Three Joggers successfully completed the TCS New York City Marathon and did the club proud on Sunday. It was Rebecca Fordham’s first ever marathon and she pulled out all the stops to finish in 4:38:16. Like the other two, she had to dig very deep in the closing stages, with halfway splits of 2:07/2:31. She will have fared very well against her age group rivals but gender and age group results are not currently searchable. New member James (Jimmy) Smith, a veteran of 17 sub 3 hour marathons and sporting a PB of 2:38:06 in the VLM 2017, had sickness and stomach upsets all the week leading up to this race, so he was braced for a stern test of endurance. He still managed a very creditable 3:11:00 with splits of 1:25/1:46, despite feeling progressively more unwell, with sickness during the race. He certainly gave it everything. Jonathan Ollington came home in 4:14:06 with splits of 1:52/2:22 and needed to call up all his reserves in the final few miles. He wasn’t far from his 4:10:49 PB in the Berlin Marathon in 2018, so a fine effort.
The TCS NYC Marathon Medal. Photo thanks to James Plowman of Newmarket GRL, who also put in a great effort in the race, clocking 4:41:21, despite sickness similar to Jimmy Smith.
Meanwhile, on the same day in Impington, Cambridge, the Bonfire Burn 10K attracted 10 Newmarket Joggers. Mark Hayward (36:30) was in top form and finished 11th of 824 overall, followed by Simon Harris (39:08), 3rd of 123 in MV40-49 and Paul Dockerill (40:09), 5th in the same age group. For the women, Pauline Green was first female Jogger to finish in 52:18, coming 10th of 80 in FV50-59, followed by Hannah Short (54:02) and Sara Brown (58:09). Other Joggers putting in fine efforts were: Sam Sadler (41:15), Jon Brooker (43:05) 13th of 91 in MV50-59, Angela Brennan (1:01:14) and Tracy Bolden (1:02:44).
Another popular race for the club on Sunday was the Lode Half Marathon, which was a flat, out & back course over the fen droves, attracting 12 Joggers. Claire Acklam and husband Nick Acklam put in outstanding age-graded performances and were also first female and male Jogger home to boot. Claire finished in 1:53:34, 3rd of 19 in FV50-59, while Nick clocked 1:40:07 to finish 2nd of 15 in MV60+ and 50th of 221 overall. Amazing efforts in what appears to be their first ever attempts at a half marathon. Next female to finish was Alison McKenzie (1:59:16), followed by Lynda McCormack (2:04:20), Mary Marsh (2:15:28) and Gillian Green (2:46:38). For the men, next home after Nick was Phil Blundell (1:41:51), followed by David Onley (1:52:36), Oliver Stockmann (1:59:34), Miles Johnson (2:00:16) and Alan Shand (2:04:26). In the Lode 5K Fun Run, young Cerys Bithell (Junior Jogger) clocked a PB of 23:24, putting in a tremendous performance to finish first home of 30 female runners overall, including juniors and adults. Mother Ellie Bithell finished 2nd of 21 senior females in 24:39.
In Barrow on Sunday, it was the Kyodo Archer Multi-Loop Half Marathon/Marathon event put on by the Suffolk Running Centre. Lisa Jennings did well to complete the Half Marathon (2 x 6.55 mile loops) in 2:43:21 and the Marathon (4 x loops) in 5:56:58.
Over at Framlingham it was the first Suffolk Winter XC (Cross Country) League fixture of the season, held in the grounds of Framlingham Castle. It also doubled as the final fixture of this year’s Newmarket Joggers Grand Prix, which started last January and comprises 5 Suffolk Winter League cross country events and 5 Kevin Henry League summer 5K events, overlapping two cross country seasons. Ground conditions were extremely difficult with deep, slithery mud and areas of bog all along the trails. However, everyone seemed to enjoy the challenge in the bright sunshine.
Framlingham Castle on a lovely sunny morning shortly before the cross country race. Photo: Chris Aylmer
28 runners represented our combined XC team of Newmarket Joggers and Sudbury Joggers (SJ), consisting of 14 women and 14 men, with 4 women and 2 men coming from Sudbury, The SJs were very good value for money….we need to stick together! No times are yet available; just overall positions in the whole field, which was around 460 in all. Elke Hausler led our women home in 180th overall position from Jackie Hann (SJ) 220th; Daisy Bayliss (SJ) 263rd; Ruth Eberhardt 268th; Sarah Pennock (SJ) 294th; Ruth Cowlin (SJ) 305th; Sianie Painter 355th; Kate Warboys 381st; Bridget Wallwyn 401st; Caroline McIntosh 439th; Christine Windsor 444th; Rachel Allen 448th; Jenny Osbourn 454th and Emma Reader 456th.
Sianie Painter in centre picture, limbering up for her final Grand Prix event, having done all 9 previous events since January. She is now assured of the Women’s Grand Prix Championship and still has her wild card to play in the Bass Belle 10. Congratulations Sianie! Photo: Chris Aylmer
For the men, Kieran Hayles (SJ) was first home in 62nd position from Charles Hann (SJ) 89th; Jamie Rule 118th; Marc Drury 121st; Eliot Bentley 134th; Neville Clarke 155th; Tom Elton 210th; Brian Munns 231st; Jeremy Reader 233rd; Rob Hawkins 257th; Malcolm Osbourn 328th; Jim Withers 348th; Chris Aylmer 375th and Keith Page 445th. Well done all those who represented the team.
We can now be certain that Sianie Painter has deservedly won the Women’s Grand Prix Championship for 2019, with her wild card points not needed but still to be added to her tally from the Bass Belle 10 mile race at Bassingbourn on 24th Nov. Second and third will be Caroline McIntosh and Jenny Osbourn. Likewise, Neville Clarke is already assured of the Men’s Grand Prix Championship, with his wild card points from the Hadleigh 10 on 17th Nov still to add to his final tally. Malcolm Osbourn will be second and it will be close between Jeremy Reader and Chris Aylmer for third place. Congratulations to the well-deserved winners Sianie and Neville, and well done all those who represented the club in those races! Special thanks to Jan Holmes, who is currently not 100% fit but was helping out with recording positions as well as supporting the runners. Also, thanks to Sarah Rowland for runner support and photography. The next fixture will be Woodbridge XC on 15th December.