The Jersey Hash House Harriers’ annual half-marathon has had a surge in entries and up to 400 runners could be lining up at the start in St John on Sunday morning.
Holley, carving out a new sporting career after retiring as a National Hunt jockey, will be chasing down his winning time of last year – 1 hr 11 min 11 sec – backed up by some superb recent performances.
The Beeches Old Boy went under 70 minutes for the distance for the first time at Reading, crossing the line in 1 hr 9 min 43 seconds just three weeks before the London Marathon.
In London he then finished an excellent 219th in 2 hours and 41 minutes.
Holley said: ‘I’m looking forward to the Jersey race again and I don’t know how I will do because I don’t know who will be taking part.
‘I’m in good form at present and looking forward to the event.
I’d like to better my Reading time but we’ll have to wait and see.
Reading was a fast course.
It really depends on the weather conditions in Jersey too.’ The 39-year-old will not have it all his own way, with Tim Rogers, in the hunt for a Commonwealth Games spot in triathlon, sure to be prominent.
Another well-known personality to have entered is professional boxer Lee Meager, who represented Jersey in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998 while still an amateur.
The 342 entries that had been received by mid-week include 132 from the UK.
The race starts at 9.30 am in the car park opposite Les Fontaine Tavern.
Runners wind their way through 13.1 miles of countryside in Jersey’s northern parishes before finishing at the northern end of St Ouen’s Bay.
There are no clear favourites in the women’s race as last year’s winner Jo McGarry will be competing in England.
Alderney runner Nikki Neal could be a contender though her current form is unknown.
Sarah Bruce, who had an excellent London Marathon performance, is likely to be one of the leaders.
A range of team entries are expected, but Jersey Spartan AC will be striving to repeat last year’s successes.
Numbers for the children’s beach race are much higher than last year with 88 entries received.
This race starts at 10.15 am from the slipway opposite Jersey Pearl and shares the finish line with the half marathon.
n The official charity for the race is the Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled.
The major sponsor is CI Co-operative Society’s Total Sport.
ESC also support the event.
Late entries will be excepted on the day for the half marathon only, at a cost of £15.
Visit www.jerseyhalf.com for further race details.
