Category: Race Report

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East Coast 10K 2025

The East Coast 10k was the last race in the Sportlink 10k series. Having ran 6 of the races I decided to do this one as your 7 best results out of the 9 races counted (really just to see where I could finish in age group).

Managing to get in via the waiting list after they added extra places gave me the chance of another run I had never done.  Nita, Emily and Rob were entered and Paula made it a nap hand via the waiting list.

Accepting a lift from Paula we made our way to Great Yarmouth.  Parking was easy enough on the road side which was free. Funny enough Rob turned up at the same time and parked behind us.

Making our way to the Marina centre and registration the rain started, much to Paula’s delight(!).

Once inside the queues were quite long but registration was fairly swift. With well over 1000 entrants and the rain outside the hall was fairly crowded.

Making our way out for the start however was very busy and no clear indication of the start or predicted time zones.

The five of us found ourselves well towards the back. Realising this Paula, Rob, and myself try to make our way forward a bit. Whilst doing this we found the race had started and we were well over 1-2 minutes crossing the line.  This made the first 1k a bit of weaving through slower runners for us.

The route led along the road side of the prom for approximately 1k past the pleasure beach before turning towards the sea and running beach side of the prom northwards. Around 4.5k it turned back to the road and then ran southwards passing the Marina Centre and the Pleasure Beach to retrace the first 1.5k. The race finishing back past the Marina Centre on the sea side of the Prom.

A nice flat route but probably too big a field for the course. However we all achieved good times which we were pleased with.

Rob J 47.03
Paul W 47.12
Paula S 50.13
Nita 1.00.51
Emily J 1.09.15   (PB)

Personally a positive run and time, seeing me finish in 5th place in my age group for the Sportlink 10k series.

Report by Paul W

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Volunteering at the Inaugural Winter Warrior Ultra

Saturday, November 1st, saw the inaugural Winter Warrior 50km ultra marathon take place.  Organised by Boghopper Races, the event challenged runners to follow the Boudicca Way from Norwich to Diss – the reverse route of the successful summer 50km race.

I’d originally planned to sign up for this event over the summer as a great stepping stone towards the Peddars Way Ultra next February. However, due to a persistent knee issue, I made the sensible decision to withdraw.  Feeling a bit down about not being able to run, I decided the best way to regain my motivation was to be around inspirational people pushing themselves over the 50km distance. So, I signed up to volunteer for the day!

Checkpoint 1 and Tracker Monitoring

After being added to the volunteers’ WhatsApp group, I was pleased to see fellow club members Kerrie and Kirsty were also helping out. My main assignment was Checkpoint 1 (CP1), located about 11km into the race.  The night before, there was a last-minute call for someone to monitor the runner tracker and contact anyone who went off-course. I happily took this on, knowing it would keep me entertained while stationed at the road crossing later in the day!

Saturday morning was an early one. I packed plenty of snacks (essential for long shifts!) and extra warm layers before heading off to CP1 at the beautiful All Saints Church in Shotesham. All the food and drink had been dropped off the day before, so we got straight to work: setting up tables, spreading out the refreshments, filling water jugs, and “flattening the coke” (if you know,
you know!). It was lovely to see Kerrie and Kirsty and have a good catch-up before the runners arrived.

Everything was set up just as the first runners started coming through. The first three arrived together at an incredible pace, followed by a steady flow of participants. Being the first checkpoint meant all the runners came through in a relatively short space of time, which kept things rather hectic!

Road Crossing Duty

Once the tail runners had passed, I made my apologies around tidying up (sorry, Kerrie and Kirsty!) and set off on the 20-minute drive to my next post: Road Crossing 3 at Tivetshall, where runners would cross the busy A140 for the final time.  On arrival, I met my companion for the afternoon, a lovely fella named Steve from Coltishall Jags. Our job was to warn runners of the upcoming crossing as they approached. We had to be vigilant, as we found a few runners had somehow managed to approach on the wrong side of a
hedge, requiring us to direct them back about 400 metres to rejoin the correct path! At one point, I even had to help the runner in third place cross a ditch after he’d come up on the wrong side; unfortunately, he was overtaken as he got back on track. Being 40km into the race, the runners were far more spread out, so we had to man the crossing until 5:00 pm when the final runners came through.

My tablet came in handy for monitoring the tracker. It was quite fun making sure everyone stayed on course! This involved checking the link every five minutes and reviewing their positions. If someone appeared to be off track, I’d wait a few minutes, refreshing the page to see if they realised their mistake. If they kept heading the wrong way, I’d give them a call. I had to make several calls that day, but luckily, everyone answered, and I managed to get them all back on route. One couple went off course several times – we joked about the extra distance they’d given themselves when they eventually came through the road crossing!

Once the last runners had safely crossed the road, we removed all the signage, and I drove over to the finish line in Diss to drop it off. I let the organisers know I was heading home at that point, as I had an 80-minute drive ahead of me.

Finding My Running Mojo

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the day, despite it being a long one. The weather was great (though it did get cold as the sun went down), and watching everyone pushing themselves gave me loads of inspiration – it definitely helped me get my running mojo back!  I would absolutely recommend signing up to help out at one of these events and will definitely be volunteering at more of them. The extra bonus? Apparently, I can now sign up for a free
50km race myself, which is a nice saving!

Report by Andy P
Photo Credit:  Giles Thurston

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Reflecting back on Autumn 100 (18-19 October 2025)

Sadly a DNF but completed 95 miles on foot.

