EARLY autumn is a very busy running season and there were several local events on offer, with eight Bungay Black Dogs tackling the Coltishall Jaguars Autumn 10km.

EARLY autumn is a very busy running season and there were several local events on offer, with eight Bungay Black Dogs tackling the Coltishall Jaguars Autumn 10km.

It was excellent running weather for the field of 138 runners and the race was on quiet country roads just north of Norwich. Good cakes and tea at the finish were an added incentive.

The first Black Dog to finish was Robbie James 40:30 (26th) followed just over a minute later by Chris Chorley 41:34 (34th). In 77th place on his first outing for a while was David Punt in 48:31.

First female home was Bobbie Sauerzapf 48:57 (78th) and Neil Thomas feeling the after-effects of the Jersey marathon the previous weekend managed 50:34 (92nd).

Sally Nicholls managed exactly 55:00 (110th) and Katy James showed everyone else how to do it by winning second FV60 prize in a time of 1-05:10 (130th). And in 132nd was Jacques Groen in 1-07:37.

This popular Felixstowe half-marathon which starts and finishes on the sea front had good running conditions, with sunshine and a moderate breeze.

Five Bungay Black Dogs travelled down by minibus with their supporters. There was a field of 467 finishers and the first club runner home was Richard Dye in 1-36:54 (65th).

Nigel Gilham had a good race, finishing in 1-45:17 (143rd). Bob Paul was next in 1-54:12 (247th) and Karen Gedge improved on her time from last year by getting in under the two hours in 1-58:44 (305th).

Robin Farrar, still fighting injury, came home in 2-11:36 (404th). Junior club runner Kieran McMorran produced a magnificent performance and was second in the fun run, of just over one mile, despite being placed in the U17 group.

Whilst his colleagues were running in Felixstowe and Coltishall on Sunday, October 4, Ian Taylor was overseas working up a sweat at the 53rd Isle Of Wight Marathon. The event has been run every year since 1957, making it the longest running (and one of the first to be held) in the UK.

This hilly marathon is very challenging and is not to be treated lightly. The single-lap course covers over half of the island, starting and finishing at Ryde, The course was so interesting and so scenic that the miles just seemed to tick by.

Ideal weather conditions and the fact that Taylor does most of his training on open roads made this a great race for him. The course has 1,505 feet of ascent and descent, and he soon moved into fifth place.

A number of runners did overtake him on the hills about six miles into the race but they did too much too soon and Taylor returned the compliment after 22 miles and finished well ahead of them.

He was very pleased to finish eighth out of 117 especially as he received the Third Male Vet 40 prize. His time of 3-18:19 was 83 seconds faster than he achieved in the flat Lee Valley Marathon in September.