Odette Robson regained her Stowmarket Half-Marathon title, as a bumper field of more than 400 runners tackled the main 13.1-mile event last Sunday.
Flying veteran Robson, a member of Saint Edmund Pacers, had won the ladies’ race in 2015, having finished second in 2014 and third in 2013.
There was no stopping the over-45 veteran over the traditional rural course from Buxhall. The event was organised by Stowmarket Striders and held in memory of former stalwart member Joe Cox.
Robson clocked a winning time of 1hr 23mins 48secs, finishing an impressive 13th overall – only 12 men recorded faster times.
She was somewhat adrift of her winning time of 1:20.55 from 2015, which is her half-marathon personal best, but she still had nearly four minutes in hand over her closest rivals.
Alice Heather-Jones, an over-40 veteran from Hadleigh Hares, was second lady in 1:27.46, with Haverhill RC’s Kirsty Millard a little further back in third with 1:35.42.
Meanwhile, Michael Eccles went one better than 12 months ago to win the men’s crown and, like Robson, he won by an emphatic margin. Eccles, of Norfolk Gazelles, stopped the clock at 1:13.30, just seven seconds slower than his effort of 1:13.23 from last year, when he finished second to winner Aaron Scott.
Lee Cook, of Waveney Valley AC, was second in 1:15.11, and Scott Hill, representing RAF Triathlon, was third in 1:16.55.
The Ipswich JAFFA duo of Danny Rock and Craig Fiddaman were fourth and fifth respectively, in 1:17.25 and 1:17.49, while Keith Burrows was sixth overall and the leading veteran with 1:18.17.
In the other age groups, Framlingham Flyers’ Peter Howlett (1:23.35) topped the over-45 section, and JAFFA’s Warren Birch was first over-50 in 1:24.43. He was 15th overall.
Pacers’ Howard Beasley (1:27.35) was the leading over-55 veteran, with JAFFA stalwart Brian Rogers the top over-60 in 1:35.10.
The over-65 and over-70 titles went to Havering’s Denis Mole and JAFFA’s Ron McCullough respectively.
The female veteran prize winners included Abigail Prowse (o-35), Sandy Page (o-40) and Capel Cheetahs’ Sandra Bumphrey (o-45). Sudbury Joggers’ Jackie Hann (o-50), Jenny Sheahan (o-55), Cheryl Trundle (o-60) and Maureen Wright (o-65) also topped their age groups.
The JAFFA trio of Rock, Fiddaman and Tom Wake comprised the winning men’s team, while Robson, Jessie Gooderham and Sarah Golding made up the winning female team, in Pacers’ colours.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here