In training for the Belfast Marathon, Paddy McCalister stopped off at the Solent Half Marathon in a bid to gain some crucial match practice
The Hampshire Road Race League season had, in truth, drifted by almost unnoticed for Bournemouth AC by the time the seventh fixture rolled around at the Solent Half Marathon. Having enjoyed consecutive promotions to reach the top flight and then crowned First Division champions last year, the club had come crashing back down to earth this winter.
Victory at the opening race, the Totton 10k, had promised much. But the momentum soon stalled with a sixth-place finish at the Overton 5 before failing to field complete teams at the next four fixtures – the New Forest 10, Gosport Half Marathon, Victory 5 and Ryde 10. By the time the league reached the shores of the Solent, the campaign was already beyond salvage – and this time there would be just one yellow-and-blue vest on the start line.
That lone representative was Paddy McCalister, using the race as part of his build-up to the Belfast City Marathon on Sunday 3 May. Rather than a traditional race effort, Paddy incorporated the event into a long run, jogging two-and-a-half miles to the start and the same again afterwards.
The Solent Half, now in its fourth decade, has traditionally been an autumn fixture but made a move to March this year. The scenic course winds through the New Forest around Exbury before heading out along the exposed Solent shoreline at Lepe – a route that is as picturesque as it is rarely straightforward.
Pre-race conditions ensured that any thoughts of a fast opening mile were quickly tempered. The start field had been churned into a muddy bog, claiming the pristine look of many a new pair of super shoes. Paddy, wisely, had opted for an older pair and avoided too much heartache.
Once underway, he settled into a small group of three, ticking through the opening miles at around 6:42 pace before lifting the tempo to just over 6:35 for the next couple of miles. By four miles the group had fragmented, leaving Paddy to run solo until around nine-and-a-half miles, holding steady in the 6:40–6:45 range as the course began to drag gently upwards towards the finish.
Paddy was able to produce splits that were faster than his intended marathon pace with no taper
Company arrived again for the closing stages, and the pair worked together over the final three-and-a-half miles, grinding out the last of the gradual climb. Paddy crossed the line in 1:28:24, placing 49th out of 440 finishers and fourth in the M35–39 category.
Given that the effort came without any taper – and sandwiched within a near 18¼-mile long run – it represented an encouraging performance. His half marathon best of 1:26:54, set at Gosport in 2022, remains intact, but the real takeaway was his ability to run comfortably faster than intended marathon pace in the middle of a heavy training block.
The race itself was won in commanding fashion by Joshua Price of Vectis Academy, whose 1:10:29 left him well clear of Denmead Striders’ Henry Piper (1:13:55). Gary Marshall of Ryde Harriers completed the podium in 1:16:26, just ahead of Denmead’s John Rose (1:16:37) and Hardley Runners’ Timothy Anetts (1:16:53).
Rachel Walsh of Alton Runners was first female in 1:22:31, finishing an impressive 21st overall. Sarah Shedden of Winchester Running Club (1:24:10) and Emma Jolley (1:24:24) followed her home as second and third women respectively.
In team terms, Denmead Striders appeared to hold the advantage in the Men’s A1 scoring with finishers in second, fourth, 13th and 16th, while Alton Runners were likely to claim second place on the day. Winchester Running Club had built such a commanding lead after the first six fixtures that their position at the top of the table looks unassailable.
Vectis Academy, boosted again by Price’s victory, continue to set the pace in the overall men’s standings, with Hardley Runners chasing. In the lower divisions, Hamwic Harriers were leading the Men’s A3 table heading into the race, with Isle of Wight Road Runners in pursuit.
Winchester’s dominance extended to the women’s competition too, where they have won all but one race this season. They again produced the lowest score at the Solent Half, reinforcing their grip on the A1 title, while Totton remain clear leaders in the A2 division and Hamwic Harriers look set for promotion from A3.
Individually, Price’s latest victory should strengthen his hold on the men’s league standings, while Walsh’s win may have been enough to move her ahead in the women’s table once the updated scores are confirmed.
For Bournemouth AC, league ambitions may have faded early this season, but Paddy’s run on the south coast provided a far more encouraging subplot. With 18.23 miles completed at an average of 7:09 pace and a half marathon split well inside marathon target rhythm, the Belfast preparations appear firmly on track – and on this evidence, a sub-three-hour performance in Northern Ireland is a very realistic prospect.