Next Sunday Kenenisa Bekele intends to bounce back once again at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, a race he won in thrilling fashion three years ago with a personal best of 2:03:03.

Gladys Cherono aims to win a fourth Berlin title which would make her the sole record winner of the event.

While fellow-Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot had to cancel her start due to an Achilles tendon problem there are still five women on the start list with personal bests of sub 2:22. Four men feature personal records of sub 2:05, all of them from Ethiopia.

A number of athletes will attempt to achieve the Olympic qualifying times of 2:11:30 and 2:29:30 for men and women respectively on the fast Berlin course.

Organisers recorded a record entry number of 46,983 runners from 150 nations. Along with races in Tokyo, Boston, London, Chicago and New York, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. For the first time the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON will be the final event in this year’s series.

Bekele’s rivals for the win

After a series of disappointing results it remains to be seen in what sort of form Kenenisa Bekele is on Sunday. It is likely that his strongest rivals will be fellow-Ethiopians. Birhanu Legese took the title in Tokyo in March with 2:04:48. In 2018 he made a spectacular debut with 2:04:15 in Dubai where he was sixth.

Two more of the Berlin entries were in action in Dubai 2018 and ran their personal bests there: Leul Gebrselassie was the runner-up in 2:04:02 while Sisay Lemma clocked 2:04:08 in fifth position.

While Felix Kandie, who has a PB of 2:06:03, is the fastest Kenyan on the start list two fellow countrymen could be in for a surprise: Training partners Abel Kipchumba and Bethwel Yegon showed very good form in the build-up to their marathon debuts in Berlin.

Potential women’s winners

After victories in 2015 and 2017 Gladys Cherono achieved her third triumph in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON last year with a course record of 2:18:11. The Kenyan may well have to run another sub 2:20 to win title number four because there is a group of runners who have the potential to achieve such a time as well.

One Ethiopian on the start list who has already achieved a sub 2:20 time: Mare Dibaba, who won the world marathon title in 2015 and one year later took the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, has a personal record of 2:19:52.

Another prominent Ethiopian athlete on the start list is Meseret Defar. She is the double Olympic 5,000 m champion (2004 und 2012). Meseret Defar has the potential to run much faster than her current PB of 2:23:33.

British Hopes

There are plenty of fast Brits on the startline, some experienced over the marathon and others testing themselves over the distance for the first time.

Scott Overall (2:10:55), Jonny Mellor (2:12:57) and Tracy Barlow (2:30:42) bring excellent personal bests to Germany and it will be exciting to see how they fare this weekend in the European capital. Barlow was in excellent form at the Southern Road Relays this weekend just past, representing her club as a final warm up for the marathon.

Former national cross country champion Adam Hickey is an exciting debutant over 26.2 miles and the Southend AC brings a 64:41 half marathon PB to the table. Maybe the strength of the the XC star will show in the latter stages of the race. Jonathan Thewlis of Notts AC ran 2:23 in Berlin last year but will be looking to replicate the performance that saw him clock 2:17:58 for 25th at the London Marathon back in 2017.

Elsey Whyman-Davis is on the start-list and has been going from strength to strength after starting work with coach Helen Clitheroe, but the hardworking medic has informed Fast Running she will be targeting a different marathon later in the autumn.

Ryan Burling ran 2:20:10 at Frankfurt last year and will be likely aiming to get under that 2:20 barrier this time round. The Isle of Man athlete spoke to Fast Running about his hard and fast approach to training 18 months ago and he is not a fan of the slow, easy miles.We have since heard that Ryan is on the injury bench, so hopefully he’s back in action soon.

Talented Matt Clowes loves to race and we love to see him race well. After gutting out a 2:43 at London Marathon last year, you’d hope the 63:26 half marathoner has a better day at the office this year. On the 15th of September the Cardiff AC star ran 65:08 to win the Bristol Half so is clearly in fast shape.

Knowle & Dorridge club bragging rights

Darren B. John and Steven Whatmore of Knowle and Porridge (we know it’s Dorridge but the autocorrect is very insistent) are both racing in Berlin this weekend after the traditional Kenilworth Half prep where John ran 82:06 and Whatmore 80:06.

The latter is looking to go quicker than his 2:53:17 from Manchester Marathon earlier this year and that half suggests he has the potential to PB.

parkrun regular John, who has already raced six times in September, wants to go quicker than 2:54:21 from Manchester in 2017 and, like Tracy Barlow, represented his club at the road relays last weekend.

