BRITAIN’S top marathon runner Dan Robinson will have a point to prove in the Bath half marathon tomorrow (SUNDAY).
The two-times Olympian has opted to incorporate the race as part of his build-up to the Virgin London Marathon, in which he hopes to secure his place in the Great Britain team for the European Championships in Barcelona but intriguingly he has only run the race once and it wasn’t particularly a memorable occasion for him.
“I last lined up at Bath in either 2000 or 2001 but I didn’t finish the race,” said Robinson. “I had a stomach problem and was forced to drop out which was disappointing.
“Training has been going well and I’m looking forward to racing. As it will be my first race for a while the intention will be to run it at marathon pace. If I can run Bath in a time of around 64 minutes that would be perfect.”
Wells City Harriers’ Adrian Marriott is also using Bath as part of his build-up towards London but has set a more conservative target of 67 minutes after illness interrupted his recent training.
Robinson’s fellow marathon international Tomas Abyu, who finished runner-up and top Brit twelve months ago, is also in the field along with the Africa trio of Ezekiel Cherop, defending champion Simon Tonui or Jean Ndayisenga.
In the women’s race top west hope Holly Rush, of Bath, has pulled out but the women’s race should be intriguing with international duathlete Kat Grimmett, who ran a PB of 73mins 08secs for third in last year’s Bristol half and has stated her aim is to qualify for the marathon at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, entered along with Michelle Ross-Cope and Susan Partridge.
Also the Westbury Harriers’ pair of Sophie Voller and Emma D’Alton will be looking for good times.