Organised by Centurion Running, Autumn 100 (A100) is a 100 mile (approx 161 km) race with 16 aid stations and 16 cutoffs, the final cutoff being 28 hours. It takes place on the beautiful trails in West Berkshire and South Oxfordshire and involves 4 legs of approximately 25 miles of out and back (so with each leg being about 40 kms), all in different directions from and to the same point. The map resembles a cross and the race starts at the intersection of two little villages, Goring and Streatley. Legs 1 and 4 are on the Thames Path so are mostly flat while Legs 2 and 3 have uphills and downhills, the former being through beautiful trails through ancient woodland to Swyncombe and back to Goring, while the latter is mostly on chalky and stony paths all the way up to Chain Hill and back to Goring.

I was very happy with how I did on Legs 1 and 2. Leg 2 was familiar terrain to me from previous races in the area. I knew it would be hard but also beautiful. On the way back to Goring I ran with another runner for about 10 miles or so. We had a nice conversation along the way.

I completed Leg 2 knowing I’d actually set a pb for myself for the first 50 mile (81km) distance.

It was, of course, only halfway and there was more work to be done!  Each time I came back to Goring  I had access to my drop bag (the beauty of this race set up) and I had a change of clothes for each leg and some food of my choice in addition to what is offered at each aid station (which is actually a nice spread). We’d been told Leg 3 would be cold and windy as it is quite exposed so before I went out on this leg, I got changed to ensure I was well wrapped up. I was comfortable and warm. It started to rain at this point but as it wasn’t heavy rain my windproof top was sufficient in keeping me dry. I didn’t need my full waterproof jacket.

As this race involves out and backs, as a back of the pack runner I was continuously seeing runners coming towards me. This is a nice feeling even if you know you have yet to cover the distance they have already covered when they go past you.  It also means you are not out on your own and they can cheer you on while you cheer them on, too.

My experience on Leg 3 with the out and back was quite remarkable as I continuously saw headtorces approaching towards me in pitch dark. There would be a few, then five or six, then another five or six,  then nine or ten, then one or two and so it went like this with what seemed to be at least a hundred runners. It was a truly beautiful spectacle! I wish I had taken a photo of this experience!   I didn’t take any photos at all during the race. On the way back to Goring I was mostly on my own and was able to run at reasonable speed. Arriving at Goring before the final leg I made sure to change my top and tried not to hang around too much before the final leg.

I set off for Leg 4 with another runner. Again it was good to keep one another company. At this point I was doing more walking then running but managed to get into a running rhythm all the way to the penultimate aid station at Reading. I had a low point after the Welcome to Reading sign. Although I’d read that the aid station was nowhere near and there was at least 4 miles (nearly 7 kms) yet before I would arrive at the checkpoint. The sun was out and the views were gorgeous but I was getting exhausted physically and so I was run/walking. I was aware I might not make it to the Reading aid station within the cutoff but I managed it and arrived there just over 15 mins before it would close. The cheers I got from all the volunteers here, some of whom were in the balcony, were very motivating. After a quick run up the stairs (don’t know how I managed that!) to wash my hands and get some squash, I made my way back down again and back onto the Thames Path. 87.5 miles was complete. I had 12.5 miles (just under a half marathon) to go.  And I had 3 hours 45 mins to complete this distance. I could do this. I smiled and headed on. Soon after I felt some pain at the bottom of my spine. I worried as my bone density in that area is low. I was in discomfort. I realised somehow this pain was also not allowing me to run! I stopped to stretch my legs and back but couldn’t lift my legs to stretch my quads. My back pain was not easing off. I thought of going back to the Reading aid station to declare defeat but no I had enough time and I would sort my back out and carry on. Sadly whatever I did made no difference. On the contrary things worsened as I started to develop “runners’ lean” – a phenomenon well-known in ultras but one which I had never experienced ever before. It was distressing. I could not stay upright. I was leaning to the right, bent over almost to my waist(!) and trying to walk was agonising. By now I was halfway to the final aid station but all I could do was walk slowly, stop and stretch and then carry on.  The course sweeper was now in sight so when he caught up with me we walked together for a while. We had a nice chat. The remaining distance to the final aid station where my race would end seemed too far away. By the time I could make it to the final aid station the sweeper bus was waiting to collect me. I had covered almost 95 miles on foot. The last 5 miles had to remain unconquered.

A 100 is a fabulous event and I hope to be back to conquer it!

Photo credits: Pierre Papet, the official race photographer

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Ana’s Dublin Marathon 2025

I am not quite certain when I got it into my head that I would one day run the Dublin Marathon and drink a pint of Guinness straight after. Years passed and unfortunately due to my job being somewhat restricting in terms of holidays and being able to guarantee to get back to work in time, I never got the chance, until this year. This is also the first time I travelled to another country to run a race, which is normally against everything I believe in. However, it had to be done.

We set off very early on Friday morning, around 3 am in order to get a flight from Stansted to Dublin. It was a cheap flights affair with Ryanair. Super quick I must say, which made me wonder why I never ventured that way considering how easy it was. This was also my first time in Ireland. I love the Irish people and was very lucky to meet some throughout my life, starting from the time I worked in Bosnia for the British Government. The kind who will always be up for fun and mischief. We spent most of the day mingling around the city and went to the expo. The children were a bit disappointed after being at London’s ExCel, however it was really well organised and it did not take that long despite there being a massive queue when we arrived. I was so excited all day long. We discovered some lovely pubs, live music where ever you go. We ate in a traditional Irish pub and decided then to lazy about for the rest of the day, which really was not too difficult as we were all pretty exhausted. One thing that shocked us all was how much colder Dublin was than home and the wind from the sea just made it even worse.