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The post Berlin Marathon preview with British interests appeared first on Fast Running.

Olympian Scott Overall held off Matt Clowes to win the Reading Half Marathon in a race that also saw a world record broken for the fastest father-son combined finishing time on Sunday (March 17).

The Blackheath & Bromley 2:11 marathoner ran 63:50 to take the top prize and hold off Cardiff’s Clowes, who clocked 64:03 in second.

Thames Valley’s Paulos Surafel was just seconds back in third with a 64:12 result, while Paul Pollock (64:27), Kieran Clements (64:40), Ollie Lockley (64:46) and Adam Hickey (64:50) also dipped under 65 minutes.

Aldershot, Farnham & District Olympian Steph Twell followed up her second place at last weekend’s Big Half with victory in Reading in 71:37, beating club mate Louise Small, who ran a strong 72:46 for second.

Photo: Leigh Quinnel

Bedford & County’s Josh Lunn has been in incredible form of late, revising PB after PB in his build up to the London Marathon.

The second-claim Helpston Harrier went one better in Reading with a 66:29 PB and an unofficial world record for the fastest father-son combined finishing time with his dad, Paul Lunn, who clocked 74:04.

Paul Lunn with son Josh Lunn

The Lisbon Half Marathon (March 17) saw a fast 66:34 win for Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot in the women’s race, but all British eyes were on Scotland and GB’s Callum Hawkins as he continued his build up to the London Marathon next month.

While Hawkins was disappointed with his 62:52 clocking for 23rd place it still represented a solid performance while in heavy training.

The English Schools Championships at Temple Newsam near Leeds saw Northumberland’s in-form Sam Charlton take his third championship victory in the space of a few weeks following wins at the English National and the Inter-Counties.

Another Northumberland athlete took the senior girls’ title when India Pentland followed up victories at the Inter-Counties and the Northern Championships as well as silver at the National with a gutsy winning run to the line.

The Bath Half Marathon is always a great event for runners and spectators alike, and this year’s event was made all the sweeter with victory for two popular athletes, both coached by Alan Storey.

Road running stalwart Chris Thompson won the men’s race in 63:10, a convincing victory from Belgrave Harriers’ Nick Goolab, who clocked 64:34. Peter Le Grice was never far behind when he finished third in 64:55.

However great it is to see Thompson in winning form, it is equally great to witness the storming return of former GB international Kate Reed, who has worked incredibly hard to fight back to winning form over the last 12 months and more.

The Olympic 10,000m athlete has built back her strength and fitness following seemingly endless injuries and took a glorious victory in Bath in a 72:44 PB.

View this post on Instagram

Soooo thrilled to win the @bathhalf marathon this morning in a new pb of 72:44 was pretty windy out there but the crowds got me through it! So grateful to everyone who supported me on the course-was so nice having family and friends cheering me on. Big thank you to my great physio and friend @clairerwheller for putting me up overnight & getting me to the start line and shout out to all the crew @running_bath for kitting me out with shoes for the past few years and also @reviveactive for supplying me with fantastic supplements. Special thanks to Alan Storey -not a bad result coaching both the 1st male ( @thommo26.2 ) and 1st female. I’m off home for a hot bath and a @guinness to celebrate my win and also #stpatricksday

A post shared by Kate Reed OLY (@kateameliareed) on Mar 17, 2019 at 7:04am PDT

Rachel Felton took a well deserved second prize with a 75:53 result, while Phillipa Williams also ran strong to post a 78:11 time in third.

Staying in the south of England, the traditional pre-London Marathon build up race at the Fleet Half Marathon saw fast victories for RAF’s James Bellward (67:34) and Hart Road Runners’ Lesley Locks (78:29).

It was a good day for forces athletes as the Army’s Edward Knudsen was second across the line in 69:39, while the RAF’s Michael Taylor took third in 69:53.

Locks was joined by club mate Alexa King on the podium with her 79:43 result, with Datchet Dashers’ Jill Collett close behind in third in 79:57.

Charlie May from the Vale of Aylesbury and Huncote Harriers’ Nicki Nealon were the victors at the Milton Keynes Half Marathon on Sunday (March 17) in 74:02 and 86:57 respectively.

Oxford Tri Club’s Jon Mosquera was second in 75:17 while Clapham Chasers’ Joe Walsh took third in 76:17.

