Danny Rock followed up his scintillating run at the Amsterdam Marathon with a victory at the annual Hadleigh 10-mile road race this morning.
Emma Drury won the ladies' 10-mile title, while the five-mile crowns went to Lee Barber and Kerry Dennett.
Rock, of Felixstowe Road Runners, had clocked a marvellous 2hrs 28mins 13secs at the Amsterdam Marathon in the Netherlands just four weeks ago, and he showed few ill effects on his way to victory over the undulating 10 miles of the Hadleigh course.
In fact, the 38-year-old was only 14 seconds adrift of his 10-mile personal best, which was set on a much flatter and potentially faster course at the Felixstowe Coastal 10 (53:46, in September).
On a perfect morning for running - dry with no wind - Rock led home a bumper field in 54mins 00secs, with Scott Ramsey, of host club Hadleigh Hares, setting a personal best of 55:19 in second.
Third spot went to James Calvert, of Ipswich JAFFA, who was also the first veteran in 57:29. Felixstowe RR's Tony Gavin was fourth (58:06) and Framlingham Flyers' Adam Howlett was fifth and the first over-45 veteran with 58:22.
"I had a foot injury after Amsterdam, which meant I didn't run for nine days," revealed Rock.
"I felt worse for that break, but a win is a win, and I felt quite good today over a hilly course.
"I was naturally delighted with my run in Amsterdam. I'd have bitten your hand off, if you had offered me a 2:28 time.
"Now I have one more race planned for this year, at the Telford 10K, where I will be representing the UK Armed Forces. I'm very chuffed to have been selected to run in that team, because it's very competitive involving the RAF, Army and Navy," added Rock.
Meanwhile, runner-up Ramsey said: "I thought I'd give it a real go this year. I know the course well, because I often train on it, and I work in Hadleigh."
Ramsey, 34, comes from Elmsett and is coached by fellow Hadleigh Hare Matt Blacoe. His previous best had been 56:51 from last year's Hadleigh 10, when he finished a runner-up to Ben Carpendale.
Emma Drury, a member of Sudbury Joggers, won the female title in 67:33, finishing just 19 seconds ahead of runner-up Kate Creak (67:52).
"That's a big PB for me, beating my previous best of 71:37 from the (Beccles) Turkey Trot of two years ago," enthused Drury.
"It's also the first time I had run this event since 2016."
In the supporting five-mile race - which started at the same time as the 10-miler, near the race HQ Hadleigh United Football Club - Lee Barber stormed to first place in a PB of 27:45.
He was well clear of runner-up Garry Cullum (Felixstowe) and John Scaife (Hadleigh) who were involved in a sprint for the line. Both men were credited with the same time of 29:13, with Cullum given second spot.
"I pulled clear at the top of the first hill," explained Barber, who eclipsed his previous best of 28:10 from the Framlingham Five this summer.
"I'm in good shape, because I have been training for the Valencia Marathon, which takes place in a couple of weeks time."
The 39-year-old, from Easton, is looking for a sub-three-hour time in Spain, which should be well within his reach.
There was not much to choose between the first two in the ladies' five-miler at Hadleigh.
Kerry Dennett (33:37) was 20 seconds ahead of runner-up Jess Gooderham (Saint Edmund Pacers, 33:57), finishing in 14th and 15th positions overall.
The 10-mile event incorporated the Suffolk 10-mile Championships, with Rock and Drury claiming the two major titles.
The entry was full for today's 10-mile race, with 320 signed up. A further 175 had entered the five-mile, while for the first time there was an entry of more than 100 in the 2K junior race.
The 10-mile was sponsored by 'Turners Blinds and Shutters', and the five-mile was staged in memory of John Chisnall, with support from M Chisnall & Sons Ltd. The junior race was sponsored by 'Jim Lawrence Lighting & Home.'
Results
HADLEIGH 10
Top 20 men: 1 D Rock (Felixstowe RR) 54:00; 2 S Ramsey (Hadleigh) 55:19; 3 J Calvert (Ipswich JAFFA, first over-40) 57:29; 4 T Gavin (Felixstowe) 58:06; 5 A Howlett (Framlingham Flyers, first over-45) 58:22; 6 M Hayward (Newmarket) 58:44; 7 P Hannah (Un) 58:49; 8 A Angus (Saint Edmund Pacers) 59:13; 9 J Wilkinson (Un) 59:50; 10 C Baker (Un) 60:02.
