Decker produces strong run at Bury

By Carl Marston

HELEN Decker continues to re-write the Ipswich Jaffa record books after another strong run at the Muscular Dystrophy 20-mile road race, staged from Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds on Sunday.

Fresh from setting a Jaffa club record for the half-marathon at Great Bentley earlier in the month, Decker repeated the feat over 20 miles of undulating rural roads in West Suffolk.

The 27-year-old successfully defended her Bury title, finishing 23rd overall in a scorching personal best time of 2hrs 13mins 49secs. She made light work of the stiff climbs around Pinford End, Mickley Green, Hartest and Hawstead.

Decker had won last year's race in a slightly slower time of 2.14.34 - conditions were a little windier 12 months ago.

Jane Preen, of Milton Keynes AC, was Decker's closest challenger in second spot with 2.15.12, while Donna McEwen took third in the colours of Bedford Harriers.

Less than two minutes separated the top three in the men's race on a morning when 400 runners toed the line for the 20-mile event, with a further 130 taking part in the supporting “Nearly 10.”

Andrew Thake, of Hallamshire Harriers, triumphed in 1.52.48. He was 46 seconds ahead of second-placed Peter Galpin, of Huntingdon, with John Clarke (Newham & Essex Beagles) taking third spot in 1.54.16.

There was then a four-minute gap. Ipswich Jaffa's David Laing, who had scooped the county 20-mile veteran title at last year's event, was four minutes faster than his effort from 2006. Laing was fourth and the leading veteran in 1.58.23.

Richard Jordan, of Stowmarket Striders, will soon be moving into the over-50 age group. A former winner of the old Bury 20, Jordan was second veteran and fifth overall in 1.59.48.

Stowmarket Striders packed three runners into the top 10. Ian Keeble (2.02.47) and third-placed veteran Colin Pitts (2.04.01) supported Jordan in the winning men's team.

Suffolk athletes were to the fore in some of the other age categories. Mike Troup, an experienced mountain runner from Saint Edmund Pacers, was first over-50 veteran, while Jaffa's Maureen Wright added another female over-60 trophy to her collection.

Jaffa club-mate Val Jennings was third in the over-40 section, and there were personal best performances from fellow Jaffa runners Lee Rudland (2.16.59), Natasha Belsom (2.25.19) and Louise Staunton (2.31.27). Terry Rivers, of Halstead Road Runners, was second in the male over-60 class.

David Miller, of Woodbridge Shufflers, chalked up another victory in the “Nearly 10” race, which also started from Nowton Park. He stopped the clock at 52.29. Pacers' Michael Cobbold was fourth overall and the leading veteran in 59.22.

The event raised funds for Muscular Dystrophy and was organised by Paul Felton.

Bury 20 results

Top 10 men: 1 A Thake (Hallamshire Harriers) 1.52.48; 2 P Galpin (Huntingdon RRC) 1.53.34; 3 J Clarke (Newham & Essex Beagles) 1.54.16; 4 D Laing (Ipswich Jaffa) 1.58.23; 5 R Jordan (Stowmarket Striders) 1.59.48; 6 J Buis (Heaton Harriers) 1.59.59; 7 A Smalls (Colchester Harriers) 2.02.33; 8 I Keeble (Stowmarket) 2.02.47; 9 C Pitts (Stowmarket) 2.04.01; 10 N Mills (Ranelagh Harriers) 2.04.46.

Other leading local affiliated men: 12 C Prewer (Lowestoft RR) 2.05.40; 14 T Jarrett (Jaffa) 2.08.41; 17 P McClelland (Harwich Runners) 2.10.48; 19 R Stone (Felixstowe RR) 2.12.00; 21 N Stephens (Stowmarket) 2.12.38; 25 A Dick (Jaffa) 2.14.00; 27 T Fox (Saint Edmund Pacers) 2.14.19; 31 L Heath (Pacers) 2.15.49; 34 P Belleville (Jaffa) 2.16.13; 35 D Copland (Ipswich Triathlon Club) 2.16.47; 36 L Rudland (Jaffa) 2.16.59; 45 M Barnes-Smith (Pacers) 2.18.36; 50 A Buck (Sudbury Joggers) 2.20.03.