Nealon was joined on the podium by Team East Haddon’s Lindsay Scott (89:28) and Charlotte Hunt (90:23).

International ultra runner Sam Amend from Belgrave Harriers took the top spoils at the Milton Keynes 20M in 2:11:17 from VPH&TH’s Rachel Thomas’s 2:11:48, a close fought race over this distance! 

Home talent and impressively consistent in every distance she takes on, Lara Bromilow was third lady in 2:13:03.

St Albans Striders’ Steve Buckle was first man across the line in 1:58:44 from Herne Hill Harriers’ Josh Pewter’s 2:00:08 and Cambridge Harriers’ Phil Dickens’ 2:00:11 – just three seconds in it after 20 miles!

Another 20 mile race taking place was the Run Northumberland Big 20, which saw victories for Elvet Striders’ Stephen Jackson and Morpeth’s Lorna Macdonald in 1:54:52 and 2:21:40 respectively (March 17).

Ali Bailey (1:55:11) and Gateshead Harriers’ Dan Alexander (1:55:33) also made the podium, as did Tynedale Harrier’s Lisa Tang (2:23:07) and Birtley AC’s Ruth Dadswell (2:24:08). 

On a weekend of plentiful half marathons it’s clear some of the best runners in the UK were out in force as times were strong across the country.

At the Brentwood Half Marathon, Havering AC’s James Connor was first in 68:35, nearly three minutes clear of second placed Stephen Strange from Basildon, who clocked 71:26. It was a closer finish with third placed Crispian Bloomfield, who clocked 71:55.

Basildon had a good day at the races with the club’s Kirsty Fitzgibbon winning first prize in 80:50. London Heathside’s Rebecca Piggot fought hard for second in 83:23, while Basildon earned another podium position in third placed Charlotte Bishop’s 85:27.

Also seeing decent times was the Weymouth Half Marathon (March 17), with Bournemouth’s V40 Jacek Cieluszecki and Wimbledon Windmillers’ Laura Trimble taking the wins in 72:53 and 85:85:06 respectively. 

Winchester & District’s Kate Towerton and Chichester’s Jo Corbett were second across the line in 86:57 and 73:32, while Running for Time’s Rachel Astington and Matt Papa took third in 88:03 and 73:32.

The Wrexham Half Marathon saw wins for Leicester Coritanians’ Mark Powell (74:42) and Eyri Harriers’ Catherine Connell (86:38) on Sunday (March 17).

Meirionnydd’s Alun Williams (75:49) and Shropshire Shufflers’ Phil Jones (77:33) were second and third in the men’s race, while Leigh Harriers’ Dee Allen (87:15) and Chester Tri Club’s Zoe McLennan (89:19) made the women’s prize list.

Lauren Howarth (now Heyes) may have made quite a few athletics headlines of her own over the years, but it was her sister Abigail in the limelight at the Wigan Half Marathon on Sunday (March 17) when she took victory in a strong 80:40.

Abigail Howarth with sister Lauren Heyes

The Leigh Harrier won from club mate and former Fast Running Class of 2018 athlete Laura Riches, who posted an 84:48 result. Amy Stevenson was third in 92:32.

Vale Royal’s Chris Perry won the men’s race in 70:49 from Salford Harriers’ Gary Priestley’s 71:56. St Helens Sutton’s Thomas Griffiths was third in 72:30.

Once again Hayley Carruthers ran the quickest women’s time at UK parkruns over on Saturday with a superb 16:21 at Cannon Hill, while Birchfield Harriers’ club mate Thomas Beasley did well to hold her off (!) with a 15:39 result to top the men’s top 10.

The UK parkrun top 10 can be found here.

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The post Scott Overall wins in Reading while Kate Reed triumphs in Bath – weekend round-up appeared first on Fast Running.

Eliud Kipchoge returns to defend his Berlin Marathon title against the former world record holder Wilson Kipsang on Sunday (September 16).

The Kenyan stars have gone head-to-head on two occasions in Berlin, taking one victory apiece.

Kipchoge, who won the London Marathon in April, is expected to be attacking his personal best of 2:03:05 which would mean running at world record tempo, given that his best is only eight seconds slower than the fastest time ever.

The world record of 2:02:57 was set four years ago in the German city by his compatriot Dennis Kimetto. Kipsang broke the previous world record to win the 2013 Berlin title with 2:03:23, beating Kipchoge that day.

