NEWMARKET HEATH RACE
The annual Newmarket Heath Race, organised by Newmarket Joggers AC, took place on Thursday, May 7th on the Bury Side training grounds. It was a beautiful, sunny evening with a cooling breeze. The ~5.4km senior route included an initial tough climb, partly through woods to the highest point on the Heath, at about 1.5km; then was more or less downhill for the rest of the way. The junior race was over 1.8km on lower ground and took place before the senior race. The senior race incorporated the traditional Clive Purbrook Stable & Stud Challenge, where mixed teams of three from the town’s horseracing establishments compete against one another.
The total number of runners in the senior race was 248, including 115 women and 133 men. 28 Newmarket Joggers (NJ) took part in the race, with many more volunteering to help marshal and fill all the other necessary roles, from setting up to closing down. Many thanks to NJ Race Director Angela Drury and all the other helpers and volunteers, who did a great job. There was a record number of juniors in the 1.8km race, totaling 155 overall, representing their schools and clubs.
We are proud to report that NJ Isabelle ‘Izzy’ Talbot Price was first female finisher of 115 in the senior race in a fantastic time of 20:01, age grade 79.93%. She received a lovely trophy for first placed female, though she was primarily representing her employer Rossdales, an equine veterinary practice in Newmarket, in the Stable & Stud Challenge. Their 3-person team did very well to take second place to Baker McVeigh, another veterinary practice, so a nice prize for her, her teammates and for Rossdales. Somerville Lodge stables came third, out of 14 equine team entries.
Other prize winners for NJ were Cerys Bithell (22:50, 3rd F, 1st of 6 in FU21), Helen Hilario (24:20, 9th F, 1st of 30 in F50-59), Jimmy Smith (19:21, 5th overall, 1st of 22 in M40-49., 80.10%), Carlos Campon-Alonso (21:02, 17th, 1st of 26 in M50-59) and Stephen Edwards (23:23, 46th, 1st of 15 in M60-69). Cerys Bithell was also a member of a 3-person sports category team from Newmarket Town FC, coming a close second to Up & Running.
Above from left: Helen Hilario finishing in the Heath Race; her trophy and medal; Jimmy Smith, 1st M40 in Heath Race.
Other senior NJs in order of finish were: Jason Bevan MS 19:36; Ross Birkett MS 20:06, Harvey Thomas U21M 21:40, Charles Jones M60 23:31; Olivia Carter FS 23:52; Paul Roberts M40 24:02; Jonathan Ollington M50 24:40; Alex McCaffrey MS 24:59; Ellie Bithell F40 25:29; Matt Eaton MS 26:07; Elke Hausler F60 26:30; Liam Elvidge MS 26:29; Sylvia Valverde F40 26:30; Reuben Smith M40 26:54; Laura Joy FS 26:46; Matt Valverde M40 27:55; Paul Holley M60 28:58; Anna Mayhew F50 30:19; Krystal Szerszon FS 31:44; Sarah Last F50 33:18; Marie Poujardieu F40 33:39; Jo Bouttell F60 34:06; Lynda McCormack F60 35:16; Wayne Hargreaves M50 36:35.
Above from left: Ellie Bithell with Heath Race medal; how to relax after a race and make good use of your trophy, by Helen Hilario.
In the junior 1.8km race, NJ were represented by 9 boys and 5 girls from U11 to U15. Solomon Brokenshire-Dyke (06:48, 3rd B of 81, 2nd of 10 in U15B) and NJ Sophie Blundell (07:05, 2nd G of 74, 2nd of 10 in U15G) both did particularly well in their gender and age groups.
Other NJ juniors completing the course, in order of finish, were: Noah Poujardieu U15B, 07:02; Rio Mcandrew U15B 07:08; Seb Barrett U13B 07:20; Arthur Stead U11B 07:44; Esther Eaton U13G 08:21; Toby Stephens U15B 08:42; Oliver Hilton U13B 08:47; Imogen Stephens U13G 08:58; Tyler-James Cooper U13B 08:59; Lily-Ann Cooper U15G 09:09; Nancy Irvine U11G 09:38; William Bramhill U11B 10:09.