57 R Smith (Woodbridge Shufflers) 2.21.11; 65 J Thorpe (Jaffa) 2.23.04; 68 L Scarlett (Jaffa) 2.23.47; 70 D Comish (Tiptree RR) 2.23.53; 71 R Belsom (Jaffa) 2.24.24; 77 A MacPherson (Pacers) 2.25.15; 80 M Canham (Jaffa) 2.25.48; 83 M Troup (Pacers) 2.26.51; 88 D Dockerill (Haverhill RC) 2.28.27; 101 P Preston (Sudbury) 2.30.25; 105 B Jones (Un, Ipswich) 2.31.13; 111 S Gray (Stowmarket) 2.32.24; 112 A Dunsmuir-Watts (Witham RC) 2.32.30.

114 I Parmenter (Haverhill) 2.33.18; 117 M Causey (Haverhill) 2.34.15; 126 A Jackson (Jaffa) 2.35.37; 129 R Hudson (Jaffa) 2.36.05; 132 C Skrimshire (Woodbridge) 2.37.05; 133 J Bloomfield (Stowmarket) 2.37.14; 141 T Rivers (Halstead RR) 2.38.45; 150 S Wiggins (Felixstowe RR) 2.41.56; 151 D Moxon (Springfield Striders) 2.42.21; 153 I Gowers (Springfield) 2.42.24; 161 D Andrews (Witham) 2.43.09.

Top 10 ladies: 1 H Decker (Jaffa) 2.13.49; 2 J Preen (Milton Keynes AC) 2.15.12; 3 D McEwen (Bedford Harriers) 2.18.50; 4 M Winters (North Herts RR) 2.20.09; 5 K Masson (Cambridge & Coleridge) 2.20.54; 6 S Fitt (Garden City Runners) 2.21.10; 7 M Hall (Garden City) 2.23.13; 8 J Williams (Jaffa) 2.23.50; 9 N Tyrrell (Royston Runners) 2.25.10; 10 N Belsom (Jaffa) 2.25.19.

Other leading local affiliated ladies: 13 V Jennings (Jaffa) 2.29.17; 15 A Henry (Sudbury Joggers) 2.30.25; 17 L Staunton (Jaffa) 2.31.27; 23 M Roberts (Woodbridge) 2.37.25; 25 M Wheatley (Pacers) 2.40.47; 38 C Prance (Stowmarket) 2.47.38; 39 C Sewell (Woodbridge) 2.48.14; 41 J Dockerill (Haverhill) 2.49.23; 44 C Shaw (Sudbury) 2.51.33; 50 J O'Callaghan (Newmarket) 2.54.03; 54 J McKay (Gt Bentley) 2.55.35; 55 R Jordan (Stowmarket) 2.55.50; 57 M Wright (Jaffa) 2.57.46.

Male veterans, over-40: 1 Laing, 2 Jordan, 3 Pitts. Over-50: 1 Troup, 2 P Williams (Herts Phoenix) 2.28.40; 3 A Jones (North Herts) 2.30.05. Over-60: 1 S Mann (Herts Phoenix) 2.24.32; 2 Rivers; 3 J Wheatley (Un) 2.46.48; 4 J Greener (Bildeston Bounders) 2.51.09.

Female veterans, over-40: 1 Masson, 2 Fitt, 3 Jennings. Over-50: 1 D Hindmarch (Milton Keynes) 2.42.41; 2 Shaw; 3 C Betts (Norfolk Gazelles) 2.51.48. Over-60: 1 Wright.

“Nearly 10” mile race

Top 10 men: 1 D Miller (Woodbridge) 52.29; 2 N Grimer (Nene Valley Harriers) 53.21; 3 J Kazer (Cambridge & Coleridge) 58.22; 4 M Cobbold (Pacers, first over-40) 59.22; 5 J Henderson (Un, second over-40) 62.11; 6 W Hayden (Un) 63.18; 7 T Brooks (Un) 64.20; 8 M Reed (Ely Runners) 64.27; 9 N Dable (Jaffa) 64.53; 10 W Newland (Ipswich Tri, first over-50) 66.09.

Top five ladies: 1 J Humphries (Alton Runners) 65.42; 2 L Spence (Cambridge Uni Hare & Hounds) 66.17; 3 B Bramley (Ely, first over-50) 68.59; 4 J Jepson (Pacers) 69.31; 5 S Golding (Pacers, first over-40) 69.48.