I woke up early on Sunday morning because the clocks moved. Andy and the children were still asleep so I took a quick shower and took all my stuff to tape and patch up in the coffee bar of our hotel. I took a strong coffee with some fruit and yoghurt for breakfast as I was worried that my stomach may not cope with anything else. I was so nervous, like any other time. I went to Dublin to enjoy this race. I made a mistake with London in April thinking that I could go and beat my Norfolk time, but all I needed to do was just enjoy the moment. Then of course, I did not feel that good anyway and the moment was spoilt. I thought this time I would go with no expectations and just enjoy the atmosphere.

The plan was to walk to the start near one of the central city parks. I was in a second wave. The city was pretty much gridlocked anyway. However, when I got out in front of the hotel I met a lovely Irish lady and a lad from Kent, Lucinda and Mike who were getting a taxi into the city. I joined them, which was really nice just to chat with someone and forget about my nerves. She said she was planning on trying to get into the first wave in order to avoid being held back by the crowds. We split up once we got there. It was difficult to push through into the first wave anyway. The organisers were checking numbers and making sure everyone joined their wave. Unfortunately, I had to join a toilet queue. Which was rather long. I could have just gone to the start line, but having had issues with my stomach in London and being uncomfortable, I just thought this was more important. As it happens the queue was fun. I got to meet some newbies to marathon running and a very funny Irish girl in her 20s who used the f word quite a lot (must say almost every person we spoke to in Dublin did, it was used in all sorts of occasions to express all sorts of emotions). By the time I got to a free toilet, my wave was on its way. I ran from the toilets to the start line to catch up. That, of course, was hilarious. I was having to duck and dive around fellow runners to find a clear spot for my feet, which meant my pace was all over the place. And like that for several miles. It is not London, but all seasoned big event runners will know what I mean when you are fighting for your small spot of tarmac all the while avoiding being tripped over. Finally, we got into the biggest park in the North West side of the city, Phoenix Park, which is just simply fabulous. Apparently it is a home to an American ambassador to Ireland. And some deer. I loved running through there. I felt light. Found my pace and without effort was passing runners who left the start line before me. I had a cranberry squash and a few haribos. I tried to drink as much as I could and space it as well as I could. It was a cold and wet morning. I did wear my long sleeve top underneath RntS t shirt, new style. I felt great, until I did not. At around mile 22 I felt faint. This was something new. I ignored all my pains and am used to hurting. Mainly my left foot with plantar and the usual painful toes because of bruised toenails. However, I could not ignore feeling faint. I realised I screwed up my fuelling and it was too late by this stage to do anything about it. I chose not to take gels and then remembered that I have been fighting off a cold for the last few weeks of the school term. Silly girl! You can fool about in a half marathon, but not on 26.2 miles. No hiding here. Every decision can be costly. I just thought I would slow down a bit and see how it goes. And it did for a few miles and then at 25 it got so bad I was having weird thoughts of collapsing and being taken away. Not finishing is my biggest nightmare. I kept saying to myself that was the main thing. I am so close and yet so far. What do I do? So I slowed right down to walking and crying. Not sure how long I did that for. People were shouting around me. I just walked and cried. Thankfully it was raining. Then I screamed really loudly and pushed myself forward. Nothing mattered at that point other than crossing the finish line. I was angry with myself for not being as well prepared as I should have been. Forgetting that my body needed more care and that my mind doesn’t work in synchrony with it. I did my best to just focus on the now. I was imagining that pint of Guinness and thinking who I was dedicating this race to. No fainting on the finish line would be ideal. So I got there. Strava says it was a PB but just because I ran almost 26.5 miles. It did not matter because Andy was there at the end to greet me with the kids.

So Dublin! It is a lovely race. Well organised, picturesque route and a great support all the way around. The people are superb. A lovely running spirit. I recommend it, but not sure how easy it would be to get into it. I was lucky as I had a GFA from London. It is very expensive though. Nevertheless, every race is educational. I learnt something again. Not just about racing, but also about myself. I have to say that I prefer smaller events for full enjoyment of running. However, you cannot beat the feeling you get when with 1000s of other human beings battling their personal demons to reach the finish line.

Gordana Sucur-Hills – 3:29:24

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Sutton Beast, 10 in the Fen

Many thanks to Paul for his report from the Sutton Beast, 10 in the Fen event which took place on the 19th September:

Another different race and last minute entry.

Having ran most of the local races several times, this year I decided to look for a variation of venues.

Again this was just over an hour from Fakenham but this time at Sutton on the Isle in Cambridgeshire.

There were two options available, a 5 and 10k.

This was perfect as Libby ran the 5 starting at 11.05 and myself 10 starting at 11.

We left in good time arriving just after 10 o’clock as limited parking was mentioned. However there was no need to worry, we parked at the playing field adjacent to the start.

Check in was straight forward and friendly with timing supplied by Sublime.

As with my last race there was an aerobic warmup option which again I declined.

Both runs were out and back using the same route. The 5k turning at 2.5k and the 10 at 5k (obviously) Leaving the sports field we headed  down to the street, here we turned right along the street heading out of the village. The first part they were very keen on keeping you on the pavement, which to be fair were quite wide.

Just before leaving the village we turned right at approximately 800m from the start.

This took us down a small lane towards two river crossings and into typical fen land.

The 2.5k came up between the two rivers and the turn around for the 5kers.

The 10k route continued out into open fens along small roads, these were typical of the area with nasty cambers most of the way.

We turned at 5k to retrace our steps with the added challenge of a brisk head wind. Crossing the rivers again we had reached the 3/4 point.

