Run Luminate heralds a colourful start to the Joggers’ racing week

The week’s races got off to a colourful start on the evening of Tuesday 19th November, with the inaugural and spectacular Run Luminate 5K event on Sandringham Royal Estate in Norfolk, with the course meandering through the traditional winter lights of the parkland paths and trails. Although it was a wet, soggy evening, it didn’t put off the huge field of around 1,500 participants, who ran the course in two separate waves at 7pm and 8pm.

There was chip timing, but this was very much a fun run with no PBs anticipated. Three Newmarket Joggers enjoyed the 8pm wave: Jan Holmes, Joanne Bouttell and Suzanne Bailey stuck together and clocked the same time of 40m:42s. They finished =270^th of 416 female participants and =11th of 23 in their age category of F60-64.

Above: Jo Bouttell, Jan Holmes and Suzanne Bailey at Run Luminate 5K. Thanks for photos.

On Sunday 24th November, the Brainstrust Bass Belle 10M, took place in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, with five Joggers competing. Storm Bert brought strong winds, making conditions less than ideal for the runners. First home was Jonathan Ollington (1:14:10 SB, 34^th of 310 overall, 2^nd of 41 in M50-59), just ahead of Andy Fryatt (1:14:58, 36th, 3^rd in M50-59). 16-year-old Junior Jogger Cerys Bithell (1:17:24 PB, 5th F of 139, 1st of 2 in F Jun) put in a great run in her first ever 10-mile race and was stepping up her pace all the way to the finish. She was just ahead of Shane Mcandrew (1:17:34 SB, 48th, 15^th of 49 in M Sen). Then came Ellie Bithell (1:20:35 SB, 11^th F, 3^rd of 43 in F45-54) with another excellent effort.

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On the same day, in similar, very windy weather, three Joggers were among over 3,000 runners in the Larking Gowen Norwich Half Marathon, with HQ at the Norfolk Showground, to the west of Norwich. Chris Underwood (1:34:37, 254^th of 3,107 overall, 154^th of 1,020 in M Sen) did very well in his age group, with Chris Aylmer (2:39:28, 2,911th, 11^th of 11 in M70-74) and Caroline Mcintosh (2:42:33, 1,073rd F of 1,189, 4^th of 5 in F70-74) both putting in their best efforts under the adverse conditions.

Also on Sunday it was the Breckland Forest Trail 10K at Santon Downham, near Brandon and Thetford. Marc Drury (43:29, 4^th of 112 overall) and Angela Drury (59:19, 56th) both enjoyed the scenic route, though the wind made for difficult conditions. This was their wild card race for the Newmarket Joggers Grand Prix, which culminates with the Woodbridge XC on 1^st December. Marc is currently in third place in the Grand Prix.