Over 1,000 athletes celebrate Bungay Marathon's 40th year

The event - which is part of the Bungay Festival of Running - marked the first marathon to take place in the town in over two years and planners said it may have been the biggest running event in East Anglia post-Covid.

Marathon runners passing the halfway point in the Bungay Marathon 2022 (Image: Archant)

Tony Morley, communications lead and committee member of Bungay Black Dog Running Club, said planners were "all really pleased with how it has gone".

Mr Morley, 62, said: "I don't think anyone knew how today was going to go - especially with the bad weather we had last week - but the conditions were almost perfect and the day had a great festival feel to it."

On the day, there was the marathon - with a course involving two laps of a 13.1-mile loop through the Waveney Valley, starting and ending at Bungay Area Running Centre on Pirnhow Street, Ditchingham - half-marathon, 10km and 5km races, and fun run.

A father gives his daughter a shoulder ride in the Bungay fun run race (Image: Archant)

"There was a nice vibe on the site, with families and kids screaming in support of their parents taking part," Mr Morley said.

"We had those really nice finish line moments. There was a woman who ran her first half-marathon and as soon as she reached the finish line, she was in tears and so were her family who were all there cheering her on.

"Moments like this have made this year really special and we have heard stories from people coming out of illness or injury. It really does add to the positive atmosphere of the day."

Runner Bryony collecting her medal in the Bungay fun run (Image: Archant)

Marking the 40th anniversary of the event, Ian Barber - winner of the 1986 Bungay Marathon - was the race starter in several of the events.

Also in attendance were competitors in the 1982 marathon.

The Black Dog Marathon in Bungay in April 1983 Picture: ARCHANT

Mr Morley added: "We've got a number of guys from the 80s still involved in the club. We are proud of our legacy and proud of the runners who did amazing stuff during the early days of the marathon."

For the future, Bungay Black Dog Running Club is planning its summer series of three 10k events set to take place in June and July.

For more information, please visit www.bungayblackdogrunningclub.co.uk

Marathon runners passing the halfway point in the Bungay Marathon 2022 (Image: Archant)

A guide runs with a blind runner in the Bungay 10k (Image: Archant)

Trophies waiting to be collected by the winners of the multiple races at the Bungay Marathon on Sunday, April 10. (Image: Ella Wilkinson)

Bungay Black Dog Running Club communications lead Tony Morley said the Bungay Marathon couldn't have gone much better. (Image: Ella Wilkinson)