On Sunday 16th October, a good number of Joggers took part in the ever-popular Cambridge Town & Gown 10K, which brings out the best form in everybody and helps to raise valuable funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK. Jimmy Smith was called up to represent Suffolk County in the Inter-Counties League. He produced his fastest 10K of the year at 34:40, finishing 24th of 1,823 overall and 3rd of 240 in his M40 age group. Also putting in a fine performance was Jason Beeton (39:52, 127th overall), which appears to be his first ever sub 40 min 10K, according to Runbritain records. Then came Paul Roberts M40 (50:32, 604th), easily beating his previous PB of 54:34, gained earlier this year.
Jimmy Smith (2424) in the centre, representing Suffolk County in the Town & Gown 10K. Thanks to Jimmy for the photo.
Above: Jason Beeton (left) and Paul Roberts & Family (right) after the Town & Gown 10K.
Thanks to both for the photos on Strava.
First home for the female Joggers was Ellie Bithell (53:02, 174th F of 884 overall, 37th of 231 in F40), her best time in a ‘real’ 10K race since 2019, so fast improving after the Covid era. Also in encouraging form was Jan Holmes F50 (59:11, 405th F), with her first sub 1 hour time since 2019. Then came Sarah Kinston F40 (1:03:26, 548th F), Sarah Last F50 (1:05:29, 619th F), Joanne Bouttell F50 ( 1:13:20, 767th F) and Gillian Green F60 (1:16:36, 802nd F), all with their best 10K times this year. In the Town & Gown 3K, young Cerys Bithell (14 yrs) was 12th of 52 runners overall and first female finisher of 24 in a time of 13:04, so a great performance by her.
Above: Ellie and Cerys Bithell with medals after their Town & Gown 10K and 3K.
Above left: Sarah Last after the Town & Gown 10K.
Above right: Sarah Kinston making good progress during the 10K. Thanks for the photos.
Also on Sunday, down south at Portsmouth, the Great South Run 10 mile event took place. Paul Holley put in a superb performance of 57:59, finishing 70th of 12,980 runners overall and 1st of 665 (by over 3 minutes) in M55, which earned him 89.54% age grade. This was only 2 weeks after his top effort in the TCS London Marathon.
In a similar vein, Mark Hayward (1:13:16, 15th of 2,304 overall, 5th of 265 in M40) was tackling the Great Eastern Half Marathon in Peterborough, just 2 weeks after his big PB in the TCS London Marathon. He had an excellent run but was narrowly short of his half marathon PB of 1:13:06 gained at Stowmarket earlier this year.
Above left: Paul Holley relaxes after the Great South Run. Is he getting younger? Above right: Mark Hayward seen in the TCS London Marathon on October 2nd. Many thanks for photos.
Two Joggers ran in the 40th edition of the highly-rated Bath Half Marathon, known now as the ‘BaTHalf’, which always attracts top athletes. Mike Sales M55 (1:58:00, 2,918th of 6,856 overall) and Sarah Sales F50 (2:06:13, 863rd F of 2,695) put in top efforts, both similar to their times in the recent Great North Run. Of particular note, their son Jamie Sales (U23) clocked an amazing 1:10:58 (PB by over 5 minutes) in only his 4th half marathon, finishing 17th of 6,856 overall, so there was plenty to celebrate in the family. Further northeast, Andy Fryatt M55 (1:36:30), ran well in the Oxford Half Marathon (of around 9,000 participants) and is steadily regaining his form after Covid illness earlier this year. No detailed results of the Oxford race had come through at the time of writing.
Above: Mike Sales (right) with son Jamie after the Bath Half Marathon. Thanks for the photos.
Much further north on the same day, two Joggers ran in the Yorkshire Marathon. Jeremy Reader M45 (4:22:29, 2,032nd of 3,525 overall) achieved his best marathon time since 2012, when he clocked 4:16:43 in the Virgin London Marathon, so really has found his form. Angela Drury F40 (4:44:34, 598th F of 1,088) did a brilliant job in her first ever marathon, holding her pace well in the later stages. It was a shame that her husband Marc was unable to run due to an injury incurred in the London Marathon, two weeks previously.
Above left: Angela Drury and Jeremy Reader after the Yorkshire Marathon.
Above right: Jeremy crossing the line for his best marathon time since 2012. Thanks for photos.
Much further away in the Amsterdam Marathon in Holland, Caroline Mcintosh F70 (5:43:24, 2,810th F of 2,962) did everything according to plan and was well pleased with her time, back around her normal mark after her slightly disappointing Boston Marathon earlier this year. The Amsterdam Marathon was really a stepping stone for her planned Tokyo Marathon next spring in 2023, which should complete her collection of Six Abbott Major Marathons. It’s been a long journey but Caroline has always stayed focused and positive throughout, whatever came her way, including recurrent injury problems and the travel-disrupting Covid era.
The atmosphere at the start of the Amsterdam Marathon, captured by Caroline Mcintosh. There were 12,662 runners overall, including 2,962 women. Thanks to Caroline for the photo.
On Saturday 15th October, the Dunwich Trail Marathon took place near Southwold on the Suffolk coast; a tough route including soft, deep, beach sand and sand dunes, plus unwelcome coastal undulations in the second half. Rachael Maltpress (4:53:20, 33rd of 66 overall, 7th F of 21) coped admirably in her first ever marathon, maintaining even splits throughout. Adam Maltpress (5:30:21, 52nd overall) was going easily in the first half but found it tough towards the end. It was a good effort in only his second marathon, 4 years after his first at Milton Keynes in 2018, which remains his 4:50:44 PB. That 2018 MK Marathon was a very hot one too, so plenty of potential for future marathon PBs from Adam.
Autumn Blickling Half Marathon, Sunday Oct 16th, Aylsham, Norfolk: Hannah Parsons (1:43:09, 96th of 497 overall, 13th F of 218, 2nd of 33 in F45) and Jon Brooker (114th overall, 4th of 33 in M55) both put in excellent performances in this scenic road race, with Hannah now second in the NJ women’s best half marathon times this year.
Chicago 5K, Saturday Oct 8th: Apologies for a missed result. Jonathan Ollington ran in the Chicago 5K the day before his Chicago Marathon race and produced a PB of 19:29, the first time he’s ever broken 20 minutes. He finished 128th of 7,102 and 3rd of 281 in M55-59; a remarkable performance.