ROUND UP OF OTHER RACES
The biggest attraction for NJs over the weekend was the Stephen Williams 10K in Thurston, near Bury St Edmunds, which was the chosen Suffolk County Championship 10K road race of the year as well as being included in NJ’s own Grand Prix 2026 series of races. The weather was cool and even a bit chilly, with the sun mainly behind cloud….ideal for running; not sunbathing. The course was gently undulating and scenic. A total of 18 NJs competed in this race. First to finish was Mark Hayward (38:23 SB, 22nd of 291 overall, 3rd of 13 in M40). It’s nice to see him getting back on the road to his best form, after some recent setbacks. Then came David Percy (40:06 SB, 5th of 20 in M50), Marc Drury (40:40 SB, 6th in M50) and Richard Defries (41:09 SB, 7th in M50), all with excellent runs.
Above, Joggers at Stephen Williams 10K, from left: Mark Hayward, Helen Wass, Chris Aylmer, Alan Thornhill, Jo Bouttell, Marc Drury, Pearl Fay, Catherine Bragg, Anna Mayhew, Francine Dasseville, Neville Clarke, Carol Cienna Carter, Richard Defries.
NJs at Stephen Williams 10K at Thurston from left: (1) Ellie Bithell, Catherine Bragg, Marc Drury, Helen Hilario and Richard Defries. (2) Ellie Bithell, Catherine Bragg, Marc Drury, Olivia Carter (front), Carol Cienna Carter (behind), Richard Defries and Helen Hiilario.
First female NJ to finish was Carol Cienna Carter (41:42 PB, 5th F of 129, 1st of 16 in F55, 87.37%) with a huge effort, setting a new Suffolk County Championship record for her age group, 3 minutes and 21 seconds below the previous record set by another Newmarket Joggers member (Julia Middleton) in 2005. That really was an extraordinary achievement by Cienna.
Then came Stephen Edwards (43:11 SB, 6th of 19 in M60), Helen Hilario (44:34 SB, 2nd of 14 in F50) and Olivia Carter (45:47 SB, 9th of 52 in FS). Carol Cienna Carter, Helen Hilario and Olivia Carter won 2nd place trophy in the women’s team of 3 competition. Another trophy winner was Neville Clarke (46:05 SB, 1st of 6 in M70+), with Ellie Bithell (47:08 SB, 2nd of 12 in F45) coming close.
Other NJ finishers were Catherine Bragg F50 51:18 SB, Helen Wass F60 55:32 SB, Anna Mayhew F55 55:27 SB, Francine Dasseville F50 56:08 SB, Joanne Bouttell F60 1:00:35, Alan Thornhill M70+ 1:01:35, Chris Aylmer M70+ 1:08:00 and Pearl Fay F65 1:13:57 SB.
While on 10Ks, Tom Elton (44:43 SB, 226th of 1,225 overall, 17th of 77 in M55) ran in the Colchester 10K on Sunday, May 10th, doing very well in his age group. Further away in Shropshire, Peter Brisbourne (54:21 SB, 644th of 1,698, 67th of 99 in M40) ran in the Market Drayton 10K, sticking to the 55-minute pacer like glue during the last 1km, to make sure he cracked 55 minutes. Jimmy Smith (2:56:2 SB, 12th of 23 overall, 2nd of 30 in M45) entered the Halstead & Essex Marathon on the morning of the race and came up trumps with a sub 3-hour time, to erase the memory of his Boston (UK) Marathon earlier this year.
Above from left: Tom Elton at Colchester 10K; his medal; Jimmy Smith (right) looking good in Halstead & Essex Marathon.
Peter Brisbourne in centre, No. 1632, with running friends at Market Drayton 10K; Peter on right, with friends and supporters.
ARKWRIGHT & Co/TURNERS 5K SUMMER LEAGUE
Results have just been released for the first fixture of the Arkwright & Co/Turners 5K Summer League, which took place at Ben’s Yard, near Ely, on Thursday evening, 30th April. Newmarket Joggers (NJ) take part in this league, along with seven other local running clubs, namely: Cambridge & Coleridge AC, Cambridge Tri Club, Histon & Impington Runners, Ely Runners, Royston Runners, Haverhill RC and Saffron Walden Striders.
