THE DUCHY MARATHON – A BRIEF HISTORY
Ronnie James Duchy Marathon Winner 1994, 1995, 2004
When the inaugural ‘Duchy’ was held in 1977 there were just thirteen UK Marathons in the Road Runners’ Club Handbook and the Duchy Marathon was ranked equal toughest, alongside the Isle of Wight race. Five years later, when ‘Marathon Mania’, sparked by the first London Marathon, was at its height the number had grown to almost one hundred and fifty, including the Isles of Scilly (four laps of St Mary’s) and the Snowdonia, not surprisingly billed as the hilliest and hardest of all.
The Duchy quickly came to be a favourite with athletes from all over the country. The course, from Land’s End to Redruth, with its notorious hills at Connor Downs (18 miles) and Roseworthy (21 miles) became a ‘classic’ and attracted many of the top marathon and ultra distance men.
In 1978 Hugh Jones led the field home in 2.25.12, his first attempt over the distance, before going on to achieve greater fame as winner of the London Marathon a few years later. The winner the following year was British Fell Runner of the Year, Alan McGee, in a time of 2.22.08 a record which still stands for the ‘old’ course. Former European Marathon Champion Ian Thompson brought the Duchy nationwide publicity in 1981 when he elected to run it instead of the first London Marathon, which was held the same day.
The Duchy Ladies’ Marathon was introduced in 1978 and it was fitting that the winner was Lesley Watson, the London physiotherapist, who had done so much to champion the cause of women’s marathon running. Until that time the rules prohibited women from running the distance! Winner in 1981 and 1982 was international marathon runner, Gill Burley and the record for the old course is held by Plymouth based Alison Blake 2.50.25 in 1980.
Ultra distance runners of note have taken part in the Duchy including Dave Dowdle and Mark Pickard, one time holders of the world 48 hour and 24 hour track records respectively and Martin Daykin, Cavin Woodward and Hilary Walker, prolific ultra performers.
1987 saw a change of Marathon Secretary when Bill Dobson, who had undertaken the organisation since the beginning, handed the reins over to Vance Webster. In 1989, as a result of increasing traffic problems on the A30 and a generous sponsorship deal with Land’s End, Cornwall Athletic Club decided to move the Duchy on to a new course, starting and finishing at Land’s End.
The course was measured by surveyor’s wheel, one metre out from the left hand verge, as the rules then specified but the following year RRC/AA Road Measurer, Pete Sargent, gained instant ‘unpopularity’ when he remeasured the route by Jones counter, taking the line to the centre of the road on the right hand curves and added 400m to the 1989 route! The men’s record holder for the new, accurate course is Shaun Milford (Newquay Road Runners), the first Cornish winner of the Duchy, who clocked 2.35.18 in 1991. Greg Dell (Vale of Aylesbury) was initially credited with the record on this course running 2.30.37 in 1989, one year before remeasuring took place. The Ladies record is held by the 1993 winner Caroline Rawlings (Cornwall Athletic Club) who covered the route in 3.12.41.
During 1997 new regulations were enforced and Cornwall Athletic Club was informed that parts of the existing route were not safe so alternatives had to be sought. One of the previous sponsors, the Penventon Hotel, came forward once again to offer their assistance and so a new and challenging course was found. Unfortunately Vance Webster retired as Marathon Secretary and the Club were extremely sorry to lose his expertise.
The new course in 1998 followed a challenging one lap rural route, which was very exposed in the latter stages. Unfortunately the course failed to attract many runners, with numbers reaching an all time low in 1998.
Course difficulties and an inexperienced organising committee, resulted in a fourth course in 2000. This course was the first two lap course in the history of the race and was certainly generally flatter than the previous routes, designed to attract more novice and first time marathoners. Two other changes took place. Vance Webster returned as Race Secretary, supported by the former organising committee and the race date was changed from March to September, again hoping to attract a larger field.
With the number of runners failing to increase significantly between 2000 and 2003, the future of the race was seriously threatened. In an attempt to save Britain’s second longest established marathon, the race date reverted again to March and a Duchy ‘20’ option was included, for those not wishing to run the full marathon distance. What a difference this made, with the number of runners soon matching the fields of the 1980’s. In 2005, one hundred and twenty seven finished the marathon and one hundred and eighteen the ‘20’, with a new course record being set in the Men’s marathon by Japan’s Takao Komatsu (Cambridge and Coleridge Athletic Club), who completed the course in a very respectable time of 2.30.46. The current Ladies course record was set by one of Cornwall’s top female distance runners, Revis Crowle (East Cornwall Harriers) who ran 3.14.59 in 2003.
Runners gather for the start of the 2005 Duchy Marathon
The Duchy Marathon has always been renowned for the friendly organisation given by Cornwall Athletic Club and its team of dedicated helpers. Because of the geographical location it can be assumed that it will never be a marathon for the masses but Cornwall Athletic Club will ensure that it will always be a club marathon for runners of all standards.
Oh, we almost forgot, all runners in both the Marathon and the ‘20’ receive engraved medals but more importantly a delicious Cornish Pasty awaits you as you cross the finishing line at the Penventon Park Hotel!
OGGIE OGGIE
TO VIEW PREVIOUS WINNERS VISIT HERE