DAVID Miller coasted to his seventh Woodbridge 10K Round the Town title, leading from start to finish over a gruelling two-lapper on Sunday.But only one second separated the top two home in the ladies' race, with Jayne Williams pipping Lucy Bowditch to the finish-line.

By Carl Marston

DAVID Miller coasted to his seventh Woodbridge 10K Round the Town title, leading from start to finish over a gruelling two-lapper on Sunday.

But only one second separated the top two home in the ladies' race, with Jayne Williams pipping Lucy Bowditch to the finish-line.

Miller, of the host club Woodbridge Shufflers, was delighted to claim the 157th race victory of his career, although he was more concerned about how his wife Sarah was faring in Hungary.

“I found it difficult to concentrate, because at the same time Sarah was competing in the World Duathlon Championships in Hungary,” revealed Miller.

“I believe that she finished the second Briton in her age group, which is great news. I enjoyed my run, even though conditions were very warm.”

Miller retained his title with ease. In fact, it was his sixth Woodbridge 10K win on the trot, following a rare defeat to Greg Deacon in 2001.

As usual, this 26th staging of the Woodbridge event had reached its entry limit several weeks before the race. In fact, this year's entries closed two months before race-day.

Experienced runner Miller, who had a disappointing London Marathon due to bad blisters, returned to form with a comfortable victory in 34mins 08secs. This was some way down on his best time for the course, and his personal best, but then the weather was too warm to establish super-quick times.

Ian Keeble, of Stowmarket Striders, has enjoyed a good last couple of years on the Suffolk roads. Keeble clocked 2.48.12 at the London Marathon last month, and he was Miller's closest challenger with 35.27 in second on Sunday.

Ipswich Jaffa were well represented, with Robert Chenery leading home their effort with an impressive 35.49 in third. Joshua Entwistle, of Felixstowe Road Runners, was fourth overall and the leading junior in 36.37. He was pursued by the Jaffa double act of Gavin Davies and Scott MacSephney.

Jayne Williams, also of Jaffa, won the ladies' title by the smallest of margins. She stopped the clock at 42.08 to edge out Lucy Bowditch, of Ipswich Triathlon Club, by a mere second.

Julie Brown, another member of Jaffa, took third spot in 43.15, ahead of leading over-50 veteran Dee Guite, of Framlingham Flyers, who posted 43.37 in fourth.

Other female veteran winners were Linda Grave, of Woodbridge, who topped the over-40 section, and Jaffa's Maureen Wright who won the over-60 crown. Julie Cooke was first in the over-45s.

In the male half, Mark Bowditch (Ipswich Tri Club) and Stuart Green (Stowmarket) triumphed in the over-40 and over-45 categories respectively. Ipswich Tri's Derrick Smith and Steven Levinson headed their age groups, as did the Jaffa duo of John Lambert (over-60) and Ron Vincent (over-65).

Woodbridge 10K results

Top 40 men: 1 D Miller (Woodbridge Shufflers) 34.08; 2 I Keeble (Stowmarket Striders) 35.27; 3 R Chenery (Ipswich Jaffa) 35.49; 4 J Entwistle (Felixstowe Road Runners) 36.37; 5 G Davies (Jaffa) 36.44; 6 S MacSephney (Jaffa) 36.58; 7 A Southwood 37.03; 8 B Davies 37.28; 9 P Preston (Sudbury Joggers) 37.43; 10 N Smith 37.53.

11 D McCormack 38.02; 12 N Wooby (Jaffa) 38.26; 13 M Bowditch (Jaffa) 38.30; 14 T Jarrett (Jaffa) 38.33; 15 L Rudland (Jaffa) 38.34; 16 M Potter (Waveney Valley AC) 38.48; 17 A Dick (Jaffa) 39.08; 18 J Thorpe (Jaffa) 39.15; 19 G Monks 39.16; 20 D Smith (Ipswich Tri Club) 39.19.

21 R Peacher (Framlingham Flyers) 39.29; 22 J Henderson 39.33; 23 S Green (Stowmarket) 39.36; 24 L Scarlett (Jaffa) 39.39; 25 S Harrison (Jaffa) 39.43; 26 J Weston (Jaffa) 39.51; 27 P de Bree 39.58; 28 L Jones 40.14 ; 29 W Hardcastle 40.17; 30 R Hudson (Jaffa) 40.21.

31 S Levinson 40.24; 32 A Pyett 40.37; 33 R Smith (Woodbridge) 40.40; 34 D Emmens (Jaffa) 40.47; 35 R MacKenzie (Framlingham) 40.51; 36 B Rogers (Jaffa) 41.03; 37 D Kimberley 41.13; 38 T Brammar 41.27; 39 D Chenery (Jaffa) 41.29; 40 J Cockrell 41.32.

Leading ladies: 1 J Williams (Jaffa) 42.08; 2 L Bowditch (Ipswich Tri) 42.09; 3 J Brown (Jaffa) 43.15; 4 D Guite (Woodbridge) 43.37; 5 S Vick (The Saxons) 45.12; 6 W Martin (WItham RC) 45.49; 7 S Squirrell 46.04; 8 L Grave (Woodbridge) 46.24; 9 R O'Neill 46.39; 10 R Jones 46.48.

11 J Cooke 46.56; 12 V Hollingworth (Felixstowe RR) 46.59; 13 J Robinson 47.29; 14 C Burrows 47.31; 15 C Carter 47.45; 16 F Coe 47.48; 17 R Offord (Grange Farm & Dunmow) 49.01; 18 S Jennings (Woodbridge) 49.05; 19 A Mallett (Ipswich Tri) 49.26; 20 C Wincomb (Jaffa) 49.35.

21 T Passmore 49.44; 22 M Walker (Framlingham) 49.49; 23 L Askins 50.14; 24 J Campbell-Barr 50.15; 25 F Carter 50.45; 26 L Potter (Waveney Valley) 51.09; 27 J Chittock 51.29; 28 B Kekwick 51.43.

Female age categories, juniors: 1 A Parker 53.09; 2 A Canham (Saxons) 53.37; 3 S Toppin (Woodbridge School) 55.44. Over-40: 1 Grave, 2 C Carter. Over-45: 1 Cooke, Offord. Over-50: 1 Guite, 2 Walker, 3 K Barlow (Wymondham) 54.24. Over-60: 1 M Wright (Jaffa) 52.12; 2 M Marshall (Jaffa) 66.35. Over-65: W Merfield (Saxons) 70.06.

Male age categories, juniors: 1 Entwistle, 2 B Davies, 3 McCormack. Over-40: 1 Bowditch, 2 Dick, 3 Henderson. Over-45: 1 Green, 2 Scarlett, 3 R Smith. Over-50: 1 D Smith, 2 Weston, 3 Rogers. Over-55: 1 Levinson, 2 Monks, 3 D Fordham (Saxons) 45.44. Over-60: 1 J Lambert (Jaffa) 51.23; 2 R Coombs 52.14; 3 C Carter 54.36. Over-65: 1 R Vincent (Jaffa) 54.20; 2 B Fried 60.03.