Mansfield Half

Last Updated 10 March 2008

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HISTORY

MARATHON

The race was conceived by David Denton who was Head of Leisure and Recreation at Mansfield District Council after watching the 1981 London Marathon. By lunchtime the very next day outline plans were on the desk of the Chief Executive and an afternoon meeting with the Superintendent of police followed. David then began work on the organisation of the very first Mansfield Half Marathon.

Sunday 4^th July 1981 was identified as the date for the race which conveniently led to the ‘Stars and Stripes’ connection. Within 12 weeks David had assembled a small team in his department and with a determined uncompromising approach galvanised the support of other council departments and external agencies including the Police to organise the first Mansfield Half Marathon. The local newspaper, the Mansfield CHAD and the local Mansfield Building Society were approached by David and these two companies agreed to support the event financially – an association which has been continued to the present time.

Other local companies where approached to donate materials and resources. Drinking cups were obtained from a vending supplier; sponges were produced by a caravan upholstery company; advertising and directional signs produced by the two main sponsors; the finish gantry was provided by a local building firm and prizes donated by countless local Mansfield businesses.

Titchfield Park on the edge of the town centre was used as the focus for the race with the start being on St Peters Way and finish inside the park. The entry for the first race just exceeded 1,000 – an amazing number considering the very short time in developing the event. With the large number came the problem of providing toilets. No problem at all to the innovative organisers who approached two local churches, the Labour Club, a garage, the T.A. centre as well as the council’s swimming pool!

The original course took runners around the town centre before tackling a long climb uphill along Southwell Road. At the Oak Tree pub the course took a left hand turn and headed towards Forest Town were the first drinks station was located outside the Price Charles. Through Forest Town and down Old Mill Lane the course took runners towards Mansfield Woodhouse where they turned left and headed back towards town along the main A60. The half way point was at the cemetery which was dead centre of the course. Runners then went past the Civic Theatre where the 2^nd water station was staffed by theatre staff and then ran through the Market Place turning right along the precinct and out of town along Chesterfield Road. At the Rufford pub the course took a left turn and runners faced a long climb up Abbotts Road towards the 10 mile mark. A switch back run through Ladybrook Estate had runners emerge at the Sir John Cockle Pub, cross over the main A38 and down Sheepbridge Lane and then up the hill on the other side towards High Oakham. At the top of the hill runners turned left and ran the final mile down Alexander Avenue where residents had hung flags and banners across the road and emerging onto Nottingham Road before turning into the finish at Titchfield Park.

With 13 hills in 13 miles the course was certainly not easy and quickly earned a reputation in later years as being one of the toughest half marathons on the race calendar anywhere in the country. A course for a P.B. it wasn’t.

The first race attracted 1033 entries and was won by Dick Milne of Notts AC.

Even from its first race the ‘Stars and Stripes’ had a very strong sense of professionalism and community involvement about its organisation. There were Brass bands and fairground stalls which helped to create a carnival atmosphere to the event while also meeting the expected criteria of a top quality road race for club runners and dealing with the large fields attracted by the fun run boom

T-shirts and commemorative mugs have always been awarded to finishers of the Mansfield race but David Denton’s enthusiasm to engage local business and organisation resulted in many prizes being donated some of which were quite innovative to say the least. To this day a local firm still donates a quantity of fresh eggs that are given away to finishers as spot prizes! Of course there was a simple reason to give mugs to each finisher – it was so that they all had a receptacle for water that was provided in huge dustbins at the end of the finishing funnel. This saved the problem of providing more vending cups and picking up litter afterwards!!

Throughout the eighties the race flourished under the stewardship of David Denton and Mansfield District Council with larger fields and faster times becoming the norm whilst maintaining its ‘something for everyone’ philosophy. Several other local business contributed to the organisation of the event through donation of materials, time and labour while the CHAD and Mansfield Building Society remained as the events core sponsors.

