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Sunday, July 28th: After setting a new PB of 2:51:53 in the BMW Berlin Marathon last September, Troi Baxter has been on a long recovery path from certain running injuries. It was great to see her back in action again in her first race of the year, at Battersea Park in London. It was a desperately close finish but Troi just managed to clinch first place of 456 female runners in a time of 1:21:52, 19th of 1,247 runners overall and 1st of 369 in her Female Senior age category. She took the lead in the final strides before crossing the line, having been about a minute behind at one stage of the race. It was her second fastest half marathon time, with her PB remaining 1:20:36 in the Cambridge Half in March 2023. It will be interesting to follow her progress and see where the next race takes her.
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Above left: Troi Baxter, furthest from the camera, crosses the line just in front; above right, Troi on the podium. Many thanks to Troi for the photos.
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Fox Inn 5, Ousden, West Suffolk, Wednesday evening, July 24th: This navigational, 5-mile trail race was organised by Jimmy & Nicole Smith, to help raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society, a charity close to Jimmy’s heart, as his father suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease. Jimmy has already completed two of the four 50-mile trail runs he has planned for this year in aid of the same charity.
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Above: Joggers and other runners in the Fox Inn 5 trail race, seen in the Fox Inn rear garden; Jimmy Smith at the front. Thanks for the team photo.
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A total of 97 participants finished the race, of which 45 were Newmarket Joggers, with Paul Holley and Anna Mayhew helping as volunteers. The quickest time of 47m:52s was recorded by Hanneli Stevenson and Steven Oglesby, who ran together as a team, while the raffle prize went to Anna Mayhew, which included a piece of the London 2012 Olympic track surface. Everyone had an enjoyable time, even though some got quite badly lost….
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Joggers’ times were as follows: Steven Oglesby 47:52, Hanneli Stevenson 47:52, Reuben Smith 49:10, Marc Drury 49:57, Olivia Carter 50:56, Ian Butcher 51:37, Rachele Cooper 51:38, Robert Hawkins 51:59, Liam Elvidge 54:19, Dina Heggum 54:19, Dan Hutchison 54:19, Helen Wass 54:32, Angela Drury 54:32, Lilian Corbett 56:40, Andy Fryatt 56:40, Alan Thornhill 56:48, Greg Davis 58:28, Christopher Underwood 58:28, Tom Elton 59:25, Francine Dasseville 1:00:46, Jonathan Pye 1:02:15, Joey Bendall 1:02:15, Martin Smith 1:02:45, Bridget Wallwin 1:02:45, Rachael Maltpress 1:03:28, Jackie Henley 1:05:10, Chris Aylmer 1:10:20, Jim Withers 1:10:28, Suzanne Bailey 1:12:01, Malcolm Osbourn 1:12:01, Carol McIntosh 1:12:01, Stephen Cousins 1:12:01, Ruth Eberhardt 1:13:34, Hannah Pollard 1:19:52, Neil Pollard 1:19:52, Brian Munns 1:22:55, Sophie Adams 1:22:55, Kate Warboys 1:22:55, Miranda McWade 1:23:51, Angela Brennan 1:24:28, Sianie Painter 1:40:23, Pearl Fay 1:40:23, Jan Holmes 1:40:23, Christine Shand 1:43:51, Alan Shand 1:43:51, Ross Birkett 0:36:23 (inadvertently missed off part of course). Many thanks to all who took part and helped at the event.
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Ipswich Twilight 10K, Friday evening, July 26th: This race started and finished at the Ipswich Portman Road Football Stadium, with two winding laps along the partly-cobbled streets of the old town centre, which were closed to all traffic. The weather stayed fine, in contrast to the previous year’s race, when it teemed down with rain all the way.
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Above left: The start of the 10k; above right: After the the finish of the race at the Football Stadium.
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First Jogger home was Barley Woodcock (40:08, 78th of 1,004 overall, 10th of 76 in M40-44), from David Percy (40:53, 91st, 11th of 73 in M45-49), Chris Underwood (42:09, 129th, 58th of 267 in MS) and Chris Aylmer (1:07:08, 834th, 7th of 8 in M70+), with some very good age group performances noted for the leading trio.
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Ultra X 50K Wales, Barnmouth, Gwynedd, West Wales, Sunday, July 28th: Mike Sales (10:13:29, 100th of 129 overall, 3rd in M50-59) took on this extremely tough ultra trail challenge, with 5,935ft of climb. After coming down from the hills towards the end, the route went southwards, over the Mawddach Estuary along the Barnmouth Railway Bridge, which was a spectacular way to finish.
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Above, top left: Mike Sales at the high point; top right: getting near the finish and looking down to the Mawddach Estuary and Barnmouth Railway Bridge, which spans the estuary; bottom: Close up of the railway bridge. Thanks for the photos.
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Great Barrow Challenge (Barrow, nr Bury St Edmunds, 10 marathons in 10 days + other distances, 26th July to 4th August). No marathon runs for the Joggers to report but Caroline Mcintosh (2:50:20) took on the Half Marathon on Day 1 of the 10-day event, more as a training run for her Helsinki Marathon in August. On Day 3 Nicole Smith (1:09:20) supported a friend in her 10k Challenge, while Miranda McWade (1:21:21) did the 10k on Day 4.
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Swim Grafham 3km, Grafham Water, near Huntingdon, Sunday July 28th: Olivia Carter (1:08:52) completed her longest swim in this event, in perfect weather conditions.
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Above: Olivia Carter with medal after Swim Grafham 3km Thanks for photo.
