Runners brave heavy rain in the 2007 Half Marathon and Fun Run

2007 Pepper News

The Berkhamsted Half Marathon and 5 mile Fun Run broke all attendance records this year despite the continuous heavy rain and cold weather conditions which didn't appear to deter the runners in either category.

Athletes from all over the country took part in the Half Marathon including and entrant from Venezuela and Japan making this years' event, organised by Nick Potts of The Berkhamsted Rotary Club, one of the most popular events in the athletic calendar.

First of the 943 Half Marathon runners to finish the 13.1 mile event was 40 year old Anthony Jackson from Shaftsbury Barnet Running Club who completed the course in a time of 1:13.07.

Paul Allen, the local Dacorum and Tring Athletics Club runner, finished in ninth place with a time of 1:18.41.

Team results for the Half Marathon saw victory go to Chiltern Harriers, while Tring Running Club came fifth and Gade Valley Harriers finished eighth.

The winner of the 5 mile Fun Run was Tommy Sheldrick aged 17 of Berkhamsted Collegiate School who beat runners from Watford and Thame with a time of 0:28.57.

15 year old Jack Thai from Ashlyns School in Berkhamsted finished fifth with a time of 0:30.35 culminating in Ashlyns School achieving the top spot with Berkhamsted Collegiate coming second.

The popularity of this even has soared in recent years due to national and international coverage on specialist websites. In 2006, the number of entrants doubled from the previous year to 850 with this years' total increasing to 943.

The Half Marathon and 5 mile Fun Run are organised by both Berkhamsted Rotary Clubs to raise money for Pepper which last year amounted to £12,000 with a possibility that despite the continuous heavy rain and atrocious weather conditions, that figure may be substantially exceeded.