The results of the fifth and penultimate fixture of the Suffolk Winter XC League, held at Pakenham on Sunday 6th February, were released without delay by club hosts Saint Edmund Pacers. It’s great news for our joint Newmarket & Sudbury Joggers team (N&S), that our men’s A team has moved up to third trophy place of 17 clubs in the points table, 90 points ahead of Framlingham Flyers, with Saint Edmund Pacers and Stowmarket Striders in first and second places, 455 and 71 points ahead of N&S respectively. In order to stay ahead of Framlingham, and possibly even catch Stowmarket, our men’s A team of 7 runners (= our first 7 men to finish on the day) will have to pull out all the stops in the final fixture on Sunday 13th March at Woodton, hosted by Bungay Black Dog RC. Our women’s A team of 4 runners (= first 4 women to finish on the day) currently stands 7th of 15 in the women’s points table; not in sight of a trophy but holding firm, having edged up from 8th position. See League tables below:
Our trio of Jimmy Smith (M40), Paul Holley (M55) and Neville Clarke (M65) are now guaranteed to finish top of their age category competitions, all having finished 1st in every fixture they have entered and all qualifying with at least 4 runs. Very well done to those runners. From Sudbury Joggers, Charles Hann (M55) and Jackie Hann (F55) both look set to take 2nd or 3rd place trophies in their age categories, if they complete the final fixture in March.
Nether Hall in Pakenham, in whose beautiful grounds the Pakenham XC fixture took place.
Sunday 13th February in North Norfolk: Ruth Eberhardt ran in the Marriott’s Way Half Marathon, along the scenic, disused railway route from Whitwell Station to Aylsham. She enjoyed the run with a friend and clocked 2:20:15, finishing 117th of 179 runners overall. 48th F of 94 and 9th of 17 in F45. The race was organised by Positive Steps PT, who also put on the local Bury to Clare 18 mile trail challenge, as well as a number of other events in East Anglia.