Continuing the run back towards the village it became a bit more sheltered but just before 9k we had a nasty incline ( believe me it was a brisk climb and not what you expect in fenland) back to the turn onto the street. After the turn the road continued to climb until taking a left back to the sports field and the finish line.

A challenging run with friendly supportive marshals, 2 water stations and a nice medal.

Would I do it again!  Yes

Libby 5k.    28.47
Paul.  10k.   49.40

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Peterborough Half Marathon 2025

On Sunday 12 October I headed through thick fog to Peterborough to run the Great Eastern Run – better known informally as the Peterborough Half, which was to be my first half marathon. The whole idea originally was inspired by Angie and Teresa’s 60 for 60 and I decided that one of my “things to do I’ve never done” for that milestone would be to run a half marathon. Then I broke my toe and so Cambridge last year was out. Then I  was meant to do Peterborough last year but was hating running at the time, so Will suggested I defer. Will, you are a genius! That turned out to be a brilliant suggestion. This year I was loving running again so I embarked on BUPA’s free off the internet  “run your first half”  training plan with a bit more confidence.

This was by far the most people I’ve ever run with – around 6,500, and I didn’t really know what to expect on the day but it certainly wasn’t the weather we got – who expected that fog! The forecast said it would burn off but it didn’t really and it was chilly. Turned out to be perfect running weather though – still and cool. As suggested by a few people I bought a hoodie in a charity shop and left it at the start line to be collected and given away to local charities and I certainly needed it because it was quite a long wait for the start. We arrived early (in order not to be late!) and I managed to meet up with Seb, Hayley and Bob ahead of the race which was lovely. Then somehow one of my sisters and one of my nieces managed to spot me in the race village and came to wish me luck, and then we were off.

One of the great things about this race is that it is totally on closed roads and that it is also very flat. I tucked myself in behind the 2 hours 30 pacers and set out to enjoy myself. They were two of the nicest guys (Chas and Bob), and were running with a group of their friends from Werrington Joggers. This turned out to be important as when we ran through Werrington they knew everybody and we got amazing support! Their pace was perfect – I was with them most of the way, ahead of them towards the end, and had great people to chat to all the way round the route. I also had some lovely banter and support from a few people from Ryston Runners and some Norfolk Road Runners and Seb and I were in the same group for the first half of the race, so excellent company.

I absolutely felt ready for this race so I ran the race plan that I’d set out beforehand, aiming to enjoy it and make sure I saw family in Peterborough on the way, but got a totally unexpected and very lovely bonus at mile 2 when as I ran up a slight incline I thought I was hallucinating when I saw RntS bobble hats. It turned out to be Mark, Vikki and Tracy who’d all driven through freezing fog to support us! What a lovely suprise which gave me a real boost.

The route takes you out of Peterborough, over the A47 and into Werrington, and then back through Dogsthorpe (where I spotted family) to finish by the cathedral (worth a visit if you’ve never been), and it genuinely was flat. I managed to spot Kev heading back into the city on his way to a PB as I was on my way out,  so was able to shout some support for him. It was lovely to see Mark and Vikki again at mile 11 – the thought of friendly faces was keeping me going because by then I was feeling it – the last two miles were tough but I knew I could do it so I just concentrated on my breathing and putting one foot in front of another. Then when I got closer to the finish I went for a sprint because frankly I wanted it to be over, managing to see my sister and niece and Andrew just by the cathedral. In fact my sister was hard to miss because she brought a hunting horn with her to encourage the runners…. don’t ask me.

I really enjoyed my first half, and massive thanks to everyone who has supported me, particularly Kirsty Lack, Marie P, Paula Bazley and most of all Deb Moore. In fact Deb and I have so enjoyed training together that we now plan to run the Norwich half together and I’ll have to up my pace as she’s speedier than me at the moment! I would never, NEVER, have thought I would run a half marathon which is mostly down to the wonderful RntS community and to all the coaches. Thank you. I finished in 2:27:31 which I was very happy with as my aim had been 2:30.

There is no question about the real stars of the day though. The people of Peterborough are amazing! It was terrible weather and yet they were out in force along every part of the route – people sat in their deckchairs by the side of the road with bowls of sweets, people had music machines rigged up, there was a guy playing the guitar, a kid playing the drums – so many people, so much support and encouragement. And their signs were funny: my two favourites were the one right at the start which said “you thought they said RUM didn’t you?” which made me laugh a lot, and the one that said “this isn’t as bad as Tinder”.  They didn’t stop encouraging us from start to finish. It’s a big day for the city in terms of support for local charities, all of which had stalls in the race village, and many of which get a lot of funds raised by local runners and the city really enters into the spirit of it. If you’re thinking of a first half marathon it’s a great one to do. And if you’re looking for a PB, it would be good for that too!

Results:
Alex Walpole –  1:23:25 PB
Kevin Heyhoe –  1:24:53 PB
Bob Humphries –  1:46:05 PB
Zoe Smith – 2:01:56
Rob Jackman –  2:01:56
Lori Brackley –  2:04:04
Hayley Eyre – 2:09:13
Jenny Watson – 2:27:31 PB
Seb Moore – 2:32:16

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Bure Valley 10 Mile

Thanks to Kirsty for her report from last week’s Bure Valley 10 Mile Race:

On Sunday 28th September, 5 RntS runners and 2 fabulous cheerers went to the Bure Valley 10 mile race.

