Cassidy Lady Godiva Half Marathon

This year's Cassidy Lady Godiva Half Marathon took place on Sunday 19 October 2008 and was enjoyed by over 1500 runners. The race was started by Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Jack Harrison MBE JP, at 9.30am, and 62 minutes 41 seconds later Tweodras Shiferaw crossed the line, arms aloft. The first female across the line was Joyce Kandia who managed an impressive 75 minutes, 57 seconds.

The weather was perfect, with little wind and reasonable temperatures for the autumn. The area outside the Coventry Transport Museum was buzzing with the families and friends of the runners, eagerly shouting and banging their Cheersticks together.

Feedback from the event

Carl Bainbridge, Marketing and Communications Manager for Community Services said " The race is the culmination of a year of very hard work from a big team of people in the Culture, Leisure and Libraries section of the city council, working in partnership with many other city council colleagues and organisations. It has caused us all some sleepless nights, so it is very satisfying when the majority of runners appreciate all our efforts. Reading the feedback from the Runners World site this morning has made us feel all that work has been worthwhile.

As always, we will sit down and look at the whole event, listen to comments passed on, what worked well and what we can improve on, and build on this feedback so we can look to improve the event year on year."

Runner number 962, Ian Clapinson said "Once again I must congratulate Coventry for putting on such a well organised event. A great race taking in such delights as Allesley Park, Warwick University and the War Memorial Park. And just as my aching limbs were on the point of giving up at the 13 mile mark, there was a great boost from the large, enthusiastic crowd in the city centre, cheering us along for those last few hundred yards to the new improved finish line. The way was well marked with plenty of arrows, helpful marshals and friendly volunteers at the drinks stations. There were even one or two residents offering refreshments from their front gardens along the way. The yellow whistling crowd at the Marie Curie drinks station in the War Memorial Park particularly gave everyone a lift.

A couple of minor criticisms, it would have been nice to have had a bit more in the "goody bag" AND there was a bit of a queue at the baggage tent. Having said that I think the starting area in Millennium Place was a lot better than in previous years. To top it all off, even the weather was nice, which you can't guarantee in the middle of October. All in all I can't wait for next year!"

If you have any comments about the Cassidy Lady Godiva Half Marathon or Monty's Mini Marathon, please email us at cultureandleisure@coventry.gov.uk

Information about previous events

For further information, online entry, downloadable entry forms, charity sponsorship forms and photo galleries visit www.cassidygodiva-halfmarathon.com

Contact details

For further information please contact:

Paul Claridge,
Race Director,
Culture, Leisure and Libraries
Floor 2, West Orchard House,
28-34 Corporation Street,
Coventry, CV1 1GF.
Telephone: 024 7683 3232
e-mail: paul.claridge@coventry.gov.uk

Fax: 024 7683 2470
Minicom: 024 7683 2308

Coventry City Council