11 C Mower (Pacers) 61:07; 12 T Kingsnorth (Pacers) 61:17; 13 S Carruthers (Lowestoft, first over-50) 62:16; 14 H Catling (Felixstowe RR) 62:35; 15 J Nial (Un) 63:02; 16 J Cornish (Woodbridge) 63:02; 17 S Brooke (Felixstowe RR) 63:38; 18 J Boyles (Un) 53:44, 19 A Bell (Hadleigh) 64:01; 20 A Archer (JAFFA) 64:16.
Also: W Campbell (JAFFA, first over-55) 64:27; S Mead (Stowmarket, first over-65) 68:16; A Budd (Capel, first over-60) 69:41; F Moggan (Stowmarket, first over-70) 81:43.
Leading ladies: 1 E Drury (Sudbury Joggers) 67:33; 2 K Creak (Un) 67:52.
Suffolk 10-mile Champs (incorporated in 10-mile race):
Male, open: 1 Rock, 2 Ramsey, 3 Calvert. Over-40: 1 Calvert, 2 Mower, 3 Kingsnorth. Over-45: 1 Howlett, 2 Baker, 3 P Bulacz (Sudbury) 65:21. Over-50: 1 Carruthers, 2 Brooke, 3 M Allen (JAFFA) 65:37. Over-55: 1 S Paul (Eastern Veterans) 66:51; 2 N Schofield (Pacers) 71:07; 3 I McDermott (Un) 76:45. Over-60: 1 Budd, 2 S Dunnett (Framlingham) 72:47; 3 M Webster (Un) 78:49. Over-65: 1 Mead, 2 N Clarke (Newmarket) 74:41; 3 K Borrett (Un) 88:21. Over-70: 1 Moggan.
Female, open: 1 Drury, 2 Creak, 3 A Plumbly (Hadleigh) 72:50. Over-40: 1 Plumbly, 2 V Thomas (Pacers) 81:15; 3 M Barker (Capel) 89:38. Over-45: 1 V Dolling (Boxted) 73:23; 2 S-A Bowen (Sudbury) 85:07; 3 S Fitch (Felixstowe) 75:23. Over-50: 1 M Narey (Stowmarket) 76:33; 2 L Bolton 84:48; 3 D Catling (Un) 90:08. Over-55: 1 V Jennings (JAFFA) 73:10 (new championship record); 2 J Sheahan (Eastern Veterans) 82:03; 3 S Phillips (JAFFA) 91:51. Over-60: 1 A Beech (JAFFA) 98:23. Over-70: 1 M Wright (JAFFA) 102:04.
FIVE-MILE
Top 20 men: 1 L Barber (Framlingham Flyers) 27:45; 2 G Cullum (Felixstowe RR, first over-40) 29:13; 3 J Scaife (Hadleigh, first over-45) 29:13; 4 S Burdett (Stowmarket Striders) 29:56; 5 J Davison (Ipswich Harriers, first under-18) 30:29; 6 J Foot (Unattached) 30:37; 7 M Baker (TRI Sudbury Triathlon) 30:53; 8 S Buchan (Stowmarket) 30:55; 9 S Hall (Framlingham) 31:35; 10 M Moore (Stowmarket) 32:45.
11 J Cading (Stowmarket) 32:45; 12 H Beasley (Pacers) 32:54; 13 A Turner (Hadleigh) 33:02; 14 R Deasy (Un) 35:06; 15 J Secker (Sudbury) 35:07; 16 S Green (Stowmarket) 35:46; 17 S Fraser (Un) 36:32; 18 K Wagland (Un) 36:33; 19 M Rose (JAFFA) 36:36; 20 N Holloway (Un) 36:41.
Top 20 ladies: 1 K Dennett (Un) 33:37; 2 J Gooderham (Pacers) 33:57; 3 C Ward-Sell (Vegan Runners) 35:06; 4 K Leyland (Un) 36:27; 5 R Holden (Jogging Made Easy) 38:11; 6 R Bodsworth (Hadleigh, first over-40) 38:19; 7 J Mark (Un) 38:23; 8 K Gibson (Colchester Harriers, first over-45) 39:00; 9 A Brinkley (Stowmarket, first over-55) 40:51; 10 F Kindred Kirk (Framlingham, first under-18) 41:03.
11 K Heeks (Stowmarket) 41:58; 12 F Holland (Hadleigh, first over-60) 42:06; 13 K Wills (Boxted Runners) 42:18; 14 R Cowlin (Sudbury) 42:33; 15 A Kerry (Stowmarket) 42:53; 16 C Farren (Un) 43:02; 17 S Mayhew (Stowmarket) 43:04; 18 J Garnham (Stowmarket) 43:10; 19 L Yates (Col/Harr) 43:33; 20 J Barton (Un) 43:38.
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