Set in Banningham, the route is on quiet country roads with minimal traffic. Starting outside the village hall we set off into the countryside, perfect weather conditions for a Sunday run. The course takes you out of the village until the road splits into a left or right turning. The route takes the left which then loops back round and you then come back onto the main road and head back up to the split where the second time, the right turning is taken. This leads out and up a hill past a church which then loops back round and takes you to the finish line back in Banningham on the village green. This section is where you may get to see the lead runners coming back. I was on 4.5 miles and the leader was heading for the 8 mile marker. Some very impressive running!

A great run from everyone with some great PBs too, plus David got 2nd in his age category. This was my 7th time doing this race (it’s definitely one of my favourites!) and I got my 3rd best time which I was really pleased with. This is an ideal race if you’re training or looking to step up to the half marathon distance and has a generous cut off time of 2 hours.

Homemade cakes and drinks available in the hall afterwards makes it a lovely morning out.

Photos: Laura Watson.

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Hainford 5K, Great North Run and Coastal Half Marathon reports…..

Hainford 5K – 7th September – Thanks to Lucy M for this:

As tempting as it was to stay in and watch the Great North Run on TV on Sunday, 7 September, we decided instead to make our way to Hainford, a village just north of Norwich, for their annual 5k fundraising race—which also happened to be one of this year’s club championship events. One of the great things about the Hainford 5k is the relaxed sign-up process; you can simply register on the day, and all the proceeds go towards supporting the local community you’re running through.

We arrived with the weather forecast promising a hot and humid day. Parking was in the well-organised car park some way from the start with volunteers to signpost the way. We walked part of the route up to the village hall, we paid our £5 entry, picked up our numbers, and enjoyed the friendly, laid-back atmosphere. With a shorter run, play park and relaxing atmosphere it was no surprise it attracted families to take part or just watch.

The 2k run was 1st to go and we cheered the in, before heading off as a group to the start line. As the Norwich 10k was also on the same day the start felt like a quiet parkrun. Relaxed, friendly and, since there was no chip timing, with small numbers you felt close enough to the start line to not feel you’d lost time just getting over the line.

The route was a figure of 8 through part of the village, well marshalled and signed. Although open to the traffic everyone was patient of the runners coming through. The best part was how flat the route was and with such a hot day more than half the route was under the shade of the trees. This led to the group I was running with, all who joined the club after this years couch to 5k, all getting personal bests! All followed by the added bonus of a coffee truck and ice cream van just at the end of the finish tunnel.

Hainford really was just as we were told. A friendly, welcoming 5k without all the modern trappings of how many races have evolved over the past few years and I’m really looking forward to it next year.


(posting this anyway)

Great North Run – 7th September – Thanks to Lynne:

I recommend a cuppa and a biscuit, or even a whole packet, before you sit down to have a read. Sorry I rambled on a bit.

This has to be my absolute favourite day of the year, this was my 4th time and every year has been different. The Great North Run is one of the largest mass participation events in the world, this year there were 60,000 places, although slightly fewer than that made the start line.

This iconic half marathon event was originally started by Brendan Foster in June 1981 when it was advertised as a local fun run, with 12,000 runners taking part. Brendan was a hero of mine from back in the 1970’s, particularly when he was competing in the summer Olympics in 1976. Surprisingly I was house captain at my secondary school, Whinney Hill in Durham, competing for the county during my teenage years. That seems an awfully long time ago now.

The race starts on the central motorway around the eastern side of Newcastle upon Tyne where all runners assemble. The route quickly crosses the river Tyne via the iconic Tyne Bridge into Gateshead town centre, turning east down the Felling bypass, towards Sunderland then through South Shields to finish the last mile along the seafront.

As usual we stayed in South Shields at a little hotel 1 mile from the finish line. If you ever consider running this half I’d definitely recommend staying near the finish, NOT the start. Mainly because it will take you longer to get back to Newcastle than it takes you to run the race. After a warming hotel breakfast I left about 8am and walked from our hotel, down into Shields to catch the metro, and my £6 travel band got me to Newcastle Haymarket station. It’s a lovely way to start the day, building the excitement and anticipation, packing into carriages with loads of other runners. Conversations overheard are usually hilarious, for example one first timer wanted to understand how her bag placed on a baggage bus got to the end before she did. The logistics of the whole thing are pretty remarkable. I chatted to a fellow  runner, who commented, “he’s speedy”, when he noticed the yellow/white striped race number, “these guys start just behind the elites”!

For the 3rd time I was in pink wave, the largest group, which always includes a huge range of abilities, with an even bigger range of personal reasons for running this challenging course. My training hadn’t quite gone to plan so I wasn’t sure how my body would respond.. So this year I decided I was going to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy myself, which is exactly what I did.

Once off the metro I joined the snaking crowds up through the university  and towards the town moor, where the runners hubs were positioned. Luckily Seb and I managed to meet up before we both made our way to pink. I kept an eye out for Lucy and Andrew but knew they would be in different waves to us, and it was a bit busy!

We walked down from the town moor to the motorway, which was already rammed full with runners. The elites and celebrity runners were all near the front and everyone else snaked back into the distance as far as we could see. I was looking forward to hearing the. haunting guitar chords of “Going Home” from the film Local Hero. This Marc Knopfler classic signals the start of the race every year and it touches my soul every time I hear it. I just have to try and forget it was played at St James park, where Newcastle United played. (more of this later).

