.03 London 2008 19th 2.18.40

Kairn Stone No 3, 1.08.16

Helen Parkinson No 2 1.19.36

Torbay Half Marathon website is back online

...so don't panic!

ENTRIES HAVE NOW CLOSED

The 2008 race is full.