Such a performance, which would put him at least ninth on the island’s all-time list for the distance, does not appear at all far-fetched when you consider his 2hrs 33min. 52sec. run in Sunday’s relatively hilly, warm and windswept Sure Guernsey Marathon. This is believed to be the fastest time a local athlete has ever posted in a Guernsey marathon.
The Island Games runner and triathlete – who is still relatively new to serious sport – finished with a spring in his step even after the rigours of 26.2 largely solo miles.
‘It feels amazing,’ he said after going in targeting 2-38 and having the corresponding splits written on his arm.
‘I did not think I was going to do that.
‘That wasn’t my aim today. I went out strong and felt great the whole way around – and yeah, I’m absolutely buzzing.’
Certainly, after this shock improvement of over 4min. on his PB from Berlin, he is intent to see what he can do on a course better-known for fast times.
‘This is a massive confidence-booster and I think I’ve got to start looking for a sub-2-30 now on a different course.
‘It was a headwind the whole way from Imperial to the Beach House, but it was so hot, it was almost cooling me down.
‘I didn’t take much notice of it – well I tried not to anyway.’
Finishing fourth and top Guernseyman also came as a pleasant surprise given that the chase group behind France’s Guillaume Ruel were far up the road and, in Woodhead’s words, ‘I thought they were gone.’
But he caught them up and then picked off Guernsey triathlon professional Josh Lewis for a notable scalp.
After taking second woman to the in-form Harriet Carr, popular Guernsey veteran Ulrike Maisch took to social media and thanked those who supported her along the way.
‘That was a very tough race today,’ she said.
‘Happy with second place but really badly paced – older but not wiser.
‘I blame the wind for pushing too much at the beginning and making the second half of the marathon hard work.
‘Thank you all for so many lovely messages and the huge support along the course.’
