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Fun runners and city schoolchildren rubbed shoulders with elite
athletes and club runners in the event which snaked through the
streets of the city on Sunday morning. Thousands more lined the
route in the autumn sunshine to cheer on the runners.
More than 3,480 runners signed up to
take part in the 13.1 mile half marathon and a further 1,305 took
part in the 4km fun run.
Neil Addison completed the 13.1 mile
half marathon course in 67.5 minutes. He was followed by Colchester
Harriers’ Adrian Mussett who finished in 68.45 minutes.
In the women's race, British
international Jo Wilkinson clocked her third Great Eastern Run win
in a row finishing in 73.3 minutes. She was followed across the line
by Colchester Harriers’ Jenny Roberts in 78.3 minutes.
In the wheelchair race, which this
year featured five of the county's top wheelchair competitors,
favourite Brian Aldiss set a new course record of 52.35 minutes. He
was followed home by Matthew Clarke in 55 minutes.
Race director Jon Marsden, from
Peterborough City Council, said: "It has been a fantastic day. We
were thrilled that this year we had a 12 per cent increase on the
total number of people entering the race. It shows that the Great
Eastern Run has established its reputation as the greatest race in
the region. I am particularly proud that many people have raised
tens of thousands of pounds for charity by taking part in the run.
And I would also like to thank all the schools who joined us this
year for the Schools Challenge as they certainly helped make it such
a great community event.
"I must also thank the scores of
volunteers who manned water stations and acted as stewards to ensure
such a huge event went smoothly."
The race was started on Broadway,
Peterborough, by Peterborough United's director of football Barry
Fry. This year runners followed a course that ran in the opposite
direction to the usual route following a request by the British
Association of Road Races. Runners were welcomed across the finish
line at the Embankment by teams handing out goody bags filled with
water, bananas and cereal bars supplied by the Sainsbury's
supermarket at Oxney Road, Peterborough.
Councillor Matthew Lee, Peterborough
City Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for environment
capital and culture said: "Once again, the success of the Great
Eastern Run has showed how Peterborough is firmly on the map of
great British road races. Organising the race is a huge challenge
and we rely upon a great deal of help from volunteers and our
sponsors to make it such a success. I would also like to thank all
those residents who turned out along the 13.1 mile route to cheer on
the runners. I know it would have given them that extra push to get
to the finish line.”
Plans are already under way for the
2010 run. Next year’s race will take place on Sunday 10 October 2010
– which will be 10.10.10 – so it is only fitting that the runners
will set off at 10.10am.
October 2009 -
Peterborough UK Community Website
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