6 October, 2008
4th place for Project Co-Director Garrett Ash at the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon
Conditions were ideal for the recent Baxters Loch Ness Marathon held on the 5 October 2008. A chilled Scottish morning with light drizzle set the scene for the thousands of runners that assembled at the start of the marathon. It was dry by the beginning of the race with a dazzling autumn sun shining through by the time the first runners were crossing the finishing line. Ezekiel Cherop, the 23-year-old Kenyan and former world junior 5,000 metres bronze medalist, led from the front but was challenged throughout the race by David Kirkland (Alnwick Harriers), Marcus Scotney (Dumfries Running Club), and Running Across Borders Co-Director Garrett Ash (Oxford University Cross-Country Club). Cherop, however, came through to claim his first marathon win of his running career with a time of 2hr 28min 3sec. Kirkland (2:28:34), Scotney (2:34:46) and Ash coming 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively.
Ian Ladbrooke, manager of Cherop, would have been happy with two of his other athletes competing in Inverness. Banuelia Katesigwa from Tanzania came first in the woman’s marathon for the second year in succession, with a time of 2hr 51min 24sec. While in the women's 10K race, Joyce Kandia of Kenya won in a time of 34 minutes and 3 seconds. Winner of the Baxters River Ness 10K was the Eritrean Amauel Hagus of Shettleston Harriers who set a new course record with a time of 29:35. Fellow Eritrean and Shettleston Harriers member, Tsegezeab Woldmedmichael came second with a time of 29:35.
Ash’s final position of 4th in the marathon netted $400 of prize money, which will go toward Running Across Borders operations. His time of 2h, 36m, 40s was significantly over his eventual goal of 2h, 19m (the qualifying standard for the USA Olympic Marathon Trials), but he saw the race as a starting point toward this end. “I’m glad to have finished my first marathon,” he said afterwards. “Now I have a marker I can improve on next time.”
_________________________________________________Although Anderson did not meet Joyce then the fact that it was in the capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness, where they would first meet is a demonstration of the globalized nature that running has become. It further reinforces Running Across Borders’ own mission to enable young athletes to step outside the confines of their own borders, like Joyce and Ezekieal have done, and compete in international marathon races.
Apart from the funds raised through Ash’s winnings, the weekend in Inverness meant we had the opportunity to speak with Malcolm Sutherland, the Loch Ness Marathon Event & Race Director. It is Running Across Borders’ intention to work with Sutherland to bring across some of our athletes to compete in next year’s Baxters Loch Ness Marathon; a marathon which has previously been described as one of the most picturesque settings for a race anywhere in the world.
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A demonstration of the confidence and self-belief of Cherop came after the race when he told Running Across Borders that he decided at the last minute to switch from the 10km to the marathon. This was perhaps a surprise at the time because he had run his best time of 29:57 three weeks previously when finishing third in the Swansea Bay 10k. Cherop, however, said he was very keen to experience the marathon - a decision which ultimately paid off.
Sitting with Joyce, Ezekiel and Banuelia after the race it became apparent that Running Across Borders had connections with Joyce’s home in Kenya. Kericho, in the heart of the tea estates of the North Western Highlands of Kenya is home to some of the World’s premier long distance runners. It also happens to be Joyce’s home and is the same town that Stanley Leleito, one of Running Across Borders’ elite athletes, trains in. In April 2008 Running Across Borders Project Co-Director Malcolm Anderson stayed at the Marathon Training Centre in Kericho which is only a short walking distance from Ladbrooke’s training camp where Joyce trains.
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