9 December 2024

A welcome return to the Withernsea five-mile

by Mark Williamson

Last week I travelled the short journey down the coast to Withernsea to take part in the Withernsea Harriers annual five-mile road race, organised by Blip Active.

I hadn’t run this course since pre-Covid, so I was very much looking forward to it.

The sun was shining on what looked like a scorcher of a day. After collecting my number and chatting to other runners, we were ready for the off.

Heading up the promenade and out towards Hollym, within the first mile I was in the top 10 and was quietly pleased with myself.

Reaching the two-mile point, I found myself on my own, with runners too far in front to catch and a safe distance behind me as long as I kept my pace up. After hitting the three-mile marker, the rain appeared.

Coming up to mile four, I was heading back to the promenade and towards the finish.

With quite a few spectators cheering me over the finish line, it seemed like only last year since I was last here. I was pleased to finish in sixth place with a time of 30:50.