Tonbridge Half Marathon 2012 hailed as a great success

Tonbridge's second Half Marathon saw 1,300 runners pounding the town's streets yesterday.

Heavy rain did nothing to deter the hardy athletes from completing the challenging course - with winner Julian Rendall smashing the course record in just 1hr 14minutes.

The Tonbridge AC athlete would have been quicker, had he not picked up his son 100 metres from the finishing line so he could share in his moment of glory.

Australian runner Kent Rodsjo had a mild panic before the race, as he realised his bags had been lost in transit when he arrived at Heathrow.

But fellow competitors came together to help him out, ensuring he was fully kitted out when Dame Kelly Holmes officially started the race.

Holmes told ITV Meridian News that the London 2012 Olympics had influenced the number of people who had turned up to race.

She said: 'It's certainly given that inspiration and motivation to people, no matter what their age or ability. It gave a real feel good factor to the country.'

Carmel Llewellyn was one of the runners to compete in the race.

She told TonbridgePeople: 'I completed Tonbridge Half Marathon today and the icing on the cake was getting my medal from our lovely Dame Kelly Holmes.

'Thanks to all the Lions, their ladies and the local scouts and army cadets for the marshalling and the water stations, and a special thanks to everyone who came out to cheer us all on in the rain.'

Send us your pictures of Tonbridge Half Marathon to tonbridge@thelocalpeople.co.uk or tweet us @tonbridgepeople

Visit our gallery here: 

http://www.tonbridgepeople.co.uk/pictures/Tonbridge-Half-Marathon-2012/pictures-16973948-detail/pictures.html

And see ITV Meridian's report here: 

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2012-09-23/on-your-marks-get-set-go/

And for the full set of results, visit here:

http://www.sportsystems.co.uk/ss/results/Tonbridge%20Half%20Marathon/