Thursday evening, 7:00pm, August 14th: The sixth and final fixture of the Arkwright/Turners 5K Summer League took place at Hinxton, organised by Cambridge & Coleridge AC (C&C) on a lovely, sunny evening. It was a fast, winding, 3-lap course, over hard path and around the closed service roads of the Genome Campus, which is an exciting new research development, close to Hinxton Hall. Among a total of 413 runners, from 8 participating clubs, Newmarket Joggers (NJ) fielded 53 runners, including 20 women and 33 men.
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As expected, the strong C&C team came away emphatic winners of the league for women, men and for combined women’s and men’s teams. Good news for us that the NJ women’s team deservedly managed to hold onto their 2nd place position, which they have maintained since the 3rd fixture, despite Royston Runners’ women’s team coming with an unexpected late surge to finish 2nd on the night. It is believed to be the best performance in this league by our women’s team for many years. In the 4th fixture the NJ women’s team finished first team overall, just ahead of C&C; surely the first time that’s happened too.
NJ men’s team put in a spirited effort to finish 3rd on the night and 4th in the league. The NJ combined women’s and men’s team finished equal 2nd with Ely Runners, so plenty to feel pleased about for the Joggers.
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First five high-scorers for NJ women’s team: Sarah Osborne 19:12, 7th F of 159 overall; Cerys Bithell 19:49, 9th F; Carol Cienna Carter 20:47, 17th F ; Olivia Carter 21:46, 26th F; Helen Hilario 22:47, 47th F. For the men’s team: Mark Hayward 16:45, 14th M of 254 overall; James Smith 17:15, 19th M; Sam Sadler 17:44, 29th M; Jonathan Pye 17:50, 32nd M; Jack Imrie 17:57, 37th M. Well done all those high flyers and the rest of the team for their vital support in achieving the best possible result.
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The prizegiving and awards were given out soon after the race, with the C&C organisers working double quick to turn around the results in time. NJ Andy Fryatt received the revered trophy for ‘Good Egg’ of the series, which was based on nominations by each club for their most deserving member. Andy had two strokes last year and an operation to repair a ‘hole’ in the heart early this year; yet he has come right back from it all to perform near his best in the 5k League series. Never once did he consider giving up his favourite sport.
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Also nominated by NJ, and receiving prizes for the club on the night, were Kirsty McDermott and Steve Edwards. Kirsty didn’t join NJ until after the first fixture. She then finished first female overall in 3 out of her 4 races in the league. It is believed to be the first time that any female Jogger has been a first finisher, let alone three times. This was so encouraging for the women’s team and for everyone in the club. Steve Edwards was nominated for achieving the highest standard of the relatively few Joggers who have run in every fixture of the series. Well done to them both.
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OTHER RACE NEWS
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Jimmy Smith (1:24:34, 11th of 409 overall, 1st of 23 in M45) ran well in the Clacton Half Marathon on Sunday, August 17th, which followed a coastal route, close to the shore. It was his first half marathon this year and he admitted to taking his foot a little off the pedal in the last few miles. However, he still had no trouble winning his age group.
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Also on Sunday was the Girton 5M Trail Run, to the north of Cambridge. Suzanne Bailey (49:52, 53rd of 73 overall, 18th F of 30, 3rd in F55+) put in a sound performance and enjoyed the course. Unfortunately, signs in the woods had been moved or stolen during the night by trouble-makers and the organisers had to work hard to remark the route in time.
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Meanwhile, Phil Blundell ran in the Bath Two Tunnels 50km pairs relay race with Debbie Abrahams, representing his second claim club Ely Runners. It included 5 x 10km laps (split between them) and went through two disused railway tunnels near Bath, one over a mile long, called Combe Down Tunnel (1672m) and the other Devonshire Tunnel (408m). Phil and Debbie came 2nd of 2 in the mixed pairs category and did well to complete the course in 5:08:56.
After the Somerset & Dorset Railway was closed down in 1966, the tunnels remained sealed until 2013. Since then they have been reopened and lovingly restored by the charity Sustrans (for sustainable transport), with pavement and cycle path replacing the rails.
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Not exactly races, but out of interest, NJs Neil & Hannah Pollard (time 29:59 each) ran in the Runger Events Wyken Vineyards Trail 5K on Friday evening, considered more of a social trail run. There was also a kids’ 1km run beforehand. Most of all, there was good food and drink afterwards, hopefully including some English wine, with a female folk singer/guitarist entertaining. A traditional dish from Alsace called Flammekueche was served, which is a flat bread covered in cream cheese, onion, bacon bits (lardons) and sometimes mushroom, rather like a type of pizza.
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On Saturday, NJ Kirsty McDermott challenged herself to run the Victoria Line route in London, calling at all the tube stations from one end to the other (Brixton to Walthamstow Central), with friend Joe Lavery. It was 15.7 miles long and took them 2h:33m; very good going among all the traffic and roads to cross. She has previously run the Circle Line (22.4 miles, 3h:36m), Jubilee Line (24.0 miles, 3h:26m) and Hammersmith & City Line (21.6 miles, 3h:5m). Amazing stuff😀
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