Dave Newman’s preparations for the London Marathon continued in emphatic fashion with a commanding victory at the Weymouth Half Marathon, where strong winds along the exposed seafront proved no match for the Bournemouth AC athlete’s relentless training base. 🌬️🏃‍♂️

Dave has been building towards London with a level of mileage that would make even seasoned marathoners wince. In recent weeks he has been logging totals of up to 167 miles, and since mid-January every week has exceeded 136 miles apart from the lighter race week. On average, he has been hovering around the 150-mile mark, with most of those miles still being run at a brisk 6:00–6:30 pace – a workload that speaks volumes about both his durability and determination.

That strength showed from the outset in Weymouth. Dave set the tone early with opening miles of 5:25, immediately putting pressure on the rest of the field despite the stiff coastal wind. He then settled into a consistent rhythm, clicking off the majority of the race at just over 5:30 pace as the route traced its way along the blustery promenade.

With the race entering its decisive stages, Dave demonstrated he still had plenty left in reserve. He lifted the pace to 5:18 for the 12th mile before producing a decisive 5:05 final mile to seal the win in style. His finishing time of 1:12:03, averaging 5:28 per mile, proved well beyond the reach of his rivals.

South West Vets’ Shaun Dixon was the only athlete able to keep Dave within sight for much of the race and claimed the runner-up position in 1:12:52. Behind them there was a sizeable gap to third-placed Mikey Mottram, who clocked 1:17:11, with Ashley Scott of South Coast Sharks (1:17:24) and Highgate Harriers’ George Scott (1:17:29) completing the top five. Egdon Heath Harriers teammates Steve Kellaway and Corey Stone followed in sixth and seventh with times of 1:17:46 and 1:17:56 respectively.

In the women’s race, last season’s Dorset Road Race League individual champion Emma Mogridge was first female in 1:30:27, finishing 48th overall. The next three women were separated by just seconds, crossing the line in 1:32:15, 1:32:13 and 1:32:32 in 72nd, 73rd and 74th places.

Dave’s victory continues a string of strong results over the past year. He recorded 1:15 at the Run Bournemouth Half Marathon last October and, prior to joining Bournemouth Athletic Club, captured the North Dorset Village Marathon title in just under 2:36, finishing ahead of clubmate Stu Nicholas on that occasion.

Given the heavy training load he is carrying, Dave’s Weymouth run looks especially encouraging. Producing a 1:12 half marathon into a strong headwind while deep into a high-mileage block suggests he is already operating at – or perhaps ahead of – the level required for his likely sub-2:30 ambitions in London. With a couple more weeks of demanding training still to come before tapering, it will be fascinating to see just what he can deliver on the capital’s streets with such a formidable base behind him.

If Weymouth was intended as a checkpoint on the road to London, it was one Dave passed with authority – and further evidence that he is leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of a major marathon breakthrough.

Many thanks to Dorsetbays for taking so many fabulous photos and making them available online.