RELATED: Eliud Kipchoge wins Berlin Marathon, 35 seconds off world record

Tirunesh Dibaba, arguably the greatest female distance runner in history, will race for the first time in Berlin on Sunday and starts as the favourite in the women’s race.

Photo: photorun

If conditions are favourable, the Ethiopian has alluded to attacking the world record, set by Britain’s Paula Radcliffe in 2002 with 2:15:25 in London.

Dibaba, the third fastest women’s marathoner of all time with a personal best of 2:17:56, dropped out of the London Marathon in April after attacking the world record with Mary Keitany.

“I’ve heard a lot about the Berlin Marathon and did my research. I know very well that the course is fast,” said Dibaba. “I improved my training in preparation for Berlin and did more volume. I am very well prepared and want to beat my best time on Sunday.”

Last year’s women’s champion Gladys Cherono and her fellow Kenyan, the double world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, are likely to be Dibaba’s most dangerous rivals.

British and Irish interest

Scott Overall will provide British interest in the men’s race, while Irish international Ann-Marie McGlynn lines up on the women’s race to make her marathon debut.

Overall is no stranger to Berlin and clocked his superb 2:10:55 personal best at the 2011 event. On Sunday he will be racing in the German capital for the sixth time and will hope to bed the bad memories of a DNF in last year’s event. The 35 year-old’s most recent race was the Trafford 10k where he clocked 30:27.

McGlynn, who competes for Thames Valley in the UK and Letterkenny AC in Ireland, clocked a half marathon PB of 74:28 in March and recently won the Northern Ireland and Ulster Half Marathon Championships.

The Berlin Marathon is one of the events in the Abbott World Marathon Majors and marks the start of Series XII which will finish a year from now.

RELATED: Is Eliud Kipchoge the greatest marathoner of all time?

Men – top 10 entries

Eliud Kipchoge KEN 2:03:05
Wilson Kipsang KEN 2:03:13
Eliud Kiptanui KEN 2:05:21
Amos Kipruto KEN 2:05:43
Abera Kuma ETH 2:05:50
Arata Fujiwara JPN 2:07:48
Yuki Sato JPN 2:08:58
Daisuke Uekado JPN 2:09:27
Kohei Ogino JPN 2:09:36
Kenta Murayama JPN 2:09:50

Women – top 10 entries

Tirunesh Dibaba ETH 2:17:56
Gladys Cherono KEN 2:19:25
Aselefech Mergia ETH 2:19:31
Edna Kiplagat KEN 2:19:50
Ruti Aga ETH 2:20:41
Mizuki Matsuda JPN 2:22:44
Rei Ohara JPN 2:23:20
Honami Maeda JPN 2:23:48
Andrea Deelstra NED 2:26:46
Inés Melchor PER 2:26:48

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The post Eliud Kipchoge and Tirunesh Dibaba ready for Berlin Marathon appeared first on Fast Running.

Olympian Scott Overall was in action at the Elmbridge 10k in Surrey, top veteran and still improving Notts AC athlete Ali Watson took on hot competition at Grimsby, while prolific Australian marathoner Melissah Gibson featured in the podium positions at the Royal Parks event…

Great Grimsby 10k

This notoriously competitive event on the North Lincolnshire coast did not disappoint as once again it provided some of the fastest times in the country outside of the major city events.

Top veteran and one of Fast Running’s most popular athlete interviewees in a recent feature, Notts AC’s Ali Watson, beat off challengers well over a decade younger than him to win the Grimsby 10k and pocket £300 in prize money as a result. Watson’s 30:12 was enough to beat last year’s victor, Lincoln Wellington’s relative newbie, Lucian Allison, who has only been competing for two years and here ran 30:24 for second. The top two were nearly a minute ahead of third placed Julian Florez, who himself was well clear of 4th, running 31:18 to Lincoln Wellington’s Ryan Page, who posted a 32:04 result.

Photo: Grimsby 10k / Facebook – Men’s winner, Ali Watson

Birchfield Harriers’ Nicola Roberts fought it out with local girl Rachel Robinson, originally from Scunthorpe but now competing for Marshall MK, with the two women finishing just 25 seconds apart. Roberts won out in 34:50 to Robinson’s 35:15, while impressive new Rotherham talent Steph Burns clocked yet another PB in third with 35:54.

