Oxford Half 2019: Meet Your Pacers

The Oxford Half will soon be upon us and our pacers are ready to motivate you to the finish line! We asked them a few questions so read on to get to know them a little better…

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

  • Pub landlordRichard Gibbs
  • Long distance lorry driverCeleste Miles
  • Astronaut. I love Star Wars so to fly a spacecraft would have been so cool Andrew Muir
  • Still trying to find out! James Bream
  • I always wanted to be a train driver as a child,unfortunately I didn’t make itStephen Standley
  • PilotSam Barrell
  • Football crazy Andy Sulley
Pictured (clockwise left to right) – Andrew Muir, Richard Gibbs, James Bream, Ben Upjohn, Sam Barrell, Celeste Miles, David Lu, Andy Sulley

Who is your sporting hero?

  • Andrew “Freddie” FlintoffAndrew King
  • Sporting hero would have to be Cristiano Ronaldo. How he has kept up his fitness and high level of focus for over 15 years is incredible! One of, if not the greatest! Steven Salazar
  • David Rudisha, he’s an exceptional athlete and looks so effortless when he runsBen Upjohn
  • Sporting hero has to be Andy Murray – hard work and determination pays offHarriet Penney
  • Paula Radcliffe or Mo Farah. I loved watching Paula run and still remember her running her world record. Mo Farah was the starter of my first ever half marathon and I got to high five himEmma Timms
  • My sporting hero is Usain Bolt, I think he would be a party animal Rebecca Walker
  • Sonia O Sullivan- She is one of Ireland’s most renowned female athletes. She is a motivated, determined and courageous athlete who never gave upSinead Boland
  • I admire Mo Farah, and maybe one day I can run as fast as him! He’s also a really nice person with interesting YouTube videos! David Lu
  • Graeme Obree, the cycling legend and design genius. I love it that he made a record breaking bike out of washing machine and that his kitchen table is covered in tools and bike bits! Alastair Green
Pictured (clockwise left to right) – Nikolaos Kanellakis, Rebecca Walker, Sinead Boland, Andrew King, Alastair Green, Harriet Penney, Emma Timms, Steven Salazar

Top tip for race day?

  • Focus on what you can control. And if it rains, skin is waterproof!!Vicky Ledbury
  • Have a healthy nutritious breakfast and keep hydrated throughout and have a jog before the race just to get legs warm for the race Imran Hassanjee
  • To simply have no expectations on time and to just enjoy it. Putting pressure on ourselves is something we all do but most of the times is unnecessary – Simona Scavo
  • Keep your head up, take in the sights 13 miles is a long time to look at pavement – Justin Lennox
  • Don’t wear headphones, take in the atmosphere! Jessica Daniels
  • Put a smile on your face and enjoy it; even if your run isn’t going to plan, you’re surrounded by people sharing your passion and giving it their all, use their energy and enthusiasm to see you through and have a blast doing itRussell Gritton
  • Smile for the cameras! James Smith
Pictured (clockwise left to right) – Jessica Daniels, Russell Gritton, Jarnail Singh, James Smith, Justin Lennox, Imran Hassanjee, Hayley Coates, Simona Scavo, Ben Annear
Finishing TimeName Club / Crew
01.30Nick CoupeOxford City Athletics Club
01.30Sam Barrell
01.35Ben Upjohn
01.40Imran Hassanjee Severn AC
01.45James SmithFordy Runs Running Club
01.45Sinead Boland Midnight Runners
01.45James Bream Stafford Harriers
01.50Benjamin AnnearGoodGym Cardiff
01.50Andrew Muir Abingdon AC
01.50Steven SalazarWaverley Harriers
01.55Katie Simmonds Lululemon’s We Are Runners, Haslemer e Border AC
01.55Nikolaos Kanellakis University College Oxford
02.00Emma Healey WMN Run
02.00Stephen Standley Redway Runners
02.00Ella Thurston Adidas Runners London
02.00David Lu UCL Cycling Club
02.00Tom Dolan Lonely Goat Running Club
02.05Alastair Green St Albans Striders
02.05Rebecca Walker RAFAA
2.10Philip Jefferies
02.10Andrew King Hazlemere Runners
02.15Emma Timms Rugby & Northampton AC
02.15Andy Sulley Headington Roadrunners
02.20Hayley Coates St Edmund Pacers
02.20Harriet Penney
02.30Rich Gibbs Woodstock Harriers
02.30Russell Gritton Run Things Run Club
JoggierJessica Daniels
JoggierSimona Scavo Lonely Goat Running Club
Joggier Jarnail Singh Backpackers Chasing Lights Collective
Joggy Justin Lennox York Knavesmire Harriers
Walk/Jog Vicky Ledbury Active Soul UK
Walk/Jog Celeste Miles Backpackers Chasing Lights Collective

Entries to the Oxford Half are no longer available but you can still join in over the weekend by applying to volunteer.