Last Sunday 20th October, seven Hillingdon Athletic Club runners took on the Abingdon Marathon with remarkable spirit and resilience. Battling strong winds and rain from Storm Ashley, our athletes were undeterred, setting impressive times and achieving new personal milestones!
Hillingdon Results:
Shaun Burns – 03:00:58
Nicola Penty-Alvarez – 03:18:20
Matt Zimmerman – 03:21:07
Patrick Griffin – 03:25:28
Paige Harvey – 03:26:48
Katie Newman – 03:31:01
Dan Nolan – 03:58:54
For several club members, this was their marathon debut, including Shaun Burns, who led the Hillingdon pack with a fantastic 3:01 finish. Nikki Penty-Alvarez and Patrick Griffin also ran their debut marathons with times of 3:18 and 3:25, respectively, showing great promise for future races.
The unpredictable weather meant that runners started the race wrapped in bin bags to shield from the elements. However, any dampened spirits were lifted by the amazing support from family, friends, and fellow club members who braved the storm to cheer everyone on. From mile 5 onwards, familiar faces lined the route, offering encouragement right up to the finish line.
A special shoutout to Spencer Harding, who supported on his bike and captured some memorable moments, including an array of selfies with our runners.
Alongside Spencer were dedicated supporters Ellie Henderson, Pete Warburton, Adam and Jenny Laing, and the Dobbs family — John, Zoe, and Dixie. Zoe even managed to fit in a training run on route to supporting the team!
Congratulations to all Hillingdon AC runners on their performances and resilience in tough conditions! A huge thank you to our supporters for making the day memorable!