I think we can safely rename today the day of the PBs! Gosport half is always billed as a PB event and today did not disappoint!!! It’s also billed as Gosport half when actually you run in Lee-On-Solent although there might have been more PBs had it run through some of the less salubrious areas of Gosport.
We managed a team photo today, after much jostling, I can only liken the experience to herding cats…. Cats who have had a knock on the head…. and only have 1 leg, but are oh so cute and fluffy. I mean at least we were more observant that the 6000 runners who kept walking past the bloody camera saying oops. Following the photo the runners set off to have their final nervous wee’s and the cheer squad shambled off down the road with our secret weapon Harry the worlds cutest puppy. To be fair you’re lucky we did cheer we could have spent the day bowing down to Harry in his cuteness.
The weather although chilly when stood around waiting to start turned into great conditions once the running commenced, apart from I’m assured a windy period along the seafront. We hadn’t made it too far up the road when the first TRC runners came through, apologies to Jimmy who we didn’t capture at the start as he was like lightening! The course hasn’t changed since the last time the event ran pre-covid and is still the most exciting course ….. wait, who am I kidding its boring as hell, but its local, mainly flat and there’s cake at the end.
38 Totton runners set out and 38 Totton runners returned, which either means you all finished or I can’t count. Everyone looked very comfortable on the first lap and we got many waves and smiles to capture on camera, giving me a chance to waggle my pom poms make lots of whoop whoop noises and Rob and Emily lots of cause to pretend they weren’t with me. Hopefully we got a decent shot of everyone coming off the end of the seafront section at the end of the first half. Although many of you say you have no memory of the two big yellow poles you ran through…. Twice. Once everyone was captured we headed back towards the finish to cheer you all in. This is where Emily took control me as I attempted to walk forwards and look backwards not wanting to missing a single Totton Runner, I only almost walked backwards in a moving car three times. Thanks Emily.
We set up just past the 13 mile marker to shout and hopefully help you all on the way in and you were fantastic. Many a time we demanded a sprint finish were told to bugger off and then you did a sprint finish anyway! Some epic finishes! I could explain the course some more but you all ran it twice on Sunday it wasn’t the most exciting and I’m sure you don’t want a reminder. On the plus side they didn’t have the weird water pouches this year that I can never use and either up with no water or semi drowned. For those who have not run the course it really is a good PB course if the weather is on your side which it has been the past few years. A massive congratulations to Rob Kendall and Louise Henning who ran their first ever half marathons at Gosport!!!!!
And the PBs were on a roll so great work to…… Rob Kendall, Louise Henning, Keith Whitten, Terry Greening, Will Greenway, Stuart Le Tissier, Dean Lucas, Carl Shirley, Andy Warren, Vicky Couzens, Teresa Dodkin, Kirsty Macbeth, Rachel Mcculloch, Tracey Nightingale, Elizabeth White.
Click here for all the TRC finishers