The worst part of this mass participation event is the very long wait, penned on the motorway for what seems like forever. This year it was almost 2 hours before we crossed the start line, at 12.31. My latest ever start, so unsurprisingly I was surrounded by lots of people who would be walking most of the route. Hence it was a struggle to get going, finding a comfortable pace and a rhythm took some doing. The long wait beforehand, fully hydrated, made for an uncomfortable start, and an enforced toilet stop before 5k, which was very annoying, but unavoidable. Once I got going and found my pace I reminded myself to make the most of the slight downhill at the beginning. I’d opted to keep left before the Tyne bridge so I could go through the underpass and join in the “oggi-oggi-oggi” chants, this always makes me smile. In the same way that approaching and running over the Tyne Bridge makes me emotional. We used to drive over here, from Durham to Newcastle, when I was a kid, with my brothers and sisters all packed into our car, to visit my grandparents. This place holds a lot of memories for me.

I was enjoying the run and on reaching 10k had sampled a good selection of the roadside snacks from the amazing crowds. An entire smorgasbord of variety, including jelly babies, Haribo, orange segments (need a slippery when wet warning) ice pops and my favourite, ginger snaps. Sadly the beer provided by a local running club, between mile 10 and 11 had run out by the time I got there. I’d also attempted to high five all the enthusiast little people, with their homemade placards.

It turns out a bit of enforced rest and recovery beforehand can lead to a great race, also the lack of pressure I’d put on myself had a positive impact on how I was feeling. We were now approaching the halfway marker and I was still feeling good, unlike several of my fellow runners, some of whom were using more colourful language when they realised they were only half way!

The crowds at this race are like no other I’ve ever seen. They enjoy their own little roadside parties, whilst cheering us all, from start to finish. By now I was feeling fairly confident that my time would be “not too shabby for an old-un” and I was enjoying all the different bands, positioned along the route to entertain and motivate us all. I knew there was a bit of a slow , sneaky climb ahead along John Reid Road, so I kept my cadence up and my arms moving and did my best. All those hill repeats up to Holkham obelisk were worth it. Then at last, the sea came into view in the distance. I speeded up, down the hill, to the left turn at the bottom, to run the finish straight along the seafront. I knew there was still quite a way to go, so I didn’t over-egg it.

It started to rain lightly, just as the finish line came into view and I gave everything I had left to get myself over the line. I’d done it. I stopped my watch, but didn’t  look at it, this year the time didn’t matter.

So, a “wee” bit slower than my 4 previous races but I was happy with 3.03.12

Another GNR medal for my collection, with a story of its own to tell. Bizarrely, none of the organisers had noticed the mistake within the medal design. In place of what should have been Newcastle and the river Tyne, we got Sunderland and the river Wear. Slightly embarrassing for the organisers, even Brendan Foster didn’t notice, the monumental error made it to the national news.

This was no doubt particularly upsetting for all the Newcastle United supporters who ran the race this year. The rivalry between Newcastle and Sunderland is long established, even within my own family. However since I spent most of my school life in Durham and crossed the river Wear twice a day, to and from school, but more importantly I painted my rucksack red and white (yes we used to do stuff like this), in May 1973 when Sunderland won the FA cup (beating Leeds 1-0), I really don’t mind the error. I’ll treasure it it like I do all my medals.

I should just mention, as always Jim was at our usual meeting point when I finished, with all my stuff, warm clothes, flat coke, crisps and a hug.

Happy running

Lynne

Coastal Half Marathon – 20th September – Thanks to Cat Foley-Wray

Ever since moving to Norfolk at the end of 2020 I’ve always wanted to do the half and for one reason or another haven’t managed to. This year I thought just enter and do it as if you wait for ‘the perfect time ‘, that’s never going to happen, so I entered, and it was great!

We registered and started at Burnham Overy Staithe. Registration at the village hall was great as it had a back garden where you could get out of the hustle and bustle and do any pre race stretches etc. A few more toilets would be a suggestion for next year.

The whole route follows the Coastal path so for me It was my ideal terrain as I love trail, especially the beach. I knew it wouldn’t be particularly muddy or wet as it’s been so dry lately, so not running in trail shoes wasn’t an issue.

We left Burnham, add in here that the leader of the marathon went past the half marathon start just before we  set off! – what a machine Rob Skillings! After setting off from Burnham we headed to Holkham Beach, then through the woods and onto the hard path down to Lady Ann’s and on to Wells beach café before going along the beach road down to the quay. We then followed the path  onto the marshland towards Stiffkey, seeing all the creeks was lovely, and finally entering Morston for the finish.

I took lots of photos en route as it’s such lovely scenery and some of the route I hadn’t been to before, so it was lovely to explore at the same time.

I found it a flat route with light undulation in the first few miles through the dunes and woods. Nothing particularly scary!

There were always people around, whether fellow runners or members of the public walking  the path too which was nice as people really do give you a boost, especially if you know them.  Then there were aid stations every few miles with club volunteers.

I wasn’t sure  how far I’d get before my mate Mr Jeffing joined me (run/walk) and he appeared quite early at 7/8 miles😂. It worked well as I decided to walk for around a minute at the start of each mile then run until the next mile, it definitely was a good way for me and the miles seem to get ticked off nicely (if you can call it that on tired legs!)

I thought it was great that there were tail walkers in both the half and full marathon (no idea if this is the norm in trail events) but along with generous cut off times it was certainly an event where you could walk it all and know you wouldn’t be alone, which is reassuring.

I met Alex and the boys in Wells for a quick hello and photo then Jeffed the rest of the way. I don’t think my heart rate  went up much for the whole distance so that’s a good takeaway for me, but I did have tired legs through lack of endurance, which was to be expected!

It was lovely to finish at  Morston Quay as it’s so pretty and also good facilities.

Over all a beautiful, easy to follow route. I’d recommend it and hope to be back next year.

