Success for first Shrewsbury Marathon
The first Shrewsbury Marathon was yesterday hailed a success after gaining praise from runners and spectators.
Over 2,000 participants took part in the first Shrewsbury Marathon and half marathon which started in the Quarry after a slight delay. Power problems were blamed as part of the delay.
Runners taking part in the full marathon left at around at 9.15am whilst half marathon runners left at 9.45am.
Those running the half-marathon completed the course twice, while those taking on the full marathon completed it four times.
Around the course runners families and spectators cheered and waved them on. Large cheers were heard around the town as the runners made it to the top of the many hills on the course.
Families and runners from across the UK descended on Shrewsbury with Half Marathon winners husband and wife team Ollie and Hilary Mott members of the Bristol & West Athletics Club Ollie was previously a student at Shrewsbury School and had lived in the town.
Wayne Dashper, 38, from Woodside in Telford was the full marathon winner in the mens class with a time of 2:50:45. Becky Lewis from Ellesmere won in the womens category in 03:07:00.
A large team of police officers took part in the marathon to raise funds for the Georgia Willaims Trust. West Mercia Police’s deputy chief constable Simon Chesterman lead the team around the course.
Whilst the event was hailed a success a number of incidents including a delayed start, lack of first aid in the quarry and a disorganised finish line are something the organisers should be looking at if the event in repeated next year.
Organiser Dave Downs said support for the event was incredible, and a number of tweaks would be taking place for next year’s event.
See our gallery of pictures from the day below.
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