Rees returns to the trails at Kielder
Ceri Rees
Ceri Rees was a one-time junior XC star, winning the highly-competitive UK Inter-Counties in the late 1980s. On Sunday he showed that class is permanent, by ripping around the Salomon Kielder Marathon route for another high-quality win…
In 1989 he won the Inter-Counties Cross Country youths race (under-17) and in 1990 he won the Junior Great North Run, but after injuries forced him away from the sport he returned to running in 2005. The Totnes man is modest too, telling us:
“Yeah, I heard about the Kielder Mararthon from a friend really. I used to spend a lot of time up here, years ago, and he told me about this race a few months back, so I thought why not?”
When quizzed on how the race went, he explained:
“I just sort of set off quick, found that I was out in front very early on, and just kept going really, there were no tactics. I then had a chance to enjoy the amazing views around Kielder Water, which are absolutely stunning – I wish I had brought my camera!”
Rees crosses the line...
And to be honest he would have had time to take a whole album of shots, as he hit halfway in 1:18 and crossed the line in a comfortable-looking 2:39:24, some 14 mins up on runner-up Dave Charlton (2:53:57). Robert Clark was third in 2:56:02.
Billed as ‘Britain’s most beautiful marathon’, the full weekend of events including Kielder Junior Runs, Kielder 10K, Kielder Run Bike Run and the main marathon itself, attracts runners and outdoor adventure enthusiasts from around the world to the dramatic setting and unique course.
Steve Cram at Kielder Water
Former Olympic athlete and world record holder, Steve Cram MBE, is the event organiser of the popular weekend. He told us:
“Kielder Water & Forest Park was always my favourite place to run in the world and I had always dreamt of holding a marathon there. With Olympic fever sweeping the nation this year, everyone was keen to get involved and we’ve had another hugely successful year.
“The Kielder 10K sold out for the first time this year and the atmosphere over the whole weekend was fantastic. Congratulations to everyone who completed the marathon.”
With the water’s shoreline being 26 miles long, Kielder Water in North East England, is a great venue for a trail marathon, and with most of the course off-road it offers a test for trail runners, adventure racers and marathon enthusiasts alike. 1,193 runners officially started the race.
In the women’s event there was more class on show, as fell and mountain running legend Angela Mudge made the shortish journey south over the Scottish border. Mudge has battled knee issues this last few months, but having been in ‘marathon’ training for the Jungfrau race a few weeks ago the Salomon athlete decided that Kielder was a good event to continue that mode, as she even contemplates Snowdonia in a few weeks.
Angela Mudge at Kielder
So, her 8th place overall, new course record, and winning margin of over 27 minutes, didn’t come as a great surprise to those of us who know Mudgey. Speaking after the event, she said:
“It’s a really great course. It’s undulating and always changing and a really stunning route, with some amazing views across the water. I really enjoyed it!”
Her time of 2:59:23 was over six minutes inside that course record time of Jane Mooney from 2011. Mel Rotherham was second in 3:26:39, with Kate Jenkins third in 3:29:56.
Full results via Race Timing Systems here, with a nice little post-event film from Northumbrian Water Ltd. here.
