A classic Great Eastern Run is on the cards as high class competitive fields have been assembled

There are 12 men in the race who have run under 70 minutes, and most of them have done so in the past couple of years.

And, as an added bonus for the spectators, local legend Eric Winstone will keep up his record as an ever present at the event. The 74 year-old Bushfield Jogger will wear number 33 to mark his 33rd appearance in Peterborough's big race.

Lincoln Wellington AC’s William Strangeway is the fastest man in the field. He clocked 66:18 when finishing as runner-up in the Scunthorpe Half Marathon earlier this year. Strangeway has a personal best (PB) of 65.40 which he set in 2022.

Matt Bowser, also of Lincoln Wellington, clocked 66:50 when finishing 4th in the 2018 Great Eastern Run and has been setting some fast times over shorter distances in more recent years. Bristol & West AC's Milan Campion ran 66:55 at this year's Wilmslow Half Marathon.

RAF Wittering based Michael Kallenberg finished 3rd in last year's race in a time of 66:52. The Swansea Harrier placed 7th in this year's Cambridge Half Marathon with a time of 67:09.

Jacob Pickering of Western Tempo Running Club should also go well having clocked 67:57 in Barcelona earlier this year.

Josh Holman of Norwich AC won the Windsor Half Marathon with a time of 68:32 in February, while Eoin Molloy of Tring Running Club clocked 67:49 at Cambridge last year. Another City of Norwich man, Jack White, has not raced a half marathon before, but is a highly rated athlete with impressive times for other distances.

Darcorum AC’s Jack Parslow finished 6th in the Great Eastern back in 2016 with a time of 67:36. Parslow has been running well over shorter distances this year.

PANVAC’s Stuart Haw believes his training suggests he could get close to 67 minutes. However, he is unsure whether his legs will have fully recovered from the ultra marathon which he ran two weeks previously.

Former PANVAC man Amittai Ben-Israel who now runs for Thames Hare & Hounds clocked 69:34 at the Great North run last month.

The ladies field also looks wide open, but Andrea Clement of Blackheath & Bromley Harriers may fancy her chances after running 74:22 at the Battersea Park Half in 2024. Lincoln Wellington Charlie Thornton won the North Lincolnshire Half Marathon in March in a time of 75:28. Claire Jacobs of Hadleigh Hares won the 2023 Coventry Half Marathon with a 76:41 clocking.

Kirsty Fitzgibbon of Basildon AC recorded a time of 77:50 in Paris earlier in 2025.

Locals to look out for include Helpston’s pair Philippa Taylor and George Bailey. Taylor's previous race record is the stuff of legend, having won her age group at the race eight times. She recorded her best time back in 2010 when finishing 8th overall and 1st over 40 in a time of 79:05.

PANVAC athletes Sam Spriggs, Dan Lewis and Simon Fell should all go well, as should Danny Snipe & Darren Hiller of Yaxley. Werrington Joggers Paul Halford, a former Welsh international, could be in contention for the over 50 prize.

Helpston's Natasha English, Yaxley's Vanessa Gunn and Kelly Maddy of Thorney are all local athletes who should do well.