The 2024 Great Eastern Run should be a classic race
All the signs are pointing towards it being a classic Great Eastern Run on Sunday when an impressively strong field will line up on Bishops Road for the 10:30am start.
In form Jonathan Escalante-Phillips of Cambridge & Coleridge AC is among the pre-race favourites having clocked 66.57 in the Copenhagen Half Marathon just three weeks ago.
Escalante-Phillips won the 2023 Bath Half Marathon in a time of 64:25, and he will be very difficult to beat if he can repeat that form.
Mike Kallenburg is also expected to go well. The RAF Wittering-based Air Operations Officer runs for Swansea AC, but is also attached to Helpston Harriers. He has a best time of 66.09 which he set in Barcelona in 2020.
Kallenburg has been knocking out some of his best ever times over shorter distances this year and claimed a convincing win in the Stamford 5k during the summer.
Woodford Green's Michael Waddington ran 2:23.19 in this year's London Marathon and could well be in the sort of shape to challenge his best half marathon time of 67:41.
George Phillips will be hoping to make his second half marathon podium of the year. The Notts AC runner finished third at Wokingham earlier this year with a time of 67:29.
Peter Coates of Braintree AC clocked 68:38 at Wokingham and should be in contention.
Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC’s Alex Toney ran a time of 68:46 at the Bath Half Marathon in March.
Georgina Schwiening of Cambridge Runners is the fastest lady on paper having run a speedy 72:08 in a half marathon at Battersea Park in November 2023.
Last year's winner Mabel Beckett is likely to be there or thereabouts as is Beckett’s City of Norwich AC team-mate Ellie Grubb.
Helen Davies has the pedigree to challenge for victory. The 43 year-old former England international ran a 73:29 half marathon as recently as 2019.
Lisa Bailey of Stragglers AC ran a time of 77:48 in this year’s Wokingham Half while Lincoln Wellington AC’s Charlie Thornton ran 77:45 in the Scunthorpe Half earlier in the year.
The Peterborough clubs will be well represented, and there will be plenty of familiar local faces on the course for spectators to cheer and encourage.
Eric Winstone is bound to be one of the most popular racers. The 73 year old Bushfield Jogger is yet to miss a Great Eastern Run and will sport the number 32 vest to commemorate his unbroken 32-race run.
The event doubles as a qualifying race for the England Masters Half Marathon team, so there will be plenty of older athletes on display chasing times relevant to their age group.
The Anna’s Hope 5k starts at 9:00AM and will feature many of the top young athletes from the local clubs. PANVAC’s Thomas Preston won this race last year.
Last year’s race winner, Arthur Mellows School teacher Joe Wilkinson, is not taking part in 2024.
He raced for Bingley Harriers and won in 66.23. Beckett won the ladies race in 77.05.