Joggers at the Arkwright & Co/Turners Summer 5K at Ben’s Yard.
There were 441 runners overall, including 164 women and 277 men, with a turnout of 18 women and 32 men from Newmarket Joggers. The first 5 women and first 5 men to finish for each club scored positional points, with the lowest total score counting as the best team. From this total was also deducted one point per female and male runner from each club, so all runners contributed to and improved their club’s total score, regardless of where they finished.
The NJ women’s team were in especially good form, with Isabelle Talbot Price 18:37, 1st F of 164, putting in a tremendous effort to finish first female overall. Hayley Tatam 21:59, 14th F, Helen Hilario 22:40, 17th F, Carol Cienna Carter 23:06, 24th F and Elke Hausler 23:57, 36th F completed the NJ top 5 women.
For the NJ men, Sam Sadler 17:40, 16th M of 277, put in a top run, with Thomas Hemsley 18:11, 22nd M, Barley Woodcock 19:40, 52nd M, young Harvey Thomas (U16) 20:09, 63rd M and Andy Fryatt 20:54, 83rd M completing the NJ top 5 men.
As a result, the NJ women’s team now stands 3rd of 8 in the league, with Cambridge & Coleridge (C&C) top and Royston Runners (RR) in 2nd. The NJ men’s team are not faring so well and are currently in 7th position of 8, with the top three teams: C&C, RR and Ely Runners. As a combined women’s and men’s team, NJ now stand =5th of 8 in the league. We look forward to the next fixture at Histon on Thursday 21st May.
On Saturday, May 9th, Sianie Painter took part in the Holy Trails 50M Ultra in East Suffolk, organised by Boghopper Races and starting/finishing at Beccles Quay. It was a very picturesque, circular trail route, heading south via Halesworth to Southwold and back up near the coast via Lowestoft to Beccles. Sianie enjoyed the challenge and the scenery but unfortunately began to suffer from nausea and sickness from halfway and had to retire at the Southwold Pier checkpoint after 34 miles. She took some great photos, as shown below. The weather was gorgeous and she had no regrets about taking part. There were just 34 finishers and 4 retirees, so it was quite a small field.
Photos kindly taken along the Holy Trails 50M by Sianie Painter
TRACK NEWS
Results are now out for the Eastern Masters Athletics Club (EMAC) fixture at West Suffolk Arena in Bury St Edmunds, on Wednesday evening, 6th May. These regional events are for senior athletes aged 35 and over. Newmarket Joggers (NJ) combine with Saint Edmund Pacers (SEP) in this league to form team SEP/NJ, with monthly fixtures from April to July at venues including Peterborough, Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds. Four NJs had a go at the 1500m distance, two at the 400m and one at the 100m:
1500m: Richard Defries M50-59 5:25.0, 74.80%, 2nd place; Carol Cienna Carter W50-59 5:47.8, 84.93%, 1st place; Elke Hausler W60-69 5:51.9, 94.17%, 1st place; Andy Fryatt M50-59 6:03.0, 69.28%.
400m: Richard Defries M50-59 63.65s, 79.97% 2nd place; Carol Cienna Carter W50-59 80.2s, 76.05% 1st place.
100m: Andy Fryatt M50-59 16.30s, 70.86%.
These NJ results and others by SEP have helped SEP/NJ to move into the top three of the league, among about 7 competing clubs, a big improvement on last year, which was the first year of the league.
Suffolk County T&F Championships, West Suffolk Arena, Bury St Edmunds, Sunday, 10th May: Three NJs competed at this track meeting. Solomon Brokenshire-Dyke U14 clocked 5:19.5 PB, 72.43% in the 1500m, while Harvey Thomas U16 recorded 10:39.0 PB, 74.32% in the 3000m. Cheryl Thomas W45 also achieved a PB with her JT600 javelin throw of 13.98m. It was also the Cambridgeshire T&F Championships on Saturday 9th May at Cambridge University Track, but no NJ members are known to have taken part.
Above: Harvey Thomas and his mother Cheryl Thomas with medals.