The news that the Newport Marathon has been postponed a full year to April 2021 may have ruined Severn Athletic Club’s Greg Leyshon’s swan song. The 70 year old was the first Gloucester Athletic Club member to complete a marathon when he set an inaugural club record of 3 hrs 3 mins 31 secs in the AAA Championships at Stoke on the 1st June 1975. He improved to 2:36:30 in the London 1985 Marathon. “Marathon preparation needs precise timing. Like others my winter distance schedule was completed just as lockdown was declared. Now my summer distance work has no target. Hopefully I can do 2021”.
The only Severn runner left with an autumn marathon is club vice-chair Dave Clarke who was successful in the club ballot for a London Marathon place. A decision on the October 6th race will be made in July.
Severn senior member Terry Haines has appealed to groups training together to keep to social distance guidelines. “The heavy breathing by runners suggests four metres not two metres. Do give others a wide berth, too many jogging seem to think they have an immunity when in fact they are more vulnerable and capable of transmission”.
Severn AC 
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