Is there such a thing as a ‘vulnerable’ race? And could an average runner win it?
Imagine if an everyday runner could actually win an event… this mid-packer set out in search of the seemingly impossible
The joy of the middle of the pack and the party at the back.
Competing only against yourself, and striving to help others get better. Running for the joy of the freedom of the road and the benefits of convivial conversations.
Inspiring others, improving your mental health, telling off anyone who calls parkrun a race.
That’s what running is all about.
Or is it… what if, just once, you could win a race?
Stand on a podium, take the plaudits, have a medal put round your neck that doesn’t come with an entry fee.
Around a year ago, a sinister plot was concocted.
Certain elements within the usually inclusive Running Tales community (in other words, me) started scheming.
There was a belief that a ‘vulnerable’ race existed, one that could even be won by everyday runners.
That race was our local half-marathon, The Amazing Northampton Run.
But not the main event. Last year’s winner romped home in one hour, 15 minutes - far too fast for any self-respecting mid-packer.
But the relay… oh, The Relay!
The 2024 winners finished in one hour, 37 minutes and 36 seconds.
Now, that’s still a decent time for an individual. But for a team, going all out on each leg. Doable?
Maybe. Just maybe.
And so, not one, but two Step Forward With Lewis teams were formed. A running influencer, none other than The Middle Aged Running Man, Tim Stent, aka MARM, was recruited.
Tim has a half-marathon PB of one hour, 21 minutes. Surely, surely, glory awaited?
As race day got closer, we created team names. ‘Step Forward With… MARM and the Pace Invaders’ and ‘Step Forward With… The Pace Invaders Strike Back’ were born.
The excitement began to build. Perhaps an air of over-confidence crept in as t-shirts bearing the line, ‘Targeting vulnerable races since 2025’ were created.
And so Sunday, September 14 arrived. Our day of destiny.
Half the team arrived on scooters, a vision of speed and danger that foreshadowed our exertions to come.
As the half-marathon club runners stretched their athletic legs, led by an elite Kenyan no less, we girded our middle-aged loins.
It was soon time to head to our respective start legs, a buzz of anticipation and expectancy enveloping our super six runners.
At Franklin’s Gardens, the home of Northampton rugby and the setting of the first changeover point, I started to feel a twang of misgiving.
Rather than rows of greying corporate types, pudgy round the middle as they prepared for their team building relay outing, we were met by sinewy, stretching Gods and Goddesses of the running world.
Our ‘targeting vulnerable races’ tees seemed to be mocking us. This was not what we had signed up for.
Was this ‘vulnerable’ race escaping our ageing grasp?
And so it came to pass.
Our first MARM and the Pace Setters runner, Paul, was flying like the wind. But despite a six-minute first mile, there was no keeping up with the Lycra-clad amoeba in front.
As I waited to receive the baton, first one, then two, then a third relay rival came past. Eventually Paul appeared, having gamely run the leg of his life but trailing in fourth.
The Pace Invaders Strike Back were even further back, completing leg one in seventh. We were in a proper race - that hadn’t been in the script!
Leg two saw us gain a place, but with increasingly athletic-looking characters picking up the baton for the teams ahead of us, even unleashing the MARM seemed to be a forlorn hope.
Dreams of glory faded. Hopes were crushed. A time of one hour, 23 minutes and 56 seconds earned MARM and the Pace Invaders third place, but victory was out of sight.
The Clowne Road Runners set a furious pace to win in one hour, 17 minutes and 18 seconds. Our Pace Invaders Strike Back finished seventh, in 1:37:32.
Incredibly, both times would have earned us victory last year.
But in 2025, it was a journey back to the joy of mid-pack mediocrity, running for the freedom of the road, telling off anyone who calls a relaxing relay a race.
We loved every second of it.
Thanks to Paul Carpenter, Tim Stent, James Cushing, Andrew Warriner and Stavros Carayannis for being a part of this very silly endeavour. Well done to everyone who took part in The Amazing Northampton Run on Sunday, and thanks to Simon Hollis and Go Beyond Challenge for organising a great event.
Further reading:
Before we dragged him down to our level, Tim Stent, aka MARM, was a YouTube sensation. Help him recapture his dreams of reaching 10,000 subscribers by the end of the year, by visiting his channel at MARM (Middle Aged Running Man).
Check out our article on and podcast with Tim by following the links below:
Meeting The MARM: How a middle aged running man became a YouTube sensation
‘I don’t stretch. I don’t eat healthily. I’m nearly 46 and I’m knackered.’
Corn and milk: The secret to Kenyan running success - We meet elite athlete Philip Kipkemoi Kiprono
We had the pleasure to catch up with elite Kenyan athlete Philip Kipkemoi Kiprono at The Amazing Northampton Run.
Philip has previously won half-marathons in Vancouver, where he clocked one hour, seven minutes and 43 seconds in 2021, and Guangzhou, China last year.
It was great to catch up with him before Sunday’s race and talk about his training load and nutrition - the secret is corn and milk!
Unfortunately, Philip picked up an injury in the early stages of his run and had to drop out, but we hope to see him back in Northampton next year.
Listen to Michelle’s pre-race chat with Philip below…
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