Family Fitness Magazine

The weather wasn’t great but the turnout was with 2500 people setting off on February 21st for the 25th Wokingham Half-Marathon. How did our readers and writers fare?

Nicola Joyce, journalist and FFM contributor
“I entered because this is my local race, but my training hadn’t been great (due to ice and snow) so I knew I wouldn’t be beating my PB and just wanted to enjoy myself. It was great to see some local training routes in such a different context and the support from local people along the route was fantastic. I can see why the Wokingham half marathon is so popular: it’s fast, well-organised and very pretty. Having said that it was my last long race, I may be tempted back!”

Mark Marrison, Wokingham Runners
“I ran in 1hr 30 mins which is what I expected, as my training hasn’t been great due to injury and bad weather. Sue,who I train, took 10 mins off her personal best and she said she felt strong and Glenis who is 60 also ran well”

Maz Marrison, MazFit Personal Trainer
“I’m 6months pregnant so was very happy with my1.59.48. I had put in sufficient training, which is the most important thing as I needed to know it wasn’t going to be a shock to the system. Other than the extra stone I was lugging along with me, it was great”

Ben Martin Dye – Local Dad
“Wokingham Half Marathon was part of my preparation for the London Marathon in April.. There was a good showing on the day from my club Bracknell Forest Runners. Wokingham is a fairly flat half marathon course, and I was very pleased to come away with a 15 second Personal Best in 1.13.22 which put me 17th place and a prize as I was 2nd Over 40.”

Local Mum, Clare Amos, shares her story and why she thinks anyone can run!

I’ll never forget the day I became a runner. I was 30 years old and sitting in the pub after work, with a large glass of white wine in one hand and a Marlborough Light in the other; a situation I found myself in most nights of the week during that period of my life. A friend walked in and told me that a colleague of ours – a beautiful, tall, slim, 32-year-old, mother of two – had just been diagnosed with breast cancer.

“We’ve got to do something” I said “Something big to show her how much she means to us.” Read more…