On a beautiful morning, more than 1,000 runners finished the race for the first time in the event’s 32-year history.

Chris Rainsford (Heanor RC) and Juliet Potter (Charnwood AC) took the men’s and women’s individual titles on a testing course around Shipley Country Park.

FULL 2018 RESULTS

FULL 2018 CATEGORY PRIZE WINNERS

RACE IMAGES BY MICK HALL PHOTOGRAPHY

Many thanks from the event organisers to all the runners, marshals and event partners, including The Derby Runner, PhysioNeeds Heanor, Emms, the Wolf Hut, FR Systems, Steve Winfield, Pure Steel and Shipley Country Park. Without your support, the event would not be able to happen.

Special thank you also to Matthew Walker for their continued support and much-valued contribution.

You can enter next year’s event here.

See you all again in 2019.

Stunning conditions were matched by the amazing turnout as 932 runners completed the undulating course around Shipley Country Park.

Full results

It turned out to be a rather successful morning for the Weir family as husband and wife duo, Richard and Natalie, scooped top honours.

Richard – who has won the event twice before in 2013 and 2014 – stamped his class on the race from the off.

Running in the white of Derby AC, Richard was more than three minutes ahead of the next person.

His winning time of 30.56 was only eight seconds shy of Alastair Watson’s 2015 course record.

Natalie was similarly impressive in the women’s race.

Natalie – who ran a big personal best in Leeds a couple of weeks ago – took the title for the first time in 37.45.

Heanor Running Club would like to thank all the runners and supporters, Matthew Walker for its significant support, plus all our other partners, including Derby Runner, Easy Bind, Steve Winfield, PhysioNeeds Heanor, The Wolf Hut, The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC), East Midlands Medical Services, FR Systems and Shipley Country Park.

Full results

Laura qualified for the Boston Marathon after running the qualifying time in Berlin in 2015 – and put recent injury problems to one side to finish in 3:59.17.

“Crossing the line was a very proud moment,” says Laura. “I knew it was going to be a tough challenge with all the injury problems I’d had. Training was sporadic and at one point I didn’t think I would make it to the start line!

“So to get to the finish smiling, injury-free and in one piece felt amazing.”

The race in Boston is one of the six ‘marathon majors’ along with London, New York, Tokyo, Chicago and Berlin.

The point-to-point race, which sees it start in one place and finish 26.2 miles down the road, is one of the most prestigious in the world and saw 26,411 people finish this year’s edition.

Stifling heat was a factor in proceedings and saw many treated with heat-related problems on the day.

Thankfully for Laura, the heat wasn’t too much of a factor and she was carried along the undulating route by the thousands that lined the course.

“The support was incredible. All the towns along the route come alive,” beams Laura.

“Hitting Wellesley college after 11 miles gives all the runners a boost as the famous Wellesley college girls scream and cheer you on. You certainly hear them a while before you see them!”

Perhaps the most infamous feature of the course though is ‘Heartbreak Hill’ – a steep incline just after 20 miles that has broken many runners over the years and is the stuff of distance running legend.

But with the crowds on her side, Laura came out the other side on course for a sub-4-hour effort.

“Heartbreak Hill was so tough with more than 20 miles and a number of climbs already in your legs. But the crowd cheer you on and scream at anyone that has stopped to walk to pick the pace up again.

“The crowds are immense in the last few miles. You hit the one mile to go sign and all you can hear is cheering, screaming and shouting to pull you through that last little bit.”

Having conquered the heat and the hills of the famous Boston Marathon, Laura now has her sights set on recovering well and taking in a few half marathons and 10k races. And who knows? Perhaps another tilt at the marathon later this year.