On Thursday evening, 20th August, the sixth and final fixture of the Arkwright & Co/Turners 5K League took place on the Genome Campus at Hinxton, organised seamlessly by Cambridge & Coleridge AC. It was a fast and furious, 2.5-lap route, over tarmac service roads on the Campus, with a lot of speed bumps to negotiate along the way. During the second lap, there was a lot of lapping of slower runners by faster runners and some sections of road were divided by cones into two opposite-direction lanes, making for an exciting and hectic atmosphere; you could spot your teammates as they came by on the other side. There were 49 Newmarket Joggers (NJ) running altogether, including 14 women and 35 men, among a total field of 419.
Above: Joggers at the Genome Campus in Hinxton on Thursday evening, 20th August.
Here are the results of the Top 5 finishers for the NJ women’s and men’s teams, who were given points scores according to their position within gender, lower scores beating higher. All finishers for each club were awarded one point, to be deducted from their team’s Top 5 score, so that all runners contributed to the final score.
NJ women: Izzy Talbot Price 17:27 SB, 1st F of 142 overall; Carol Cienna Carter 19:39 SB, 9th F; Olivia Carter 21:39 SB, 20th F; Francine Dasseville 26:25 SB, 87th F; Alyson Stringer 26:52 SB, 92nd F. Points score: 1 + 9 + 20 + 87 + 92 = 209 -14 (total NJ women) = 195. Unofficial NJ women’s team position for this fixture: 6th of 8 clubs. Unofficial overall position in League: =4th of 8 clubs.
NJ men: Hugh Tawell 15:59 SB, 4th M of 277 overall; Neil Pollard 16:36 SB, 10th M; Jonathan Pye 17:11 SB, 21st M; Mark Hayward 17:34 SB, 29th M; Paul Holley 17:58 SB, 42nd M. Points score: 106 -35 = 71. Unofficial NJ men’s team position for this fixture: 4th of 8 clubs. Unofficial overall position in League: 6th of 8 clubs.
Above, left: the start of the 5k race on Genome Campus by Dan Bainbridge; middle: Izzy Talbot Price & Paul Holley; right: Andy Fryatt & Francine Dasseville, with Richard Defries & Cienna Carter behind.
Despite not having a realistic chance of a top three team trophy this year, all the Joggers put in huge efforts, with most putting in Season’s Best (SB) 5k times, including all the Top 5 finishers. Phenomenal age grades were achieved by Carol Cienna Carter F55-59 88.89%, Paul Holley M60-64 88.87%, Neil Pollard M45-49 87.55%, Izzy Talbot Price F25-29 84.62%, Hugh Tawell M30-34 81.65%, Neville Clarke M70-74 80.58% and Mark Hayward M45-49 80.27%, with lots more over 70.00%. The women’s team were unlucky to have two of their fastest, regular team members missing for the final fixture, i.e. Elke Hausler and Helen Hilario. This was likely because the postponement of the final fixture date from 13th to 20th August (due to the heatwave) interfered with holiday arrangements and other commitments. However, Francine Dasseville and Alyson Stringer stepped up to the challenge admirably. In the awards that followed shortly after the race, Izzy Talbot Price was deservedly presented with the trophy for best female runner of the series. It was an incredible feat that she managed to finish first female in all six of the races. Also earning trophies for best NJ contributing runners were Izzy for the women and Tom Hemsley for the men. Chris Aylmer was very surprised and honoured to be awarded the ‘Good Egg’ prize , which included Champagne, new Mizuno running shoes and a beautiful, engraved, silver goblet to keep for a year.
Above: Neil Pollard receiving the ‘Jogger of the Month’ award from NJ Chair Angela Drury on Genome Campus; middle: Izzy Talbot Price receives trophy for top female runner of the Arkwright & Co/Turners 5K Series; right: Chris Aylmer receives ‘Good Egg’ award from Up & Running representative.
OTHER RACES
The biggest local race over the weekend was the Dereham 10 in Norfolk on Sunday, August 23rd. Mark Hayward (58:28, 9th of 405 overall, 3rd of 41 in M40-44) put in a very sound effort, just slightly outside his time in the Tarpley 10 in February this year (57:52). NJ Jason Beeton (1:12:07, 94th, 14th in M40-44), representing 1st Claim Thetford AC, also did well, though his best time this year was 1:10:50 at Reedham in January.
Above: Mark Hayward (left) and Jason Beeton (right) finishing Dereham 10.
Also on Sunday, NJ Paul Holley met up with former NJ Jimmy Smith (now with Saint Edmund Pacers) to take part together in the Admiral McHilly Trail Run, which was over approximately 16.5 miles and situated in the countryside surrounding Chelmsford in Essex. This race was a navigational trail run, with runners starting at intervals and being individually timed out and in. Among a field of 58, Paul’s time was 2:32:25, which put him in first place, with Jimmy Smith seconds behind in 2nd, so not a bad day’s work.
