Newmarket Joggers sent a strong team of 9 female and 13 male runners to the Suffolk County Cross-Country (XC) Championships, held at Horseheath Racecourse on Sunday, 5th January. There were competitive races for U11, U13, U15, U17, U20 and Senior (20+) runners over various distances from ~2km to ~10km. For seniors, there were also age group categories of V40, V45, V50, V55, V60, V65 and V70+. The course was very muddy and soggy but safely above freezing.
Above: Horseheath Racecourse with the Newmarket Joggers gazebo to the right.
Among our 4 junior runners, Cerys Bithell (U17F) was particularly successful in the ~5km race (GPS estimate: 4.6km), winning 3rd place trophy of 13 in a time of 19:46. Also doing well were Harvey Thomas (U15M), 14:10, 4th of 14 over ~4km (estimate: 3.6km)) and Oliver Hilton (U11M), 09:16, 14th over ~2km (estimate: 1.8km)). Rory King U17M was unfortunately unable to finish the ~6km race due to injury.
In the ~8km senior women’s race (GPS estimate: 7.2km), we were represented by: Carol Cienna Carter (34:56, 16th of 54 overall, 1st of 5 in F50), Olivia Carter (35:13, 18th ), Elke Hausler (38:51, 29th , 2nd of 6 in F60), Eleanor Bithell (39:38, 32nd, 5th of 8 in F45), Helen Wass (43:07, 40th, 2nd of 3 in F55), Krystal Szerszon (45:08, 44th), Sianie Painter (50:33, 49th, 3rd in F55) and Pearl Fay (57:27, 53rd, 3rd in F65). They achieved a haul of 5 age group top-three trophies for the women’s team. In the team-of-3 category, our fastest 3 women came 4th of 6 competing clubs.
NJ Senior women: Back row from left: Krystal Szerszon, Ellie Bithell, Helen Wass, Carol Cienna Carter, Olivia Carter, Elke Hausler; front row: Sianie Painter, Pearl Fay. Thanks for the team photo.
In the ~10km senior men’s race (GPS estimate: 9.0km) our representatives were: Robert Dobson (33:55, 7th of 71 overall, 1st of 12 in M45), Joey Bendall (34:19, 10th), Hugh Tawell (35:18, 14th), Mark Hayward (35:36, 17th, 2nd of 7 in M40), James Smith (36:50, 20th, 3rd of 12 in M45), Jason Bevan (40:17, 34th), Stephen Edwards (44:36, 43rd, 2nd of 4 in M60), Richard Defries (45:23, 47th, 5th of 12 in M50), Shane Mcandrew (45:29, 48th) and Neville Clarke (48:14, 58th, 1st of 3 in M70+). They achieved a haul of 5 age group top-three trophies for the men’s team. In the fastest team-of-3 competition, Dobson, Bendall and Tawell came 2nd of 9 competing clubs and 2nd of 5 clubs in the team-of-4 competition (Dobson, Bendall, Tawell and Hayward), adding more trophies, so a satisfying outing for the Joggers.
Above, NJ Senior men’s team, from left: Joey Bendall, Rob Dobson, Hugh Tawell, Jimmy Smith, Mark Hayward, Neville Clarke, Jason Bevan, Shane Mcandrew and Stephen Edwards. Not in picture: Richard Defries. Thanks for the team photo.
Above: 2nd place trophy for NJ men’s team-of-4: Joey Bendall, Hugh Tawell, Rob Dobson and Mark Hayward.
Above, NJ women’s age group trophy winners, from left: Pearl Fay, Elke Hausler, Carol Carter, Helen Wass and Sianie Painter. Thanks for the team photo.
Special thanks to the NJ marshals/volunteers: Jeremy Reader, Sophie Adams, Kate Warboys, Brian Munns, Rob Hawkins, Steve Oglesby, Chris Aylmer; also to Neville Clarke for bringing the Gazebo. Apologies for anyone missed off in error.
SEE MORE INDIVIDUAL XC ACTION PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF REPORT
Also on Sunday, it was the Cambridgeshire XC Championships at St Neots. Sophie Blundell U13F was the sole Newmarket Jogger to take part and was able to represent Ely Runners as her second claim club, together with other juniors from Ely. She finished 14th in the 2.9km U13F race, in a time of 13:25. In the team-of-3 category, together with 2 other Ely Runners, they won bronze for finishing in 3rd place.
Above: Sophie Blundell (centre) in Ely Runners team of 3. Thanks to Phil Blundell for photo.