Well done and thanks to RntS for hosting for the first time and congratulations to all who took part.

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Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB)

Review of the UTMB by Colin Stark

Called the ‘big dance’ the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB) is the best and greatest trail running event on the planet. I was lucky enough to get my place through the ballet and through index points which I’ve earned through racing in the Ultra Trail World Series races in Snowdonia 100k in 2022, 50k in 2023 and 100k in 2024. So, it took 3 years to earn my place.

The race starts in Chamonix, France and is an anticlockwise loop around Mont Blanc passing through Italy and Switzerland. The trails are used by many hikers throughout the summer months, and there is a cut off time of 46 hours to complete the 108mile loop with 10k metres of ascent.

Approx. 2500 take up the challenge and are ready on the start line at least 2 hours before the 5.45pm start time. The Elite runners are introduced individually to the massive crowds and 5 minutes before the start the famous UTMB music ‘Conquest of Paradise’ by Vangelis bellows out. The music is iconic and the most beautiful, unique start to any race as the emotions of all the effort and preparation to be on that start line mean there wasn’t a dry eye among any of us.

Off we go through the streets of Chamonix with thousands of spectators who have to be the most enthusiastic crowd I have ever known. The weather forecast said rain from 6pm and for once it was spot on with the heavens opening just 15 minutes into the race. I had opted not to start with my rain jacket but I had it ready in my race belt so I could get it on quickly while still running and not losing any places.

The first big climb came 10k in at Les Houches where my Leki poles came out to join the party. I knew Kelly (wife), Harry (son), Ben and Anna (friends and also Runners Next the Sea members) would be somewhere on the climb and I was looking forward to seeing them. It was a party atmosphere despite the weather and everyone around me was highly amused by the amount of shouting from Ben and Harry!

The first checkpoint was in St Gervais at 14 miles and the whole town comes out to support the runners. I was going well and felt good and focused for the night ahead and although the rain was still hard it wasn’t a problem, and I was happy with my kit choice.

We went onto Les Contamines and the famous Notra Dame climb. I’ve never witnessed such energy and passion from the spectators, and I was in awe that the crowds were willing to stand on the side of a mountain in the horrendous rain to support the runners. It was truly amazing.

As the climb continued the rain turned to sleet and very heavy snow and I made the decision to put my waterproof trousers and gloves on. I probably did this 30 second too late because I was shaking of cold and now had both sets of kit wet through. I was also feeling the altitude and was dizzy and felt sick. However, stopping was not an option as it was so cold I would have been in real trouble. In total this climb was 2500m and many runners around me were starting to struggle with the cold. The path was a muddy mess with hardly any traction as we summitted (finally!). Its not as if I’m not used to mud, so the decent went well and I managed to overtake quite a few runners despite still feeling really sick and retching often. I did overcook it once and ended up sliding down the mountain on my backside ripping my waterproof trousers.

The next check point was Les Chapieux at 32 miles. All the runners had more than earned their right to be there, but some were already calling it a day. The volunteers were also more serious than usual and everyone who left that check point was told to wear every item of clothing they had. Prior to the race the ‘cold weather kit’ rule had been activated so we all had additional layers. I am never cold usually during a race, even on The Spine race in January, but I had on running tights, waterproof trousers, long sleeve base layer, thermal top, thermal arm warmers, coat, hat and waterproof gloves (not what you would expect in August!)

All through the night was snow, sleet and rain depending on how high we were, and I was still struggling with altitude and sickness which meant I wasn’t really taking on enough fuel and definitely not 2/3 gels an hour which I would normally need.

Eventually the weather improved, and the sun came up as I approached Courmayeur in Italy and I arrived here about 8am, which I was really happy with. This is a major checkpoint and at almost 50 miles it’s just under halfway. It’s also known as the runner’s graveyard as historically lots withdraw at this point due to the mind games of knowing you are only half way and its impossible to do the same distance again.

After Cormayeur my quads were really feeling battered. I just didn’t have my normal energy levels, and it was so frustrating not to be able to push on like I normally would. I was getting overtaken by many runners moving better than me and the long climb to Grand Col Ferret was tortuous and there was a real battle going on between my head and my body. I had obviously been in this place before and it was this experience which helped me keep going, along with a phone call with an old running friend and a text from Kelly.

Despite the good weather and amazing views, the next 30 miles were a low point and it was just a case of grinding it out. However, knowing Kelly, Harry, Ben and Anna would be at Trient, Switzerland kept me focused although I was stumbling about and a bit of a mess. Harry and Ben made the 2 mile climb to meet me before the checkpoint, so it was great to see them. The banter was brilliant ‘aarghh fancy seeing you here’ was the saying of the holiday and Ben took some videos of my incoherent mumblings!

The descent to the checkpoint was slow and painful but I did still manage to pass a few runners. When I got to the checkpoint at 11pm it was buzzing with supporters and volunteers with a party like atmosphere. Unfortunately, I was not in a party mood at this point and Kelly took charge, sorting out my kit, feet and strongly encouraging (!) me to eat more. I really needed the energy boost as I was now approaching 29 hours of running.

I set off into the night again knowing I would see everyone again at Vallorcine but just as I got going, I started having head torch trouble. Luckily the mandatory kit means I had a spare so I wasn’t too worried, but no head torch would have meant an instant DNF as it would be so easy to fall off the side of the mountain.

I arrived in Vallorcine at 2.30am to be greeted by my support crew, and I was feeling much better and managed to eat some cheese and biscuits. Vallorcine is a happy place knowing there is only 1 more mountain between there and Chamonix and only 10 miles to go.