Above left: Paul Holley (left) & Jimmy Smith (right) at the Admiral McHilly 16.5-mile Trail Run; right: the navigational instructions.
Up in Peterborough on Sunday morning, along by the River Nene, Ian McClements took part in the Phoenix Little Miss and Mister Runner multi-lap event. Together with his wife Dorota and other friends, they took on the 4-lap half marathon distance. Ian ran the first two laps a lot faster (~6.55 miles, 55:56) and then waited for his wife and the others to catch up; then he joined them for the final two laps, which explains his slower than usual time of 3:25:40.
Above left: Ian McClements and his wife Dorota at Phoenix Little Miss and Mister Runner; right: with friends and family after the race.
Sunday morning at 9:30am: A number of Joggers took part in the free, monthly 10km run in Ickworth Park, which is not officially timed, though all runners start together and there are some marshals helping out. Approximate times were Martin Smith 50:50; Angela Underwood 1:03:00; Sophie Adams (unknown); Joanne Bouttell 1:10:00; Caroline Mcintosh 1:19:00 and Bridget Wallwin 5km 32:31.
Above, from left: Caroline Mcintosh, Martin Smith, Bridget Wallwin, Sophie Adams and Joanne Bouttell at Ickworth Park free 10K event.
Reuben Smith attended one of the Nations 5K runs on Saturday afternoon, over the Brook Leys parkrun course in Eddington, Cambridge. These 5k runs are the initiative of endurance runner Esmée Gummer, who is currently more than halfway through her monumental task of running 5,000km in 99 days (~50km per day on average), running all the way between 77 cities in the UK and Ireland and inviting people to run 5km with her at particular times and venues, many of them parkrun courses. The challenge is raising funds for mental health charities and aims to encourage lots more people to take up running for health and fitness. Reuben is pictured with Esmée at Brook Leys. The next day, on Sunday, Reuben met up with Esmée again while she was running from Cambridge…probably towards the city of Norwich. Reuben ran with her for a few miles through Red Lodge. Her next city will be Colchester on Wednesday, where there will be a Nations 5K run at 7:00pm…maybe in Castle Park?
Above: Reuben Smith with Esmée Gummer at Brook Leys parkrun course.
SIANIE PAINTER’S 160KM FAMINE WAY RUN/WALK IN IRELAND, 19th to 21st August.
In her own words:
The Famine Way: Strokestown to Abbyshrule, 19th August.
My late parents lived near Strokestown, which is the start of the 160km Famine Way long distance path. As my trips here are coming to an end, I wanted to do something meaningful (to me), so a 3 day journey along the Famine Way seemed like a good idea. I made a mess of recording it, so have manually created it instead. Left at first light, used run/walk throughout with plenty of breaks. This is a lovely, very well maintained route suitable for cyclists too. It was overcast with light rain which was perfect for me. Off for pizza now that I’m showered and semi presentable.
Famine Way: Abbyshrule to Hill of Down, 20th August.
In good order, but did find this a bit of a slog for the last half/15 miles. Halfway point was Mullingar, my father’s hometown, which he left at 14 to come to England as an apprentice jockey. I spent a couple of hours here, eating & exploring, which probably contributed to finding the last bit hard.
I have a cunning plan to use the train stations that are adjacent to the route to cut a chunk out of tomorrow, as I want to keep this fun which the full 60k might not be.
It’s fortuitous that I enjoy my own company as there is almost nobody using this splendid route. Yesterday I saw 3 dog walkers, 2 runners and 2 cyclists; today I saw 1 cyclist and 2 runners, except through Mullingar where it was more lively.
A section in the second half ran adjacent to a road, which made me realise how silent the rest of the route has been. It’s a great route but some might find following a canal for 100 miles a bit, um, boring?
I’m in a lovely Airbnb tonight which is totally wasted on me as I’ll probably be in bed by 8.
Famine Way; Hill of Down to Dublin, 21st August.
This would have been the longest distance, so travelled by train between Enfield (the one in Meath) and Maynooth to save myself 14 miles. Could see the canal from train so feel like it counts.
Was an enjoyable day, but not disappointed to be finished. Feet & legs coped well, think I’ll be stiff tomorrow but no obvious injuries.
Spent some time in the famine museum and found out what became of the emigrants that the Famine Way commemorates.
I’m entered in our half marathon next weekend – I think that’s a bit optimistic!
What a poignant, contemplative way to spend three days in Ireland and to cast the mind back to the Irish Famine of 1849.
Happy running,
Chris Aylmer