The second edition of the National Horse Racing Museum (NHRM) Trail Half Marathon took place in gorgeous, sunny weather at 11:00am on Sunday, 30th August, starting and finishing at the NHRM in Palace Street, Newmarket. The course was an absolute scenic treat, taking in a two-mile stretch of the Devil’s Dyke and proceeding along wooded pathways, through immaculately kept stud farmland and over the racehorse training grounds of Newmarket Heath. It was excellently organised this year by Richard Defries of Newmarket Joggers (NJ), with his loyal band of club volunteers and helpers. He was also well supported by the staff of the NHRM and Tack Room, where snacks and drinks were available to buy all through the event. The designer of the course, NJ Alan Shand, invited a Scottish bagpiper to play rousing music, to give the participants a good send-off from the NHRM.
Above, left: Newmarket Joggers taking part; right: Run Director Richard Defries giving his briefing before the start.
Above, from left: They’re off! The first wave leaving NHRM: the bagpiper; runners proceeding down Palace Street.
Participants in the Half Marathon were sent off in groups of 10 at 2-minute intervals from 11:00am, mainly to avoid any overcrowding on the pavements through the town as they headed up the High Street towards Racecourse Heath. There were 79 finishers, including 25 women and 54 men. First overall finisher was the high class Owen Rees of Ipswich Phoenix in a time of 1:30:13, an extremely good time for this difficult, undulating course, which included hazardous, narrow, winding pathways with exposed tree roots and protruding stones along the Devil’s Dyke. He was closely followed by Aidan Elmore (1:31:19) and Ross Hollinworth (1:33:21), both of Saint Edmund Pacers. For the women, Kristy Guneratne (1:47:23) of St Radegund RDC did very well to finish first female, from Emma Wheeler (1:49:57) of Ipswich Phoenix, with our very own Carol Cienna Carter (1:50:01) of Newmarket Joggers in third place; amazing for her to achieve a top three place, being in age group F55-59.
Above, from left: Owen Rees passing Cheveley Church at the halfway checkpoint; Kristy Guneratne and Owen Rees, first female and male finishers; ; Carol Cienna Carter with 3rd F trophy.
Other Newmarket Joggers taking part were Chris Howell (1:49:10) of 1st claim St Radegund RDC, Tom Holt (1:49:14), Ryan Carter (1:49:14), Charles Jones (1:50:36), Tristram Hilborn (2:03:57), Mattie Blakeman (2:17:22), Jeremy Reader (2:17:22), Ed Humphrey (2:30:20), Sianie Painter (2:56:34), Chris Aylmer (3:11:28), Malcolm Osbourn (3:12:02) and Stuart Janes (3:12:02).
Above from left: Newmarket Joggers Tom Holt & Ryan Carter on the Heath; Jeremy Reader & Mattie Blakeman after the run; Carol Cienna Carter approaching the Warren Hill descent on Newmarket Heath.
Above left: Joggers in Cheveley, helping to set up the course the day before; right: some of the NJ volunteer team on the day: Andy Fryatt, Richard Defries, Christine Shand (starter), Carol Cienna Carter, Francine Dasseville.
Above left: volunteer Joggers at the Cheveley Church checkpoint and water station, including Jenny Osbourn, Francine Dasseville, Bridget Wallwin and Caroline Mcintosh; right: Alan Shand (tail runner) and Richard Defries collecting up the signage after the race.
OTHER NEWS
There was a big wedding up in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, on Saturday, 29th August. Newmarket Joggers Angela Brennan and Chris Underwood were joined together in holy matrimony and couldn’t resist taking part in the Crichton 5k parkrun before the wedding….along with lots of Joggers and other friends who had come up to celebrate with them on their special day. We wish them happiness and the very best of fortune for the future.
Above: The Crichton parkrun before the wedding of Angela and Chris; right: Angela, Chris and their baby.
STEVENAGE Menzies 10K, Sunday 30th August: Ian McClements and his wife Dorota took part in the Stevenage Menzies 10K, organised by Stevenage Striders, Ian’s 1st claim club. Ian clocked 1:12:33 and was able to pace Dorota to a PB time of 1:12:34. That was Ian’s first known 10k event this year.
Above: Ian & Dorota McClements with Stevenage 10K medals; Dorota ringing her PB bell.
On Thursday evening, 27th August, Ian had also taken part in the Phoenix Duck ‘n’ Run Rubber Ducky Day 6 Half Marathon multi-lap event (that’s a mouthful) at Sunbury-on-Thames. It involved running 4 x out & back laps up and down the Thames towpath. He finished 2nd of 15 runners in a time of 2:15:16, so is managing to bank a lot of healthy mileage at a relatively relaxed pace for him.
Many thanks for all the photos and race news.
Enjoy your week of running!
Chris