The trail to the final climb is a long slog in the dark, remembering it well from previous events (CCC in 2015 and UTMB in 2018). There is no chatting among the runners at this point as everyone prepares for the final brutal climb. The ascent to La Flegere is very technical with big rocks, tree stumps and tree roots all over the trail. The climb is about 800m before it descends again for 400m then climbs again to 1900m. I felt like it would never end. I was mildly hallucinating and I’m sure I saw a giant mouse, among other things. I’d experienced this before so could see the funny side and was actually feeling much stronger and hoping for a good finish.

On the last descent the sun was rising over Mont Blanc, I was feeling good, and I was determined to make up as many places as I could to make up for such a long bad patch in the middle of the race. Many of the other runners had the same idea as me so we ‘flew’ down the mountain (that’s how it felt anyway) although the reality was probably different. The switch backs came and went, and I managed to overtake at least 10 runners. I met Harry on the outskirts of Chamonix as he wanted to run in with me and I kept looking back to check I wasn’t being chased down.

The finish was really special with Harry beside me and Kelly, Ben and Anna waiting on the line. What a race it was! I really had to push myself to the limits both mentally and physically, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Seeing other people achieving their dreams in such a special race is so amazing and I’m sure I’ll be back next year when its Ben’s turn to run!!

Race time: 37 hrs 52 mins

Global Rank: 548

Category Rank: 23

Starters: 2,492

Finishers 1,664

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Reepham Summer 10k, Dinosaur Dash & Great Yarmouth Half Marathon

A glut of August run reports, so here we go….

Reepham Summer 10k – August 1st 2025

Report by Paul Rice:
After a few weeks of mid 20s Celsius days, thankfully we had a much cooler evening in Reepham on Friday 1st August to take part in the Reepham Runners’ Summer 10K; part of the Sportlink 10K Series.

The race itself started at 7:00pm at Stimpson’s Piece which was a pleasant 10 minute or so walk from the allocated parking at Reepham High School. Bibs were allocated on arrival at the start and the registration and route were very well manned with lots of marshals throughout.

Contrary to the pre-race emails, a bag drop was available at the start as well as limited toilet facilities, a Sportlink stall, coffee, ice cream and food vans.

The race start was a 5 minute walk away from the registration and followed quiet country lanes and a few kms’ stretch of the Marriott’s Way (off road) back to finish at Stimpson’s Piece.

There were three water stations along the route and more water available at the end along with a goody bag featuring a very welcome, for me at least, bottle of local Panther red lager.

It was an enjoyable evening run with good times and a decent representation from RntS including Darren Smith, Kevin Heyhoe, Lorraine Hunt, David Coslett, Andrew Tuckett, Paul Woodhouse, Matthew Freezer, Libby Woodhouse, Jean Shaw Smith and Alexander Chidichimo as well a clutch of friends and family in support.   I can recommend it!

Dinosaur Dash – August 8th 2025

Report by Catherine Thorpe:
On a Friday evening, a group of intrepid RntS descended on ROARR! Dinosaur Park for the Dinosaur Dash 5k. I arrived early with Vicki, both thinking the event was 7pm start, but later found it was 7.30pm – better to be safe than sorry!

The course is relatively straightforward – 2 and a half laps around the Dinosaur Park itself, starting in the car park and ending in the park itself. Sounds lovely, apart from two key hurdles – a wasps nest (that one marshal had the pleasure of standing near!), and the infamous Neanderthal Valley, which can only be described as a uphill like no other! I remember this hill from last year…and I was determined to try and run some of it this year!

We set off on our route, and it was lovely to see so many supporters, including some of the children who had completed 2.5k earlier in the evening. It was well marshalled and signed, and luckily it wasn’t too hot! We enjoyed the downhill sections, dodged the wasps and then found ourselves at Neanderthal Valley for the first time – we decided to conserve our energy this time around, as we still had one and a half laps to go!

Second lap comes around, and I am mentally preparing myself for the second uphill! The freshly tarmacked path in the park does help to get a bit of momentum ready for the second uphill, and this year I managed to get halfway! A big improvement from last year, and I was so pleased – on track for all of the hill next year?!

We ran into the park for the final time, and myself and Vicki saw all of the RntS waiting and cheering at the finish! We sprinted towards the end, determined to reach the finish under 40 minutes, which we succeeded in! We then waited for the final runners to come in, giving lots of cheers and encouragement.

Overall, a fantastic and well organised event, with lots of support! I will definitely be back – for either my third attempt at the hills, or the brilliant Dinosaur medal!

Great Yarmouth Half Marathon – August 10th 2025

Report by David Coslett:
I entered Great Yarmouth half some time ago as it is the 9th race of the Sportlink Grand Prix series, this is a series of 10 races spread across the year of varying distances and locations. You need to enter and run at least 8 of the 10 and your top 8 scores count towards the final  result.

It was an early start to get to Gorleston, I picked up Kevin on the way as he was also running the race.

The race was organised by Great Yarmouth Road Runners, I ran this race a couple of years ago and really enjoyed the route, the organisation and the marshals are so good.

I picked up my race number and got myself warmed up and ready to start.

The race is all road and takes you through Ashby, Lound, Somerleyton and running through the grounds of the beautiful Somerleyton Hall.

It was so hot on the day, which affected my running, although I was pleased with my time, the organisers put on extra water stations which we were all grateful for.

This is a nice run and I would recommend it.

David: 01:30:42
Kevin H: 01:31:21
Alex W: 01:39:16
Chloe F: 02:35:43