On 26th March Robin Atter and second claim member Kirsty Dickens from Grantham Running Club made the journey over to Ashby de la Zouch to compete in the Ashby 20.
The Ashby 20 is organised by Ivanhoe Runners and was established in 1989. The 20 mile race is over an undulating 2-lap scenic route mainly on closed roads and is popular with runners and ideal preparation for a Spring marathon. The event presents a challenging route with plenty of hills.
The day looked to be a wet one, with heavy rain in the morning, but thankfully this quickly cleared up to leave a dry fresh morning for the race.
Robin and Kirsty ran the course together, which made for a pleasant run and helped tick the miles off whilst having a chat and supporting each other to complete the distance. On the route the pair were encouraged by numerous marshals and spectators. They even saw a dog sitting watching in a bed and another in a tracksuit.
Kirsty Dickens came home in 02:47:55, followed by Robin Atter 02:48:04.
All runners received the famous Ashby 20 hoodie, this year in orange. The colour is always kept secret until the runners are awarded the hoodie on completion.
Chocolates, biscuits, and fruit were also in plentiful supply at the end of the race.
The winner was Daniel Bagley of Mansfield Harriers in 01:47:36. The women’s winner was Abigail Halcarz of Ivanhoe Runners in 02:07:53.
Report by Robin Atter