In 1992 David Denton left Mansfield to take up a post in Surrey but he had laid a solid foundation and the event continued to attract sizable fields of good standard runners and provide an outlet for the fun running boom.

Towards the late nineties the fun run bubble burst and fields began to get smaller. There were also financial pressures on the local district council which saw many budget cuts reluctantly imposed. In 1998 the race was dropped from the calendar. A few local club runners, some of whom had ran in all of the previous races refused to accept this decision and turned out in fancy dress as pirates and ran over the course. As a symbol of their commitment to the community event, the local paper ran a story on this ‘rebel run’ and took up the cause to maintain the event. A small group of enthusiasts mainly from the local running club (MAFIA – Mansfield Feet In Action) took up the mantle and formed a race committee with the intention of having the race back on the calendar the following year. David Denton who was by now back living in Derbyshire was invited to Chair this fledgling group.

A revived race took place on Sunday 4^th July 1999. The winner of this race was local runner Andy Wetherill of Sutton Harrriers from Kirkby with the CHAD and Mansfield Building Society providing financial sponsorship and the District Council practical support particularly in making the use of council buildings and equipment available.

The old course was still attractive given its history and reputation as being tough but issues around need for more marshalling and making the course slightly easier to attract new runners prompted the organisers to find a new course. An alternative course was chosen based around the Civic Centre. Runners would start at the Civic Centre and after running into town run out along to Mansfield Woodhouse and then into the country lanes at Pleasley Vale before returning to town after running along traffic free country lanes in the Penniment Farm area. This course was much flatter and easier to marshal but many traditionalists have bemoaned the loss of the killer 13 hills in 13 miles of the old course.

The revived race has been a huge success with fields gradually increasing each year to where over 700 are now being attracted. Great Britain cross country international runner Billy Farquarson from the local Mansfield Harriers ran a course record of 66 mins 42 sec in the 2002 race.

The organisation strengths and recognition of the event has also continued to grow. In 2003 the race also hosted the Midland Championship and was awarded a prestigious Gold Award by the British Association of Road Races and was voted to be the 49^th best road race in the country by readers of a national running magazine,

Despite its continued development the organising committee have remained faithful to its philosophy of providing an event the meets the needs of all its entrants from serious international runners, club runners looking for a P.B, charity fun runners and members of the local community just looking for a good day out!!

Since 2003 the race has gone from strength to strength consistently attracting almost 1,000 entries and some pretty impressive individual winners.

The course record of 67 – 56 set by Billy Farquarson in 2003 was challenged by 2004 winner Thomas Abu from Salford who clocked 68-21. The following year however the South African runner Neo Molema smashed the course record with a solo run of 65-34.

The extremely high temperatures on the day of the 2006 race slowed runners considerably and the race was won in a more modest time by Martin Broadbent from Sheffield Hallamshire Harriers.

There have also been some impressive winners of the ladies race with Debbie Mason from Tipton Harriers winning in a course record of 1. 192- in 2005. The year previously Kate Burge from Stafford took the race also going under 80 minutes.

In recent years the Mansfield race has incorporated various championships into the race. The event has regularly hosted the Nottinghamshire AAA half marathon championships and in 2004 the race included the national Fire Brigade championships. In 2005 the Midland Half Marathon Championships were part of the Mansfield event and in 2006 the race also incorporated the British Masters championships.

2007 New Course – New Venue

Supermarket giant Tesco acquired the site of the Leisure Center adjacent to the race headquarters and this has necessitated a change in venue and course for the 2007 event.

Berry Hill Park, home of Mansfield Harriers and the English National Cross Country Relays, will be the new home of the race from 2007. The park has many of the facilities necessary to host an important race of this size – car parking, changing, showers, toilets, indoor registration area.

The start of the race will be on the wide road outside of the park gates and the finish will be on the track.

The race committee will be seeking to enhance the race by adding to the natural amenities in the park with a range of spectator friendly activities including music and entertainment.