2014 Five and Ten Mile Race Report
MERSEA ISLAND 5 AND 10 MILE ROAD RUNNING RACES
SPONSORED BY C.C. DISCOUNT HEATING (COLCHESTER) LIMITED
SUNDAY 24 AUGUST 2014
The Starting Line – Mersea Lions 5 & 10 Mile Races 2014 – Photo by Leigh Brooksbank
When you see one of the runners lining up at the start wearing an “Asbel Kiprop” running vest you know he means business. (Kiprop was a 1500m Olympic gold medal winner in 2008.). Paul Davis of Mersea Cycles, who had agreed to lead runners on the first lap of the course, looked worried. Would he be able to keep in front?
It was actually Tom Payn from Tiptree who was wearing that famous shirt and not Asbel Kiprop, but Paul still had his work cut out keeping in front of Tom, who led from start to finish annihilating the opposition in the Mersea 10 mile race, to win the Mens Trophy – over 3 minutes ahead of second placed runner Joe Skipper. After crossing the finishing line Tom decided that whilst waiting for the presentation ceremony he would wind down by running an additional 5 miles, surprising marshals who couldn’t believe their eyes as he sped past overtaking many of the runners out on course.
Mayor Peter Clements, MBE, presents the Winner’s Cup to Thomas Payn, winner of the 10 Mile Race. Photo courtesy of Terry Turner
Now if you think that was impressive, what about the second placed man, Joe Skipper? Not only had he cycled from Lowestoft to take part, he cycled home after the event with 2 colleagues who had also raced!
Also putting in a very fast run to win the 10 mile Ladies Trophy was Charlotte Firth from Bracknell, who recorded 61.1 and incredibly was placed 5th overall. Charlotte is ranked in the top 400 runners in the country, and competes for Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC.
The winner of the Mens 5 mile race had won the 10 mile race in 2013 — Paul Holley from Newmarket Runners. Local girl Debbie Cattermole from Colchester Harriers won the 5 mile Ladies Trophy, whilst her father John was one of the on-course marshals.
It was great to see Peter Downing from Hempnall in Norfolk again. He won the Wheelchair Trophy. Paul has been coming to Mersea and racing for well over 25 years.
There was a record number of entries this year with 363 runners registered to race, the majority of whom had taken advantage of our new on-line pre entry/pre payment system, and had come from as far afield as Yorkshire to take part.
photo by Leigh Brooksbank
Runners safety is always of paramount importance, and over 70 marshals are needed for this event. Very many thanks to Sue Wray and Simon Moran from Mersea and Colchester Boot Camps respectively, who found us the additional marshals we needed over and above local volunteers. It was also good to see so many Boot Camp runners competing in both races this year.
Also MI Lions extend sincere thanks to Paul Davis, our lead cyclist, Ann and Geoff Pearce for the loan of their summer house for race control, Peter and Mary Duerden and Nicky Willmott for ‘manning’ race control, Terry Walker who processed many of the entries, and of course a huge “thank you” to all the marshals out on the course and in the car park, including the Witham Lions Club members who came a fair way to help. MI Lions also wish to record their thanks to Colchester CBC and WMTC Parking Partnership and to Leigh Brooksbank and Terry Turner whose excellent photographs can be viewed and purchased via our 2014 5 & 10 Mile Race Photos page.
photo by Terry Turner
Finally, we are indebted to our long time local sponsor Alan Clayton of C.C. Discount Heating (Colchester) Limited, without whose generous support we could not have raised this year’s massive record sum of £3,180. These funds will be distributed by MI Lions in the usual way to mainly local charities.
CC DISCOUNT HEATING 5 AND 10 MILE RACE RESULTS
10 MILE RACE:
MEN:
1ST 10 MILE RACE THOMAS PAYN IN 52:40
2ND 10 MILE RACE JOE SKIPPER IN 56:03
3RD 10 MILE RACE PAUL DOBSON IN 59:13
45+ MEN: TERRY BACK IN 1:04:50
WHEELCHAIR: PETER DOWNING
MENS TEAM: WITHAM RC: PETE RILEY, LEO COLE, STUART MILLS.
LADIES:
1ST 10 MILE RACE CHARLOTTE FIRTH IN 1:01:12
2ND 10 MILE RACE EMMA BURGESS IN 1:08:39
3RD 10 MILE RACE AMANDA HENRY IN 1:08:47
40+ LADIES: KATRINA FINCH IN 1:13:29
LADIES TEAM: COLCHESTER HARRIERS: EMMA BURGESS, AMANDA HENRY, ANDREA JAMES
5 MILE RACE:
MEN:
1ST 5 MILE RACE PAUL HOLLEY IN 28:17
2ND 5 MILE RACE STEVE HEWES IN 28:43
3RD 5 MILE RACE STUART PUTT IN 29:25
LADIES:
1ST 5 MILE RACE DEBBIE CATTERMOLE IN 35:46
2ND 5 MILE RACE REBECCA PITTMAN IN 36:03
3RD 5 MILE RACE PAULA REYNOLDS IN 37:23
Tim Densham, Race Organiser
30/08/2014
A pdf version of this report is available here: 2014 5 and 10 Mile Race Report