Trowse 10k – Sunday 30 October 2016

Foggy conditions on the morning of the race did not deter over 500 runners from lining-up for the start of the second Trowse 10k of 2016. 6 Jags were amongst the sea of runners that crossed the chip-start mats on Whitlingham Lane, taking a short scenic diversion around the Broad before commencing the first of 2 laps around the testing Trowse loop.
A good turn-out of enthusiastic spectators lined the route and shouts of encouragement from the host club’s marshalls were heard all round the course. After a flat and fast opening 1.5 miles, the course climbed through Trowse village for the first time; a half mile drag which seems much longer for some reason! What goes up must come down, however and the downhill sweep back towards Whitlingham Lane was a good opportunity to get that heart-rate down again.

Second time round the hill seemed even longer to some (well, me anyway) and one or two competitors resorted to walking the last part. Time to pick up the pace for the last mile and a half and to offer some words of encouragement to some back markers, before turning in to the ski centre car park and the finish gantry!
Goody bags, medals and complimentary ales from the Redwell/Bullards micro-brewery, based in Trowse, were gratefully received!

First finisher overall was Jonathan Earl in 35.26, ahead of a trio of CONAC runners. Mabel Beckett completed a good day for the hosts by winning the ladies’ race in 38.53.

First Jag home was Neil Button with a silver standard and PB time of 43.48, closely followed by Lucy Anderson with a cracking PB time of 46.19 (just 19 seconds short of Gold standard!). Scott Chadwick finished with a bronze standard 48.26, with Zep (Giuseppe) Ciarla next in 53.13. Claire Owen was second Jags lady in a bronze standard 56.26 (not bad in an apparently very hung-over state!), closely followed by Barbara Button with a PB and bronze standard 58.13, a really good effort after missing so much training with injuries and the March running of the event through illness (well done Hon!!).

Credit to CONAC for a well-organised and popular event, which will certainly be pencilled-in to the diary for 2017.
Neil Button