The Half Marathon in the Millenium
We have reached the Millennium.
The world hasn’t stopped turning. As per normal the Half Marathon was held on the 26th March.
The year 2000 saw Nicholas Jones return to win again and improve on his 1999 winning time in by 9 seconds. His time of 1:03:51 was a minute faster than the second placed runner. Behind him the third runner to finish in 1:05:16 was a young runner - Erick Kiplagat just 20 from Kenya. Two weeks earlier he had run a PB at the Reading half in 1:03:43. He later represented Kenya at 10k. Jim Newns of Wilmslow was 6th in 1:15:50.
Local lady runner, Elizabeth Allot, from Altrincham was the ladies champion. She ran the second fastest time [1:13:40]. Finishing almost 2 minutes ahead of the second lady. to finish
A record 2,644 runners completed the course.
If the Millennium passed quietly then 2001 didn’t. Manchester United would go on to win the Premier League for the third year on the trot – but foot and Mouth caused races including our Half Marathon to be cancelled!!
Onto 2002, This year the race was held on the 24th of March. Runners from abroad were now competing. A Kenyan took the Men’s Title;
Michael Kosgei Rotich from Kenya won in a time of 1:02:57. He broke the course record by almost a minute. Kenyan’s runners took the first 3 places that day. All breaking the existing course record. As did poor Nick Jones in 4th place failing in his attempt to win 3 times on the trot. To this day no male runner has done achieved that.
A Russian took the Ladies Title. Yelena Burykina was just over a minute off the record set by Suzanne Rigg in 1996. But the finish was ever so tight. Second place went to Cath Mutya a Kenyan. Both runners given the same time!
Fastest Wilmslow Runner was Darren Dunn in 31st place. Tom McGaff in 43rd place.
The number of runners finishing had now risen to 2,931.
In 2003 the trend continued. This year Julius Kibet Koskei from Kenya took the men’s title by nearly a minute ahead of Ian Hudspith from Morpeth. Ian had been the 1998 winner and though his time [1:03:32] was 50 seconds quicker this year;. Julius ran a time of 1:02:23 breaking the course record set the previous year by over 30 seconds.
Yelena from Russia was back and defended her title but, though nearly a minute quicker than the previous year, Suzanne Riggs record still stood. Yelena, an English Language student lived in Vladivostok near to the Chinese border.
The number of runners who finished now exceed 3000. To be exact 3,123.
In 2004, the 20th Anniversary. Strong winds and showers greeted the runners this year.
Another Kenyan - Isaac Machari – ran sub 62 minutes to break the course record. His time of 1:01:52 knocking 31 seconds off the record. The next 5 runners home were all Kenyan! Wilmslow managed 27th place with Michael Halman who finished a few seconds behind the first two ladies. More on this story from the Macclesfield Express.
We had a different winner and country for the ladies. No Yelena this year. Hawa Hussein from Tanzania was first . Her time was 1:13:29. Later that year, in August, she set her half marathon PB in Glasgow – 1:12:19.
The number of runners was up again – 3,241.
