Club runners from Ipswich JAFFA, Felixstowe Road Runners and Ipswich Harriers will be converging on the Capital this weekend, to take part in the 38th staging of the London Marathon.
Runners look set to have to cope with very warm conditions on Sunday, as they take on the challenge of the traditional 26.2-mile route through the streets of London, from the start at Blackheath and Greenwich, through to the finish on the Mall.
JAFFA will have a group of about 20 runners in action, many of them very experienced athletes, no doubt all taking inspiration from club-mate Helen Davies, who successfully defended her Brighton Marathon ladies’ title last weekend.
The quartet of Will Law (2:36:58) Craig Fiddaman (2:41:41), Steve Parry (2:42:46) and Warren Birch (2:49:21) have all ducked under 2hrs 50mins in past races, and all will be gunning for quick times again this weekend.
Meanwhile, Felixstowe RR will have 16 club runners toeing the start-line, including a duo have run under three hours in the past – Dave Solomon and Roger Stone – and several first timers.
Here is a run-down of the local club runners
Ipswich Harriers will have a couple taking on the marathon, in Leanne Thorndyke (her third marathon) and over-45 veteran Peter Andrews (first marathon).
Under-15 athlete Holly Fisher will be running in the mini-marathon, while fellow Harriers Nathan Goddard (under-17 men) and Ruby Vinton (under-13 girls) have been invited to run in the same event, as county cross country champions.
FELIXSTOWE ROAD RUNNERS
Darren Cook (Ipswich, aged 43, 3:04 PB), Robin Harper (Ipswich, aged 42, 7 marathons, 3:12:18 PB), Dave Solomon (Ipswich, aged 50, Ipswich, 11 marathons. 2:54 PB),
Adrian Goode (Ipswich, aged 54, 6 marathons, 3:19:04 PB).
Ian Sillett (Sproughton, aged 61. 7 marathons, 4:52:35 PB from Bristol to Bath Marathon), David Tillett (Martlesham Heath, aged 48 , first marathon, charity McMillan Nurses), Jackie Collins (Kesgrave, aged 54, 8 marathons, 4:39 PB from Chelmsford, charity ‘Marine Connection’), Mark Ford (Felixstowe, aged 50, 4 marathons, 3:13 PB).
Roger Stone (Ipswich, aged 49, 16 marathons, 2.55 PB), Sarah Proffitt (Felixstowe, aged 44, 3 marathons, 3:39:49 PB), Collette Green (Kesgrave, aged 35, 1 previous marathon, 3:51:05 PB from London), Mark Banham (Ipswich, aged 51, 10 marathons, 4:14 PB).
Rachael Miller (Felixstowe, aged 28, 2 marathons, 5:37 PB, charity ‘Children with Cancer’), Hollie Sutherland (Woodbridge, aged 32, first marathon, charity ‘Teenage Cancer Trust’), Andy Ellis (Woodbridge, aged 32, charity ‘Children with Cancer’), George Clark (Felixstowe, aged 20, 3 marathons, 3:58 PB).
IPSWICH JAFFA
John Thorpe (10th marathon, 2:57:37 PB), Kate Woolridge (10th, 3:39:39 PB), Ian Old (5th, 3:03:13 PB), Craig Fiddaman (5th, 2:41:41 PB), Warren Birch (8th, 2:49:21 PB), Adam Wade (4th, 2:53:57), John Adams (3rd, 3:34:17 PB), Ian Elden (first marathon), Steve Parry (5th, 2:42:46 PB).
Izzy West (fm), Marc Briggs (4th, 3:00:49 PB), Alistair Dick (17th, 2:58:48 PB), Tim Newton (10th, 3:20:13 PB), Will Law (6th, 2:36:58), Steve Fraser-Lim (6th, 2:54:38 PB), Inge Nijkamp (4th, 3:32:30 PB), Abby Gaeta (3rd, 3:35:41 PB), Alex Hosking (fm), Jacq Henderson (fm).
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