Athletics: Duncan is city slicker in Capital marathon

Published on Monday 24 May 2010 09:53

"SMURFETTE" Nicola Duncan emerged as the unlikely Capital hero of the Edinburgh Marathon when she finished third in the women's race on her classic event debut.

The slight 28-year-old actuary from Galway, who has lived in Edinburgh for six years, came into the finish at Musselburgh Racecourse in a fraction over three hours (officially 3:00.40) then insisted that she is not even a runner.

What training does she do ? "Not very much – I play tennis and only run once a week."

But Duncan did admit to doing quite a bit of cross training – "I swim and do spin and body attack in the gym".

And she did test her ability to complete the gruelling 26-plus miles with three separate outings over 16, 18 and 20 miles and "felt very comfortable".

Duncan, who admitted her smurfette tee-shirt was a bit coquettish, may have also inadvertently discovered the secret of altitude training as she had only just returned from a holiday in Mexico with three days spent in Mexico City (altitude 7000ft).

If Duncan's performance was inspirational then consider the achievement of 46-year-old English winner Sarah Gee, who very nearly did not run at all after being severely bitten by a dog when out training last Monday and spending four hours in A & E in Reading and then having to cope with her nine-year-old daughter Elinor breaking her leg at gymnastics last Thursday.

Gee overtook Wakefield's Julie Bristow in the closing stages and went on to clock 2:38.16, smashing her personal best set in the London Marathon only last month by more than two minutes.

"I went off too fast in London but this time I ran my own race – I noticed I was catching her (Bristow) at 16 miles and went past her at 20."

"I have a passion for running – when I was lying second I thought I'm just going to enjoy it," added Gee, who also fits in time for her own medical writing business – "it's all a juggling act."

Gee only took up running at the age of 40 and could possibly still make the England team for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.

Denied an Elite run in London, where she finished eighth Briton and first Master despite being in the mass start, Gee has never had a coach and does all her running on her own, averaging about 60 miles a week, though she was up to 80 for a couple of weeks before London.

Bristow, a 34-year-old staff nurse from Barnsley, who also trains on her own, was delighted with her marathon debut in 2:41.33, a time she had looked for after a recent 76-minute "half" and a good 20-mile training run.

The men's race, though lacking in quality with both last year's winner Martin Williams (Tipton) and David Webb (Leeds City) concentrating on the half marathon held beforehand instead, could scarcely have been more dramatic.

Their training partner in Birmingham – where they are all based – Phil Hinch, who was making his marathon debut, made a bold bid for victory, opening up a near two-minute lead but succumbing to cramp in the closing stages and eventually being overhauled by 36-year-old Blackpool joiner Steve Littler, just as he reached the matting at the finishing funnel.

Gary Dunn (Thirsk) the fourth finisher in 2008, set the early pace and led until the ten-mile mark when Tipton Harrier Hinch broke from the pursuing bunch and strode into the lead, looking really strong according to observers in the lead car.

But he started to tire around the turn at the Gosforth Park housing estate at Longniddry and was forced to stop several times towards the finish to massage his leg.

Afterwards Hinch said: "I felt a twitch in my right hamstring at 23 miles and after that it was all about survival really – I tried to keep it controlled but, as soon as I got to 26 miles, it totally seized."

He insisted: "It was not through not taking in enough fluids – I took on water at six, 12 and 18 miles– but perhaps I went through halfway a little too fast."

It's a good course and I'd like to come and do it next year."

His conqueror Littler came with low expectations: "I thought really top five, maybe top three but I knew I was on PB form. I've still got a lot more to come and now's the time for me to do it." His time of 2:26.31 took him 16 seconds clear of the luckless Hinch, with Dunn back in fourth and 2008 winner Ian Grime fifth.

Prior to the main race, the Scottish Half Marathon Championships were held and the quality field did not disappoint.

Webb and Williams, both preparing for the European Championship Marathon in Barcelona in July, set a brisk pace from the start and soon left the field trailing, Webb pulling 20 metres clear of his friend by the 10k mark and going on to win in a PB of 64:45 with Williams timed at 66:24 and Richard Kay (Notts) a distant third (70:33).

"I'm disappointed not to have broken 64 minutes but it was good prep for Barcelona," said Webb, who still works full-time as an accountant and would consider running his third marathon of the year in Delhi, even though he has already run Seville (2:15.42).

With two qualifying times under his belt, Williams is already a near-certainty for Scotland in Delhi which means he too will run three marathons this year.

But the Midlands policeman is unfazed: "A lot of people read too much into it – if you are doing consistent high mileage then you should be able to cope. I'd like to have run a bit quicker but it's all about training now."

Capital-based police officer Diane Lauder (Gala) came back from injury to smash her personal best and win the women's race in 76:59.

"It meant a very early start as I was up at 4.30am and left home at 5.30am but I felt okay," said Diane, who picked up a surprise first prize bonus of 1000.

She ground down local favourite Jennifer MacLean (EAC), who was 25 metres up at ten miles, with a mile to go.

MacLean, whose 77:09 was also a PB, was slightly disappointed not to have won. "It's the kind of time I was looking for but she came through really strong at the end and I didn't have anything left to respond," he said.