Photo: Grimsby 10k / Facebook – Women’s winner Nicole Roberts

Elmbridge 10k

The lush surroundings of the Surrey countryside provided an attractive backdrop for a fast race at the Elmbridge 10k, with Olympian Scott Overall taking victory in 30:53, his fourth outing over the distance this year and his fourth sub-31 minute clocking of 2018. South London’s V35 Kevin Quinn took second place in 31:19, while multiple fancy dress champion Ollie Garrodd – who holds the European record for the fastest 5k dressed as Santa (16:51) was third in 31:58.

Youngster Eleanor Harrison from Guildford & Godalming AC won the women’s race in 37:27, not far off the 22 year-old’s PB from the recent Vitality London 10,000m. Harrison was a class apart from the rest of the women’s field, but Collingwood’s consistent sub-40 athlete, V35 Lisa Rooney, made it another decent outing when she ran 39:09 for second. Rooney’s club mate Debbie Jackson impressed in 39:36 in third, a superb time for the V45 ace.

Royal Parks Summer 10k

Unusually named Sage Pearce-Higgins from Thames Valley won a hard fought race with a brand new PB of 33:33, eclipsing his previous best of 34:19 in the process.

Photo: Royal Parks Summer 10k / Twitter – Men’s winner Sage Pearce-Higgins

Basildon’s Stephen Strange also ran well to run 34:07 for second place, ahead of Newmarket Joggers’ Neil Pollard’s 34:44, proving he is anything but a jogger!

London Heathside AC’s Josie Hinton was 11th overall when she took the women’s race in 38:58, just one second shy of her PB from this year’s Vitality London 10,000m.

Photo: Royal Parks Summer 10k, Melissah Gibson

Ealing Eagles’ Australian ace, Melissah Gibson, took the second prize in 40:47. Gibson is a prolific racer, having competed more than 50 times last year and approaching that number this year already. She also ran seven marathons in 2017, and so far has completed five in 2018, but that pales into insignificance when you look at her stats for 2015, when she ran a total of 14 marathons, with a PB of 2:55:07 from 2014!

Eton Manor AC’s Sarah Flanagan ran 41:53 for third in what looks to be a fine debut over the distance for the V40 athlete.

Shrewsbury 10k

V45 Paul Jones kept the top prize on home soil for Shrewsbury AC when he crossed the line first in 33:44, well ahead of second placed 16 year-old Jack Pickett’s 34:08.  Yeovil Town RC’s Thomas Vaughan made the long trip up north worthwhile when he nearly chased down Pickett with a fine 34:13 clocking.

Telford Harriers’ provided the winner of the women’s race when the club’s Sarah Benson won from Mercia Fell RC’s Rachel Parker, the V35 taking victory in 38:49 to Parker’s 39:02. Shrewsbury AC’s Sarah Willhoit’s 40:22 meant she joined the men’s winner and club mate Jones on the podium in third.

Saturday July 21

Musselburgh Festival 10k

Photo: Musselburgh 10k / Twitter – Women’s winner Chloe Cox

Edinburgh Hare & Hounds’ Jacob Adkin took the top honours at this picturesque setting for a race along the coast of the Firth of Forth on the edge of the Scottish capital. Adkin’s 31:46 time in victory was exactly a minute ahead of Edinburgh AC’s Sam Woods’ 32:46, while it was a closer battle for third as Corstorphine AAC’s Stuart Livingstone crossed the line in 33:01.

Edinburgh AC’s Chloe Cox was a convincing winner of the women’s race in 38:05, with PH Racing Club’s Kristin Lownie’s 39:14 earning her second place. V40 Heather Imrie from Edinburgh Running Network was third overall and first veteran in 41:43.

Friday July 20

Bedfordshire AAA 10k

Fast improving Riverside Runner and V35, Johanna O’Regan was streets ahead of her nearest rival at this prestigious event, taking victory in a PB 36:52. O’Regan only started racing less than two years’ ago, posting a solitary parkrun performance of 21:27 in 2016, but has made great leaps forward this year, advancing her 5k time to 18:05, her 10M best to 60:58, and her half marathon and marathon bests to 81:24 and 2:53:26.

Fellow V35 Wendy Webber from Marshall MK took the second prize in 39:04, with Cambridge & Coleridge’s Jessica Cocker earning herself a PB when she came in third in 42:18.

The top three men were well spread out as Rugby & Northampton’s Alistair McDonnell took first prize in 32:35, just three seconds’ shy of his PB, with Marshall MK’s Jamie Seddon coming in second in 33:03. U23 Thomas Dell ran a 34:01 PB to take third overall.

There were also some impressive parkrun performances in the UK and Ireland this weekend, don’t miss all the news right here!

The post An Olympian, a top veteran and a prolific marathoner all impressed this weekend appeared first on Fast Running.

Leading to the British field in the German capital are Scott Overall, Jonny Mellor, Carl Hardman and Lily Partridge.

Overall aims to put the disappointment of missing the World Championships in London behind him, as he chases the 2:14.00 qualifying standard for next year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. With a 2:16:54 best in the last two years, the 34-year-old will hope to run close to the kind of form that saw him clock a personal best of 2:10:55 in 2011 edition of the German capital race.

After posting 72:10 for seventh at the Great North Run two weeks ago, Partridge is in great recent form, and will hope to produce a performance worthy of bettering her personal best of 2:32.09 set in Seville earlier this year.

Joining Partridge in the women’s elite field is Sonia Samuels. The 38-year-old ran a marathon best of 2:28:04 on the same course in 2015, and this season she a half marathon best of 74:39.

At this year’s London Marathon, Mellor ran 2:18:48 and anything close to his 2015 lifetime best of 2:16:52, will be considered a great race on the fast Berlin course.

Hardman looks to stamp his mark on the marathon as he makes a first serious attempt over the distance. The Salford Harrier bettered his half marathon time by 59 seconds in Manchester last October, and he could be one to watch.

Ahead of Sunday, Hardman said, “I decided to run Berlin about 18 months ago hoping to target the Commonwealth Games qualifying time for 2018. In the past the time has around 2:16/17, so it makes sense to target the fast Berlin course in my first serious attempt at the marathon. However, since then, the goal posts for the Commonwealth Games has moved and the qualifying time is now 2.14:00, that’s actually quicker than the recent World Championships time.

“For my first attempt, it’s too risky to push for a sub 2:14. Call me a wuss but analysing what other British athletes at my standard have run for the marathon and 2:15/16 would be a great debut. So, I’m gonna stick to the plan and aim to get to halfway at 2:15/16 pace and see what I can do in the second half.”

“Sub 2:18 will be a good debut, but anything sub 2:16 and I’ll be very happy, but you never know, I might be rubbish at the marathon,” he added.

Elsewhere, Steve Bayton of Hallamshire Harriers looks strong enough to run a personal best having impressed in a series of recent races, including a 67:51 second place finish at the Newark Half Marathon, finishing behind Irish Olympian Kevin Seaward.

Seaward is joined by fellow Northern Irish runners, Breege Connolly, Gladys Ganiel O’Neill and Laura Graham in Berlin, with the quartet all seeking the Commonwealth Games standard.

Other races under the spotlight this weekend include, the Ealing Half Marathon, Swansea Bay 10k, Loch Ness Marathon and the Midlands 6 stage Road Relays.

The Ealing Half Marathon returns for its sixth consecutive year on Sunday. Josphat Kemei won the 2016 race in 1:04.14 winning by almost 8 minutes. Teresiah Omasa won the women’s title in 74.45.

Also on Sunday, is the Swansea Bay 10k takes place on Sunday. In the 2012 edition, Dominic Onduro of Kenya ran 28:30, and if the wind is favourable the race can produce similar super fast times.

Mohammed Abu-Rezeq of Altrincham AC will be looking to win the Loch Ness Marathon for a second year running, winning last years race in 2:20.52. Jennifer Wetton of Central AC took the win in the women’s race in 2:47.02.

Last year’s top two in the Midlands 6 stage, Bristol & West AC and Cheltenham & County Harriers finished three minutes ahead of third-placed Birchfield Harriers, but with only 30 seconds between the top two, it should lead to another great race.

In the Southern 6 and 4 stage at Crystal Palace, both Aldershot Farnham & District senior men and women’s teams will be looking to defend their respective titles.

Elsewhere, The Nottingham Robin Hood Half Marathon and Marathon takes place on Sunday at 9.30am at Victoria embankment Recreational ground.

The post GB Marathoners Chase Gold Coast Qualifying Standard in Berlin – Weekend Preview appeared first on Fast Running.