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HEAT TAKES ITS TOLL ON RUNNERS

By Clare Wall - Friday, May 16, 2008
HEAT TAKES ITS TOLL ON RUNNERS
First Island woman home was Mary Norman, number 92, with fellow Islander Eric Smith, right. Picture by LAURA HOLME.
Sport/IW Marathon
THE unseasonal heatwave hit runners hard for the 52nd IW Marathon on Sunday, with no-one completing the tough 26-mile course in under three hours.
More than 150 runners from around the country, the mainland and even as far afield as Switzerland entered the race, with around 120 actually finishing.
The start was moved at the last minute from Ryde’s boating lake to The Strand and the course had to be adjusted to avoid the heavy traffic around Coppins Bridge as the runners approached Newport.
The new course proved to be just as difficult as the old course but making it round first was Stubbington Green runner Barry Hards, 50, who finished in 3.05.32.
Struggling to stand at the end of the race, Barry was cheered over the line by his wife, Beverley, children, Ella-May, nine, and Kim, four, and his sister-in-law.
He said: “This was about the slowest I have run but considering the conditions it wasn’t bad. The course has changed a lot, I am sure there are more hills.”
The first Island man home was chief planning officer Bill Murphy, who ran a time of 3.20.21. He said he was disappointed with his finish, having been in the lead at the 14-mile mark and second at the 21-mile mark. He said: “I just slipped back.”
Shortly afterwards, James Coleman, 22, of Bath, finished his first ever marathon, cheered on by his parents. His father, Roger, said: “I did this race three times from 1977 and he has already beaten my best time.”
Swiss runner Anita Wetter was the first woman to finish, running a time of 3.29.34.
She added time onto her holiday with her husband to take part and said: “It is a hilly course but I like the hills. I had hoped for under 3.25.00 but it wasn’t to be.”
To many cheers the first Island woman home was Ryde Harrier Mary Norman, 45, of East Cowes, who finished in 3.36.37.
She said: “It feels very good.” The last runner, Jody Tracey, of Leamington, finished in 6.07.48.
• More pictures in the Friday, May 16, County Press.