The Turkey Trot half marathon is the traditional end point of Grantham Running Club’s racing year, being the final event on their Grand Prix Championship. In an era of professional race organising companies, the race has a long and illustrious history of being well organised by volunteers and raising funds for the large Scout Group in the village. This history is evident in the website where one can learn more than you ever needed about the change in rules allowing registered athletes to get a discount on the entry fee in 2008.
The course is an undulating one lap road race starting and finishing at the secondary school and taking in various local villages, with a challenging final uphill section through the local housing estate. There were doubts about the weather in advance of the event but good communication from the organisers, including a recce run round the whole course the previous day, allowed it to proceed despite the chill and the still conditions meant surprisingly good racing conditions.
A Club Christmas party the previous evening and a bit of football meant that only two runners from the club actually completed the race this year. First back was Peter Bonner who was delighted to finish in 1:26:09 to gain an unexpected half marathon personal best and a 75% age grading for the second time in a fortnight.
Dean Riggall struggled with calf issues and so was well down on his best, finishing in 1:31:44. The race was won by Matthew Hammerton in 1:13:58, with the first woman being Claire Frankland in 1:23:04 and the first elf finishing in 1:25.