Ely New Year’s Eve 10K at Little Downham, Cambridgeshire, December 31st, 2024. This is a favourite end-of-year race for our club and attracted 23 Joggers in all (14 women and 9 men). The top four female Joggers to finish were Helen Hilario (46:54, 4th of 28 in F50), Hanneli Stevenson (48:13 SB, 7th of 34 in F45), Meera Mahadevan (51:34, 8th of 28 in F50) and Angela Drury (54:13 SB, 14th of 33 in F40). Top four for the men were young Rory King U17 (42:12, 32nd of 94 SM), Jonathan Ollington (44:06 SB, 5th of 37 in in M55), Jon Brooker (46:08 SB, 6th of 37 in M55) and Neville Clarke (46:22, 1st of 10 in M70).
Above and right: The Scottish Piper at Ely NYE 10K; centre: Steve Cousins and Jeremy Reader at the race. Thanks for photos.
Also putting in excellent efforts for the women were: Helen Wass F55 54:37; Catherine Bragg F45 54:59 SB; Lorraine King F50 56:01 SB; Suzanne Bailey F60 1:00:43; Lynda McCormack F60 1:02:49 SB; Jan Holmes F60 1:05:27; Miranda McWade F55 1:08:40; Jo Bouttell F60 1:10:01; Caroline Mcintosh F70 1:10:19 and Pearl Fay F65 1:16:41.
And for the men: Phil Blundell M45 47:46; Jeremy Reader M50 49:49; Steve Oglesby M45 51:00; Stephen Cousins M65 53:11 and Jim Withers M70 1:02:57.
Joggers at Ely NYE 10K at Little Downham. Thanks for photo.
RAF Marham NYE 10K, December 31st 2024: Two of our fastest runners, Neil Pollard (34:19, 3rd of 441 overall, 1st of 39 in M45) and Hannah Pollard (43:21 SB, 7th F of 189, 1st of 28 in F40) both enjoyed great runs and are in top form. Thanks for the photo. See below:
Cogwheel Canter NYE 10K, Girton, Cambridge: Three Joggers took on this race. Young Cerys Bithell (40:57 PB, 1st F of 141, 1st of 4 in FU18) achieved a PB time and the fastest 10K time by any female Jogger in 2024. She is in great form. Her mother Ellie Bithell (47:11, 12th F, 5th of 82 in F40-49) also ran very well, as did Martin Smith (52:18, 140th of 289 overall, 57th of 84 in M40-49). See photo of Cerys and Ellie Bithell below, after the race:
Wymondham NYD 10K, January 1st 2025, Norfolk: Four Joggers had a tilt at this race on New Year’s Day. Robert Dobson (34:00) enjoyed a great race, finishing 3rd of 552 overall and 1st of 33 in his M45 age group. Then came Mark Hayward (35:57, 8th, 1st of 34 in M40) with an equally impressive effort. Two veteran Joggers also did very well: Alan Thornhill (59:03 SB, 374th, 2nd of 6 in M75+) and Jim Withers (1:04:12 SB, 448th, 5th in M70-74).
Rounding up with some other events, Marc Drury (1:17:47) and Angela Drury (1:51:35) took part in the Melmerby Scar Challenge in the North Pennines on Friday, 27th December. It was an extremely tough fell race over ~7.3 miles, which wended its way to the top of the Scar and back down again along a circular route; it involved ~1,900ft of climb. Even Marc had to walk some of it and fell over a couple of times. The winner managed it in 57:09, somehow.
Above left: Marc and Angela at Melmerby Scar Challenge; right: The Scar hill climb. Thanks for photos.
Phil Blundell was at the Lee Valley Open track meeting on New Year’s Day and took on the 200m, finishing 1st M45 in a very decent time of 29.56s. This was not a PB (29.22s) but did put Phil top M45 in the UK over 200m on Power of 10 for at least one day of 2025. Well done Phil.
Reuben Smith joined friends taking part in the Norwich Drop 15M on Sunday 4th January. In this event, all runners were blindfolded and dropped off by coach to a mystery spot some 15 miles from Norwich. They had to find their way back to the finish in Norwich as soon as they could, and did pretty well by the sound of it. Reuben’s time was 2:49:02 according to GPS, over 14.37 miles.
Reuben Smith, 3rd from left. Thanks for the team photo.
ACTION SHOTS FROM SUFFOLK XC CHAMPS
Apologies for all those missed; the women only came past once and several photos were fluffed. Note: Ellie was throwing her neck warmer to marshal Jeremy Reader.
The overall men’s winner from Ipswich Harriers, John Millar:
