Where Paddock Wood, Kent
When April 1, 2007
First Man James Baker 1:09:33
First Woman Catherine Wilding 1:20:18
Last Finisher 3:27:13
No. of Finishers 1,395
Now in its 18th year, the Paddock Wood Half continues to gallop away with rosettes. The largest race in Kent attracts runners from across the South and came in at 21st in last year’s RUNNER’S WORLD Top 100 Races.
Shaped like a horizontal figure-of-eight (with a big right loop and a baby left one), the course is entirely on roads but evokes thoughts of The Darling Buds of May as it winds through the softly scenic orchards and hop fields of the Garden of England.
It brims with PB potential as it is famously fast, though whether it’s pancake flat as some fans claim is a moot point – a couple of sneaky railway bridges break up the long flats and even one of the winners would have liked it flatter.
Runners couldn’t fault the organisation though: both marshals and crowds provided incredible support, water stations and sponge stops were plentiful, the baggage organisation was the best ever experienced and the free fruit handed out before and after was delicious.
Finishers trotted away clutching the popular paperweight memento and puzzling over the enduring question: "Why were there so many worms on the road?"
