New Forest Marathon
IT was hot, hot, hot in the picturesque New Forest for the New Forest Marathon.
A field of 491 runners lined up for this showpiece 26-miler with sultry September temperatures hitting the mid 20s centigrade mark.
This year, organisers put on a new marathon course which included three miles run over forest tracks.
The race started in New Milton and took the field on a loop around the forest towards Bashley and Wilverley, and then on a 10-mile loop around Burley, via the South Oakley Inclosure, before heading back via Long Slade Bottom and Sway to the finish.
Earlier this year, Darrell Milner made his marathon debut at the Rotary Shakespeare Marathon at Stratford-upon-Avon where he clocked 3hrs 26min 48sec. Clearly the hot weather took its toll as 40-year-old Darrell ran 3:39.07 for 117th.
Lou James ran a very solid chip time of 3:44.11 for 154th overall and 18th lady – the women’s race was won by fifth-placed Emma Gooderham from Malvern Joggers in 2:53.16.
Chris Munro and Mike James crossed the finish line together in 194th and 195th places with chip times of 3:53.18 and 3:53.37, while 283rd place was claimed by Neil Jarvis with 4:10.03. Neil was Stubbington’s fourth and final male scorer to give the team seventh place in the team standings behind winners Fleet & Crookham AC.
The race was won by Keith Russell from Reading Roadrunners in 2:39.35.
Photos by Jackie Munro.